Car fell into the earth during an earthquake IIRCYes, sad story.
I approve this message.At this rate, in another 3 hours we’ll know who wins. When baseball and football overlap, it becomes even more obvious which is better to watch.
Wait. Did he announce the game 6 stater?Tuesday is pitching hodge podge for LA. Rays should have the advantage. Get some runs, get Randy and get it to game 7
Yes. The non-Kershaw/Buehler games are the ones where the Rays should have an advantage. Not that it matters so much since they just need to win 2 games now, but from the beginning it seemed like they needed to win all the non-Kershaw/Buehler games and then figure out how to take 1 from Kershaw/Buehler.
Not trying to be a wise-guy here, but if it was a 162-game season, he'd probably manage differently. Whether it would lead to a pennant is another issue.Amazing that some relief pitchers are wearing down in postseason after just 60 games in regular season. These playoffs are tough with so few off-days. But I do wonder how Cash can manage his bullpen this way for 162 games and then the playoffs.
Ha! For me it's "Arozarena, jump a little lighter!"I can't read that name without humming "the San Francisco treat".
Some of it is seeing the same pitchers 4 times in a week, that definitely helps the hitters.Amazing that some relief pitchers are wearing down in postseason after just 60 games in regular season. These playoffs are tough with so few off-days. But I do wonder how Cash can manage his bullpen this way for 162 games and then the playoffs.
Yeah, this is the potential fatal flaw for teams w/o a deep rotation. Glasnow and Morton just haven't come through in this series, which over-exposes even a good bullpen.Some of it is seeing the same pitchers 4 times in a week, that definitely helps the hitters.
Yes, that was my inner message, not conveyed properly. Did this 60-game sprint benefit the Rays? (Just stirring up VORP.)Not trying to be a wise-guy here, but if it was a 162-game season, he'd probably manage differently. Whether it would lead to a pennant is another issue.
Good point. Of course, Yankee hitters saw the Rays in 10 games before September. And five more in October.Some of it is seeing the same pitchers 4 times in a week, that definitely helps the hitters.
I think scouting is some of it, NY dominated AL East teams in 2019 (54-22) in part because of their thorough scouting, but in-person scouting was basically non-existent this year so NY lost that advantage. TB seemed completely prepared for NY all season this year, but it's much harder to prepare for the Dodgers who they didn't see all year.Good point. Of course, Yankee hitters saw the Rays in 10 games before September. And five more in October.
I agree there is a familiarity among division rivals, even in a pandemic season. But the Rays annually seem to scrape up two or three pitchers from the junk pile who add quality depth to their bullpen, at little cost.I think scouting is some of it, NY dominated AL East teams in 2019 (54-22) in part because of their thorough scouting, but in-person scouting was basically non-existent this year so NY lost that advantage. TB seemed completely prepared for NY all season this year, but it's much harder to prepare for the Dodgers who they didn't see all year.
The fascinating thing about the Rays and the World series is that it features two of the teams that are at the bleeding edge of simply following the data. This isn't the old early aughts model of figuring out what metrics to use and then try to work that into the process.I agree there is a familiarity among division rivals, even in a pandemic season. But the Rays annually seem to scrape up two or three pitchers from the junk pile who add quality depth to their bullpen, at little cost.
Can the Yankees learn anything from Tampa’s roster-building strategy? Will Cashman use their success to change his model for shoring up bullpens? Are the Yankees seeing prospects through the prism of starting pitchers and not converting them sooner to the bullpen?
Cashman has done well finding gems among position player junk piles but his super bullpen scheme fell apart this season due to injuries and ineffectiveness.
I’m just watching this WS to see how the Rays can be beaten. Because next year they will add Wander Franco to the mix and beating Tampa will get even harder. Break up the Rays!
Thanks for putting into words what I’ve been thinking about while watching Kevin Cash manage games in recent years. It has been mostly aggravating for me, and for hitters, to see hard shots up the middle fielded routinely and turned into at least one out. Hitting it back through the box is so wrong in the shifting era. Matchups and shifts. I like your point about beating the shift not meaning much.The fascinating thing about the Rays and the World series is that it features two of the teams that are at the bleeding edge of simply following the data. This isn't the old early aughts model of figuring out what metrics to use and then try to work that into the process.
Instead, it now it really seems as if they have abandoned old school traditional managing by feel and they will just play the probabilities in terms of match-ups and shifts. The big adjustment for fans is understanding that just because a shift gets beaten a few times doesn't mean its a failure. Its just the math working out how it should. That doesn't make watching it unfold any easier to stomach but it blunts the criticism that the strategy doesn't work.
It will be interesting to see if this approach gets wider acceptance or not.
Breaking up is hard to do — Neil Sedaka, 1958.I agree that breaking up the Rays is the only way the Yankees stand a chance next year.
