Will James?

[Todd4State]

First off, I assure you Will James has no fricking clue what he is talking about in baseball.

Second off, my biggest beef is he can't man up and admit when he is wrong. We all miss some here and there. You man up, admit you blew it, and move on. Not Will James. He bitched about Cohen not playing Trey Porter WHEN PORTER WAS DAMN NEAR FRICKING BLIND WITH AN EYE HEALTH ISSUE. Will was told straight up what was going on with Porter's health, but wouldn't believe it. When word came out he was wrong, he continued to belittle and trash the name of the very m'fer who gave him the accurate intel. Screw him.

The worst part is he never learns. It's like he just watched Moneyball one day and thought that was how you play baseball.

For example- if someone like Robson bunted he would consider that a dumb play despite Robson's overall skill set.

[engie]

The worst part is he never learns. It's like he just watched Moneyball one day and thought that was how you play baseball.

For example- if someone like Robson bunted he would consider that a dumb play despite Robson's overall skill set.

Agreed... I can honestly say baseball posting here was miserable last season. The quality of poster was way down. The dumpster fire certainly didn't help anything in that regard either.

Think this year will be better simply by the virtue that everyone is in agreement that we need to get it done and what it is we need to get done...

[somebodyshotmypaw]

The worst part is he never learns. It's like he just watched Moneyball one day and thought that was how you play baseball.

For example- if someone like Robson bunted he would consider that a dumb play despite Robson's overall skill set.

Good point Todd. And he doesn't understand what the stats really mean and how to use them. Let's say John Doe bunts in the first inning with the bases empty and is thrown out. In the fourth inning John Doe comes to bat with a runner on first and swings away and hits a grounder down the third baseline for a double into the corner. It scored the man who was standing on first. Stats show John Doe being 0 for 1 when bunting and 1 for 1 with an RBI when swinging away. However, what the stats won't show is that the third baseman in the fourth inning moved up several steps because of the threat of a bunt. That allowed the hard grounder to go down the baseline past him for a double. Had the third baseman not been fearful of the bunt threat, he would have played back and fielded the grounder for a 5-4-3 double play. So the bunt threat helped the whole offense. Kinda like a QB throwing a deep ball sometimes to loosen up the secondary and open the short stuff. The deep ball can help open up the short game even if the deep ball was incomplete. The secondary has to respect the threat.

It's about understanding the game and how it is played and the strategies within the game. I know you understand it Todd, because you take baseball seriously. Will has tunnel vision and can't see the big picture.

[Todd4State]

Good point Todd. And he doesn't understand what the stats really mean and how to use them. Let's say John Doe bunts in the first inning with the bases empty and is thrown out. In the fourth inning John Doe comes to bat with a runner on first and swings away and hits a grounder down the third baseline for a double into the corner. It scored the man who was standing on first. Stats show John Doe being 0 for 1 when bunting and 1 for 1 with an RBI when swinging away. However, what the stats won't show is that the third baseman in the fourth inning moved up several steps because of the threat of a bunt. That allowed the hard grounder to go down the baseline past him for a double. Had the third baseman not been fearful of the bunt threat, he would have played back and fielded the grounder for a 5-4-3 double play. So the bunt threat helped the whole offense. Kinda like a QB throwing a deep ball sometimes to loosen up the secondary and open the short stuff. The deep ball can help open up the short game even if the deep ball was incomplete. The secondary has to respect the threat.

It's about understanding the game and how it is played and the strategies within the game. I know you understand it Todd, because you take baseball seriously. Will has tunnel vision and can't see the big picture.

Please post more often. You are exactly right- and I have tried to explain it to no avail. I know it doesn't do any good- but I can't let it slide.

[engie]

Please post more often. You are exactly right- and I have tried to explain it to no avail. I know it doesn't do any good- but I can't let it slide.

That really does explain the essence of your viewpoint as well as it can be applied...

