Momentum In Baseball

[Keener98]

Ok this is from a discussion in the game thread. Do you believe it plays a part in baseball? I dont think it does in baseball, but basketball most definatley.

[InconspicuousZ28]

Yes, it does.

[inari]

Momentum is as good as the next days starting pitcher.

[Keener98]

Yes, it does.

 

Explain how it does in baseball? Its more about who you are playing. The Brewers limped into this series with the Cardinals after 2 devastating defeats. They seem to not be having a problem after that, why? Because the Cards pitching staff is terrible and they are a AAA offense, it has nothing to do with momentum.

[C.C.]

Ok this is from a discussion in the game thread. Do you believe it plays a part in baseball? I dont think it does in baseball, but basketball most definatley.

 

I think the bigger question is why do you think it does for basketball and not for baseball? That makes no sense?

[JimSorgi]

No, not really

[Keener98]

Momentum is as good as the next days starting pitcher.

 

EXACTLY

[SouthSideRyan]

Momentum is great because you can define it after the fact. The Cubs lost today, therefore they lost their momentum by having a day off while the Brew won.

 

The Brew won on Monday because they had a ton of momentum from crushing defeats at Atlanta...

[Keener98]

Ok this is from a discussion in the game thread. Do you believe it plays a part in baseball? I dont think it does in baseball, but basketball most definatley.

 

I think the bigger question is why do you think it does for basketball and not for baseball? That makes no sense?

 

Because basketball is more a fast paced game where you can get hot making shots thats all in your control. Baseball there are alot of other variables that go along with trying to get a hit, field, etc....

[CubmanPi]

Cubs scored 30 runs in 3 games coming into tonight, all against lefties. Tonight, a lefty with a 1.60 WHIP and a 9-15 record despite excellent run support holds them to 2 hits in 8 innings.

 

Braves deliver three consecutive crushing losses to Milwaukee, who immediately springs to life when the worthless Cardinals get to town.

 

Momentum my arse. Case closed.

[SouthSideRyan]

Ok this is from a discussion in the game thread. Do you believe it plays a part in baseball? I dont think it does in baseball, but basketball most definatley.

 

I think the bigger question is why do you think it does for basketball and not for baseball? That makes no sense?

 

Because baseball is a series of separate events. Basketball is a continuous game.

[Keener98]

Ok this is from a discussion in the game thread. Do you believe it plays a part in baseball? I dont think it does in baseball, but basketball most definatley.

 

I think the bigger question is why do you think it does for basketball and not for baseball? That makes no sense?

 

Because baseball is a series of separate events. Basketball is a continuous game.

 

Thank you, Im really glad to see Im not alone in my thinking with this.

[Faceman]

2003 ALCS

2004 WS

2005 WS

2006 Post-season

 

I'm not saying momentum can't switch, or be a tiny factor. But momentum and crowd turns the 2003 ALCS from a sweep to a RedSox comeback. It turns Jeff Weaver into a post-season hero.

 

It can and does exist. Not always 100% responsible. And it can get shut down by tomorrow's pitcher.

[Keener98]

2003 ALCS

2004 WS

2005 WS

2006 Post-season

 

I'm not saying momentum can't switch, or be a tiny factor. But momentum and crowd turns the 2003 ALCS from a sweep to a RedSox comeback. It turns Jeff Weaver into a post-season hero.

 

It can and does exist. Not always 100% responsible. And it can get shut down by tomorrow's pitcher.

 

How can you say mometum is what caused all that? Teams get hot, pitchers get hot, how can you say that its caused by momentum?

 

Being hot, is because the team did their job, its not about momentum. Like you said its all about that next days starter.

Edited September 26, 2007 by Keener98

[Mizzou]

Say the Cubs are playing the Cardinals and are tied at 3 in the top of the 7th inning at Wrigley Field. The bases are loaded and Pujols hits a liner into the right-center gap. Out of nowhere, Jones dives and makes the catch. The crowd goes nuts, his teammates are on the field in front of the dugout waiting for him to trot in so they can all high five him. You don't think he's pumped up? So two minutes later he has a ton of adrenaline running through his body, and he leads off the bottom of the inning with a HR onto Waveland Avenue. Is that a result of momentum or is it completely random?

[C.C.]

Ok this is from a discussion in the game thread. Do you believe it plays a part in baseball? I dont think it does in baseball, but basketball most definatley.

 

I think the bigger question is why do you think it does for basketball and not for baseball? That makes no sense?

 

Because baseball is a series of separate events. Basketball is a continuous game.

 

And a big inning where a team scores 4-5 runs in a inning isn't momentum? A player that goes wild and hits everything in site for 5-10 games no matter whose pitching isn't momentum?

[SouthSideRyan]

2003 ALCS

2004 WS

2005 WS

2006 Post-season

 

I'm not saying momentum can't switch, or be a tiny factor. But momentum and crowd turns the 2003 ALCS from a sweep to a RedSox comeback. It turns Jeff Weaver into a post-season hero.

 

It can and does exist. Not always 100% responsible. And it can get shut down by tomorrow's pitcher.

 

2006 Post-Season? What momentum did the Cards have?

 

How bout 2004 ALCS. Yanks had a bit of momentum heading into game 4. How bout 2003 NLCS, I'd say we had a bit of momentum.

 

Like I said, momentum's great cause it's like clutch, you don't have to say it happened until it after the fact. The Cubs didn't have momentum in '03, nor did the Yankees in '04, that's why they lost. However, the Red Sox and Marlins did gain momentum from coming back on the momentum-less Cubs/Yankees.

