MLB 2014 season thread

One of those wierd nights that makes baseball the game it is. Dodgers-Nats have long rain delay, Giants rally to beat Pirates in 13, San Diego gets walkoff win over Royals in 12.

 

Steal against Yadier Molina?

 

Sabathia would have figured out a way to gut out a W in that game.

 

I see what you did there.

 

It's little details like that that are keeping ND from that job he deserves as Braves manager.

 

Not joining ND's cause here but in one respect it is the 9th inning, full game of squatting, which probably has an effect in reaction time, even for the best catcher in baseball.

So even if it's a fraction of a second it's a fraction of a second advantage. Sometimes that's all you need.

That said, I'd like to know what Yadi's % of throwing runners out after the 7th inning is.

On a somewhat related note, Marte stole a base last night when he should have been dead in the water. As he slid head-first he did a swim move over Crawford's glove and grabbed the bag. Called safe, validated by replay.

http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/63817564/v32626869/sfpit-giants-challenge-safe-call-on-steal-in-3rd/?query=Marte

Edit: And what a bullet by *Hector Sanchez* from his knees.

 

Still a way better solution than giving away an out.

 

Not in a 1-run game in the ninth inning. If Heyward and Upton can't get a runner home from second with one out, you don't deserve to win.

 

Deserves has nothing to do with it. I'd take 3 chances rather than 2 to get that run home.

 

Over the long haul, that may be the percentage play, but given the circumstances, particularly the Braves' collective batting slump of the past week, it's not surprising Gonzalez chose to bunt. It IS surprising he didn't use his fast guy as a pinch runner before bunting, though.

 

I'm ambivalent about the bunt, but stealing against Molina with a pitcher who throws 97 mph on the mound is not a good idea either.

 

I would have tried to steal.

That being said, I am not an opponent of the bunt in this case.

However, I am often skeptical of these reflective views of what should have happened because usually the people doing the reflecting are ignorant, selectively or otherwise, about many details relevant to the situation.