That'd be a great question- especially considering that I think Josh Hamilton already knows how to hit lefties.Originally Posted by Caveat Emperor
That'd be a great question- especially considering that I think Josh Hamilton already knows how to hit lefties.
"The problem with strikeouts isn't that they hurt your team, it's that they hurt your feelings..." --Rob Neyer
"The single most important thing for a hitter is to get a good pitch to hit. A good hitter can hit a pitch that’s over the plate three times better than a great hitter with a ball in a tough spot.”
--Ted Williams
Just wanted to weigh back in here and say, right there with you Steel, CE, and others.
It is mind boggling. In every respect.
I understand the issues with Ellison since he is useless. Hopper, on the other hand, I think has warranted some playing time (esp vs LHPs). I think the board (and, more importantly, the team) needs to answer this question. Does this team have a shot?
If the answer is yes (which many believed going into last night), then Hopper had every right playing over Hamilton. Forget "learning on the job." That's for teams who are out of it. In that midset, who's got a better chance to help the team win now? To this point, Hopper has out-performed Hamilton vs LHPs in any way you'd like to measure it. Small sample sizes, of course, but it's the only stats anyone can go by right now and it's ugly for Hamilton.
If the answer is no (which many probably believe right now), then Hamilton should be seeing more time vs LHPs since Ws and Ls don't matter at this point. Let him face LHPs since his future is more important to this team than Hopper's.
You can't have it both ways.
Who's trying to "have it both ways"? Norris Hopper is the kind of player who should be filling in for injury or taking an occasional spot start versus LHP when one of the regular OF actually needs a day off. Doesn't matter where the Reds are in the standings. And yes, I understand Mackanin's propensity for voodoo management based on small sample sizes. The problem is that those sample sizes aren't at all predictive. That leaves Mackanin in a place where he can defend playing Hopper over Hamilton even if he can't truly justify such a decision.
"The problem with strikeouts isn't that they hurt your team, it's that they hurt your feelings..." --Rob Neyer
"The single most important thing for a hitter is to get a good pitch to hit. A good hitter can hit a pitch that’s over the plate three times better than a great hitter with a ball in a tough spot.”
--Ted Williams
I think you CAN have it both ways. (or SHOULD, at least).
Mac would have to understand that the only reason the REDS got back "in it" (theoretically) , is because they played (and he managed) as if they were "out of it".
If he were really smart he'd manage that way all the time.
If that makes sense.
"A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky, dangerous animals and you know it."
http://dalmady.blogspot.com
Small sample sizes, "voodoo management", etc. Awesome. Bottom line is that Hamilton has been flat-out Castro like vs LHPs this season. If you want to win, you don't play Hamilton vs lefties right now if you have a better option. And currently, Hopper is a better option than Hamilton in that situation.
But personally, I don't advocate Ellison ever starting over anyone and don't think that Hamilton should have sat both games. He probably should have hit 7th or 8th one of the games.
And since Hopper was on base 6 times yesterday, it kind of blows my mind that people would still be complaining. I didn't see the games, but that's not a bad double-header.
Jason Ellison was 3 for 23 vs lefties this season going into yesterday I believe....
Josh Hamilton HAS to be better than that whether or not Hopper starts.
If anybody should have sat BOTH games, it's Jason Ellison, not Hamilton.
Last edited by Matt700wlw; 08-29-2007 at 05:40 PM.
I think folks have taken enough time to explain the extreme volatility associated with small sample sizes. They're not useful for projecting much of anything and don't represent who players actually are. You and Mackanin are both making the same mistake.
"The problem with strikeouts isn't that they hurt your team, it's that they hurt your feelings..." --Rob Neyer
"The single most important thing for a hitter is to get a good pitch to hit. A good hitter can hit a pitch that’s over the plate three times better than a great hitter with a ball in a tough spot.”
--Ted Williams
That's fine. Jason Ellison isn't a better option than anybody.
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