05-29-2009, 08:41 AM
<!--quoteo(post=41012:date=May 29 2009, 02:36 AM:name=Scarey)-->QUOTE (Scarey @ May 29 2009, 02:36 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=40999:date=May 28 2009, 10:51 PM:name=rok)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (rok @ May 28 2009, 10:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Butch's idea to gut the team and management and start over would be the most baseball savvy plan<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Excuse me? Blowing up a team that has a core that won 97 games last year is the most baseeball savvy plan?
Sorry guys, but this has gone too far. You don't just give up cause you're going through a rough patch. The most baseball savvy plan would be to keep your team together and try again. There's not absolutely proven method to winning a World Series, there just isn't. But, you can hedge your bets.
You wanna know the real secret to winning a WS? Have 1 or 2 starting pitchers get hot in October. That's the best formula you can use. However, since there's no magical potion that enables a pitcher to "get hot", we and any other team that hopes to win it all will just have to hedge their bets.
-Get starters that are able to get hot during a stretch
I think Zambrano, Harden, and Lilly are all capable of being shutdown for short periods of time, so that's covered
-Get position players that can fight through slumps
believe it or not, we have a lineup capable of fighting through slumps because of the fact that they take walks pretty frequently
-Get position players that can handle tough starting pitchers
I think this is where a balanced lineup helps you. No, being very right-handed was not the single culprit causing the offense to struggle in the playoffs... but I think it was a part of it. Yes, the team was 20 games over .500 against RHP last year, but was against the entire league. The playoffs are the best pitchers of the best teams, and having your lineup best prepared as possible is vital.
It's simple, to win the WS you pretty much have to get lucky. There are ways of increasing your chances of getting lucky and having a more balanced lineup (and yes, having 3-4 batters in a lineup not including your switch hitting pitcher does make a difference compared to 2-3 batters like we had last year) can help improve those chances against the elite pitchers we may face in the playoffs.
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I never said it would happen, or that the fanbase would like it to happen. I'm just expressing what I'd like to see. We aren't winning anything with this group.
Excuse me? Blowing up a team that has a core that won 97 games last year is the most baseeball savvy plan?
Sorry guys, but this has gone too far. You don't just give up cause you're going through a rough patch. The most baseball savvy plan would be to keep your team together and try again. There's not absolutely proven method to winning a World Series, there just isn't. But, you can hedge your bets.
You wanna know the real secret to winning a WS? Have 1 or 2 starting pitchers get hot in October. That's the best formula you can use. However, since there's no magical potion that enables a pitcher to "get hot", we and any other team that hopes to win it all will just have to hedge their bets.
-Get starters that are able to get hot during a stretch
I think Zambrano, Harden, and Lilly are all capable of being shutdown for short periods of time, so that's covered
-Get position players that can fight through slumps
believe it or not, we have a lineup capable of fighting through slumps because of the fact that they take walks pretty frequently
-Get position players that can handle tough starting pitchers
I think this is where a balanced lineup helps you. No, being very right-handed was not the single culprit causing the offense to struggle in the playoffs... but I think it was a part of it. Yes, the team was 20 games over .500 against RHP last year, but was against the entire league. The playoffs are the best pitchers of the best teams, and having your lineup best prepared as possible is vital.
It's simple, to win the WS you pretty much have to get lucky. There are ways of increasing your chances of getting lucky and having a more balanced lineup (and yes, having 3-4 batters in a lineup not including your switch hitting pitcher does make a difference compared to 2-3 batters like we had last year) can help improve those chances against the elite pitchers we may face in the playoffs.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I never said it would happen, or that the fanbase would like it to happen. I'm just expressing what I'd like to see. We aren't winning anything with this group.