Link Report for Games of Tuesday, August 12th

[Southern Leaguer]

Note to Milwaukee - AAA and AA rosters were eligible to be expanded by one to 24 on Monday. Hello?!

 

Not only have they not expanded to 24, Huntsville is down to 22 with the loss of Jones. Chattanooga used 7 pitchers last night, I don't remember a time all season that Huntsville has had 7 pitchers 'available'. Once again Huntsville emptied it's bench, using all 11 postion players and if the game had gone on to the 17th innning, Mike Kremblas would have been on the mound again. It would be nice to add one more pitcher and one more position player for this stretch run but where would they come from?

[MassBrew]

Huntsville Times Game Story:

"We swing at @$%! in the dirt. They keep throwing it because they're smart. And we're not smart enough not to swing at @$%! in the dirt.''

 

www.al.com/stars/huntsvil...212950.xml

[huntsvillefan]

I know this board usually restricts itself to questions of grand strategy rather than more mundane tactics, but this one produced some lively argument amongst those of us still there at midnight last night and I'd be interested in a few extra opinions.

It is the bottom of the 16th, you have just pinch hit to score a run bringing the score to 5-4, but in doing so you took out your last available pitcher.

There are no outs and you have Kremblas and Johnson on first and second respectively. Not your fastest pair, but they run the bases reasonably.

Machado comes up to bat, he will be followed by Krynzel, Hardy and Nelson. The bunt has no surprize value for you, they are waiting for it. Do you put on the bunt?

[batman]

Do you put on the bunt?

 

I'll say no. The runner at second probably scores on a single regardless and Machado isn't likely to strikeout. I'd rather not give up an out in that situation. The chances of a double-play are troubling, however, because that would take the bat out of Hardy's hands. I don't think Machado or Krynzel are very likely double-play candidates, though.

 

Interesting... but really, I think it's 6 of one and half a dozen of the other. If the sacrifice succeeds, the runner scores on a fly-out... so I can understand that perspective as well.

 

~Bill

[igor67]

Your already ahead, if your tossing a non pitcher out there your odds of 1 or 2 runs scoring are much less than zero scoring plus more than 2. In short you play for the big inning because that gives you the best chance to win one insurance run isn't very reassuring.

[SenatorShriv]

No way do I bunt in that situation. With that caliber of a lineup coming to the plate, I would take my chances on a big inning. It would be a good situation for some of those kids to learn that they need to lift the ball at all costs, and avoid hitting anything on the ground.

[filthyfrog]

Your already ahead, if your tossing a non pitcher out there your odds of 1 or 2 runs scoring are much less than zero scoring plus more than 2.

 

I've read this sentence about nineteen times now and I have no idea what it means.

[xisxisxis]

I've read this sentence about nineteen times now and I have no idea what it means.

 

That's Igor-speak. You just have to learn to throw in a few commas, an extra period or 4, a preposition here and there and you'll be fine.

[igor67]

Hey the comma is the most used punctuation in English he needs a good break. My point was that if your tossing a non pitcher out there your either going to get lucky and he tosses a scoreless frame or he's going to get lit up. Giving up 1 or 2 runs is possible but the other two ends of the spectrum are a lot more likely, and if you bunt your betting that the team will score 1 run and maybe two depending on how you feel about the game being tied (I would not be playing for a tie at that point either which makes playing for the big inning even more obvious). Hope that helps!

[huntsvillefan]

I'm not sure how I failed to make this clear:

Its the BOTTOM of the 16 th - you are one run behind (if you were a run ahead the game would now be over )

Your only concern is to score one or two runs.

One will send it to the 17th , but you have no pitcher.

Two will end the game.

All higher totals are irrelevant

[batman]

I thought it was clear... hence my answer. What did you and your buddies decide?

 

~Bill

[Al the Thinking Man]

You play for the win, and you don't bunt.

[huntsvillefan]

20/20 hindsight is a wonderful thing for a fan. We were all against the bunt, on the principle of not giving a pitcher who was starting to struggle an easy out. But I'm sure we'd have been instant converts to the Kremblas plan if Dave or Brad had got the job done.

One interesting aspect was how Chatanooga rated our various prospects on the night.

They pitched to Dave, even though 1st base was empty. After striking him out, they intentionally walked JJ to get at Brad.