After further consideration, I don't think my first question was fair. I apologize. I do have my opinions on it, but I was asking from more of a "teaching" angle than a MLB angle. Sorry.
I do think the second question was okay. Three pitches and three outs is ideal. Of course, that isn't practical. I just used to try to coach my pitchers into thinking about location rather than just blowing guys away.
It would be cool if we could have a baseball strategy thread. I have a lot of theories on how to pitch certain types of batters and how to hit depending on the strike count, the score, the inning, etc. If one of you baseball guys want to start a thread on baseball strategies, I'll contribute.
The whole point of shifts and such in baseball is for the pitcher to hit certain locations with his pitches. If he fails, a hitter could run for days.
We sometimes see odd defensive alignments with 4 infielder on the right side, and all 3 outfielders from right center to left. It often seems to work, but when it doesn't .... well, I bet many inside the park homeruns result from specialty defensive alignments, and a pitcher not hitting his spots.
As far as your 2nd question ... I was being a bit smart. I have seen rather short innings though, where the offense swings, weakly, at the 1st pitch, and at least 2 of them are out just like that. Maybe not a 3 pitch inning .... but close. Location is vitally important. One of the most frustrating/frightening things I can imagine is watching a pitcher throwing pitches that just nick the outside corner, after starting out looking like it's going to nail you in the head.
Man, I loved playing baseball as a kid. Unfortunately, I could not field worth a crap. I could kill the ball at the plate though. Of course in those days, at that age, pitchers weren't throwing a lot of sliders and curveballs. lol
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
Nice post. I personally love the slider. You start it off over the middle of the pate to guys who want to pull the ball [which is almost everyone nowadays] and it breaks to the low outside corner. The hitter tries pulling it and it is a weak grounder to the SS [my best fielder] or a lazy fly ball to left center field.
Best pitch: In my mind, the cut fastball. You get good speed, late movement, and can consistently throw it with control. As a righty, start it inside to a righty at the wrist and bring it over the plate, or on the outside corner and it moves off the plate. To the lefty, start off the plate and catch the outside corner, or start on the inside corner of the plate and break it into his hands.
Locate the pitch and even if there is no movement it is hard to hit. Get that late cut and it can be a devastating pitch.
Best inning a pitcher can have? 9th inning of World Series Game 7! Getting that 3rd out for the win. I don't see how there could be anything better in baseball.
Don't blame the clown for acting like a clown. Ask yourself why you keep going to the circus.
I think a pitcher who has a devastating sinking fastball is nearly impossible to beat on a consistent basis. No HRs given up; singles have to beat him. Often times strikeouts and ground balls follow.
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
One of the most frustrating/frightening things I can imagine is watching a pitcher throwing pitches that just nick the outside corner, after starting out looking like it's going to nail you in the head.
Back in 2006, I went to a game with a friend who's now a D-1 college manager, and we sat a few rows just behind home plate. Cliff Lee was pitching that day and he was throwing these filthy curveballs all game long. They looked like they would fly over the catchers head, but then would suddenly die and catch the top of the zone. It was just amazing to watch from that angle. My friend told me Lee was going to win the Cy Young some day if he could keep pitching like that, and sure enough 2 years later he did. (Yea ya, he had a quick stop in the minors too!)
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
Jose Ramirez's home run drought is over and so is Blake Snell's no-hit bid. No. 38 for Ramirez soars to left and he looked like he enjoyed watching that one leave. Rays still up 3-1.
I suppose it's possible that the Rays can catch up to the A's for the last wildcard spot, and goodness knows the A's are capable of a collapse like that, but I doubt that'll happen.
There may be two teams that end up having more wins than the division winning Cleveland team but won't make the playoffs. Kind of harsh, but the Indians have been on cruise control for a while now. If forced, they would probably have a few more wins if there was a rule about needing more wins than the 3rd wildcard team.
Also, the Indians were red hot this time last year and choked away a 2-0 lead, so I'd imagine nobody will be worried if they limp into the playoffs this year.
“...Iguodala to Curry, back to Iguodala, up for the layup! Oh! Blocked by James! LeBron James with the rejection!”
I suppose it's possible that the Rays can catch up to the A's for the last wildcard spot, and goodness knows the A's are capable of a collapse like that, but I doubt that'll happen.
The A's have an eight game lead, that would be an epic collapse.
