Jon Lester vs. Cliff Lee

[steveringo]

No! Not the pitching duel!

The awesome At Bat!

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Ah... spring....

 

[navamind]

Lol

 

[Darkstone42]

Reminds me of all of Liriano's at bats last year for the Pirates...


AL pitchers...

 

[Lemon Harang Pie]

I never understand why teams don't require their pitchers to actually bat.

They're basically just giving up an out and I'm not sure what's really being risked.

 

[steveringo]

I never understand why teams don't require their pitchers to actually bat.

They're basically just giving up an out and I'm not sure what's really being risked.

I assume you mean 'practice' batting.... Pitchers are trained to pitch and that is hard enough to do without having to take BP. The only time a pitcher would need to hit is if he reaches the majors and is selected by an NL team. Since most other leagues (college, independent, amature, etc) use the DH, they basically develop not hitting.... It sucks that NL offenses are giving up one out per nine, but it creates a very different strategy. I enjoy wacthing pitchers flail - or net even try.... The rule also extends the careers of many pitchers.

 

[Lemon Harang Pie]

I assume you mean 'practice' batting.... Pitchers are trained to pitch and that is hard enough to do without having to take BP. The only time a pitcher would need to hit is if he reaches the majors and is selected by an NL team. Since most other leagues (college, independent, amature, etc) use the DH, they basically develop not hitting.... It sucks that NL offenses are giving up one out per nine, but it creates a very different strategy. I enjoy wacthing pitchers flail - or net even try.... The rule also extends the careers of many pitchers.

They're already in the major leagues at this point and if they're not already on an NL team there is a real probability that they will one day soon.

I'm not saying pitchers should sacrifice pitching to improve their batting but I think it's clear that a pitcher can do more than what Jon Lester did - which is nothing - with no impact on their pitching. The average pitcher has such a height advantage over all other positions that it could potentially be a potent weapon with little real draw back.

 

[steveringo]

They're already in the major leagues at this point and if they're not already on an NL team there is a real probability that they will one day soon.

I'm not saying pitchers should sacrifice pitching to improve their batting but I think it's clear that a pitcher can do more than what Jon Lester did - which is nothing - with no impact on their pitching. The average pitcher has such a height advantage over all other positions that it could potentially be a potent weapon with little real draw back.

Any AL pitcher is certainly not going to get near a pitch in Spring Training. That is why it was so funny. Usually the NL teams allow the DH when playing the AL teams. For some odd reason, Philly did not allow it that day - and Lester had to stand in the box. I'm not sure why they didn't want the DH that day....

In the regular season in the NL, the pitchers do try to get a hit. Sadly, without practice in school and the lower leagues, they never developed any hitting abilities. Some are actually pretty good bunters...

If anyone wanted to see pitchers hit, they would need to eliminate the DH is all leagues. Eventually, the talent would reach the majors.

 

[Darkstone42]

Any AL pitcher is certainly not going to get near a pitch in Spring Training. That is why it was so funny. Usually the NL teams allow the DH when playing the AL teams. For some odd reason, Philly did not allow it that day - and Lester had to stand in the box. I'm not sure why they didn't want the DH that day....

In the regular season in the NL, the pitchers do try to get a hit. Sadly, without practice in school and the lower leagues, they never developed any hitting abilities. Some are actually pretty good bunters...

If anyone wanted to see pitchers hit, they would need to eliminate the DH is all leagues. Eventually, the talent would reach the majors.

A pitcher who can both pitch and hit in the NL is extremely valuable, a la Greinke or (it seems early on) Cole.

But as long as they can bunt, they can do their job at the plate.

 

[navamind]

A pitcher who can both pitch and hit in the NL is extremely valuable, a la Greinke or (it seems early on) Cole.

But as long as they can bunt, they can do their job at the plate.

Haren as a D-Back and Zambrano also come to mind.

 

[Lemon Harang Pie]

Any AL pitcher is certainly not going to get near a pitch in Spring Training. That is why it was so funny. Usually the NL teams allow the DH when playing the AL teams. For some odd reason, Philly did not allow it that day - and Lester had to stand in the box. I'm not sure why they didn't want the DH that day....

In the regular season in the NL, the pitchers do try to get a hit. Sadly, without practice in school and the lower leagues, they never developed any hitting abilities. Some are actually pretty good bunters...

If anyone wanted to see pitchers hit, they would need to eliminate the DH is all leagues. Eventually, the talent would reach the majors.

Not in any real sense of the word.

At best a pitcher tries to lay down a bunt. Otherwise they swing at the first three pitches then walk back to the dugout. That's why pitchers typically end up with about two or three times more strikes than walks and hits combined.

Allowing pitchers to bat in a perfunctory, uncommitted way is just one of those unwritten, bizarre baseball traditions that just doesn't make much strategic sense. Avoiding an automatic out would probably be a boost to the pitching staff as much as it would the offense. How many times do we see a pitcher taken out of a game despite pitching well all because it's his turn to bat?

 

[Lemon Harang Pie]

A pitcher who can both pitch and hit in the NL is extremely valuable, a la Greinke or (it seems early on) Cole.

But as long as they can bunt, they can do their job at the plate.

I'm surprised more pitchers don't work on it themselves for that reason.

I remember when Dontrelle Willis would occasionally hit higher than 9th in the batting order. Obviously he fell apart as a pitcher but I would think being able to hit well enough consistently would be a huge bargaining chip.

 

[Darkstone42]

I'm surprised more pitchers don't work on it themselves for that reason.

I remember when Dontrelle Willis would occasionally hit higher than 9th in the batting order. Obviously he fell apart as a pitcher but I would think being able to hit well enough consistently would be a huge bargaining chip.

It's part of why Micah Owings lasted as long as he did as a starter, and why he still gets employed as a reliever who can double as a pinch-hitter when the bench is short.

 

[soxfan1468927]

It's part of why Micah Owings lasted as long as he did as a starter, and why he still gets employed as a reliever who can double as a pinch-hitter when the bench is short.

Past tense. He really only had two seasons when he was used as a pinch hitter and that was 5 years ago. He couldn't find much work the last couple seasons.

 

[Darkstone42]

Past tense. He really only had two seasons when he was used as a pinch hitter and that was 5 years ago. He couldn't find much work the last couple seasons.

So it has.He's actually an outfielder now. I didn't realize that.

 

[navamind]

Red Sox hope for resolution on Jon Lester extension before Opening Day | HardballTalk

Read the comments lol. TrueNiners lives! And yes, DillonGee is me.

 

[redseat]

The ball is right down the middle of the plate. Just swing...

 

[steveringo]

The ball is right down the middle of the plate. Just swing...

That was a spring training game last week....

 

[redseat]

That was a spring training game last week....

i Know.. Still swing, get some practice in at least.

 

[powerchord86]

Damn. At least look like you're trying. I believe they are getting paid for this...

 

[steveringo]

i Know.. Still swing, get some practice in at least.

Not worth the risk. He'll take some BP before an interleague game that counts (if he's starting). He has 38 PA in eight years - with 0 H. He is far more likely to pull a muscle than get a hit.

No need to get near a real pitch in Spring Training.

Damn. At least look like you're trying. I believe they are getting paid for this...

Nope. He is averaging 5 PA a year. If he is getting paid for that, he is the most overpaid player in the league.