https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OsvfG5Qie0
I enjoyed this video & I thought I'd share it with my TD bros.. Now I agree with most that a sacrifice bunt is not beneficial in most cases and some players shouldn't be bunting but I agree with the author that there are many cases when bunting makes a lot of sense. Therefore bunting should not be shunned but should be taught & encouraged, especially those who have the talent to do so. Many INFers cheat by playing back because they don't expect a bunt. Having the ability to bunt will make the INFers honest & increase your chances of getting a hit. Another reason for not bunting is because it does practically nothing to increase your SLG or OPS & that's what teams go by. Many lauded the batter with high SLG & OPS who hits a lot of HRs when they're not needed & getting out when getting on base is needed. Yet shun the player with lower SLG & OPS who gets on base by bunting or otherwise, making those bunts into doubles & triples, Shaking pitchers up to make mistakes for following batters & sparking rallies & winning games (Isn't that the most important stat?). IMO that's where analytics veers off when too much importance is put on SLG & OPS where they try to squeeze out every HR from every player & overlook their other talents that can make the difference between a contender & a 4th place finish in the AL Central.
Just popped in to check play-off results and discovered starting pitchers are going seven innings on three-days rest. Somebody step in and stop this cruelty or somebody is going to get hurt!
OK, Honestly I really do not enjoy being critical or a pessimist. But I nearly did a spit-take when I saw Dave St Peter give the Twins FO and "Falvine" "High Marks". Seriously, from what benchmark can you give this FO high marks?
Can you blame them for the injuries and the failures down the stretch? Well yeah, at least a little bit. They trade for TWO starting pitchers that had injury histories. Anyone could see Paddack's injury coming, and it was called here and many other places at the time fo the trade. No Monday Mornign QBing here. Mahle had his shoulder. yet we gave away some good prospects for pitchers with injury histories, so yes, you can.
They did sign some OK pitchers, Archer, even though could not go past 4 innings was serviceable most fo the year, and Bundy was also serviceable. but nothing overly exciting, and neither at this point is on the Twins moving forward, so still left in the same position pitching wise as last offseason (ok maybe a little better, should have Ryan, Ober, Gray, Maeda)
Our position players are in a state of flux at best. Kudos for signing Correa, but he is gone. Sanchez and Urshela were decent, and you cant fault them for Buxtons contract, that was a pretty good signing, regardless of what BUxton does.
A couple good young players, Miranda.. Coudl Wallner be decent?
otherwise top prospects busted for various reasons injury Kiriloff, Lewis, Larnach, and some just didnt pan out.
So we made some decent moves, and our Major league club overall was good but fell completely off map at the end with little momentum or positivity going into th e offseason. SO maybe they receive "marks" but "high marks" they were average at best!!
Well maybe they have put our Minor League program in a stronger position...
Well MLB has our system ranked 23rd. down from #12 as recently as 202 mid-season rankings. and #8 in 2019 with (Lewis, Kirilloff, Graterol, Balazovic, Larnach as the keys).
So you sign ONE top of the shelf FA, who will be gone after this year, a couple pitchers off the scrap heap, deal some top talent for injured pitchers (and one quality starter in Gray) to field a below .500 team, all while dropping your minor league system from #9 to #23 and that earns High Marks?
I just have oen question...
Mr. St. Peter, can you do my next performance appraisal for my end of year bonus???
