How so?  There is an element of surprise when stealing 3rd base but the catcher's throw to 2nd base is longer than the throw to 3rd base.

Ask any good basestealer and they will tell you that. It's a further throw but on 2nd you get a huge lead and also you can basically go right on first move, while on first it's much easier to get caught leaning and get picked off.

How so?  There is an element of surprise when stealing 3rd base but the catcher's throw to 2nd base is longer than the throw to 3rd base.

 

Bigger lead, catcher throwing across his body, RHB being in the line of vision of the catcher all lead to it.

Figgins did slug better than Podsednik...nothing is stopping that.

 

However...if I can delve into the "what if" excuse game for a moment...what if Podsednik does not injure his hamstring?  How many bases does he steal?  And more importantly, how many of his caught stealings now are translated into SBs due to being fully healthy?

 

Pehaps, 80-90 SBs?

I think that's a fair estimate. I tried to come up with what his numbers would be if he didn't injure his leg and I got 85 SB and 17 CS (very rough calculation.) That would bring him closer to Figgins' production.

Yeah, I was totally proven wrong on the preseason prediction. But I think its a lot easier to judge teams once you've seen them play for a whole season and an ALDS to boot.

 

Anaheim is a better team than either NYY or BOS. Much better. Everything we can do they can do better -- they got a better leadoff guy than Pods, they have a much better cleanup hitter (Konerko is unfit to even carry Vlad's jockstrap) etc. And they have Cy Fatso, K-Rod, and a bunch of no-names in the bullpen who throw heat and strikes. Do not be mislead by the record; its not their fault they caught the A's during their supernatural run.

 

Moreover, don't put too much stock in the Boston series. We lucked out a ton. Clement gave us Game 1 (though anyone who watched the 2003 NL Playoffs probably could have predicted it), and Graffanino gave us both Game 2 and Game 3 (he swung at TWO ball fours from el duque). Clearly, much of what we did came from our own merit, but we played good enough for maybe a 5 game win.  We swept because Boston blew it.

 

BTW, the things that let us win the ALDS (overrated old pitchers, bad opposing defense) are found in abundance in the Bronx. Not so in LA of Anaheim.

 

 

I think you're on the wrong message board. I think this the one you're looking for.

 

www.northsidebaseball.com

Edited October 10, 200520 yr by Jordan4life_2005

Well, either way, 1 for 3 isn't a very good success rate. Since we are going to be facing better starting pitchers whether it's the Yankees or the Angels and we likely won't have quite as many baserunners, maybe Podsednik needs to play it conservative.

Edited October 10, 200520 yr by SSH2005

Well, either way, 1 for 3 isn't a very good success rate.  Since we are going to be facing better starting pitchers whether it's the Yankees or the Angels, maybe Podsednik needs to play it conservative.

He needs to be shutdown from stealing 2nd for a little while, I'll agree with that, I'd still love to see him go and take 3rd cause he's still been doing that rather easily even since coming back from the injury.

He needs to be shutdown from stealing 2nd for a little while, I'll agree with that, I'd still love to see him go and take 3rd cause he's still been doing that rather easily even since coming back from the injury.

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Let's just hope he hits doubles then.

Let's just hope he hits doubles then.

Works for me. Honestly though, I like what ozzie did in game 1, if pods reaches with no out, get him over to 2nd and let him take 3rd.