[teejers1]

agreed on Snell.  if that was the MadBum (in his prime) in the same situation, I could see him not giving up the ball to the manager or may be borrowing Bob Gibson's line to Tim McCarver (paraphrasing):  "what are you doing out here?  the only thing you know about good pitching is that you can't hit it."

on shift, batters just have to hit a few the other way, even if bunting.  key to offense is getting on base.

The eye test still matters, even in this Analytics World.  And that doesn't even address heart.

But all I could think of was Gibson, Orel, Dave Stewart, and MadBum would have fought the manager on the mound to stay in the game - and thus, they would have been left in the game.  The game has changed . . . but not for the better.

And Lex, in the ideal world, players learn to hit the other way.  But I have to admit that I'm amazed anyone hits in this day and age, as pitcher after pitcher takes the mound and hurls 95+ cheese.  It's incredible . . .

[teejers1]

agreed on Snell.  if that was the MadBum (in his prime) in the same situation, I could see him not giving up the ball to the manager or may be borrowing Bob Gibson's line to Tim McCarver (paraphrasing):  "what are you doing out here?  the only thing you know about good pitching is that you can't hit it."

on shift, batters just have to hit a few the other way, even if bunting.  key to offense is getting on base.

The eye test still matters, even in this Analytics World.  And that doesn't even address heart.

But all I could think of was Gibson, Orel, Dave Stewart, and MadBum would have fought the manager on the mound to stay in the game - and thus, they would have been left in the game.  The game has changed . . . but not for the better.

And Lex, in the ideal world, players learn to hit the other way.  But I have to admit that I'm amazed anyone hits in this day and age, as pitcher after pitcher takes the mound and hurls 95+ cheese.  It's incredible . . .