Walt interview (with Cunningham)

[PTjvs]

I'm not sure what the optimal Z-swing is, but the fact that Joey is only 1 or 2 percent above average (which includes pitchers and backups) says there's room for improvement. Many of his teammates have higher rates than he does.

If Joey could increase his Z-swing percentage by 5 percent, at the expense of his O-swing percentage going up 2 percent.. I think that would be worth it.
Note, I realize that increasing the Z-swing is going to also probably increase the O-swing.

I'm not saying this isn't true, but I am not sure it is. It could easily be that the true optimal Z-swing percentage (which certainly varies hitter by hitter) could be LOWER than the league average, and that swinging at too many borderline strikes (or just not the pitch you were looking for) results in easy outs.

jvs

[*BaseClogger*]

a .900 OPS table-setter

Is that even a thing?

[malcontent]

Is that even a thing?

Hey, *BaseClogger*.

Whaddya gonna do for a living now...now that he's gone?

I mean, it's not like you can just change a sig line.

[Unassisted]

It's kind of weird, but Jocketty sounds rejuvenated to me.

I always suspected Jocketty had to hold back on his public opinions quite a bit while Dusty was his manager. It would be interesting if he would eventually come clean about exactly where they were on the same page and where they weren't. I'd buy that book.

[MWM]

Because no MLB hitter is good enough to get on base whenever they want to. They do not control the opportunities or the outcomes.

Not to mention that "RISP" is a ridiculous carve out of meaningful data.

He doubles home a guy from first, you don't count it. A two run homer with a guy on first. Nope, not in the population. A solo homer? Well, of course he "choked" earlier in the game with RISP, another meaningless homer. Not adding to his BA with RISP. Trade da bum.

Not to mention an infield single with a guy on second bumps up that BA w/ RISP.

If there was one phrase I wish would be eliminated from the baseball lexicon, it's "runners in scoring position". Thom brings it up at least a dozen times every game.

[mdccclxix]

Jocketty putting his rep out there with the statement about "I know how to build a winner". It is his turn (again) to make some big moves. I can't say I'm too worried, he's got the touch.

[malcontent]

I always suspected Jocketty had to hold back on his public opinions quite a bit while Dusty was his manager. It would be interesting if he would eventually come clean about exactly where they were on the same page and where they weren't. I'd buy that book.

So would I.

[mdccclxix]

I always suspected Jocketty had to hold back on his public opinions quite a bit while Dusty was his manager. It would be interesting if he would eventually come clean about exactly where they were on the same page and where they weren't. I'd buy that book.

That Broxton deal had to have drawn some chuckles around baseball after Chapman was kept as closer.

[_Sir_Charles_]

Not true at all. As long as he stays healthy and produces, he will be tradeable early in the contract.

Of all the things we could/should be discussing...trading Mr. Votto ain't one of them.

[*BaseClogger*]

Hey, *BaseClogger*.

Whaddya gonna do for a living now...now that he's gone?

I mean, it's not like you can just change a sig line.

I guess I'm a malcontent now...

[malcontent]

I guess I'm a malcontent now...

[RedsBrick]

That contract makes him untradeable. No one will take that on. We're married for better or for worse

There aren't many things good about the pay structure of MLB...but because of the way it is there will always be teams out there willing to spend ridiculous amounts of money (see, Yankees, Angels, Dodgers, Red Sox...etc., etc.) ...Not saying, of course, that I want Votto traded.

[RedsBrick]

Love the questions and answers of that interview!

The veil has been peeled back a bit. Pretty revealing answers....me likey.

Thanks for posting.

[westofyou]

Fodder is causing a lot of cud chewing that's for sure

[cincrazy]

Telling a man that OPSed over .900 that he has to do something differently to fit what the team desires is kind of silly. Asking him to change his game is a slippery slope. Maybe we should try and repair some of the black holes at short, left, and catcher before asking our best hitter to change his game.

I was frustrated with Votto at times this season, but I think he's intelligent enough to make adjustments on his own. Walt assembled this team, and he should be taking responsibility for its performance down the stretch.