Thing is I think you, I, and everyone else agrees we bunt too much and don't quite maximize potential benefit of it.... Some of the situational stuff drives us all crazy. It's just hard to have honest dialogue about it when you've got will and any(however temporary) cronies constantly flipping out about it and beating a drum that I agree in probably 40% of their flip outs does not need to be beaten. So many layers that he doesn't understand that make the dialogue ring hollow

[Aces High]

Good point Todd. And he doesn't understand what the stats really mean and how to use them. Let's say John Doe bunts in the first inning with the bases empty and is thrown out. In the fourth inning John Doe comes to bat with a runner on first and swings away and hits a grounder down the third baseline for a double into the corner. It scored the man who was standing on first. Stats show John Doe being 0 for 1 when bunting and 1 for 1 with an RBI when swinging away. However, what the stats won't show is that the third baseman in the fourth inning moved up several steps because of the threat of a bunt. That allowed the hard grounder to go down the baseline past him for a double. Had the third baseman not been fearful of the bunt threat, he would have played back and fielded the grounder for a 5-4-3 double play. So the bunt threat helped the whole offense. Kinda like a QB throwing a deep ball sometimes to loosen up the secondary and open the short stuff. The deep ball can help open up the short game even if the deep ball was incomplete. The secondary has to respect the threat.

It's about understanding the game and how it is played and the strategies within the game. I know you understand it Todd, because you take baseball seriously. Will has tunnel vision and can't see the big picture.

Best post Ive ever seen on forum

[Aces High]

WJ is awful. He is like his idol, ted cruz.

Just bc you THINK you are smart and NOBODY agrees with you, doesnt make you some a beautiful mind, outside the box genius. It makes you an idiot. When literally NOBODY agrees with you, well, nevermind.

[Todd4State]

That really does explain the essence of your viewpoint as well as it can be applied...

Thing is I think you, I, and everyone else agrees we bunt too much and don't quite maximize potential benefit of it.... Some of the situational stuff drives us all crazy. It's just hard to have honest dialogue about it when you've got will and any(however temporary) cronies constantly flipping out about it and beating a drum that I agree in probably 40% of their flip outs does not need to be beaten. So many layers that he doesn't understand that make the dialogue ring hollow

I agree that we don't maximize the benefit from it because of our lack of team power. I have long preached balance- guys like Robson that can bunt and get on and then followed up with some guys like Connor Powers who can take advantage of the pressure caused by speed in the form of extra base hits which leads to runs. Which is why I flipped out a little bit on Cohen before we signed Barfield around MLB draft time for signing draft risks such as Riley and Pickett without bringing in any Brent Rooker types to offset any potential loss. I will say in hindsight I may have misevaluated Stovall, Alexander, and Marrero's power potential as well based on their fall performances- plus I did not know that we were going to bring in the fences again.

I would also like to see us steal more bases as a team as well. Very simple way to create pressure if you have players that know how to run the bases well- and it's something that a lot of aggressive players like to do.

I grew up watching the Cardinals of the 80's when they were the poster boys for small ball. And it frustrated the hell out of me because there were times when the Cardinals would get completely overpowered by a good pitcher. I just felt like hitting a home run was completely out the window. Now, even then I did understand WHY Herzog did it- huge ballpark, lots of players that could run, and I certainly appreciated what the Cardinals could do at times with pressure. But there was always the thought in my mind- "how much better would this be if you had three more guys to go along with Jack Clark?" I was actually very happy when Herzog left- even though he was a great manager. I was ecstatic when they hired LaRussa because he and I agreed on a lot of things from a philosophical standpoint- and it was really cool to see someone with a similar philosophy take things that I thought would work and lead the franchise to one of their better eras in team history with that philosophy. (Even though I had nothing to do with it)

So, I don't really like small ball as an all out offensive strategy. At the same time, I also think it's a huge mistake to not use elements of it- especially if you have players that have speed as a strength. And I certainly believe that by not using speed you can cost yourself outs or at the very least make it more difficult for yourself as somebodyshotmypaw illustrated. Baseball is not played on a spreadsheet- and because of that there are always going to be variables that are "hidden".

[ckDOG]

Will is an idiot. I'm smart enough to ignore his dumb ass.

[Schultzy]

Bunting a lead off double to third has just about driven me crazy. Maybe his decision to bring the fences in is a sign he is moving away from his over use of the small ball.

[Cartman1]

Bunting a lead off double to third has just about driven me crazy. Maybe his decision to bring the fences in is a sign he is moving away from his over use of the small ball.

