The Noggin

[SF11704]

I was more than willing to give him a complete pass based on last year's success. We won the damn WS. Now I'm not so sure.
This has been a tough year. Lots of injuries and a few of the core playing well below par but I still think Noggin has to manage to the situation.
I just don't see it. I really don't. There doesn't seem to be any plan but play for the big inning. Never see an attempt to move a runner over. Can't count the number of lead-off doubles in an inning that went to waste.
Almost looks like he's continuing to play to last year's formula which really won't work this year. Our pitching is still our strength, but it's not infallible. Seems like if we give up 2 or more runs the game becomes a crap shot. Give our SP 3 runs and we've got a real good chance of winning the game. 3 freaking runs! I don't care how we score them, just score them.

 

[gp956]

I was more than willing to give him a complete pass based on last year's success. We won the damn WS. Now I'm not so sure.
This has been a tough year. Lots of injuries and a few of the core playing well below par but I still think Noggin has to manage to the situation.
I just don't see it. I really don't. There doesn't seem to be any plan but play for the big inning. Never see an attempt to move a runner over. Can't count the number of lead-off doubles in an inning that went to waste.
Almost looks like he's continuing to play to last year's formula which really won't work this year. Our pitching is still our strength, but it's not infallible. Seems like if we give up 2 or more runs the game becomes a crap shot. Give our SP 3 runs and we've got a real good chance of winning the game. 3 freaking runs! I don't care how we score them, just score them.

That's Bochy's default strategy. Which he'll move incrementally off of to stay out of a double-play, or if a game is at home, late, and tied. Perhaps he feels playing "small ball" over the course of 162 games wears on players to an extent that the team, ultimately, is not stronger or better off at the end of the season.

But this was a topic on Marty Lurie's sportsphone 68 segment the other night. Lurie made some good points, one being that in a lot of the recent "man at second and no outs" situations the bottom of the order was coming up. And you really can't expect any production out of that group, such that you'd give up an out by one of the "real" hitters.

About the only time it makes sense to play small ball with this lineup is at the top of the order, and, given the anemic production there, really means only once or twice every couple of games.

 

[filosofy29]

That's Bochy's default strategy. Which he'll move incrementally off of to stay out of a double-play, or if a game is at home, late, and tied. Perhaps he feels playing "small ball" over the course of 162 games wears on players to an extent that the team, ultimately, is not stronger or better off at the end of the season.

But this was a topic on Marty Lurie's sportsphone 68 segment the other night. Lurie made some good points, one being that in a lot of the recent "man at second and no outs" situations the bottom of the order was coming up. And you really can't expect any production out of that group, such that you'd give up an out by one of the "real" hitters.

About the only time it makes sense to play small ball with this lineup is at the top of the order, and, given the anemic production there, really means only once or twice every couple of games.

It's a good debate. I seem to be of the hindsight 20/20 crowd recently (which I'm not proud of). A lot of the time when they do get runners on at 2nd, it is the bottom of the order coming up and Stewart basically is a pitcher's spot before the actual pitcher's spot.

Bottom line is, with this offense, this is the hand we were dealt. We just have to trust they can find their way out of it, because when push comes to shove, Bochy doesn't have a whole lot of options. When you mentioned this in the other thread, I jokingly said that there "was no right way" with this offense. Maybe it actually is the case? lol

 

[tzill]

It's a good debate. I seem to be of the hindsight 20/20 crowd recently (which I'm not proud of). A lot of the time when they do get runners on at 2nd, it is the bottom of the order coming up and Stewart basically is a pitcher's spot before the actual pitcher's spot.

Bottom line is, with this offense, this is the hand we were dealt. We just have to trust they can find their way out of it, because when push comes to shove, Bochy doesn't have a whole lot of options. When you mentioned this in the other thread, I jokingly said that there "was no right way" with this offense. Maybe it actually is the case? lol

+1 on both points. You need the horses to play small ball. Our horses are all in AAA (or AA in the case of Ford).

 

[SF11704]

I hear you but I'm still not convinced. The bottom of the line up SUCKS. We all agree on that. The question is .... are our odds of scoring with a man on second and no outs better than a man on third with one out at that point in the line up. I'll still opt for the man at third - if we wait for the hit - it's going to be a long wait.

 

[filosofy29]

I hear you but I'm still not convinced. The bottom of the line up SUCKS. We all agree on that. The question is .... are our odds of scoring with a man on second and no outs better than a man on third with one out at that point in the line up. I'll still opt for the man at third - if we wait for the hit - it's going to be a long wait.

lol, I hear ya. Plus, it's almost a no-lose situation as it's not like the other way is working anyway.

I digress though, I'll bow to the guy with the WS Ring (well, in reality, I'd bow to him anyway since he knows more, but you get the idea). I'll just try and watch the games with lowered expectations now when it comes to the offense.....let's see how long it lasts.....