[Mizzou]

2003 ALCS

2004 WS

2005 WS

2006 Post-season

 

I'm not saying momentum can't switch, or be a tiny factor. But momentum and crowd turns the 2003 ALCS from a sweep to a RedSox comeback. It turns Jeff Weaver into a post-season hero.

 

It can and does exist. Not always 100% responsible. And it can get shut down by tomorrow's pitcher.

 

How can you say mometum is what caused all that? Teams get hot, pitchers get hot, how can you say that its caused by momentum?

How can you say it's not?

[Have a seat, Neifi]

Definitely. Humans play the game. If several players on a team are feeling good, seeing the ball well, throwing the ball well, and healthy all simultaneously, then sure, a team can have momentum. All we're basically saying is a team is playing well and is growing more confident as they continue to do so. Nothing outlandish about that. There is such a thing as adreline, and I also agree that it's generally easier to see in a basketball or football game where pure motion and 'burst' plays more of a factor; in baseball, you're basically stationary 90% of the time.

 

And yea, momentum is all nice and good until you run into Santana or Webb or whomever.

[Keener98]

Say the Cubs are playing the Cardinals and are tied at 3 in the top of the 7th inning at Wrigley Field. The bases are loaded and Pujols hits a liner into the right-center gap. Out of nowhere, Jones dives and makes the catch. The crowd goes nuts, his teammates are on the field in front of the dugout waiting for him to trot in so they can all high five him. You don't think he's pumped up? So two minutes later he has a ton of adrenaline running through his body, and he leads off the bottom of the inning with a HR onto Waveland Avenue. Is that a result of momentum or is it completely random?

 

Can you say that he wouldnt have done that without making the catch? Its probably because the pitcher made a bad pitch.

[SouthSideRyan]

Say the Cubs are playing the Cardinals and are tied at 3 in the top of the 7th inning at Wrigley Field. The bases are loaded and Pujols hits a liner into the right-center gap. Out of nowhere, Jones dives and makes the catch. The crowd goes nuts, his teammates are on the field in front of the dugout waiting for him to trot in so they can all high five him. You don't think he's pumped up? So two minutes later he has a ton of adrenaline running through his body, and he leads off the bottom of the inning with a HR onto Waveland Avenue. Is that a result of momentum or is it completely random?

 

What would you call it if he came up and struck out?

[Guest]

Say the Cubs are playing the Cardinals and are tied at 3 in the top of the 7th inning at Wrigley Field. The bases are loaded and Pujols hits a liner into the right-center gap. Out of nowhere, Jones dives and makes the catch. The crowd goes nuts, his teammates are on the field in front of the dugout waiting for him to trot in so they can all high five him. You don't think he's pumped up? So two minutes later he has a ton of adrenaline running through his body, and he leads off the bottom of the inning with a HR onto Waveland Avenue. Is that a result of momentum or is it completely random?

 

I actually think a lot of adrenaline is a negative when you're a hitter. All that adrenaline running and he chases a FB out of the zone and two sliders in the dirt.

[C.C.]

Say the Cubs are playing the Cardinals and are tied at 3 in the top of the 7th inning at Wrigley Field. The bases are loaded and Pujols hits a liner into the right-center gap. Out of nowhere, Jones dives and makes the catch. The crowd goes nuts, his teammates are on the field in front of the dugout waiting for him to trot in so they can all high five him. You don't think he's pumped up? So two minutes later he has a ton of adrenaline running through his body, and he leads off the bottom of the inning with a HR onto Waveland Avenue. Is that a result of momentum or is it completely random?

 

Can you say that he wouldnt have done that without making the catch? Its probably because the pitcher made a bad pitch.

 

What if the pitcher made a perfect pitch and the hitter still hit it? This is silly. There is momentum in every sport.

[Keener98]

Say the Cubs are playing the Cardinals and are tied at 3 in the top of the 7th inning at Wrigley Field. The bases are loaded and Pujols hits a liner into the right-center gap. Out of nowhere, Jones dives and makes the catch. The crowd goes nuts, his teammates are on the field in front of the dugout waiting for him to trot in so they can all high five him. You don't think he's pumped up? So two minutes later he has a ton of adrenaline running through his body, and he leads off the bottom of the inning with a HR onto Waveland Avenue. Is that a result of momentum or is it completely random?

 

Can you say that he wouldnt have done that without making the catch? Its probably because the pitcher made a bad pitch.

 

What if the pitcher made a perfect pitch and the hitter still hit it? This is silly. There is momentum in every sport.

 

Then he did what a hitter is supposed to do and got a hit.

 

Like SSR said, if all that happens and Jones comes up and K's what do you call that?

[Faceman]

2003 ALCS

2004 WS

2005 WS

2006 Post-season

 

I'm not saying momentum can't switch, or be a tiny factor. But momentum and crowd turns the 2003 ALCS from a sweep to a RedSox comeback. It turns Jeff Weaver into a post-season hero.

 

It can and does exist. Not always 100% responsible. And it can get shut down by tomorrow's pitcher.

 

How can you say mometum is what caused all that? Teams get hot, pitchers get hot, how can you say that its caused by momentum?

 

Being hot, is because the team did their job, its not about momentum. Like you said its all about that next days starter.

 

I'm not saying it caused it. Obviously momentum isn't real. IMO, its a emotion. You have a good play or two - now you start to get excited, you start to believe more, the crowd gets excited, the other team gets rattled, etc. There is no such thing as momentum but IMO opinion it describes a mindset change for the players involved - on both sides.

 

Certainly you believe in crowd noise helping right? That is part of momentum. And it can be shut down very quickly. Like a 3 run homer when you are down 4 in the 9th.