You just don't know the game*

That bunt means that the infield will shift later in the 7th allowing for the Texas Leaguer to fall in don't you know. It's okay to shit on the expected runs in order to set up the late game Texas Leaguer.

After last years abortion it's out up or shut up time for John. It's well agreed that our starting pitching should be near the top of the league. It's well agreed that our hitting will be vastly improved. This is NOT a barely get in as a 3 seed = successful season. Put up or shut up. No more excuses John.

[shoeless joe]

You just don't know the game*

That bunt means that the infield will shift later in the 7th allowing for the Texas Leaguer to fall in don't you know. It's okay to shit on the expected runs in order to set up the late game Texas Leaguer.

After last years abortion it's out up or shut up time for John. It's well agreed that our starting pitching should be near the top of the league. It's well agreed that our hitting will be vastly improved. This is NOT a barely get in as a 3 seed = successful season. Put up or shut up. No more excuses John.

I agree that we have to be MUCH improved this year...but where in the hell did you get that our starting pitching should be tops in the league? I hope you're rite but I'm not gonna bet on a couple guys that have never started an SEC game , another who was sink or swim last year, and whoever else we have that's never started...or a freshman. I hope we have one of the best and I expect improvement but I feel that statement is a set up to bash Cohen when it doesn't come to fruition.

[Cartman1]

I agree that we have to be MUCH improved this year...but where in the hell did you get that our starting pitching should be tops in the league? I hope you're rite but I'm not gonna bet on a couple guys that have never started an SEC game , another who was sink or swim last year, and whoever else we have that's never started...or a freshman. I hope we have one of the best and I expect improvement but I feel that statement is a set up to bash Cohen when it doesn't come to fruition.

Sexton Hudson Tatum Houston and Daniel Brown are all juniors. If we aren't drastically improved here, especially after their summer, we need to clean house.

Significant improvement all around is required. We just finished last in the SEC in BASEBALL. Completely unacceptable here. We are not a bottom feeder.

[Really Clark?]

You just don't know the game*

That bunt means that the infield will shift later in the 7th allowing for the Texas Leaguer to fall in don't you know. It's okay to shit on the expected runs in order to set up the late game Texas Leaguer.

After last years abortion it's out up or shut up time for John. It's well agreed that our starting pitching should be near the top of the league. It's well agreed that our hitting will be vastly improved. This is NOT a barely get in as a 3 seed = successful season. Put up or shut up. No more excuses John.

It's posts like this that's so annoying. That wasn't what they were saying and both posted that in the overall sense we bunted way way too much. You ignore all of that for an agenda that has holes. Just like the post you responded to and you keeping on and on about expected run totals. That's a situational decision where bunting someone to third might be the right play. The expected run total of a runner on second with no outs and a runner on third with 1 out is close enough that situationally it makes sense late in games, even early in a big game maybe. Your just so hardline and annoying with your absolutes. There are no absolutes in the game. To spell it out for you so you don't take something else out of context, I'm not saying that you bunt in that situation all time, most of the time, or even half of the time. It's a situational call that makes sense in spots.

[shoeless joe]

Sexton Hudson Tatum Houston and Daniel Brown are all juniors. If we aren't drastically improved here, especially after their summer, we need to clean house.

Significant improvement all around is required. We just finished last in the SEC in BASEBALL. Completely unacceptable here. We are not a bottom feeder.

All you did was list players and their class...the exact thing you've ragged another poster about repeatedly.

We should be improved...I don't expect tops in the league but would dang sure take it. If everything stays the same and we have a competent pen we're easily a 2 seed, add some offense and no tellin how good we could be.

[Dawg61]

Lol make that four times

[ScoobaDawg]

Lol make that four times

you missed two others this week.

[Dawg61]

you missed two others this week.

Six times since we beat Auburn? Good gawd

[Cartman2]

Six times since we beat Auburn? Good gawd

Yep, another board goes the way of mods overcompensating. Sad because this started as a great board. Way to go Scooba.

Banned "because it's funny". Yep GenesPage has a new name: EliteDawgs

[Really Clark?]

You don't get banned for a negative opinion many have those on here, you get banned for being annoying with an agenda.