Posted by tecwrg on 5/29/2014 12:36:00 PM (view original):

Posted by burnsy483 on 5/29/2014 12:33:00 PM (view original):

Posted by tecwrg on 5/29/2014 12:29:00 PM (view original):
What's better?  A big, full swing that grazes over the top of the ball and becomes a slow grounderl to third, or a shorter compact swing that's lined into LF for a base hit?

The hit, obviously.  

So would you say a shorter compact swing that's lined into LF for a base hit is a good result of a plate apperance?

Is it better than a strikeout?

Posted by burnsy483 on 5/29/2014 12:35:00 PM (view original):

Posted by tecwrg on 5/29/2014 12:32:00 PM (view original):

Posted by bad_luck on 5/29/2014 12:28:00 PM (view original):

Posted by tecwrg on 5/29/2014 12:26:00 PM (view original):
I thought, in another thread, that getting on base was big in BL's book.

If a 75 MPH liner into left field falls for a base hit, is that a bad thing?  Is it worse than a strikeout?

What exactly are you arguing? It seems like you're going in circles.

I'm trying to see what you think the goal of a batter's plate appearance should be.

Should it be a HR / XBH, or should it be making solid contact?  Or something else.

Burnsy said "hit the ball hard", which we think is another way of saying "making solid contact" without using the word contact (because we know where that would go).  But apparently, his definition of making solid contact means a 100 MPH line drive over the LF wall.  Anything short of that is not solid contact.

If I can take a pitch and hit it 100 MPH, and I only hit it 75 MPH, I wouldn't claim I hit the ball hard, no.

Posted by The Taint on 5/29/2014 12:36:00 PM (view original):
Solid by definition means firm or hard

Posted by The Taint on 5/29/2014 12:34:00 PM (view original):
But it could increase its single game run total, which is how you win games.

Posted by bad_luck on 5/29/2014 12:20:00 PM (view original):

Posted by The Taint on 5/29/2014 12:13:00 PM (view original):

Posted by bad_luck on 5/29/2014 12:09:00 PM (view original):

Posted by tecwrg on 5/29/2014 12:07:00 PM (view original):

Posted by bad_luck on 5/29/2014 12:02:00 PM (view original):

Posted by tecwrg on 5/29/2014 12:01:00 PM (view original):
Home runs (and line drives) are a by-product of a good fundamental swing.  Most major leaguers can take good fundamental swings even with two strikes.

Do players ever miss the ball when they take a good fundamental swing?

Sure.  Do you think they shouldn't?

Shouldn't? Not sure what you're asking.

Of course players will miss the ball sometimes, it's part of the game. Which is why I think it's dumb to focus on strikeouts when talking about an otherwise productive player. If a guy has a good OBP and/or SLG, it doesn't matter how he makes his outs.

Would he have a better OBP and or SLG if he cut his strikeouts down by a third and put those balls in play?

Cutting strikeouts doesn't only affect the plate appearances that ended in a K. All plate appearances would be affected.

I think Generic Major League Player A strikes a balance in his approach between being able to make contact and being able to hit the ball hard. Sliding the scale one way reduces his ability to do the other.

Posted by tecwrg on 5/29/2014 12:37:00 PM (view original):

Posted by burnsy483 on 5/29/2014 12:35:00 PM (view original):

Posted by tecwrg on 5/29/2014 12:32:00 PM (view original):

Posted by bad_luck on 5/29/2014 12:28:00 PM (view original):

Posted by tecwrg on 5/29/2014 12:26:00 PM (view original):
I thought, in another thread, that getting on base was big in BL's book.

If a 75 MPH liner into left field falls for a base hit, is that a bad thing?  Is it worse than a strikeout?

What exactly are you arguing? It seems like you're going in circles.

I'm trying to see what you think the goal of a batter's plate appearance should be.

Should it be a HR / XBH, or should it be making solid contact?  Or something else.

Burnsy said "hit the ball hard", which we think is another way of saying "making solid contact" without using the word contact (because we know where that would go).  But apparently, his definition of making solid contact means a 100 MPH line drive over the LF wall.  Anything short of that is not solid contact.

If I can take a pitch and hit it 100 MPH, and I only hit it 75 MPH, I wouldn't claim I hit the ball hard, no.

I'd like BL to answer.

