MW: What was?

In answer to your question about the OBP being higher than the batting average when the first pitch is the deciding pitch of the plate appearance, there have been 5 hit batters on the first pitch this year. It’s not technically putting the ball into play on the first pitch, but the first pitch was the deciding pitch of those 5 plate appearances.

MW: OK, I’ll give you that leeway.

I put quotes around semantics because I wasn’t sure whether this was — technically speaking — a matter of semantics. The definition of the word “semantics” is given in Free Online Dictionary as “the meaning or interpretation of a word, sentence, or other language form E.g. We’re basically agreed, let’s not quibble over semantics”.

I’m still not sure whether the above fits this definition, hence the use of the quotes, to indicate my belief that it was at least “close to” semantics, if not “bang on”.

MW: At least you didn’t use air quotes. I hate those.

MW: The only thing that made me think it was a (remote) possibility was the fact that League had yet to get into a game. They will call up John Parrish, as suspected.

Now I realize this is partly tongue in cheek, but I have heard you mention writing some sort of article on this in the past? Any chance you could explain or give me a link to where you’ve previously talked about this?

“After all, everyone has been saying all year that this is a group of average to below-average hitters, no?”

You seem to be implying that a group of average to below average hitters can’t score 14 runs in a game. That’s absolutely preposterous. You gotta quit going after the fans with small sample sizes to prove a point just because they do it to you. You’re the expert Mike, not us.

“You think I know things better than the players on the field do? I don’t think that.”

In a lot of ways, absolutely not, but in other, sure. I think a lot of players know better about the things they personally need to do, but a lot don’t have a great grasp for the game in general. A lot of players still think bunting with a man on 2nd and none out in the top of the 3rd of a 0-0 game is a good idea. Statistically, it’s not. Now I know about the phrase “Statistics mean nothing to the individual”, in that in each specific situation, maybe that player will be right. But in the long run, if the statistics say one thing and if an unjustified number of players have another idea, some of them must have the wrong idea.

All you need to do is look at someone like Joe Morgan to know that there’s a lot of aspects of the game that the players use their instincts on, and their instincts are wrong at times. I realize Joe does know a lot about the game, but it’s hard to argue that all of his points really make sense. I’m never going to question Vernon Wells for swinging at a 2-0 pitch. He’s in the box, he knows his capabilities. But if every player was swinging 3-0 and hitting hitting with a .700 OPS in those cases, then yeah, I think they’d have the wrong approach and bystanders would probably know better. Players don’t need to understand the game to do their jobs. That’s (partly) what managers are for. They’re there because of their talent, not their baseball IQ.

I’m now just saying that they’ll lose 100 games.

Whaaaattttt? On June 25th, at a time when the Orioles were 39-36, you say you STILL think they’re going to lose 100 games? That would take a 43-119 pace, by a team that has already gone 39-36. The possibility of this is almost non-existant. Mike Wilner has officially gone insane lol.

And I’m 99% sure the Anton persona is being put on on purpose. Could be wrong though.

MW: I can’t give you a link, I haven’t got a clue which post I talked about the Leafs ruining sports fandom in Toronto, but I’ve talked about it a couple of times. I’m not implying that a group of average to below-average hitters can’t smack up a 14 – it was more a shot at all those who called the Jays a bunch of crappy hitters who could be no better and yet were all climbing on the “they can hit now because Cito’s back” bandwagon. I believe in the Orioles, they can do it.

If so, then it would indeed be possible for a better OBP than BA.

However, my interpretation may be a matter of “semantics”, in which case the question would be legitimate and Tom would have to provide the explanation.

MW: Why did you put quotes around semantics? I’m pretty sure Tom was talking about putting the first pitch in play.

Answer: Pete Vukovich. Vukovich, who was selcted by the Jays from the Chicago White Sox in the original 1977 expansion draft, posted a 7-7 record in his only season with the Jays. He was traded in 1978 to the St. Louis Cardinals for Victor Cruz and Tom Underwood. John Scott was also included in the deal. Scott was the only former Blue Jay Jerry Howarth could not find when he did his “where are they now” research a few years ago. I don’t know if Jerry ever found him. Vukovich was later traded to Milwaukee where he led the Brewers to the 1982 World Series and posted an 18-6 mark, which was good enough to beat out Jim Palmer for the AL Cy Young. Arm problems shortened Vukovich’s career. he only posted an 8-16 record after 1982. Flanagan was a good guess. He was named to only one All Star team—1978, and did not play in the game.

Speaking of the worst effort ever for a starting pitcher, Arroyo was bad, my my vote for the worst I have ever seen in my 38 years of following baseball would be a disasterous start by former Blue Jay Jim Clancy on August 3, 1989. That afternoon, Clancy was pitching for the Houston Astros against the Cincinnati Reds. Clancy faced seven men and all seven scored. Clancy gave up six hits and one walk and left with the score 5-0 and two men on. In came Bob Forsch and he really threw gasoline on the fire. 17 of the first 18 Reds reached base as the Reds had a 14-0 first inning lead, the bases loaded and only one out. The lone out was pitcher Tom Browning’s groundout to the first baseman, and this was all in the first inning. Cincinnati went on to win 18-2. The Reds half of the first inning lasted over an hour. Top that if you can.

MW: I don’t know if I can. I’m impressed by my Flanagan guess now! It’s almost right, since he didn’t play. Dig me!

MW: If you have an obp of .350 in 500 plate appearances, that means you have reached base 175 times. If you hit into 20 double plays, and you want those to count extra, then you’d be 175/510 for an obp of .343. That’s not a huge drop. .350 to .310 is indeed a huge drop, but it has no basis in reality.

My perception is that his defence creates a palpable buzz of excitement with the team and fans alike. At least that’s the vibe I pick up on and I guess you can’t quantify vibes. But when I first read that Eckstein was signed, I couldn’t believe it. Nothing against him as a player, but it signalled a red flag for me and I just saw it as upsetting the balance of the team. Then the exact same thing happened with Reed Johnson/Shannon Stewart. It just gave me another perception that JP has a tendency to shoot from the hip with personnel, grabbing players without considering the group dynamic.

Call it the Curse of David Eckstein (baseball is a superstitious game), but I think these moves have plagued us all year. We have to get rid of these guys in order to move on. And I have nothing against either player.

Seems that it’s already happening.

MW: It may be, but I’m not with you on the curse.