Baseball Thread IV

Fair enough. But I think you're just jealous cause the Cubbies won yesterday.

 

I happened to watch the Astros-Cardinals game when Pujols hit the 3-run homer.

That was a situation where there was no good solution for the Astros manager. If he walks Pujols, that pushes the tying run to third base and the winning run to second base. If you walk him, that brings up Scott Rolen (who, it should be noted, singled after Pujols's three-run home run).

What they ended up doing seemed the best choice of all. They threw two balls to Pujols, and then it looked like they wanted to throw a pitch to the outside corner high. When I saw it on the replay, I wondered if it was a strike. Pujols reaches out and hits it over the fence anyway, but it was very high and it seemed like it might stay in the park.

Those rules like not putting the winning run on base and not moving the runner up and intentional walks are bad can generally be true and useful guidelines. But when somebody has hit 25 homers and we aren't out of May, the usual rules don't apply. I think not pitching to him becomes a harder decision when you consider the fact that the Astros and Cardinals are in the same division, so Phil Garner has to set a tone. I think Garner did the right thing and had a good approach, but Pujols is just white hot.

 

I guess if you're not sure what to do with him the best thing to do is just drill him.

 

Yeah, shottie. So why don't you (and DyePack) just shut up.
And while we're at, tell the codas to give it up, too. ;D

 

If a Neifi Perez is on deck, then sure, walk Pujols to load the bases. But you don't want to load the bases for Rolen, who has good command of the strike zone and is a great bet to work a favorable count that leads to a walk or a game-busting hit. Walking the bases loaded puts the pitcher in an almost no-win situation. Too often, he ends up either walking the next guy or piping a fastball that says "Hit me."

 

Pricks to the left of me. Assholes to the right of me. And I'm stuck in the middle with poloponies.

;D

 

I think the teams that have beaten the Cards in October hve pretty much found a way not to pitch to the guy. I would take the almost no-win situation by loading the bases for Rolen as opposed to letting Pujols get his cuts in at the plate.

Again, when people finally start to pitch around Pujols like 2001 Bonds?

 

I can see pitching to Pujols in that situation, but once the count got to 2-0, you can't mess around with him anymore. Walk him and take your chances with Rolen, who, as good as he is, isn't Pujols.

 

You suck, shotglass. You suck.

 

Is there any situation -- ANY -- where you'd walk the world's most dangerous hitter with the bases loaded, force in the tying run, and take your chances with the next guy? I'll hang up now and listen.