Snell is one of the best pitchers, if not the best at the moment. IMpressive
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
Tomlin was on a 60-65 pitch count, so his night is likely done at 62. Solo, walk, single before retiring 9-of-10. 2 2Bs in 4th make it 2-0, Tigers. #Indians
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
By Jordan Bastian MLB.com @MLBastian Sep. 18th, 2018
CLEVELAND -- Trevor Bauer took a seat in the Indians' dugout, grabbed some water and took a break from his simulated throwing session on Tuesday afternoon. Slugger Jose Ramirez, sitting on an elevated bench by the railing, turned around and engaged in some friendly trash talk with his teammate.
"What're you throwing, 82?" Ramirez quipped.
"Can you hit it?" the pitcher fired back with a smirk.
This was Bauer in his element. During his offseason workouts, verbal jabs are a part of the daily routine. It is a way for the right-hander to get his adrenaline pumping, which can be difficult to do in a non-game setting. In that way, Bauer got more out of his three-inning session on Tuesday than his previous mound test, and he feels he is getting closer to being ready for a return from the disabled list.
Bauer worked through roughly 60 pitches, taking breaks between each inning against hitters Eric Haase, Brandon Barnes and Adam Rosales. Bauer -- currently sidelined due to a stress fracture in his right fibula -- tested each of his offerings and said he was able to focus on the outing, rather than on his mechanics or the ankle.
Bauer felt so good that he joked with manager Terry Francona that he was ready to come off the DL immediately.
"I told Tito I'm available tonight," Bauer said with a laugh. "Based on the information I have right now, I would feel comfortable execution-wise being able to go into a big league game. So, we're close."
Francona put his foot on the brakes.
"I'm glad he feels that way," said Francona, who watched Bauer's workout, along with president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti, pitching coach Carl Willis and a group of other front office and medical staffers. "I thought he took a good step in the right direction. So, what we'll do now next is we'll sit with him and the medical staff and figure out where the next step is. That's where we're at.
"We know Trevor wants to pitch. From our standpoint, the quicker we can get him in a game, without risk, the better. But, that's where you've got to listen to the medical guys, too."
Francona was asked if the next step could be activation from the DL.
"It's a scenario," he replied. "I don't know if it's likely."
Between the simulated innings, Bauer received feedback on his pitches from Haase (who also offers the perspective of a catcher), discussed things with Willis and later chatted with catcher Roberto Perez. After his last mound workout on Saturday, Bauer said his delivery sequencing needed to be ironed out, something that was not as much of an issue this time around.
"All of it's valuable," Bauer said of the information gathered. "I'm not sure exactly how I'm going to use it all yet. I'm still fresh off the mound, so I have to cool down, get done with my work, and then process it, look at some video and whatnot. But, the biggest takeaway is that I was able to completely focus on competing."
Asked if Ramirez's chatter from the dugout helped at all, Bauer rolled his eyes.
"Jose talks a lot. There's no action behind it," Bauer joked. "He's always telling me he's going to hit a homer off me, and face me, and all that stuff. And then he gets a chance, and it's, 'Nah, I don't want to face you.'"
Worth noting • Designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion, who sustained a mild right ankle sprain in the fourth inning on Saturday against the Tigers, was out of the starting lineup on Tuesday. Francona said it was just an opportunity to give Encarnacion three days' rest and recovery, given the Tribe had an off-day on Monday.
"He's fine," Francona said prior to Tuesday's game. "He could've played today. I told him to take [batting practice] and run, and we'll put him in there tomorrow."
• Since being activated from the DL on Sept. 11, third baseman Josh Donaldson has been playing on an every-other-day basis. Francona noted that Donaldson -- in Tuesday's lineup -- would also start on Wednesday, marking his first back-to-back starts since late May.
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
Trevor Bauer (214 strikeouts), Carlos Carrasco (206) and Kluber (205) are the first trio in Indians history to have at least 200 strikeouts in the same season. Cleveland is the fourth team to accomplish that, joining the 2013 Tigers, 1969 Astros and 1967 Twins. If Mike Clevinger (196) reaches 200 punchouts, the Indians will be the first team in MLB history to have four pitchers reach that milestone in the same campaign.
Trevor Bauer (214 strikeouts), Carlos Carrasco (206) and Kluber (205) are the first trio in Indians history to have at least 200 strikeouts in the same season. Cleveland is the fourth team to accomplish that, joining the 2013 Tigers, 1969 Astros and 1967 Twins. If Mike Clevinger (196) reaches 200 punchouts, the Indians will be the first team in MLB history to have four pitchers reach that milestone in the same campaign.
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