Sacrifice outs and Micromanaging.

[UK1679666180]

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/not-so-sweet-surrender/

 

I also noticed that Dusty Baker led the world in pitchouts with 70 (the average was about 23), while Frank Robinson of the Nationals called for only four. What’s even more interesting is that the difference apparently had no effect on the running game; the Cubs caught 40 of 90 (31%) would-be base stealers while the Nats caught 41 of 76 (35%). That’s probably not much consolation to the Dodgers, however, who nabbed just 34 of 130 base stealers (21%) and called for just 17 pitchouts.

 

Name SacA

Omar Vizquel 25

Chris Carpenter 20

Coco Crisp 19

Brandon Webb 19

Luis Castillo 19

Livan Hernandez 18

Juan Pierre 17

Neifi Perez 17

 

Why did I have a feeling that Neifi Perez would be high on the list? Incidentally, in his 17 attempts Perez executed 12 times, struck out once, popped out three times and grounded into a force out once.

 

Bottom 5 teams that were least successful at successful sacrifices...

 

CHN 98 71 72.4%

SDN 101 73 72.3%

LAN 86 62 72.1%

PIT 90 63 70.0%

CHA 74 50 67.6%

 

 

So despite getting a lot of practice, the Nationals were not stellar at giving themselves up. And despite being in the American League where the success rates are higher (since position players apparently are better bunters than pitchers), the World Champions also had some problems, although it didn't really hurt them since they relied much more on the home run, on which they scored 42.4% of their runs, good for fourth in the majors.

[Drew Doughty]

I always found it funny when people would say that the White Sox "rely" on Ozzie Ball and would then say that a lot of their runs came by the home run.

[Omar]

Interesting... :-k

[CuseCubFan69]

I'd like to know the results of the pitchouts and how many times did he guess right. How many times did he put his pitcher behind in the count and I want to see how the batter fared against the Cub pitcher during that AB.

[UK1679666180]

It couldn't have been too effective, it certainly wasn't a case of them being able to steal a sign and react accordingly during all of those cases. IIRC, most were likely 1st pitch of the AB situations or possibly the pitcher was ahead 0-2, 1-2 in the count and Baker could have assumed the runner was going on an expected breaking ball.

[BigbadB]

Based on the information above, I'm shocked Hendry isn't going ballistic in his efforts to acquire Omar Vizquel.

[abuck1220]

remember all the fuss about how the cubs 'relied' too much on the homerun in 2004? i remember the fox announcers harping about it, as if it was the reason for the cubs' woes and then they flashed a graphic of the 5 teams that scored the highest % of runs by the homerun...and the cubs were the only team that wasn't in playoff contention on that list. yeah, relying on the homerun will kill you.

[BigbadB]

yeah, relying on the homerun will kill you.

 

It certainly will if you have an OBP under .300 in the top two spots in your batting order.

[Mark Priors Calves]

I always found it funny when people would say that the White Sox "rely" on Ozzie Ball and would then say that a lot of their runs came by the home run.

 

anybody have a link to check the number of runs scored by HR per team in 2005?

[hardcorecubfan]

I'd like to know the results of the pitchouts and how many times did he guess right. How many times did he put his pitcher behind in the count and I want to see how the batter fared against the Cub pitcher during that AB.

 

No let's not start that we'll have to learn a new anacronym P.O.G.S= pitchouts guessed right.

That would lead to a whole new job in the booth tracking those.

[biittner77]

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/not-so-sweet-surrender/

 

I also noticed that Dusty Baker led the world in pitchouts with 70 (the average was about 23), while Frank Robinson of the Nationals called for only four. What’s even more interesting is that the difference apparently had no effect on the running game; the Cubs caught 40 of 90 (31%) would-be base stealers while the Nats caught 41 of 76 (35%). That’s probably not much consolation to the Dodgers, however, who nabbed just 34 of 130 base stealers (21%) and called for just 17 pitchouts.

 

 

40 of 90? wouldn't that be 44% and 41 of 76 be 54%? I'm not the biggest math guy in the world but even at first glance 30 of 90 would be 1/3 or 33%.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/not-so-sweet-surrender/

 

I also noticed that Dusty Baker led the world in pitchouts with 70 (the average was about 23), while Frank Robinson of the Nationals called for only four. What’s even more interesting is that the difference apparently had no effect on the running game; the Cubs caught 40 of 90 (31%) would-be base stealers while the Nats caught 41 of 76 (35%). That’s probably not much consolation to the Dodgers, however, who nabbed just 34 of 130 base stealers (21%) and called for just 17 pitchouts.

 

 

40 of 90? wouldn't that be 44% and 41 of 76 be 54%? I'm not the biggest math guy in the world but even at first glance 30 of 90 would be 1/3 or 33%.

 

His percentages are right if you think of those numbers as 40/130, 41/117, and 34/164. Confusing language to be sure.

[CuseCubFan69]

I'd like to know the results of the pitchouts and how many times did he guess right. How many times did he put his pitcher behind in the count and I want to see how the batter fared against the Cub pitcher during that AB.

 

No let's not start that we'll have to learn a new anacronym P.O.G.S= pitchouts guessed right.

That would lead to a whole new job in the booth tracking those.

 

Sorry hardcore but I'm all about giving Americans new jobs and anacronyms.

[biittner77]

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/not-so-sweet-surrender/

 

I also noticed that Dusty Baker led the world in pitchouts with 70 (the average was about 23), while Frank Robinson of the Nationals called for only four. What’s even more interesting is that the difference apparently had no effect on the running game; the Cubs caught 40 of 90 (31%) would-be base stealers while the Nats caught 41 of 76 (35%). That’s probably not much consolation to the Dodgers, however, who nabbed just 34 of 130 base stealers (21%) and called for just 17 pitchouts.

 

 

40 of 90? wouldn't that be 44% and 41 of 76 be 54%? I'm not the biggest math guy in the world but even at first glance 30 of 90 would be 1/3 or 33%.

 

His percentages are right if you think of those numbers as 40/130, 41/117, and 34/164. Confusing language to be sure.

 

Why would I think of them that way? I read the article and didn't see 40/130 etc antwhere.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/not-so-sweet-surrender/

 

I also noticed that Dusty Baker led the world in pitchouts with 70 (the average was about 23), while Frank Robinson of the Nationals called for only four. What’s even more interesting is that the difference apparently had no effect on the running game; the Cubs caught 40 of 90 (31%) would-be base stealers while the Nats caught 41 of 76 (35%). That’s probably not much consolation to the Dodgers, however, who nabbed just 34 of 130 base stealers (21%) and called for just 17 pitchouts.

 

 

40 of 90? wouldn't that be 44% and 41 of 76 be 54%? I'm not the biggest math guy in the world but even at first glance 30 of 90 would be 1/3 or 33%.

 

His percentages are right if you think of those numbers as 40/130, 41/117, and 34/164. Confusing language to be sure.

 

Why would I think of them that way? I read the article and didn't see 40/130 etc antwhere.

 

Don't think of it as 40 out of 90, think 40 successes and 90 failures. I don't know which numbers are right, but that's how he came to those percentages