IGT--Braves @ Mets, 07/09/10

[batmagadanleadoff]

Dickey led off that inning with a single, ferchrissakes. It's like having your leadoff guy up in the top of the first inning to start the game only he gets to bat with a runner on first handicap. And then that leadoff guy singles. And then it's Reyes and the 3-4-5 after that. Nobody was out. How often do you get that opportunity? The pitcher led off with a single. Dickey. The pitcher.

What's the run expectancy for when the inning begins with the 9 and 1 batters each singling? It's gotta be better than when the 1 and 2 guys lead with singles, no?

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Up for grabs^

[Frayed Knot]

Mike Vaccaro, like me, focuses on the Thole bunt last night.

"Jerry Manuel is a good baseball man. But there comes a time in almost every game the Mets play � because almost every game they play seems to be tied in the fifth inning or later � when he needs to make a key decision: a bullpen call, a pinch hitter, any of the things that separate managers from caretakers.
And more often than is recommended by law, Manuel leaves you scratching your head."

Jerry does say - as Keith & Ron speculated - that Thole had the option of swinging away if he sees the SS breaking for 3rd (and Escobar made no attempt to disguise it) but that's not easy for a young player to pull off.
Me, I have him swing away.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Vaccaro is probably the best columnist in the city these days.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

It's nice-- and all-too-rare-- when a sports columnist lets the facts inform his opinion and make his case.

[Ceetar]

Mike Vaccaro, like me, focuses on the Thole bunt last night.

"Jerry Manuel is a good baseball man. But there comes a time in almost every game the Mets play � because almost every game they play seems to be tied in the fifth inning or later � when he needs to make a key decision: a bullpen call, a pinch hitter, any of the things that separate managers from caretakers.
And more often than is recommended by law, Manuel leaves you scratching your head."

Jerry does say - as Keith & Ron speculated - that Thole had the option of swinging away if he sees the SS breaking for 3rd (and Escobar made no attempt to disguise it) but that's not easy for a young player to pull off.
Me, I have him swing away.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Really, one misread and you're back with Bingo taking six hour bus rides. You can't expect a guy to make judgmental adjustments in the middle of a windup under those circumstances.

[batmagadanleadoff]

I didn't agree with Manuel callling for that bunt either, but the manager's explanation for the Thole bunt play makes perfect sense to me. But I assume that Thole read the playbook and digested it in full, options and all. If Thole was given the option to swing away, then Thole wouldn't have flouted Jerry's instructions by swinging away.