Comments on: My Night of Many Emotions http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/my-night-of-many-emotions/ Daily baseball statistical analysis and commentary Sun, 12 Feb 2012 23:34:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Eric Seidman http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/my-night-of-many-emotions/#comment-37964 Eric Seidman Thu, 24 Jul 2008 23:36:13 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/my-night-of-many-emotions/#comment-37964 That doesn't sound like a very fun birthday at all. My slightly late birthday present a couple years ago was Allen Iverson getting traded, which was pretty fun. That doesn’t sound like a very fun birthday at all. My slightly late birthday present a couple years ago was Allen Iverson getting traded, which was pretty fun.

]]> By: Jessica http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/my-night-of-many-emotions/#comment-37963 Jessica Thu, 24 Jul 2008 23:30:34 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/my-night-of-many-emotions/#comment-37963 "I remember watching a game against the DBacks where he went something like 7 shutout innings with 10 K, and the Mets lost 5-4. I can only imagine how Jessica felt during that debacle" I was there. It was my birthday. Oh, and as if that weren't bad enough, the scorecard being sold at Shea during the month of June had a cover article about how "Billy Wagner has been practically unhittable in 2008," which was a wonderful thing to look at as Wagner delivered a ninth inning not unlike what the Wagner-less bullpen contributed the other day. “I remember watching a game against the DBacks where he went something like 7 shutout innings with 10 K, and the Mets lost 5-4. I can only imagine how Jessica felt during that debacle”

I was there. It was my birthday. Oh, and as if that weren’t bad enough, the scorecard being sold at Shea during the month of June had a cover article about how “Billy Wagner has been practically unhittable in 2008,” which was a wonderful thing to look at as Wagner delivered a ninth inning not unlike what the Wagner-less bullpen contributed the other day.

]]> By: Eric Seidman http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/my-night-of-many-emotions/#comment-37929 Eric Seidman Thu, 24 Jul 2008 14:25:48 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/my-night-of-many-emotions/#comment-37929 Definitely. I remember watching a game against the DBacks where he went something like 7 shutout innings with 10 K, and the Mets lost 5-4. I can only imagine how Jessica felt during that debacle. Jessica, I can see the merits to your points in favor of lifting him but the way he was going their best chance may have been him back on the mound. You know the Mets bullpen better than I do, so if you think an insurance run was much-needed then yeah, hitting for him was appropriate. I just know as a Phillies fan, even with how good their bullpen has been, if it's a 5-2 lead and Lidge is unavailable, I want Hamels back out there in the 9th with under 115 pitches coming into that inning. Definitely. I remember watching a game against the DBacks where he went something like 7 shutout innings with 10 K, and the Mets lost 5-4. I can only imagine how Jessica felt during that debacle.

Jessica, I can see the merits to your points in favor of lifting him but the way he was going their best chance may have been him back on the mound. You know the Mets bullpen better than I do, so if you think an insurance run was much-needed then yeah, hitting for him was appropriate.

I just know as a Phillies fan, even with how good their bullpen has been, if it’s a 5-2 lead and Lidge is unavailable, I want Hamels back out there in the 9th with under 115 pitches coming into that inning.

]]> By: Simmy http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/my-night-of-many-emotions/#comment-37928 Simmy Thu, 24 Jul 2008 14:21:03 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/my-night-of-many-emotions/#comment-37928 Nice post. And the offense isn't the only reason Santana's "wins" are down, the bullpen has blown a few large leads late for him. Nice post. And the offense isn’t the only reason Santana’s “wins” are down, the bullpen has blown a few large leads late for him.

]]> By: Mark W. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/my-night-of-many-emotions/#comment-37910 Mark W. Thu, 24 Jul 2008 05:20:54 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/my-night-of-many-emotions/#comment-37910 Maybe he is trying a different approach since he is in the NL now. Maybe he is trying a different approach since he is in the NL now.

]]> By: dan http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/my-night-of-many-emotions/#comment-37909 dan Thu, 24 Jul 2008 05:11:30 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/my-night-of-many-emotions/#comment-37909 Dave Cameron spoke a few weeks ago about the excuses teams make for a change in performance. The "it" factor is BS, I agree completely. But as far back as last season, scouts noticed a change with him. I remember reading about how he seems reluctant to throw his slider, and he seemed to be masking either an elbow injury or elbow wear and tear. His ERA after that 17 strikeout game was 5.11, and the ~4.75 FIP wasn't pointing in his favor either. Something was probably actually wrong, and we see it showing up more this season. He's throwing his fastball slower (almost 2 mph) the past 2 years than he did in 2005-2006, and he's also throwing his slider less than he did in previous seasons. In other words, I think this is a trend, and not a blip on the radar. Dave Cameron spoke a few weeks ago about the excuses teams make for a change in performance. The “it” factor is BS, I agree completely. But as far back as last season, scouts noticed a change with him. I remember reading about how he seems reluctant to throw his slider, and he seemed to be masking either an elbow injury or elbow wear and tear. His ERA after that 17 strikeout game was 5.11, and the ~4.75 FIP wasn’t pointing in his favor either. Something was probably actually wrong, and we see it showing up more this season.

