jm3319

I'd say it's wrongly From mlb.com: [h=5]Rule 2.00: The Strike Zone[/h]The STRIKE ZONE is that area over home plate the upper limit of which is a horizontal line at the midpoint between the top of the shoulders and the top of the uniform pants, and the lower level is a line at the hollow beneath the kneecap. The Strike Zone shall be determined from the batter's stance as the batter is prepared to swing at a pitched ball. This tells me that their strike zone is flawed from the start. The way I interpret the mlb.com definition is that a 6 foot 5 player has a bigger zone than a 5 foot 8 guy. I know the simulated zone is a composite of "generally called strike zones" but they are still by definition different for each player. My point that I'm trying to make and struggling to put into words is that the pitchf-x thing can be accurate down to 0.0001 mm for all I care. It's still portraying the pitch to a zone that is inconsistent and variable for every batter. So say the pitch catches the corner of the nice box on the screen and the ump calls it a ball. That doesn't necessarily mean he blew the call. It just might be that the pitch missed HIS strike zone for THAT batter, regardless of how the catcher presented it. I know that with a million samples this effect may get evened out, but the strike zone is BY DEFINITION a variable target. Again, my point is that NO ONE really knows what the ump's strike zone is for that batter, and I personally don't think an average rectangle can be used to base percentages or statistics off. I know the stat is in its preliminary stages and is not supposed to be taken as a tell-all stat yet, but I feel they somehow need to adjust their definition of the strike zone.

Okay cool, it tracks the trajectory accurately. That still tells me nothing about the strike zone. How'd they come up with their rectangle for a reference point? Is it based off the textbook definition of the strike zone (which i admittedly don't know off the top of my head), or is it an average, or is it just arbitrary for a reference point? Not trying to be snarky or overly critical, just trying to figure out how the trajectory is translated into strike or ball.

I was just thinking about this too. I'd be curious as to what his numbers would be like with Johan back in the day, or when the Twins actually had an MLB caliber pitcher or two on the roster, let alone one with a high enough "respect" factor to earn a call on the corner. I'm not just blindly trying to defend Mauer, but I find it hard to believe he'd be among the very worst in the league at what is supposedly a basic part of the fundamentals of catching. He's been catching his whole life, he's very athletic, he has star-status and respect among the league. I could see him being average, or even a little below average, but being near dead last among all catchers? I'm thinking there's a lot more to this stat than just a catcher's ability.

isn't this all highly subjective considering that the strike zone varies from ump to ump, game to game, pitch to pitch sometimes? A pitch my snag the corner on the nice little square the broadcast puts on the screen but that doesn't mean it's always a strike regardless of framing. I'd also love to hear an umpire's perspective on framing and whether or not they honestly care or pay attention to exactly where and how the catcher catches it. Maybe it actually does influence calls, maybe it doesn't. I don't know.

So no one can go on a tear without being accused of steroids? Plus, why would he dope for only 35 games? Pretty pointless. And picking something up while visiting Braun wouldn't work over night to morph him into a different player.

If you'd rather sleep through the Hall of Fame career of the best Twin in recent memory, then by all means go for it. Wouldn't want greatness to get in the way of a nice nap.

I agree 100% with not being afraid to lose. It's the ideal mental approach for the team and the fans, cheering for them to do well and develop players. Don't worry about wins and losses. It's still about the future.

Just who, exactly, do you think is being driven in by Morneau, Doumit, Willingham, etc? Could it be.....Mauer who leads the team in runs scored? I'd say that's having an impact on games, slash lines be damned.

Except for the idiots who only care that he makes $23M/year and hate him for it. Too concerned with money to enjoy what a great player he is. Their loss.

I think people just look at his salary and get pissed. Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Mauer mostly loved when he was making like $8-13 M a year? He had his monster year, signed the contract, then everyone wanted him to double his production to match his doubled salary. It's due to people having unrealistic expectations. A shame, people are missing how great he is. I don't see why people care about money so much. I'm sure once Buxton makes $20+ M a year people will start hating him overnight, too.

gibson is starting for the Twins on Saturday.

Me and you both. Sadly, waiting for everything to come crashing back down to reality and see the wheels fall off. Hopefully it'll never happen and I'll be wrong. As someone said above, pieces appear to have regressed but somehow is still better than last year

Every player is just one play away from not being able to play again if it's the wrong play.

Maybe the Twins should just keep Gibson and every other prospect in the minors until 2015. Send Hicks and Arcia back down. That way we can go with an All-Rookie Team in 2015 and just hope for the best since obviously they are all going to capable MLB players and there won't be a transitional period at all. No sense using time between now and then to see what they are actually capable of.

Must not have watched these last few seasons. My point being: It wouldn't matter if Gibson gets shelled and goes 0-10 or is lights out and goes 10-0. This team isn't making the playoffs either way. Thus, let him get MLB experience and not worry about wins and losses as a result.

So you're saying big league experience is completely unimportant? I agreed with everything else you said, but I feel he would still benefit from getting MLB innings if for nothing more than the experience factor so he has something to build upon next year when he is a regular.

I don't get why Gibson isn't up getting experience right now. Who cares if he is still inconsistent in AAA or if he struggles when he gets called up. Wins and losses don't matter this year. I'd much rather he gain big league experience for next year rather than use up his limited innings in AAA.

Strongly disagree. I'd much rather have him get called up and get shelled than stay in AAA even if he is still inconsistent. Who cares if he has a 5.8 ERA in a season where wins and losses don't matter? I'd rather he get experience for the years to come so he has something to build on when games do matter. It's not like the 5 guys in the big leagues have been lights out all season.

This is a joke right? I'm with USAFChief. Lock up Buxton, 20 years, $500 million should do it, don't want to risk him being better than expected. Same with everyone we just drafted. Can never act soon enough to give away money based on potential. (I get the point of the post, but it's still too early for this sort of thing. I also have no problem with paying a guy what he is worth, when he is actually worth it. The owners just have to open their checkbooks when these guys develop.)

I think it's pretty obvious he is taking some healthy hacks and trying to generate some more power his year which is resulting in some more K's. It's nothing more than that, nothing less.

I'm really hoping A-Rod and Braun get 100 games, minimum. Especially Braun. What a lying sack of crap (Same with A-Rod). Blaming the sample-handling process and attacking the guy who handled his sample all while lying his way to the MVP award. Jackass.

When will people stop referring to RBI totals to evaluate the value of a hitter? A guy can bat .400 and get barely any RBI and a guy can hit .200 and rack up RBI. It is simply dependent on who is on base the the time the hitter gets a hit. Also, I count extra base hits in Morneau's last 10 games. If that's a "Power surge" for a first baseman with an expiring contract, he's in trouble.

I believe there should be a "?" at the end of the title, not a million "!"

Have you seen Delmon play defense? Or should I say, have you seen him TRY to play defense? Scoring runs on offense gets negated if you flop around like a fish out of water in the outfield, hence Delmon not being that much higher than Punto in terms of WAR.

"Sending him back down negates the good vibes created by his auspicious arrival, and yet there's no path to long-term regular playing time with the big-league club" uhhh what about sending Hicks down to take Arcia's spot in AAA? Seems to make too much sense (assuming Arcia shows he can handle the bigs already. A big assumption at this point).