Wow, Kim is untouchable

[backwardsk]

So the ump didn't see that the ball hit him?

I don't know. He didn't rule a dead ball.

[El Gordo]

There was no doubt he swung. The bat came all the way around. Kim knew he swung. It was an ugly swing but it was a full swing. When in doubt, RUN!

I don't think the batter makes the ball and strike calls or the fans at home, for that matter. It's still up to the plate umpire, though I'd like that to change. :rolleyestf:

[El Gordo]

Actually, it was so obvious that the plate umpire did call it. However, even if he didn't , the 3B ump would have called it. Do you want Kim to stand around waiting for the appeal or run to 1B?

He didn't, as soon as he realized the ump called it he ran. I know that you in the same situation would have reacted much faster, but Kim isn't as baseball savvy as you. Not everyone can be.

[Aristotelian]

OK, I had thought maybe Kim fouled it off his foot, which he would then want to sell to the umpire by not running. But it is pretty clear he missed it by a mile. So, I agree, he should have run.

Still it is a mistake that you see all the time:

http://m.mlb.com/video/v488330783/phiatl-gameending-third-strike-bounces-into-stands/?query=reach+on+strike+out

http://m.mlb.com/video/v597051283/kcoak-crisp-scores-on-a-passed-ball-in-the-4th/?query=reach+on+strike+out

http://m.mlb.com/video/v557263883/houtor-lake-scores-on-a-wild-pitch-adds-to-lead/?query=reach+on+strike+out

http://m.mlb.com/video/v651443183/seaoak-vogt-goes-to-first-after-a-dropped-strikeout/?query=reach+on+strike+out

http://m.mlb.com/video/v130894283/phinym-francoeur-fans-reaches-on-error-in-the-9th/?query=reach+on+strike+out

http://m.mlb.com/video/v127997983/sfcol-blanco-strikes-out-motors-to-third-on-error/?query=reach+on+strike+out

It is a tough play a) because it is rare, b) intuitively it makes sense that when you swing and miss you are out and c) it happens behind you, so everyone on the other team and watching it in the stands and on national TV can see immediately it's a live ball but you can't.

[monarchO]

I don't know. He didn't rule a dead ball.

My dad is a college ump, I used to ump HS. Didn't see the play but by he posts the Ump pulled that he checked his swing and went too far. The ball hit his foot. By rule should be a dead ball strike. Runners should be sent back to their base before the pitch. Ump can refuse review on judgement calls like a swinging strike, but being hit by the ball is reviewable. To my knowledge.

[Ruzious]

It's "When in doubt, blame!"

There could be a different rule in Korea that Kim thought applied here. I just wouldn't jump to the conclusion that Kim was being lazy. It's a learning opportunity.

[weams]

It's "When in doubt, blame!"

There could be a different rule in Korea that Kim thought applied here. I just wouldn't jump to the conclusion that Kim was being lazy. It's a learning opportunity.

I never even thought for a moment that was lazy or stupid. Just that he made a mistake.

[SilverRocket]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/instagraphs/the-upside-of-hyun-soo-kims-downside/

Statcast doesn’t quite record every batted ball, but it gets most of them, and Kim ranks in the 88th percentile in average batted-ball speed. That seems great, but then there’s this: Kim has hit his grounders harder. As a matter of fact, Kim leads baseball in average grounder speed. Leads baseball! Higher than 96 miles per hour. It’s good to lead in a contact metric, but then, hard grounders aren’t necessarily better than soft grounders. Generally speaking, hard contact is nearly wasted on a ground ball.

That’s the downside — Kim hits hard grounders, instead of hard flies. Now here’s the upside of that downside. Kim also has baseball’s fourth-highest average grounder launch angle. That might sound kind of funky, but Kim’s grounders so far have an average launch angle of -3.3 degrees. The league average is -9.9 degrees. So of Kim’s grounders recorded, they’ve been closer to the line between grounders and line drives. Here’s how the league has done, in batting average, by grounder launch angle:

-5 to 0 degrees: .315 average

-10 to -6 degrees: .200

-15 to -11 degrees: .154

-20 to -16 degrees: .120

-25 to -21 degrees: .082

[JKOriole]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/instagraphs/the-upside-of-hyun-soo-kims-downside/

How are hard grounders not better than soft grounders? Hard grounders can get through holes while soft ones cannot

[Enjoy Terror]

How are hard grounders not better than soft grounders? Hard grounders can get through holes while soft ones cannot

I think you need to read the article because it answers that question.

[weams]

I think you need to read the article because it answers that question.

Thanks for sharing.

[Can_of_corn]

I think you need to read the article because it answers that question.

Interesting data on the launch angle and how it corresponds with batting average.

[JKOriole]

I think you need to read the article because it answers that question.

I read it. Still don't get it though, all else being equal

[Can_of_corn]

I read it. Still don't get it though, all else being equal

First off hard grounders are more likely to lead to double plays.

Secondly the author never definitively states that harder is not better, just that the difference is marginal.

Thirdly since Kim's ground balls are nearly line drives the higher velocity probably does help him more than it would if his launch angle was lower.

[Spy Fox]

I read it. Still don't get it though, all else being equal

First off hard grounders are more likely to lead to double plays.

Secondly the author never definitively states that harder is not better, just that the difference is marginal.

Thirdly since Kim's ground balls are nearly line drives the higher velocity probably does help him more than it would if his launch angle was lower.

I think that this is the main reason that hard ground balls aren't necessarily better than soft ones. Because, by my understanding, the hit velocity according to Statcast is just the speed the ball is travelling in any direction, not the speed of the ball travelling to the outfield. So if you have a habit of hitting 95mph ground balls, but you're chopping them into the grass for easy bouncers, you're going to get out a lot (because as soon as it hits the ground for the first bounce it's going to lose a lot of that 95mph). But if you're hitting 80mph ground balls that start out almost flat you're going to get the ball through the infield more often.