Buck: "I've Got Sleeper Ideas on Leadoff"

[DrungoHazewood]

You know what uses plenty of formulas?

Chemistry.

Tons of formulas.

I know because I took a class in chemistry once.

Not baseball chemistry. Baseball chemistry is all about throwing out formulas and using made up stories to justify whatever conclusions you knew were right before you had any real information.

[Can_of_corn]

Not baseball chemistry. Baseball chemistry is all about throwing out formulas and using made up stories to justify whatever conclusions you knew were right before you had any real information.

So why didn't he just say alchemy?

[Creamsicle]

Not baseball chemistry. Baseball chemistry is all about throwing out formulas and using made up stories to justify whatever conclusions you knew were right before you had any real information.

So why didn't he just say internet message boards?

[srock]

So why didn't he just say internet message boards?

[DrungoHazewood]

So why didn't he just say alchemy?

Making the playoffs with Lew Ford at DH was every bit as impressive as transmuting lead into gold.

[Herman]

It takes a special kind of stupid to bat a high OBP leadoff. The offense has to be better when your best hitter is getting fewer ABs.

It's not that simple. Not everything is in black and white. Chris Davis had a slightly higher OBP then Machado last year so why not have him bat leadoff? Did Barry Bonds bat leadoff? Where did Paul Goldschmidt bat in the order last year?

Why wouldn't you want Manny leading off?

For the same reason Ken Griffey Jr didn't bat leadoff.

[Can_of_corn]

It's not that simple. Not everything is in black and white. Chris Davis had a slightly higher OBP then Machado last year so why not have him bat leadoff? Did Barry Bonds bat leadoff? Where did Paul Goldschmidt bat in the order last year?

For the same reason Ken Griffey Jr didn't bat leadoff.

Ken Griffey Jr batted leadoff, in fact at one point or another he batted everywhere from 1-9 in the order.

[Frobby]

It's not that simple. Not everything is in black and white. Chris Davis had a slightly higher OBP then Machado last year so why not have him bat leadoff? Did Barry Bonds bat leadoff? Where did Paul Goldschmidt bat in the order last year?

I agree it is not black and white. There's a lot that goes into deciding a batting order. But since it is not black and white, I don't see a reason to categorically exclude Manny from the leadoff spot. It really depends on the skills of the other players and also if Manny is more comfortable in one spot or another.

[terps19]

I agree it is not black and white. There's a lot that goes into deciding a batting order. But since it is not black and white, I don't see a reason to categorically exclude Manny from the leadoff spot. It really depends on the skills of the other players and also if Manny is more comfortable in one spot or another.

One would tend to think that you would want Manny in a spot to drive in runs and get on base. But if no one else can get on base then Manny is your guy.

[DrungoHazewood]

Right. Clubhouse/locker room chemistry is so fake and made up. That's why the 03-04 Lakers won the title because they had four hall of famers on the team. Oh, what's that? They didn't win and all of those players more or less hated each other?

Yes, results are perfectly correlated to talent. There is no random variation, there are no injuries or short-term hot/cold streaks. Anything that deviates from expected results is 100% because everyone liked or disliked their teammates and manager.

[Frobby]

Right. Clubhouse/locker room chemistry is so fake and made up. That's why the 03-04 Lakers won the title because they had four hall of famers on the team. Oh, what's that? They didn't win and all of those players more or less hated each other?

I do believe that clubhouse chemistry matters, but I wouldn't rely on examples from basketball, where teammates have to share the ball and coordinate what they each are doing far more than in baseball. Manny's going to throw Chris Davis the ball just as often whether he loves Davis or hates him. Davis is going to try to drive Manny in whether he loves or hates him. There's a lot more opportunity for friction to hamper in-game play in basketball.

[weams]

I do believe that clubhouse chemistry matters, but I wouldn't rely on examples from basketball, where teammates have to share the ball and coordinate what they each are doing far more than in baseball. Manny's going to throw Chris Davis the ball just as often whether he loves Davis or hates him. Davis is going to try to drive Manny in whether he loves or hates him. There's a lot more opportunity for friction to hamper in-game play in basketball.

Excellent points.

[weams]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">And the same with you <a href="https://t.co/JRGuvpkbBy">https://t.co/JRGuvpkbBy</a></p>— 10 (@SimplyAJ10) <a href="

">December 18, 2015</a></blockquote>

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[OFFNY]

Stevie Janowski said:

 

Right. Clubhouse/locker room chemistry is so fake and made up. That's why the 03-04 Lakers won the title because they had four hall of famers on the team. Oh, what's that? They didn't win and all of those players more or less hated each other?

 

Frobby said:

 

I do believe that clubhouse chemistry matters, but I wouldn't rely on examples from basketball, where teammates have to share the ball and coordinate what they each are doing far more than in baseball. Manny's going to throw Chris Davis the ball just as often whether he loves Davis or hates him. Davis is going to try to drive Manny in whether he loves or hates him. There's a lot more opportunity for friction to hamper in-game play in basketball.

 

o

 

Yes.

The Oakland Athletics of the early-to-mid 70's were one of the greatest teams ever. They won 3 straight World Championships, and 5 straight division titles. Those Athletics teams of the early-to-mid 1970's certainly had their share of tumultuous incidents, and there were numerous players that disliked each other. The first thing that comes to mind is the fight between Bill North and Reggie Jackson in the locker room. Jackson hurt his shoulder, while catcher Ray Fosse crushed a disk in his neck trying to break it up, forcing him to miss the next 3 months of the season. One thing that those teams actually did have together that was an important emotional bond was that they universally hated their owner, Charlie O. Finley.

The 1977 and 1978 New York Yankees were one of the craziest and emotionally dysfunctional teams of their time (Sparky Lyle wrote a book about those teams, entitled The Bronx Zoo), and they won back-to-back world championships.

While there are many components that are responsible for having baseball teams that consistently win, baseball at its heart is pitcher vs. batter (borrowed from Michael Kay) ...... unlike basketball, which as you stated, is a much more team-oriented game with all of the players having to share the ball on offense, and having to coordinate their defensive schemes together.

 

o

[sportsfan8703]

So much for the Hoes sleeper idea.

Hoes is in DFA limbo until this Monday the 4th.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/dfatracker

Before when guys were DFA'd by us they were snatched up right away as soon as they were announced as being DFA'd. Like Rey Navarro, Tim Berry, and Olmos. Maybe this is a good sign he hasn't been claimed yet.

Oh and I still think Buck is trolling us a little and his sleeper player is Machado.