07-28-2009, 04:38 PM
<!--quoteo(post=52824:date=Jul 28 2009, 03:36 PM:name=Clapp)-->QUOTE (Clapp @ Jul 28 2009, 03:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->As Coldneck and others keep saying, it was foolish to not use Fox instead of Fontenot when it's a tied game in the 9th and you've officially used 4 bats off the bench in just 1 inning. What's the point? He's coming into the game anyway, and he just so happens to be a better hitter than Fontenot. It shows Fox that Lou doesn't have a lot of confidence in him, which he probably figured anyway since he rarely starts.
You've likely fucked yourselves for extras in the matter of one inning, and that's exactly what ended up happening when Blanco had to pinch-hit and failed, we were completely out of position players. Zambrano is our next extra bat, he was used already of course. How about just going with Fox instead of Fukudome? Instead Lou burned 2 position players before Fox when Fox had to come into the game anyway. Use Fox first, then use the others as you need them.
Fontenot failed badly at getting the bat on the ball, that's bad. No doubt. I'm not excusing him for it because it's something you are taught at a very young age. About every practice in high school, we'd do a drill where you have to get the bat on the ball on a squeeze or the team would run like hell. But what if he does and bunts it hard back to the pitcher? Force out at home. What if he pops it up(which happens frequently in any bunting situation)? Double play. All you need is a flyball somewhere, which he ended up hitting, a groundball with the infield drawn in, or a walk which was looking quite possible considering Valverde was all over the place that inning and had just walked the previous batter.
What might piss me off the most in all of this is it's a move Lou's making because he's seen our offense fail to get the run in most of the year in a situation like that, so he tries to sneak a way to get that run in. Show some confidence in your players.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I love Clapp.
You've likely fucked yourselves for extras in the matter of one inning, and that's exactly what ended up happening when Blanco had to pinch-hit and failed, we were completely out of position players. Zambrano is our next extra bat, he was used already of course. How about just going with Fox instead of Fukudome? Instead Lou burned 2 position players before Fox when Fox had to come into the game anyway. Use Fox first, then use the others as you need them.
Fontenot failed badly at getting the bat on the ball, that's bad. No doubt. I'm not excusing him for it because it's something you are taught at a very young age. About every practice in high school, we'd do a drill where you have to get the bat on the ball on a squeeze or the team would run like hell. But what if he does and bunts it hard back to the pitcher? Force out at home. What if he pops it up(which happens frequently in any bunting situation)? Double play. All you need is a flyball somewhere, which he ended up hitting, a groundball with the infield drawn in, or a walk which was looking quite possible considering Valverde was all over the place that inning and had just walked the previous batter.
What might piss me off the most in all of this is it's a move Lou's making because he's seen our offense fail to get the run in most of the year in a situation like that, so he tries to sneak a way to get that run in. Show some confidence in your players.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I love Clapp.