Texsox

Are you certain it doesn't?

Thank you. Let me explain my reasoning. Managers are constantly making decisions. Are you against teams positioning players? Shifts? Steal? Hit and run? Pitch hitters? Pitch runners? Relief pitchers? I think the very role of a manager injects them into games and they have to embrace making those decisions. He's wrong about a lot of stuff but managers needing to make decisions isn't one of them.

Ben's article shows that the odds to win the game actually moved slightly in the Sox favor after the walk. It wasn't much but I found it surprising.

That would be worth watching.

Yep, just put the lineup out there and make them play. Pitch hitters, pulling pitchers, it's all about making the manager part of the game.

Sure, another ex Sox player hire, those have worked out so well in the past. I want the next guy from outside the organization.

From an article behind the paywall at The Athletic Turner is a career .222/.276/.343 hitter after the count reaches 1-2. Against left-handers in that situation, Turner is a .258/.310/.390. Since 2020, Turner is .373/.424/.644 against left-handed pitchers after reaching a 1-2 count. With Sousa’s season ERA up to 8.20, La Russa was looking for an escape route to a better matchup as soon as a wild pitch opened up first base. Hmm, this seems different than the hot takes we saw. Sorry Tony, I still would have given Cease a chance to pitch around him. If this was a rare misstep I'd even shrug it off, but you are hitting as bad as anyone in these situations.

There is a little bit of Jerry in everyone who has graced the banner.

I'm certain he's disappointed like most fans. Sheets could have been a huge plus to this lineup.

But you're ours. Who had June 9th in the pool?

I'm going to leave the door slightly open. We're assuming the front office follows the scout's recommendations.

The question was why wait for first base to be open? I said to create a force at any base. Your answer to why wait for first base to be open is because with two outs runners are going full gas right on contact. They don't have to hesitate etc. I'm not certain those are great reasons to walk someone when first base is open.

The question was why wait for first base to be open? The reason intentional walks usually happen is by filling first base you set up forces. Stepping on second or third is usually an easier out than throwing to first.

Do you see any value in gaining the force at any base by walking him?

Would you want to drill down to see his average after 1-2 with runners in scoring position (clutch factor)? Perhaps limit to just his last 50 ab (? or?)?

Playing a theoretical game here. If a manager knew when those .226 hits were going to happen, and walked him instead, they would out manage the person who couldn't. Call it "gut", "baseball instinct" etc. Or another way - the baseline is .226 and if a manager based all decisions on that, they would produce average results. A manager that could see the future and make decisions based on that would be above average. Perhaps at some point in his career he had that crystal ball. But it's clearly not there now and he's desperate to find that old magic.

I buy his explanation that Turner is a tough out, and with a base open, walking him makes sense. I could easily see Muncy hitting a ground ball out. IF the data he was using (doubtful he had actual data) truly showed Turner was a tougher out than Muncy in that situation (proven wrong) again I'd buy his explanation. Now shall we review the 100 reasons why it was a monumentally dumb strategy? Just to get started . . . There clearly was a better way. With a 1-2 count you could pitch around him and if he chases a bad pitch you win, if he doesn't he walks. it's early June why over manage?

He sells.

I guess you missed the wild pitch that opened up first base. When there was a runner on first they pitched to him.

I like Tony more than most fans. I really dislike his managing and want him gone. Burger fields that ball cleanly and we're possibly not having this discussion.

I get the walk with an open base and the pitcher behind in the count. But not with two strikes

Hmm. My wife has never been to Wrigley.

I'm back in Chicago in two weeks and normally I would be at two or three games. Yesterday I was thinking maybe one, but now I'm thinking I'll skip that one. Looking into fishing charters on Lake Michigan instead. Even at $10 tickets are overpriced to watch this.

Not since Ozzie have I seen a manager trying so hard to be fired.