First Pitch Swinging - and How It's Killing My Team

[cherokeeprogressive]

I'm curious to know what others think of batting coaches allowing their players to have a perpetual green light on the first pitch.

It's killing the Dodgers. Sure, Kent and Garciaparra are GUARANTEED HOF'ers. BUT... both of them are wont to take a hack at the very first pitch they see.

Note to hitting coaches... IF your batters NEVER swung at a pitch during a game, it would still take a MINIMUM of 81 pitches for the opposing pitcher(s). The Dodgers have lost games with less than 100 pitches thrown by the opposition.

MAKE YOUR PLAYERS TAKE PITCHES ONCE IN A WHILE!!! One thing I hate more than anything is to see a pitch count after the first inning that shows US - 31, THEM - 10. You know it's going to be a long game after that.

[leftofthedial]

1. It's part of the republicanization of baseball

swing at everything, if it's not a homer, it doesn't really count, use steroids so you can hit more homers

[cherokeeprogressive]

2. Wow. That's an absolutely new concept to me: The republicanization of baseball?

I rather think it's bad coaching. I may be sleeping, but I don't see republicans behind every clubhouse door...

What's your theory about why there hasn't been a player with more than 22 triples in a season since 1949? Personally, I think players got paid too much and got too lazy to run full-out for 270 feet. I'm dying to hear what you think about it though. Republicans again?

I love baseball. I am not about to spoil it by politicizing it.

Amusing response though, I'll give you that.

[leftofthedial]

3. " don't see republicans behind every clubhouse door..."

have you seen behind any clubhouse doors? Or worse, in any front offices? They're all repukes. Baseball has become a wing of the repuke criminal enterprise.

Re 22 triples:

ballparks and playing surfaces have become much more standardized, so there are fewer unplayable caroms and less likelihood that fielders struggle to get to the ball quickly.

more playing surfaces are artificial turf, on which the ball travels faster generally than on grass; balls get to fielders quicker

fielders are better athletes generally now than they were then--taller, faster, bigger, stronger.

since the 80's more and more hitters are bulked-up freaks, swinging for the fences; there are more flyballs and fewer grounders down the line into the corners

third base coaches are all repukes, who refuse to help the baserunners because there's nothing in it for them

[cherokeeprogressive]

4. Come on, you're going to ruin one of my favorite things in the world!

Dodger Stadium, Fenway Park, Yankee Stadium and a few others have been around for decades, some more than half-centuries. Their playing surfaces haven't changed.

I am going to open another bottle of wine and try to figure out a response to your response to my op. IF my SO lets me get online after the Dodgers win or lose.

I know a MLB third base coach personally. He would refute your last sentence, methinks.

[leftofthedial]

5. the non-repuke third base coaches are always compromising

and rolling over, giving in to the demands of the repukes to hold up the runners at second.