Posted by burnsy483 on 5/29/2014 12:39:00 PM (view original):

Posted by bad_luck on 5/29/2014 12:20:00 PM (view original):

Posted by The Taint on 5/29/2014 12:13:00 PM (view original):

Posted by bad_luck on 5/29/2014 12:09:00 PM (view original):

Posted by tecwrg on 5/29/2014 12:07:00 PM (view original):

Posted by bad_luck on 5/29/2014 12:02:00 PM (view original):

Posted by tecwrg on 5/29/2014 12:01:00 PM (view original):
Home runs (and line drives) are a by-product of a good fundamental swing.  Most major leaguers can take good fundamental swings even with two strikes.

Do players ever miss the ball when they take a good fundamental swing?

Sure.  Do you think they shouldn't?

Shouldn't? Not sure what you're asking.

Of course players will miss the ball sometimes, it's part of the game. Which is why I think it's dumb to focus on strikeouts when talking about an otherwise productive player. If a guy has a good OBP and/or SLG, it doesn't matter how he makes his outs.

Would he have a better OBP and or SLG if he cut his strikeouts down by a third and put those balls in play?

Cutting strikeouts doesn't only affect the plate appearances that ended in a K. All plate appearances would be affected.

I think Generic Major League Player A strikes a balance in his approach between being able to make contact and being able to hit the ball hard. Sliding the scale one way reduces his ability to do the other.

I think this is a good way of putting it.  It seems tec taint and mike would prefer the slide to be closer to one side than I do.

Posted by bad_luck on 5/29/2014 12:43:00 PM (view original):

Posted by tecwrg on 5/29/2014 12:37:00 PM (view original):

Posted by burnsy483 on 5/29/2014 12:35:00 PM (view original):

Posted by tecwrg on 5/29/2014 12:32:00 PM (view original):

Posted by bad_luck on 5/29/2014 12:28:00 PM (view original):

Posted by tecwrg on 5/29/2014 12:26:00 PM (view original):
I thought, in another thread, that getting on base was big in BL's book.

If a 75 MPH liner into left field falls for a base hit, is that a bad thing?  Is it worse than a strikeout?

What exactly are you arguing? It seems like you're going in circles.

I'm trying to see what you think the goal of a batter's plate appearance should be.

Should it be a HR / XBH, or should it be making solid contact?  Or something else.

Burnsy said "hit the ball hard", which we think is another way of saying "making solid contact" without using the word contact (because we know where that would go).  But apparently, his definition of making solid contact means a 100 MPH line drive over the LF wall.  Anything short of that is not solid contact.

If I can take a pitch and hit it 100 MPH, and I only hit it 75 MPH, I wouldn't claim I hit the ball hard, no.

I'd like BL to answer.

The goal is to get on base. Either with a hit or with a walk. Hitting the ball hard increases your chances of getting a hit.

Posted by tecwrg on 5/29/2014 12:47:00 PM (view original):

Posted by bad_luck on 5/29/2014 12:43:00 PM (view original):

Posted by tecwrg on 5/29/2014 12:37:00 PM (view original):

Posted by burnsy483 on 5/29/2014 12:35:00 PM (view original):

Posted by tecwrg on 5/29/2014 12:32:00 PM (view original):

Posted by bad_luck on 5/29/2014 12:28:00 PM (view original):

Posted by tecwrg on 5/29/2014 12:26:00 PM (view original):
I thought, in another thread, that getting on base was big in BL's book.

If a 75 MPH liner into left field falls for a base hit, is that a bad thing?  Is it worse than a strikeout?

What exactly are you arguing? It seems like you're going in circles.

I'm trying to see what you think the goal of a batter's plate appearance should be.

Should it be a HR / XBH, or should it be making solid contact?  Or something else.

Burnsy said "hit the ball hard", which we think is another way of saying "making solid contact" without using the word contact (because we know where that would go).  But apparently, his definition of making solid contact means a 100 MPH line drive over the LF wall.  Anything short of that is not solid contact.

If I can take a pitch and hit it 100 MPH, and I only hit it 75 MPH, I wouldn't claim I hit the ball hard, no.

I'd like BL to answer.

The goal is to get on base. Either with a hit or with a walk. Hitting the ball hard increases your chances of getting a hit.

Can you get on base with a strikeout, other than when there's a WP or PB?

Posted by burnsy483 on 5/29/2014 12:49:00 PM (view original):
When you say "full, hard swing" I'm thinking Vlad Guerrero.  So, not that kind of swing.  

You and Mike seem to be asserting that the average player today is swinging too hard and not making enough contact, which I disagree with.

Posted by tecwrg on 5/29/2014 12:49:00 PM (view original):
And who will get on base more?  The 650 PA guy who K's 200 times, or the 650 PA guy who K's only 75 times?