Comments on: Hunter Pence providing no protection for Buster Posey

By: temporarilyexiled

temporarilyexiled — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 15:57:09 +0000

Blanco
Scutaro
Pagan
Posey
Sandoval
Pence
Belt
Crawford

By: Joe

Joe — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 15:06:06 +0000

This basically sums up Pence’s first half of the season with the Phillies. His overall RBI total was good, but whenever there were runners in scoring position and the Phils really needed some runs, he was abysmal–chasing low and outside junk and either striking out or hitting into a double play, with the occastional pop-up thrown in just to keep things interesting.

By: geoknows

geoknows — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 14:53:03 +0000

Why don’t we start with Posey himself? He’s not exactly helping the Giants either with his .200/.385/.200 slash line this series. And he hit .211 in the NLDS. At least he’s getting walked so his OBP looks respectable.

By: Francisco (FC)

Francisco (FC) — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 14:07:34 +0000

And of course lineup protection is a thing that exists. Do you think Posey would have been intentionally walked today if he had Prince Fielder hitting behind him? The part where traditional baseball people and the numbers friendly crowd would disagree is whether said protection has much or any effect on a player’s performance

Of course it has an effect. It’s doing wonders for Posey’s OBP.

By: greymares

greymares — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 12:43:48 +0000

shame on those who doubted R.A.J.

By: stex52

stex52 — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 12:37:46 +0000

So, as I understand it, Matt is suggesting that line up protection isn’t real, but everybody believes in it and does it anyway. But here we are arguing that Pence is not providing protection that doesn’t exist.

I’m confused.

By: paperlions

paperlions — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 12:05:54 +0000

The thing that doesn’t exist is lineup protection for the best hitter in the lineup….and yes, Posey very well may have been walked to face Fielder because Posey is the better hitter. Cabrera had his 3rd best season of the last 3 years this year with a better hitter hitting behind him. Holliday hit exactly as well as he always does despite not having Pujols behind him. Lineup protection really doesn’t exist, in that there is no evidence that the quality of the hitter to follow affects either the production of the hitter or the quality of the pitches he sees.

By: norcaldeportes

norcaldeportes — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 05:25:16 +0000

While we’re at it, Panda is garbage in big spots too. Was it just me or did he stop at 1st for a snack on that 1 out hit that bounced off the wall? That easily should’ve been a double, and he could’ve moved to 3rd or scored on Posey’s single. The Giants’ 3 & 5 spots are not producing.

By: thehypercritic

thehypercritic — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 04:56:55 +0000

“No production behind Buster Posey”, dropping Posey from the headline for a post primarily about Pence or a qualifier “for those how believe such things matter”.

I’m not taking a stand one way or the other, but the headline implies that lineup protection is real and relevant and then pays no mind to the pot you have chosen to stir.

By: Matthew Pouliot

Matthew Pouliot — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 04:47:12 +0000

I’d prefer Belt batting fifth. If he plays. We’ll see. The Blanco scenario has been batted around a few times today. I’m not fond of it either.

By: Matthew Pouliot

Matthew Pouliot — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 04:43:17 +0000

Would you prefer the headline read “production behind Buster Posey,” because it makes no difference to me. The entry isn’t about lineup protection.

And of course lineup protection is a thing that exists. Do you think Posey would have been intentionally walked today if he had Prince Fielder hitting behind him? The part where traditional baseball people and the numbers friendly crowd would disagree is whether said protection has much or any effect on a player’s performance. Of course, I’m right there in believing it doesn’t.

By: thehypercritic

thehypercritic — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 04:09:24 +0000

I shan’t try to figure out where his head’s at, and I’m only frustrated because he’s a talented blogger who has shown himself to be more rigorous in his process in times past, but sometimes it feels like he’s looking for a rise out of the readership instead of the thoughtful engagement HBT generally promotes.

By: nogoodtomedead

nogoodtomedead — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 04:06:27 +0000

What is this scenario that you think would have Blanco batting third?? Your just making things up. Wouldn’t the Giants either move Sanchez/Belt up to fifth and Pence down to sixth? As a Giants fan let me tell you that Blanco moving to third and Pablo to fifth is not even being though of- if it is- then the Cardinals have already won.

By: garythebat

garythebat — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 03:50:09 +0000

Mr. Pouliot must be going through some kind of awful mess. His track record is that of a smart and objective dude, but for the last few months, his posts always seem to be coming from a chronically lonely, miserable, glass-half-empty place. Reminiscent of this: http://www.theonion.com/articles/area-man-on-personal-mission-to-explain-why-univer,29922/

By: thehypercritic

thehypercritic — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 03:39:33 +0000

I love how the headline casually refers to lineup protection, as if it’s something the baseball community believe exists and is impactful without question — like run support for a pitcher.

And by “love”, I mean why does a single writer at an admirable blog (who has proven himself knowledgable and conversant in sabermetric thought) insist on trolling his readership???!