Doesn’t Matter Who Wins the K Race; We’re All the Same

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski

i can’t imagine why any Red Sox would care. It’s not like he’s beat out a Sox pitcher for top SO, just an individual feat.

Well, no one likes to strike out, and players can get kinda cranky towards the end of a season when they're underperforming. So if you start to think that the other team is trying to strike you out instead of winning the game, I can see getting annoyed.

Not saying they should be annoyed -- I just don't even understand why Deadspin thinks the Sox were doing something wrong. Because batters were swinging at the first pitch? Really?

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally Posted by Tyrone Slothrop

Well, no one likes to strike out, and players can get kinda cranky towards the end of a season when they're underperforming. So if you start to think that the other team is trying to strike you out instead of winning the game, I can see getting annoyed.

Not saying they should be annoyed -- I just don't even understand why Deadspin thinks the Sox were doing something wrong. Because batters were swinging at the first pitch? Really?

It may be the pitcher has money on the line, too. That 200 K number could affect a bonus, or it may just be perceived to give him more negotiating leverage.

The don't-swing-at-the-first-pitch is Red Sox religion, and it's odd to see it broken by more than one player (certainly, not everyone has Wade Bogg's discipline, and they never have). But I'm not sure why they'd care, unless the guy did something like pitched at one of them.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally Posted by Tyrone Slothrop

Well, no one likes to strike out, and players can get kinda cranky towards the end of a season when they're underperforming. So if you start to think that the other team is trying to strike you out instead of winning the game, I can see getting annoyed.

Not saying they should be annoyed -- I just don't even understand why Deadspin thinks the Sox were doing something wrong. Because batters were swinging at the first pitch? Really?

The Sox did nothing wrong, just showed no class. Like I mentioned the Yankees showed. Or in 1968 Mickey Mantle is at bat for the final time in his career. Denny McClain is pitching- 31 game winner that year, Mick knows he has no chance. But Denny groves a big pitch straight down the middle. Mick takes it for strike 1. Looks at Denny, who nods and gives the exact same pitch. Last HR of Mick’s career.

Tigers and Yankees classy. Red Sox?

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski

The Sox did nothing wrong, just showed no class. Like I mentioned the Yankees showed. Or in 1968 Mickey Mantle is at bat for the final time in his career. Denny McClain is pitching- 31 game winner that year, Mick knows he has no chance. But Denny groves a big pitch straight down the middle. Mick takes it for strike 1. Looks at Denny, who nods and gives the exact same pitch. Last HR of Mick’s career.

Tigers and Yankees classy. Red Sox?

bucky fing dent

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski

The Sox did nothing wrong, just showed no class.

By swinging at the first pitch? Seriously? When you've got a tired pitcher who wants to throw strikes, of course you're going to swing.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally Posted by Tyrone Slothrop

By swinging at the first pitch? Seriously? When you've got a tired pitcher who wants to throw strikes, of course you're going to swing.

Have you ever actually played a sport? If you take the first pitch, what is that tired pitcher going to be on the next pitch? That’s right; more tired. You guys swinging gave him 3 pitch innings.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski

Have you ever actually played a sport? If you take the first pitch, what is that tired pitcher going to be on the next pitch? That’s right; more tired. You guys swinging gave him 3 pitch innings.

This exchange would be more useful if you knew something about baseball. Thanks for trying to answer my question.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally Posted by Tyrone Slothrop

This exchange would be more useful if you knew something about baseball. Thanks for trying to answer my question.

If ty and bank were in 3rd grade together:

Ty “I know you are but what am I?”
Hank: POW
Ty: “teacher Hank hit me!”

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski

If ty and bank were in 3rd grade together:

Ty “I know you are but what am I?”
Hank: POW
Ty: “teacher Hank hit me!”

I'm sure that one's up there with your Moth stuff.

[ThurgreedMarshall]

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski

Have you ever actually played a sport? If you take the first pitch, what is that tired pitcher going to be on the next pitch? That’s right; more tired. You guys swinging gave him 3 pitch innings.

I am confused by this entire conversation. If you see a guy going for a strikeout goal, you know he's coming with a fastball. Fuck your stupid goal. I want a hit. Why shouldn't I take advantage of your stupidity? This "play the right way" bullshit, which amounts to "give me a strike so I can reach my goal" is ridiculous. This huge "book" of unwritten rules is stupid. If you can strike me out, I will shake your hand. If you can only do it if I give you the first pitch for free, you can't fucking do it, so shut up.

TM

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally Posted by ThurgreedMarshall

I am confused by this entire conversation. If you see a guy going for a strikeout goal, you know he's coming with a fastball. Fuck your stupid goal. I want a hit. Why shouldn't I take advantage of your stupidity? This "play the right way" bullshit, which amounts to "give me a strike so I can reach my goal" is ridiculous. This huge "book" of unwritten rules is stupid. If you can strike me out, I will shake your hand. If you can only do it if I give you the first pitch for free, you can't fucking do it, so shut up.

Thank you.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally Posted by ThurgreedMarshall

I am confused by this entire conversation. If you see a guy going for a strikeout goal, you know he's coming with a fastball. Fuck your stupid goal. I want a hit. Why shouldn't I take advantage of your stupidity? This "play the right way" bullshit, which amounts to "give me a strike so I can reach my goal" is ridiculous. This huge "book" of unwritten rules is stupid. If you can strike me out, I will shake your hand. If you can only do it if I give you the first pitch for free, you can't fucking do it, so shut up.

TM

Mainly I was fucking with Ty. As I said I can’t imagine why the Red Sox would care enough to screw up their at bats. That said, and I haven’t had any interest in baseball for a year or two, but IIRC the Red Sox take pitches cuz it helps them get hits?

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski

IIRC the Red Sox take pitches cuz it helps them get hits?

Like some other major league teams, the Sox used to try to take a lot of pitches to wear out pitchers. But the league-wide trend of going to relievers sooner more often means that this doesn't work so well anymore.

[ThurgreedMarshall]

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski

Mainly I was fucking with Ty. As I said I can’t imagine why the Red Sox would care enough to screw up their at bats. That said, and I haven’t had any interest in baseball for a year or two, but IIRC the Red Sox take pitches cuz it helps them get hits?

You take pitches in a situation in which you are not sure that the first pitch will be right down the middle. If you know the pitcher is trying to achieve a strikeout goal and is absolutely throwing a fastball down the middle hoping you won't swing because your playoff hopes are over and you "play the game the right way," (whatever the fuck that means) the approach changes. This isn't difficult stuff to understand.

The question is, why is this asshole's strikeout goal more important than my batting average or us trying to win this game?

TM

[Icky Thump]

Originally Posted by ThurgreedMarshall

I am confused by this entire conversation. If you see a guy going for a strikeout goal, you know he's coming with a fastball. Fuck your stupid goal. I want a hit. Why shouldn't I take advantage of your stupidity? This "play the right way" bullshit, which amounts to "give me a strike so I can reach my goal" is ridiculous. This huge "book" of unwritten rules is stupid. If you can strike me out, I will shake your hand. If you can only do it if I give you the first pitch for free, you can't fucking do it, so shut up.

TM

And . . . 200 strikeouts. That's cute. The good pitchers have that by the beginning of August.