Frazier, Mateo, Hicks, O'Hearn: Little Things that Helped Make the Magic

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, spiritof66 said:

I was at the game in a section behind the Oriole dugout, so when Frazier connected, I had a pretty good view of the flight of the ball. My eyes followed the ball to see whether it was fair and where it landed. When I had tracked it, I said to myself, Matteo might be able to score on this. I looked up and couldn't find Mateo -- I figured he'd be on his way to third base, but he had just rounded third and was heading home. That's when I got really excited (I think I yelled out, "He's gonna score!") It's not often a guy will score from first on a double without even drawing a throw, but all the ingredients were there: ultra-fast runner running with the pitch, ball hit against the shift, Willie Keeler placement of the hit.

Mateo was running on the pitch, which is why he was far enough along to not even draw a throw.  It might have been a close play if he’d only started running on contact.  

[Aristotelian]

7 hours ago, now said:

I wondered the same thing... but then consider Frazier's other strength: turning on the inside pitch and lining it down the RF line (as per his winning hit last year for Seattle, and several repeats for us this season). So it's kind of a pickle for pitching strategy. Maybe the high fastball?

In a similar vein, you might wonder why not let O'Hearn hit away to the right side to move the runner along, and possibly get a hit, versus trying the unfamiliar bunt. But not going to overthink that one!

After the game Hyde said he had no idea if O'Hearn could bunt. If he looked bad on the first one they would have taken the bunt off.

[Yossarian]

37 minutes ago, spleen1015 said:

Yeah. This time the catcher was set up right where the pitch was going.

I was wondering about the pitch or two before the pitch he hit?  Were they inside pitches?  Maybe Frazier was being set up for the outside pitch by the previous pitches being thrown inside.   If the fielders move to the left for an outside target, it tips the batter off that the pitch is coming outside.  That's all I can come up with.