I don't know that I articulated it properly but I think both teams are asking their managers to follow a rules based approach that is unlike the game management most MLB fans are accustomed to.Thanks for putting into words what I’ve been thinking about while watching Kevin Cash manage games in recent years. It has been mostly aggravating for me, and for hitters, to see hard shots up the middle fielded routinely and turned into at least one out. Hitting it back through the box is so wrong in the shifting era. Matchups and shifts. I like your point about beating the shift not meaning much.
Love will keep us together — Neil Sedaka, 1975Breaking up is hard to do — Neil Sedaka, 1958.
Yankees sort of went through this scrutiny after Game 2 against the Rays when Deivi Garcia opened for Mr. Happ. Cashman explained the Yankees’ process to Joel Sherman. My guess is Kevin Cash and the Rays use a similar approach, but maybe smarter, more cutting edge. I mean, the Yankees shift defenders but they have never used 4 outfielders, in my memory.I don't know that I articulated it properly but I think both teams are asking their managers to follow a rules based approach that is unlike the game management most MLB fans are accustomed to.
What I would love to know more about is where managers have latitude. Does Cash have to follow a script for whom he uses as a defensive replacement or a PH? I am curious how far this gets taken in the extreme. At some point on the spectrum, the manager is simply an HR professional who is authorized to do press conferences.
The Rays have been doing this since Sternberg bought the team. It was what actually made Joe Maddon a super genius—being willing to be the public face of the analytics-driven decision-making. The level to which the analytics intrude into the in-game management has only increased as the amount of data available has exploded.I don't know that I articulated it properly but I think both teams are asking their managers to follow a rules based approach that is unlike the game management most MLB fans are accustomed to.
What I would love to know more about is where managers have latitude. Does Cash have to follow a script for whom he uses as a defensive replacement or a PH? I am curious how far this gets taken in the extreme. At some point on the spectrum, the manager is simply an HR professional who is authorized to do press conferences.
My guess is Cashman is headed this way based on anecdotes about how the Yankees do things now - based on comments during the round against Tampa, I seem to recall an announcing comment to the effect that Boone doesn't have much say over certain decisions. The MLB is really like the NBA where most decisions are a function of probabilities versus how someone looked during their pen session or hitting in the cage or how much they engaged with their manager before the game.Yankees sort of went through this scrutiny after Game 2 against the Rays when Deivi Garcia opened for Mr. Happ. Cashman explained the Yankees’ process to Joel Sherman. My guess is Kevin Cash and the Rays use a similar approach, but maybe smarter, more cutting edge. I mean, the Yankees shift defenders but they have never used 4 outfielders, in my memory.
https://nypost.com/2020/10/07/brian-cashman-opens-up-on-yankees-mind-boggling-decision-sherman/
I always think of the Captain and Tennille for that one.Love will keep us together — Neil Sedaka, 1975
And that is why the Rays are, by most measures except championships, a successful franchise. Its also likely why the Dodgers went so hard after Friedman. The hybrid approach to managing baseball - following some metrics but using an intuitive approach to other decisions - was clearly inefficient and Sternberg realized it. I mean, this is what happened on Wall Street in the 80s and beyond. The street digitized data, derived actionable intelligence and created models to take advantage of the access to better information. Sports have been slower to adjust because of the human element but the amount of money involved coupled with the value of moving to more of an information-based management style means its only a matter of time until gut-feel in-game adjustments are a relic of the past.The Rays have been doing this since Sternberg bought the team. It was what actually made Joe Maddon a super genius—being willing to be the public face of the analytics-driven decision-making. The level to which the analytics intrude into the in-game management has only increased as the amount of data available has exploded.
Manager has leeway for real-time in-game decisions but within a structured framework of data-driven views about matchups, pitch counts, times through the order, matching relievers to certain parts of the order or high/low leverage situations, etc. Things that are less context-dependent, like defensive positioning, are pretty well worked out ahead of time by the nerds.
HR professional doesn’t give the manager enough credit, it’s more like how a CEO of a private equity backed business would operate. He’s got to make real-time decisions, but he is doing it all in conjunction with a strong and active board of directors that is providing guidance, resources, extensively game-planning and ultimately makes the big, longer-term decisions. It’s actually a pretty effective way to run an organization, if not exactly heart-warming.
Who, What, I don’t know and Arozarena“Who are these guys?”
Rooting for the Rays to force a Game 7 also. Give me that extra game of baseball. And give me one more day of the Nats being the champs.Rooting for the Rays to force a Game 7.
And yes, VORP, Rays have definitely used their 28 players better than most. Three more nobodies to make fans sit up and ask, “Who are these guys?”
In a pandemic, we really need a Game 7. I wonder if the TV ratings are up with most of us staying home at night?Rooting for the Rays to force a Game 7 also. Give me that extra game of baseball. And give me one more day of the Nats being the champs.
Answering my question: Nope.In a pandemic, we really need a Game 7. I wonder if the TV ratings are up with most of us staying home at night?