2023 World Series: Arizona Diamondbacks vs Texas Rangers

There was a good piece about Evan Longoria’s bunt in the Athletic:

Longoria came to bat in the third inning, with no score, after Alek Thomas’ leadoff walk. He knew that Jordan Montgomery, the Rangers’ 6-foot-6 starter, is not a nimble fielder. Since he was struggling for hits, Longoria thought, why not bunt?

Here’s why: Longoria never bunts. Not in games, not in spring training, not even a courtesy bunt or two at the start of his batting practice rounds. In 8,395 previous plate appearances, postseason included, Longoria had exactly one sacrifice bunt, for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2014. And yet …

“I bunted so much in college; we just had to do it every day,” said Longoria, who played for Long Beach State. “So even if I hadn’t done it in forever, I feel like it’s a part of my toolbag.”

Longoria was bunting for a hit, he explained, and he didn’t get it. But he moved Thomas to second and got credit for a sacrifice. And when he came to bat in the seventh, after Thomas’ leadoff double, the Rangers remembered.

Third baseman Josh Jung moved up on Longoria, positioning himself on the edge of the dirt and the turf. He acknowledged that the third-inning bunt was on his mind.

“Yeah, just in case,” Jung said. “In hindsight, probably shouldn’t be up there. But that’s baseball. It happens.”

It happened in 1980, and it happened again on Saturday: Longoria smashed a single off Jung’s glove to bring Thomas home, pushing Arizona’s lead to 3-1. The hit chased Montgomery, and the Diamondbacks soon singled and bunted their way to six more runs.

Probably the most incredible part of Robinson's play in 1970 is how quickly he released the ball.

When I watch old clips I'm amazed at how much stronger shortstops and third baseman can throw compared with fielders from even 20 years ago. I think (not based on any evidence, just a feeling) that plays like Robinson's can't happen much anymore because *everyone* hits the ball much harder than in the 70's, there's just no time for a third baseman to cover that much ground.

Jung's play was the apex of modern day fielding at third -- the ball was *smoked*, he had to react much quicker, lay out, and unleash a ridiculous laser throw for the out.

(you can't cheat a bit by bouncing throws like in the 70's and 80's either, because almost nobody plays on turf anymore)

Nostalgia's a powerful drug, but yeah, I suspect just about every aspect of the game is played at a higher level today (except bunting, of course, Diamondbacks excepted).

(As I posted on the Blue Jays thread a while back--and I try not to even think about this--there's a very real possibility that Matt Chapman is a better player than Brooks Robinson.)

Players do get better over time, but I was also trying to say that certain skills get phased out while new skills develop. Older players might have been better at certain things, but only because modern players no longer need to master those skills (bunting is a perfect example).

Umpire Quinn Wolcott missed 12 calls in World Series Game 2 and 10 went against the Rangers.

Wolcott was the top rated regular season ump, but this was his 3rd worst game of the season.

He had a correct call rate of 91.2% (league avg. 92.5%). https://t.co/Nzbat08B7c pic.twitter.com/Zk99UbFfnO

— Umpire Auditor (@UmpireAuditor) October 29, 2023

Umpscorecard rates him similarly poorly but the info is much easier to understand IMO

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F9nSr8cWoAANtnf?format=jpg&name=large

yeah i posted the tweet because it had a video of the missed calls

every year they find a new way to pull this shit

i would honestly prefer they just start selling screen space over this imaginary AR experience. just slap a big coca cola logo in the bottom left of the screen and keep it there for 3 hours, whatever.

there were couple of kids in banana suits behind the AR capital one logo yesterday. on one hand, i felt kinda bad cuz those seats must have been 5 figures, spending that much just to get blacked out by capital one. on the other hand, obviously their parents could afford them so whatever, just a bunch of literal nepo babies.

Quinn Wolcott was secretly paying tribute to Joe West, nominated for the HOF last week.

Older players might have been better at certain things, but only because modern players no longer need to master those skills (bunting is a perfect example).

No sarcasm here, genuinely wondering what older players would have done better. Bunting, for sure--exponentially. Going the opposite way to move a runner along. Executing a hit-and-run. The list would heavily be weighted toward "small ball" strategies. Pitching? That's harder...maybe moving batters off the plate? I won't say pitching deep into a game, because a) it was a lot easier 50 years ago (maybe two or three HR threats per lineup instead of six or seven), and b) that's still the manager's call. Fielding, I don't know.

Older players were probably better at playing hungover.

