What happened during the 9/6 Cubs/Nats game?

[Bothrops Atrox]

Tell that to the 25 guys that hit grand slams on 3-0 pitches this year.

Compared to how many who flailed at ball 4 and eventually made an out? If you do something that goes against the odds and it happens to work a small majority of the time, that doesn't make it a smart or correct choice. Betting the farm on bad odds is still a poor choice even if you win.

Anyway, I said it is stupid to swing at ball 4 on 3-0. I never said that it is always stupid to swing at a 3-0 strike. those 25 weren't on balls, were they?

[9RoyHobbsRF]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/tom_verducci/09/07/zach-britton-orioles-cubs-beanball/index.html?eref=sihp&sct=hp_t13_a0

excelent 3 piece article on
1) Cubs-Nats brawl
2) O's starting pitching
3) prevalence of strikeouts

[RaysFan_98]

5 run lead in the 5th is a little early to be begging for the mercy rule.

If it was 13-2, I could see the Cubs maybe getting pissed. I don't know exactly what the cut-off is on these things, but I kind of recognize it when I see it. 7-2 in 5th isn't it.

Normally and i say normally a 5 run lead is safe but thats me. Also its the cubs for Christ sake they suck they deserve the mercy rule.

[RaysFan_98]

I am also not excusing the cubs but stealing 5 bases is kind of rubbing it in.

[metfan13]

Tell that to the 25 guys that hit grand slams on 3-0 pitches this year.

I think he meant he swung at a pitch out of the strike zone, ball 4.

[ipitch]

Compared to how many who swang at ball 4 and eventually made an out? If you do something that goes against the odds and it happens to work a small majority of the time, that doesn't make it a smart or correct choice. Betting the farm on bad odds is still a poor choice even if you win.

So, what are good counts to swing? Usually you hear that 2-0 and 3-1 are good hitting counts, right? In 2011, batters hit .355 on 2-0, .349 on 3-1, and .361 on 3-0. So, no matter when you swing and put the ball in play, you're more likely to make an out than get a hit.

I don't think that batters should just freely swing at 3-0 pitches, but I don't think it's a terrible idea to swing 3-0 when you get a fastball right down the middle (or wherever the batter likes it).

In 2011, 288 players put the ball in play on 3-0, and perhaps another 400(?) swung and missed or fouled the ball off. That means that on average 3 or 4 players swing at a 3-0 pitch each day of the season. If it was so dumb, I doubt it would be so common.

BTW, I didn't mean "grand slams" in my first post. I meant to say "home runs."

[Bothrops Atrox]

So, what are good counts to swing? Usually you hear that 2-0 and 3-1 are good hitting counts, right? In 2011, batters hit .355 on 2-0, .349 on 3-1, and .361 on 3-0. So, no matter when you swing and put the ball in play, you're more likely to make an out than get a hit.

I don't think that batters should just freely swing at 3-0 pitches, but I don't think it's a terrible idea to swing 3-0 when you get a fastball right down the middle (or wherever the batter likes it).

In 2011, 288 players put the ball in play on 3-0, and perhaps another 400(?) swung and missed or fouled the ball off. That means that on average 3 or 4 players swing at a 3-0 pitch each day of the season. If it was so dumb, I doubt it would be so common.

BTW, I didn't mean "grand slams" in my first post. I meant to say "home runs."

Again, I said it was stupid to swing at ball 4 with a 3-0 count. I never said it was wrong to swing at a strike with a 3-0 count.

[ipitch]

Again, I said it was stupid to swing at ball 4 with a 3-0 count. I never said it was wrong to swing at a strike with a 3-0 count.

Sorry, I misunderstood what you meant. You said "if he swang at a ball on a 3-0 count, he is just stupid". I thought you meant swung at the ball. You can't really swing at a ball because it can't be a ball if you swing.

[Bothrops Atrox]

Sorry, I misunderstood what you meant. You said "if he swang at a ball on a 3-0 count, he is just stupid". I thought you meant swung at the ball. You can't really swing at a ball because it can't be a ball if you swing.

Well, that is true, technically.

[riverfrontier]

I have a latter-day clown question. Why would Harper be worried about an inside pitch? Wouldn't his underwear protect him?

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Why is it ever a bad idea to score? That's the whole point of the game. I don't care how far ahead the Nats were, all teams should try as hard as possible to score, at all times. Logically, there is no such thing as "running up the score." No lead is ever insurmountable.

[Tenorman]

Maybe the Cubs think they are in Little League. They have certainly been playing like it.

My favourite quote on this from another forum...

"Maybe it’s wrong for 12 year-olds to run up the score on one another, but this is the big leagues. Guys are going to steal bases and swing on 3-0. They won’t stop trying just because you’re getting your asses kicked all over the park. Don’t like your asses getting kicked all over the park? Play better."

Pretty much sums it up right there.

[sturg1dj]

I have a latter-day clown question. Why would Harper be worried about an inside pitch? Wouldn't his underwear protect him?

I had no idea he was a mormon. I figured it would have come up more during that whole clown question fiasco since it was regarding a question about booze.

[sturg1dj]

unwritten rules seem to exist for the sole purpose of allowing a team to blow off steam when they are going through a tough stretch.

I remember playing in HS and getting beaten by a team badly and you basically invent a reason why you are better sports than they are.

[White Knight]

It started when Jayson Werth took a hack at a 3-0 pitch in the fifth inning, when the bases were loaded and Washington was up 7-2. That prompted an argument between Bo Porter and manager Jamie Quirk, who thought it was dishonorable or something. Quirk was ejected.

Then came the call to throw at Harper. And regardless of what they say, you can see by the catcher's reaction to the pitch that it was called for. Harold Reynolds pointed it out on MLB Tonight.

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/gametra...120906_CHC@WAS

Ridiculous. He's not allowed to swing at a 3-0 pitch if he liked it? The things that piss off some hotheads...