Look, it's two different schools of thought. One is stat based and the other is based in traditional baseball. I hate arguing because I'm too lazy to prove my point with hard evidence, that's probably why I didn't make it as a lawyer. No stat of any kind is going to make me change my thoughts of how baseball should be played. Example... Yesterday's Astros / Reds game. Bottom of the 8th and the Astros are down 5 - 3. 4 straight singles plate two runs to tie the game and leave Mike Lamb on second and Lance Berkman on 3rd with 1 out. With Brad Ausmus up to bat. Now, the way that baseball purists would play it would be a squeeze play. That's what happened and the Astros headed into the 9th with the 6 - 5 lead. Dotel comes on and lets 2 runner on (1st and 2nd). He get's the final out on a flyball to right field. And you're going to tell me that squeeze plays, bunting, stealing bases and closers aren't needed?
If LSU is tied going into the 9th, gets the leadoff batter on and Smoke doesn't try to move him over, you will hear me criticize a coach for the 1st time.
I think I said before after the seventh in close games small ball does become more beneficial. Closers are still the most overrated players in baseball. Any average pitcher can do what they do.
What? You're still arguing? I thought you got tangled up in your abacus trying to figure out how the breaking distance of a curve ball and the trajectory of a bloop to short right center will effect a mouse fart under the right field bleachers...
High mound era? This is an extremely interesting thread. Please tell more about the High Mound era. When did the major leagues lower the pitcher's mound and by how much? Thanks.
I found his post interesting. You both disagree, but I enjoy reading arguments/discussions like this.
Like I said, it's two different schools of thought. His is new school and mine is old school. Neither of us will change the others mind, either. I'm not saying that Sabremetrics are total BS, but don't try to tell me that guys who played the game for 10 + years don't know what they are talking about.
The mound was dropped in 1969 from 15" to 10". It was determined that fans wanted more offense. The high mound gave an extreme advantage to pitchers. Which is why scores were so low before the 70s. There is actually talk of raising the mound to 12 inches.