Bouton...remembered Mickey Mantle, hungover on the bench, asked to pinch hit. Somehow, Mantle hit a homerun and dragged himself around the bases. “They’ll never know how hard that was,” Mantle said back in the dugout.

https://www.theattic.space/home-page-blogs/2020/5/8/the-book-that-befouled-baseball#:~:text=Enter%20Ball%20Four.,season%2C%20he%20told%20no%20one.

No sarcasm here, genuinely wondering what older players would have done better.

Modern players are better in general, but other skills have evolved, such as the small ball strategies you mentioned. Players today aren't asked to do those things, so they're not good at doing them.

For SP's, pacing oneself to be able to pitch into the late innings used to be important, but it's not anymore. It's not that older pitchers were better or tougher or more durable, it's just a different game now. In the 70's and 80's, most teams had 2-3 banjo hitters in the lineup and the SP didn't need to use his best stuff. That helps a lot for pitching late into games. It's obviously not like that anymore.

It's the same with hitters. Hardly anyone hits .300 anymore, why not? It's all about making hard contact now and there isn't a stigma around K's like there used to be. But it's also true (up until the 1990's and perhaps beyond) that if you knocked out the SP, you could feast on the bullpen. Now even the 12th pitcher on the staff throws 95. There are no banjo hitters or junkballing pitchers in the game. Hitting for average isn't a lost skill.

Maybe I got off topic here, but it's an interesting discussion.

The World Series meets Immaculate Grid:

https://www.mlb.com/news/all-30-teams-represented-in-2023-world-series

(I wonder if that's common or rare.)

just me or does every picture of chris young look computer generated?

https://cdn.theathletic.com/app/uploads/2023/10/29223557/GettyImages-1762110225-1024x683.jpg

Chris Young is 6-10. This afternoon, MLB has had both Aaron Judge (6-7, Clemente winner) and Randy Johnson (6-10, throwing out the first pitch tonight) on their pre-game panel. No one asked either guy about Frank Howard (6-7), who died earlier today.

I have two or three of that Max rookie card they just flashed on the screen, bought pretty cheaply online just before he took off for the stratosphere in Washington.

2011 World Series: Rangers vs Cardinals

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I know--that's a board-wide thing.

JUNG

really felt like sherzer was on the ropes - quite a turnaround

I've probably encountered a better arm for a third baseman, but I don't remember who it was. (Is Arenado so great because of his arm? I hardly ever see him.)

(xpost) He doesn't seem long for this game.

That sure looked like strike three.

Probably tautological, but Texas has a great offense when they lay off low breaking balls (G1) and a terrible offense when they swing at them (G2).

wow this game changed in a hurry

smoltz saying as soon as semien took a ball the other way he’d get on track

semien pulls a ball into the gap, drives in the first run of the game

texas can really wreck shop

So much for Max.

at least the cut on his thumb has healed

If we get to game 7 and continue posting on rate, we might hit those 2011 numbers Clem!

Just tuning in now. Scherzer gave up no runs?!!!! How’s Pfaadt been? Smoltz not missing again? The man is on.

Mathematically, you might be right. Just felt like there was so much posting going on 12 years ago--maybe it was just more people doing the posting.

Man, that arm on Jung. No nickname yet; have to put a psychology-related nickname aside and go with something about his arm.

5.1 with 3 runs on this Texas team? Quality start in my books

xp It's hard to make a word play with "synchronicity" or "collective unconscious."

this ump is all over the place - can’t wait to see the scorecard tomorrow

Synchronicity--there's your nickname right there.

Balls and strikes have been poor tonight, to my eyes (for both teams).

love castro’s snakeskin belt - at least i think its snakeskin - what else could it be?

Great "sweeper" (new cliché) by Castro for the second out.

Texas needs Jon Gray not to remember he's a mediocre roster-filler for one more inning.

gray’s got a nice mizuno glove, i like that. league seems to be rawlings/wilson mainly, so good to see some variety

maybe semien should switch to a mizuno - might have actually caught that then

Seemed like a generous hit, or at least in slow motion it did...I guess it was hit pretty hard.

PFAADT and SBORZ in the same game, finally

Pham-tastic

Tommy Pham to do absolutely nothing

Currently a possible MVP--on the field, and he's even got some narrative going for him.

The moment I've so not been looking forward to: Aroldis warming up.

This has the feel of a looming Arizona comeback unless Texas adds a run or two...which they won't do in the 8th now. They were really lucky to get out of that second inning. Seager hit the home run, and they haven't done anything since.

Seriously, get Chapman out of there after Carroll. I know Bochy has to manage the bullpen with an eye on Tuesday and Wednesday, but winning tonight gets you a game 6 at least, and that's more important.