Article: Game Thread Tigers@Twins 4/27 7:10PM

[ashbury]

 

Great managerial decision? Or Greatest managerial decision?

Now up to 3 hits by Schafer. Greatest managerial decision? Or greatest decision in any field of endeavor ever?

[Squirrel]

WAH! COUGH! WAH! COUGH! WAH! COUGH!

 

Good enough?

Depends. Are you trying to win a ball game or a cold?

[sampleSizeOfOne]

 

Depends. Are you trying to win a ball game or a cold?

 

Yes.

[formerly33]

 

Yes.

Both?

[Platoon]

Now up to 3 hits by Schafer. Greatest managerial decision? Or greatest decision in any field of endeavor ever?

No doubt!

[glunn]

Dozier just needs to drive the ball, not try to kill it.

[formerly33]

 

Sorry, been a while since i tried to cheer...

 

I say WAH, you say...

"Ahem," which is my best version of a cough.

[Gibby]

  Dozier isn't exactly fostering confidence.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

 

Both?

 

Yup. Game goes without saying. But if you lose a cold, who knows who might find it. Can't let that happen.

[Squirrel]

damn

[glunn]

Not a good at bat by Dozier.

[Buford_T_Justice]

Hunter looks tired. Past his bedtime?

[ashbury]

Goes against some book to put on the winning run, but Soria wasn't afraid to walk Dozier, with first base open and 1 out. Dozier was afraid not to swing at ball four. Two out.

[Gibby]

 

Hunter looks tired. Past his bedtime?

 

  Nope, just past his prime.

[Gibby]

 

  Oh well, at least It wasn't mind-numbingly boring.

[ashbury]

Close game. Never would have guessed it in the first inning. G'night all.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

 

  Nope, just past his prime.

 

Wish i coulda tasted some past-his-prime rbis...

 

Oh well.  Least he actually went around on it.

[JB_Iowa]

We'll get 'em tomorrow night!

[Blake]

Ah, Escobar's pinch hitting appearance: the perfect example of small sample size versus larger sample size.

 

If I heard Dick and Bert correctly, Escobar is 2 for 3, now 2 for 4 against Chamberlain.

 

For the year, in, what, 30 PA's, Escobar is hitting a .150.

 

Ah, well, the Twins didn't roll over. And the Tigers looked a bit desperate.

[Squirrel]

Oh well, at least It wasn't mind-numbingly boring.

Says the one who checked out after the first inning and didn't return until the 7th.

[stringer bell]

OK, I know "the book" says you play for a tie at home, but I don't like the idea of bunting Santana in the ninth.  First of all Schafer is a real threat to steal second by himself.  Secondly, if he doesn't go, it gives Santana a big hole to shoot through and Soria's attention would be divided between home and first.  I really would have liked to see both speedsters get on to start that inning.  Putting the game on the shoulders of Dozier and Hunter isn't really wise, since neither are hitting that red-hot this spring.

 

Regarding pinch-hitting Escobar, I think we should give him some credit for last year and a small amount for the way he hit in spring training.  In addition, Shane Robinson isn't a .350 hitter.  I haven't liked the way Escobar has been swinging since the season started and three or four ABs  isn't enough information to base a decision for pinch-hitting.

[Platoon]

Regarding pinch hitting Escobar, what are your choices? Mauer is the only one that is hitting at all. Plouffe maybe? And they were both in the lineup. This is really not a good offensive team. Dozier has completely sold out on the inside pitch, and seems to be getting more and more frustrated. Virtually every young hitter in the orginisation is struggling. It's like it's a disease.

[USAFChief]

Yeah, that's the ticket: Escobar and his buck fifty average for Robinson and his defense. Oh, did I mention that Robinson is actually hitting?

 

Again with the lefty-righty matchup using someone who is not hitting. 

 

Not pinch hitting for Robinson could be easily explained. Pinch hitting Escobar for Robinson? Not as easily explained in my book.

I guess I'd have the opposite reaction. To rip off a great line..."Pinch hitter for Robinson? Great move Molitor! Who's the pinch hitter?"

[Blake]

 

OK, I know "the book" says you play for a tie at home, but I don't like the idea of bunting Santana in the ninth.  First of all Schafer is a real threat to steal second by himself.  Secondly, if he doesn't go, it gives Santana a big hole to shoot through and Soria's attention would be divided between home and first.  I really would have liked to see both speedsters get on to start that inning.  Putting the game on the shoulders of Dozier and Hunter isn't really wise, since neither are hitting that red-hot this spring.

 

Regarding pinch-hitting Escobar, I think we should give him some credit for last year and a small amount for the way he hit in spring training.  In addition, Shane Robinson isn't a .350 hitter.  I haven't liked the way Escobar has been swinging since the season started and three or four ABs  isn't enough information to base a decision for pinch-hitting.

This is one of my problems with the Moneyball approach to pinch hitting, etc. I think people like Molitor may get to caught up in Sabremetrics to the point of ignoring who is currently producing. Sabermetrics may be all well and good for long term trends but it isn't all about numbers. It is also about judgement. Sometimes, you have to play the cards you're dealt.

Edited April 28, 2015 by Blake

[Mike Sixel]

 

Ah, Escobar's pinch hitting appearance: the perfect example of small sample size versus larger sample size.

 

If I heard Dick and Bert correctly, Escobar is 2 for 3, now 2 for 4 against Chamberlain.

 

For the year, in, what, 30 PA's, Escobar is hitting a .150.

 

Ah, well, the Twins didn't roll over. And the Tigers looked a bit desperate.

 

Wait, you are complaining about small sample size, then saying 30 PAs this year is more relevant than their careers? I'm confused.

[stringer bell]

 

Wait, you are complaining about small sample size, then saying 30 PAs this year is more relevant than their careers? I'm confused.

Exactly, Mike.  If you want to win the game against the setup guy, probably it would be best to go with a guy with power (Arcia, Vargas) even though they are scuffling.  The Twins had the catcher (slow runner) on first and two outs.  Escobar and the next guy (Schafer, now hitting .190) would most likely need to get hits to tie the game.  In summary, there weren't a lot of good options, but a home run hitter would have a slugger's chance of handing the ball to Perkins with a lead in the ninth.

[Blake]

 

Wait, you are complaining about small sample size, then saying 30 PAs this year is more relevant than their careers? I'm confused.

Dick and Bert made the point that Escobar was 2 for 3 against Chamberlain, which is 5 PA's. Small sample size compared to Escobars current lack of hitting. (30 PA's > 5 PA's)* Career numbers are all well and good however, at some point, the here and now needs to be factored in. I do not believe Molitor is doing a good job of balancing the here and now with long term player trends.

 

It's my opinion, nothing more. If managing a baseball team were easy, it would be a minimum wage job and anyone could do it, yours truly included.

 

 

*30 PA's is a WAG, I admit.