I was okay with it today bc he literally threw like 8 pitches in the 9th. But of course then he threw 85 in the 10th.
@conquistador#11 A hit requires an existing runner to "successfully advance" to the next base (if there is a force play in effect)...Walker stumble****ed around and got thrown out before he went from 1st to 2nd. I believe that's scored a Fielder's Choice, out 9-8-6? Like if you get thrown out at 2B stretching a single to a 2B you still get credit for a single, since you made it to 1B.
I’m guessing the majority of those were extra innings? The ghost-runner rule, now that it’s been in place for 5 years, has a “book” vis-a-vis closer management for road teams…. And it’s one of the rare books where strict analytics, “old- school baseball”, and “modern day baseball” do contribute almost equally. Road team managers are bringing in closers (or best available pitcher) for the 9th/tie game. If the pitcher is efficient/not taxed, it does present that multi-inning opportunity presuming the visiting team is able to plate that ghost runner. Traditional baseball wouldn’t think twice about having guys that can go multiple innings… modernized specialist baseball suggests these guys just can’t do that anymore… yet analytics (taking into account the home team’s expected run probability in their half inning) do support the consideration that a closer going in his 2nd inning (and starting the inning under 15 pitches) is a better option than your 3rd (or 4th-5th) bullpen guy coming in with RISP. I hate it when he goes 2… yet here I was talking myself into it. The Astros play too many ****ing close games, largely due to the offense that has already shown signs of being light years better with Pena back and the other 2 additions.
Boone keeps trotting him out there. It's crazy to watch. He's gonna pitch him until Boone gets himself fired. Which might be tomorrow morning.
At the end of the clip it looks like he got that classic embarassed gf/wife arm-tug to sit the **** down. Lol
Who were the Stros going to bring in for the 10th to replace Hader? Who had thrown all of 8 pitches in the 9th?
Exactly the conundrum. Based on already using Sousa-Abreu-Hader, that makes King the next man up. King has pitched in that situation this year…. Something tells me he’s had mixed results.
