My argument against the DH – I hate the DH. It takes away so much of the the traditional and strategic element of the game of baseball. I love seeing the contemplation on the manager’s face when his reliever dominates in the top of the seventh with plenty of energy left to carry on in the eighth, but in the bottom of the inning the pitcher’s spot is due up third. What does the manager do if the game is tied and the one of the runners reaches? Does he let the reliever, who has never batted in the entire season, step up to the plate? Does he have someone pinch hit? What if no one in the bullpen, other than the closer, is fresh? The DH completely does away with all of the reasoning behind handling a situation such as this. It gives a simple solution to a complex and interesting problem. I can’t stand that.
Importance of the save statistic – The closer is an extremely underrated player in the game, yet is one of the most essential players in the game. Knowing that a team has an unstoppable closer puts a tremendous amount of mental stress on the opposing team, as they know they have virtually no chance to score when he comes into the game. I do not like Eric Gagne, particularly for the whole steroid issue, however his power and presence between the years of ’02-’04 cannot go without notice. In each of these season, he had over 40 saves. A high number of saves demonstrates reliability and a confidence that the game will end as soon as that closer walks in. The latter innings are when momentum is critical. When a closer blows a game, the momentum shifts to the other team and many times, the bullpen loses confidence and becomes extremely mental. The closer is the absolute cornerstone of the bullpen and when his confidence and save number is high, the rest of the bullpen will follow suit.
that blows.
I’m not going to say this was the gayest thing I have ever read… but I’m not gonna say it wasn’t.
^this
I’m a girl and I like sports.
My argument against the DH – I hate the DH. It takes away so much of the the traditional and strategic element of the game of baseball. I love seeing the contemplation on the manager’s face when his reliever dominates in the top of the seventh with plenty of energy left to carry on in the eighth, but in the bottom of the inning the pitcher’s spot is due up third. What does the manager do if the game is tied and the one of the runners reaches? Does he let the reliever, who has never batted in the entire season, step up to the plate? Does he have someone pinch hit? What if no one in the bullpen, other than the closer, is fresh? The DH completely does away with all of the reasoning behind handling a situation such as this. It gives a simple solution to a complex and interesting problem. I can’t stand that.
Importance of the save statistic – The closer is an extremely underrated player in the game, yet is one of the most essential players in the game. Knowing that a team has an unstoppable closer puts a tremendous amount of mental stress on the opposing team, as they know they have virtually no chance to score when he comes into the game. I do not like Eric Gagne, particularly for the whole steroid issue, however his power and presence between the years of ’02-’04 cannot go without notice. In each of these season, he had over 40 saves. A high number of saves demonstrates reliability and a confidence that the game will end as soon as that closer walks in. The latter innings are when momentum is critical. When a closer blows a game, the momentum shifts to the other team and many times, the bullpen loses confidence and becomes extremely mental. The closer is the absolute cornerstone of the bullpen and when his confidence and save number is high, the rest of the bullpen will follow suit.