Post by Rog on Sept 27, 2014 11:04:06 GMT -5
This post is not about nibbling. Boly and I disagreed about whether Ryan Vogelsong was doing more nibbling than usual in a recent start, and I agreed not to further address the subject.
This is about something Mark mentioned when we were talking about whether Vogelsong should have been more aggressive in pitching to A.J. Pollock with runners on second and third, and Mark Trumbo on deck. Ryan wound up walking Pollock, Trumbo hit a grand slam, and suddenly a scoreless (or 1-0) game had turned into a 4-1 deficit.
Clearly the strategy Vogelsong employed couldn't have worked out worse. But was it the wrong strategy? Trumbo has shown power in his career, but was he the more dangerous hitter.
Mark says no, and the MLB lead writer for Bleacher Reports certainly agrees with him. In the article on baseball's top 500 players, Trumbo ranked only #425, while Pollock ranked #69. Pollock has a .304 average with a .509 SLG, after all. Trumbo is hitting .233 with a .398 SLG.
I agree with Mark that it was Pollock, not Trumbo, who was the more dangerous hitter. And I agree that the best strategy was with first base open, to pitch carefully to Pollock, knowing that a walk would still allow the Giants not to be hurt by the more dangerous hitter. Trumbo is having his worst season, and only (2012) of his four seasons has been a good one. Pollock is short only in at bats of having one of the best seasons in the National League.
Clearly this strategy didn't work out. But that is a risk with even the very best of strategies. The result wasn't what we wanted, but I believe the strategy was quite sound. Pitching straight up to Pollock was too cold. Walking him intentionally was too hot. Pitching carefully to Pollock to get to Trumbo if necessary was just right -- except for the result.
Still, I'll take porridge at the right temperature over the extremes.
This is about something Mark mentioned when we were talking about whether Vogelsong should have been more aggressive in pitching to A.J. Pollock with runners on second and third, and Mark Trumbo on deck. Ryan wound up walking Pollock, Trumbo hit a grand slam, and suddenly a scoreless (or 1-0) game had turned into a 4-1 deficit.
Clearly the strategy Vogelsong employed couldn't have worked out worse. But was it the wrong strategy? Trumbo has shown power in his career, but was he the more dangerous hitter.
Mark says no, and the MLB lead writer for Bleacher Reports certainly agrees with him. In the article on baseball's top 500 players, Trumbo ranked only #425, while Pollock ranked #69. Pollock has a .304 average with a .509 SLG, after all. Trumbo is hitting .233 with a .398 SLG.
I agree with Mark that it was Pollock, not Trumbo, who was the more dangerous hitter. And I agree that the best strategy was with first base open, to pitch carefully to Pollock, knowing that a walk would still allow the Giants not to be hurt by the more dangerous hitter. Trumbo is having his worst season, and only (2012) of his four seasons has been a good one. Pollock is short only in at bats of having one of the best seasons in the National League.
Clearly this strategy didn't work out. But that is a risk with even the very best of strategies. The result wasn't what we wanted, but I believe the strategy was quite sound. Pitching straight up to Pollock was too cold. Walking him intentionally was too hot. Pitching carefully to Pollock to get to Trumbo if necessary was just right -- except for the result.
Still, I'll take porridge at the right temperature over the extremes.