Comments on: Sunday Spitballs – 08.02.08 http://www.pitchershiteighth.com/2008/08/03/sunday-spitballs-080208/ An Unofficial St. Louis Cardinals baseball blog. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:15:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: PHE http://www.pitchershiteighth.com/2008/08/03/sunday-spitballs-080208/#comment-297 PHE Wed, 06 Aug 2008 03:13:56 +0000 http://www.pitchershiteighth.com/?p=159#comment-297 Of course, Albert has to show me up by hitting *that* bomb. Of course, Albert has to show me up by hitting *that* bomb.

]]> By: PHE http://www.pitchershiteighth.com/2008/08/03/sunday-spitballs-080208/#comment-296 PHE Wed, 06 Aug 2008 01:52:20 +0000 http://www.pitchershiteighth.com/?p=159#comment-296 Pujols strikes out against Billingsley after a 3-1 count tonight, leaving a running Schumaker hung out to dry, with the Cards ready to break a big inning coming out of the rain delay tonight. More expanding the strike zone - just not necessary, Albert! Pujols strikes out against Billingsley after a 3-1 count tonight, leaving a running Schumaker hung out to dry, with the Cards ready to break a big inning coming out of the rain delay tonight.

More expanding the strike zone – just not necessary, Albert!

]]> By: PHE http://www.pitchershiteighth.com/2008/08/03/sunday-spitballs-080208/#comment-295 PHE Tue, 05 Aug 2008 17:16:37 +0000 http://www.pitchershiteighth.com/?p=159#comment-295 Agreed - and after seeing some replays, it seems the pitch was similar to the two pitched up that he crushed - he just didn't get this one. Is it too soon to hop on the Lud-VP bandwagon? :) Agreed – and after seeing some replays, it seems the pitch was similar to the two pitched up that he crushed – he just didn’t get this one.

Is it too soon to hop on the Lud-VP bandwagon? :)

]]> By: StLCards http://www.pitchershiteighth.com/2008/08/03/sunday-spitballs-080208/#comment-294 StLCards Tue, 05 Aug 2008 16:34:50 +0000 http://www.pitchershiteighth.com/?p=159#comment-294 Ryan Ludwick earned player of the week. Congrats to him! I think swinging at that first pitch and weakly grounding out is a by-product of Tony's aggressive hitting philosophy, swing at the first good pitch you see because it may be the only one you see. The difference comes in recognizing what a 'good' pitch is. A good pitch can mean different things in different at bats too. With bases loaded and a pitcher not throwing strikes it is hard to believe you wouldn't employ a different strategy. If the batter can get ahead in the count then he has the advantage. With bases loaded and ahead in the count it would seem that advantage would multiply as the pitcher can't afford to get too far behind with the tying run a walk away. The best batters seem to have a way of making the pitcher throw them 'their' pitch. We all see what happens when even a great batter like Pujols expands the zone chasing the pitcher's pitch instead of waiting. The pitch that Ludwick swung at was a decent pitch, but it was high enough that it wasn't a high percentage pitch to drive for a base hit. I too would have favored taking the first strike in that situation. Still hard to second guess the player of the week though :) Ryan Ludwick earned player of the week. Congrats to him! I think swinging at that first pitch and weakly grounding out is a by-product of Tony’s aggressive hitting philosophy, swing at the first good pitch you see because it may be the only one you see. The difference comes in recognizing what a ‘good’ pitch is. A good pitch can mean different things in different at bats too. With bases loaded and a pitcher not throwing strikes it is hard to believe you wouldn’t employ a different strategy. If the batter can get ahead in the count then he has the advantage. With bases loaded and ahead in the count it would seem that advantage would multiply as the pitcher can’t afford to get too far behind with the tying run a walk away. The best batters seem to have a way of making the pitcher throw them ‘their’ pitch. We all see what happens when even a great batter like Pujols expands the zone chasing the pitcher’s pitch instead of waiting. The pitch that Ludwick swung at was a decent pitch, but it was high enough that it wasn’t a high percentage pitch to drive for a base hit. I too would have favored taking the first strike in that situation.

Still hard to second guess the player of the week though :)

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