Opening Night: Post Game Thread

[haltz]

. . . via base runs (the most accurate model in a sample size this small), the cardinals "won" the game, 5 to 4.

Actually, in a sample size this small, the most accurate model is what happened on the field.

I read that as "the most accurate of the 'run-scoring models' in a sample size this small"

[GatewaySnayke]

Jesus, why is it that every time someone launches into a discussion questioning La Russa's moves, 10 people stand up and defend the guy and act like he invented baseball?

Well gee Gateway, because maybe we believe that the squeeze play isn't a desperate late inning move but has actually been a very consistent run producer for teh Cards.

It was an unnecessary play at that point last night. That's all there is to it. You will get burned nearly every time if you leave it up to the pitcher to get home a run.

[GatewaySnayke]

That's not my problem so much as it is "oh how DARE you question the great La Russa!"

no one said anything close to that

What the hell does LaRussa have to do to get the benefit of the doubt anyway?

For Chrissake - the best 10 years of baseball by this team and reigning champs and this is what he gets. Feh.

I actually think that's a pretty reasonable response . You didn't just question LaRussa's moves, you basically called him out as a dumb, boneheaded manager who isn't deserving of confidence. That's a pretty extreme conclusion to reach on a guy who has managed this team through a stretch of how many winning seasons and how many playoff appearances now? (not to mention winning a WS last year).

I have no problem questioning his moves and I'll gladly debate and in this case, disagree with you on the moves you questioned tonight. But if you're going to include in it a rant about his complete lack of managerial skill, then I'm not sure why you wouldn't expect rant-like responses.

Clement, I have disagreed with La Russa's in-game managing for a long time. Not to the extreme of BOTB or helping pay a small plane to fly over Jupiter saying "Fire La RUssa." I think he's terribly overrated, and my worst comes out after a loss in which I feel he did a sub-par job in helping the Cardinals win.

[jim]

Observations on last night:


5) Carp was not sharp. But catch Delgado's warning track can of corn and it's a different game.

Good points, but I'm going to disagree on the can of corn. It would have been a very good catch if he made it. With So, he pretty much needs to make those catches to justify being out there, but that was a tough play.

I think people are being hard on So. A dead-pull hitter got one all the way off the wall to the opposite field. It would have been over the head of practically every left fielder in baseball. I'm not nuts about the dropped fly ball, and I'd've liked it better if he stayed on his feet on the one over his head. But I wouldn't read too much into it.

He didn't stick the landing very well, did he? That made it look far worse of a play than it actually was.

[G. Keenan]

Observations on last night:


5) Carp was not sharp. But catch Delgado's warning track can of corn and it's a different game.

Good points, but I'm going to disagree on the can of corn. It would have been a very good catch if he made it. With So, he pretty much needs to make those catches to justify being out there, but that was a tough play.

I think people are being hard on So. A dead-pull hitter got one all the way off the wall to the opposite field. It would have been over the head of practically every left fielder in baseball. I'm not nuts about the dropped fly ball, and I'd've liked it better if he stayed on his feet on the one over his head. But I wouldn't read too much into it.

I agree that almost no LF makes that catch last night. As it was, So almost caught it. But doesn't it look like So has lost a step out there? And I don't just mean from last night, but the second half of last year as well. He used to have a quick first step and take great routes to balls. Now it seems like he doesn't get a good first read, and therefore takes a bad route. He just doesn't seem to move around with confidence out there.

[skmsw]

Observations on last night:


5) Carp was not sharp. But catch Delgado's warning track can of corn and it's a different game.

Good points, but I'm going to disagree on the can of corn. It would have been a very good catch if he made it. With So, he pretty much needs to make those catches to justify being out there, but that was a tough play.

I think people are being hard on So. A dead-pull hitter got one all the way off the wall to the opposite field. It would have been over the head of practically every left fielder in baseball. I'm not nuts about the dropped fly ball, and I'd've liked it better if he stayed on his feet on the one over his head. But I wouldn't read too much into it.

I agree that almost no LF makes that catch last night. As it was, So almost caught it. But doesn't it look like So has lost a step out there? And I don't just mean from last night, but the second half of last year as well. He used to have a quick first step and take great routes to balls. Now it seems like he doesn't get a good first read, and therefore takes a bad route. He just doesn't seem to move around with confidence out there.

It might be that he's lost a step. But to use an expression I picked up from RC -- it was a step most other OFs didn't have in the first place. So was still rated as one of the best defensive LF in baseball last year, so if he is losing it, he still has some left to lose.

[G. Keenan]

Observations on last night:


5) Carp was not sharp. But catch Delgado's warning track can of corn and it's a different game.

Good points, but I'm going to disagree on the can of corn. It would have been a very good catch if he made it. With So, he pretty much needs to make those catches to justify being out there, but that was a tough play.

I think people are being hard on So. A dead-pull hitter got one all the way off the wall to the opposite field. It would have been over the head of practically every left fielder in baseball. I'm not nuts about the dropped fly ball, and I'd've liked it better if he stayed on his feet on the one over his head. But I wouldn't read too much into it.

I agree that almost no LF makes that catch last night. As it was, So almost caught it. But doesn't it look like So has lost a step out there? And I don't just mean from last night, but the second half of last year as well. He used to have a quick first step and take great routes to balls. Now it seems like he doesn't get a good first read, and therefore takes a bad route. He just doesn't seem to move around with confidence out there.

It might be that he's lost a step. But to use an expression I picked up from RC -- it was a step most other OFs didn't have in the first place. So was still rated as one of the best defensive LF in baseball last year, so if he is losing it, he still has some left to lose.

Well I very much hope you're right, because I have irrational man-love for So and I don't want to see him leave.

[jim]

I'm not so convinced that So hasn't lost a significant step, and I also think he needs to make those spectacular and routine plays to justify him being on the team.

But, as steve mentioned the Delgado ball was an opposite field job. Not only would he probably have not been positioned for that, the inside out swing that he took would have generated some english on the ball. I'm not saying he couldn't have caught it, but I'm saying it would have been one really good catch. I think the ball tailed away on him faster than he anticipated which made him look really awkward.

And I'm just guessing on the error, but with the trajectory of the ball it really could have been an issue with the lights.

Not making excuses - he needs to be very very good in the outfield to warrant a position on the team - but maybe tomorrow will be better for him.

[Richie Allen]

Anyway, he certainly looked silly on the "line drive" (I saw it as more of a looper) that he apparently lost in the glare from the planet Venus, and on a ground single he almost loafed into an extra base for one of the Mets.

Is the new Busch providing difficulty for OFers? The first few games last year I remember wondering what the hell was going on out there. Is it a difficult field to follow the ball? I think it was the late afternoon games last year where a tough sun/sky was speculated.

[fulldeck]

I wouldn't think OFers would still be having problems with the lights at night.