He’s throwing his fastball slower (almost 2 mph) the past 2 years than he did in 2005-2006, and he’s also throwing his slider less than he did in previous seasons. In other words, I think this is a trend, and not a blip on the radar.

]]> By: Jessica http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/my-night-of-many-emotions/#comment-37904 Jessica Thu, 24 Jul 2008 02:15:43 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/my-night-of-many-emotions/#comment-37904 I think I may be the only Mets fan who was in favor of the decision to take Santana out. With Wagner unavailable, it was important to a) improve the chances of scoring an insurance run or two (Santana's spot came up in the bottom of the eighth) b) give the bullpen the best possible chance to succeed (assuming that if Santana went out for the ninth, he probably would have been pulled as soon as he allowed a baserunner, and bringing a reliever in to start the inning just seems like it would have a better chance of working out than bringing him in with a runner already on base). Had the Mets been leading by a couple more runs, I probably would have been in the "leave Johan in" camp, but in that particular situation I thought taking him out was the right call. I think I may be the only Mets fan who was in favor of the decision to take Santana out. With Wagner unavailable, it was important to

a) improve the chances of scoring an insurance run or two (Santana’s spot came up in the bottom of the eighth)

b) give the bullpen the best possible chance to succeed (assuming that if Santana went out for the ninth, he probably would have been pulled as soon as he allowed a baserunner, and bringing a reliever in to start the inning just seems like it would have a better chance of working out than bringing him in with a runner already on base).

Had the Mets been leading by a couple more runs, I probably would have been in the “leave Johan in” camp, but in that particular situation I thought taking him out was the right call.

]]> By: Tom G, ballssticksstuff.com http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/my-night-of-many-emotions/#comment-37899 Tom G, ballssticksstuff.com Thu, 24 Jul 2008 01:09:48 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/my-night-of-many-emotions/#comment-37899 What's interesting to me is that while Santana is having a down year, for him, he hasn't had the huge drop off that so many high-profile pitchers have when they switch teams. My fear is that he will return to form next year. Gulp. What’s interesting to me is that while Santana is having a down year, for him, he hasn’t had the huge drop off that so many high-profile pitchers have when they switch teams. My fear is that he will return to form next year. Gulp.

]]> By: Eric Seidman http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/my-night-of-many-emotions/#comment-37896 Eric Seidman Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:12:03 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/my-night-of-many-emotions/#comment-37896 As a Phillies fan, it was the right move... I'll echo Mitch Williams' post-game thoughts, though. This is your prized acquisition, the highest paid pitcher ever, and since 105 pitches isn't 125 pitches, I see no reason why he couldn't have gone back out. Especially considering Billy Wagner wasn't available and that Santana had been mowing down the Phils offense, AND that this was a very important game, I fail to understand why he wasn't out there in the ninth inning. Really makes very little sense to me. As a Phillies fan, it was the right move…

I’ll echo Mitch Williams’ post-game thoughts, though. This is your prized acquisition, the highest paid pitcher ever, and since 105 pitches isn’t 125 pitches, I see no reason why he couldn’t have gone back out.

Especially considering Billy Wagner wasn’t available and that Santana had been mowing down the Phils offense, AND that this was a very important game, I fail to understand why he wasn’t out there in the ninth inning. Really makes very little sense to me.

]]> By: Bill B. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/my-night-of-many-emotions/#comment-37895 Bill B. Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:08:10 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/my-night-of-many-emotions/#comment-37895 Thanks for the mention, Eric. Your feelings about Santana basically match mine about Francisco Rodriguez. Both are having great seasons, but not by their standards. Just curious, where do you stand on the issue of Jerry Manuel not allowing him to take the mound for the ninth inning last night with a pitch count of 105? Thanks for the mention, Eric. Your feelings about Santana basically match mine about Francisco Rodriguez. Both are having great seasons, but not by their standards.

Just curious, where do you stand on the issue of Jerry Manuel not allowing him to take the mound for the ninth inning last night with a pitch count of 105?

]]>