Did Blyleven blow the final with a poor tactical decision??

[Blyleven_No-No]

WWJPW???  (Who Would Jesus Play With??)

[Gantry]

I'm no expert here, but I personally would have played with Detroit.  But it all comes down to whether you are a better BoSox or Tigers player...

[Big Apple RBI Champ]

Exactly Gantry- it depends on who you are better with, and Detroit is clearly not Bly's team.  I would go Boston.

Personally I made two huge mistakes- blowing my wad with Boston early and then choosing Mets over Cal.  Leaving Cal in my back pocket will plague me for years to come.  If you sub right, you have 8 legit power sources.

Counting the days until the next NYC tourney, perhaps in April.

[Nails]

I don't blame Bly one bit for using Detroit.  I would have made the same choice.

So what's the story, Bly?  Big Apple mentioned your discomfort with Detroit.   Did you feel more comfortable with them than Boston?

[GDavis]

For what it's worth, I'd have picked Detroit in that spot.  They had been a cold team overall that day, but historically they've been the best team in RBI.  It seems to me that Detroit wins most of the time when they go head to head vs Boston (oddly enough I don't think this matchup occurred during our tournament). 

Also considering I was the Mets, you really don't want to recreate the '86 series by picking Boston.  That's just setting yourself up for a fall.

I do think it was a mistake to sub out Nokes.  I know he was cold all day, and in general you don't like him, but I still consider him to be a large presence in that lineup.  Psychologically, when you see those 34 HRs, that can grate on an opposing pitcher's mind...much more than Heath's 8.

[Big Apple RBI Champ]

Levi and I played Detroit vs. Boston and we split.

In general, I wouldn't blame Bly for going with DET, but he doesn't like playing with them, and he had Boston on the table. 

Bly has always been a huge Heath fan and a Nokes hater, in fact he started a thread about hating Nokes a few weeks ago if you remember.

I never pinch hit for Nokes, but grew so frustrated with him in that Boston series (he was 0-7) that I did use Heath for him late in Game 2.

[JoeDirt]

I think either Det or Bos would be the favorite vs NY, so he couldn't really make a wrong choice.  I would have taken Bos probably, but you have to factor in that Ojeda probaby would have done a number on the mostly righty Bos...and Det matches up pretty well against both R and L--so it was still a good choice.

[GDavis]

Dirt, are you saying that a Right-Lefty (or vice versa) matchup favors the pitcher?  I disagree.  I think part of the reason that NY matched up w/ DET well is because Ojeda was able to shut down the dangerous lefty bats in that lineup.  I believe in the 2nd game the Mets threw a combined shutout with Ojeda going 6, Orosco going 2 and McDowell closing it out.

[SmokedUBad13]

Opposite matchups always favor the pitcher.  Clipping the outside corner of the plate is key.

I hate Boston with a passion so I set out to find a way to beat them.  My best theory states that a good player is guaranteed to hold Boston to <3 runs with St. Louis or New York.  Testing isn't finished yet, but at this point the theory is being proved as Ojeda and Orosco do some major damage against those righty batters.

The only thing messed up with this theory is that it doesn't say anything about winning the game.  In order to win the game, you have to muster enough runs to counter Boston's 2-4 runs/game average (I can hold them to <3 about 90% of the time).

[Big Apple RBI Champ]

assuming we played with 1 sp rule, you would not consistently hold me under 3 runs if i boston and you were new york.  no way.  i could wait ojeda out and you couldn't string together 27 outs- i would get to a tired mcdowell late.

who are you holding under 3 runs 90% of the time... the computer?

getting back to original point, i do agree with you about oppo hand favors pitcher.

[SmokedUBad13]

Since we've never met, it's impossible for me to make a specific judgement on whether I could hold you to under 3 runs.  However, I've consistently done this against quality players, even past COTUT participants.  Also, my strategy involves walking Armas and usually a few others depending on the situation.  This allows the easy double play and disallows guaranteed homers.

And we play all pitchers.  Just for the sake of arguing though, I don't believe I would have much trouble doing the same with Ojeda, Orosco, and McDowell since the two lefties are in that lineup.

As I said, the theory is still being tested and has a long way to go.  I have several more players I'd like to play (specifically those among the elite) before I raise the theory again.

[ultimate7]

assuming we played with 1 sp rule, you would not consistently hold me under 3 runs if i boston and you were new york. no way. i could wait ojeda out and you couldn't string together 27 outs- i would get to a tired mcdowell late.

Smoked plays 2 SP rule and he is very good, but I agree it would be different with 1 SP.

[Big Apple RBI Champ]

i'm sure smoked can play, but it is a very different story with 1 sp.  at MOST you get 5 innings out of ojeda.  that means you need to get 4 combined from uncle jesse and mcdowell.  orosco will give you 2 solid, but 6 outs from mcdowell is asking a lot.

[GDavis]

In the championship game I got a solid 6 shutout innings out of Bobby O.  Orosco and McDowell combined for 3 scoreless.  And this was against Blyleven..who's no slouch..and using Detriots lineup.  It can be done if you consistently hit your spots.

[JoeDirt]

Okay, a few things: GDavis--I personally prefer to pitch to the opposite hand as the batter...but that might just be a matter of personal preference--as you are a good player who prefers just the opposite.

And as far as the Ojeda/Orosco/McDowell thing, ideally you get more than 5 out of Ojeda or more than 2 out of Orosco--both of which can be done.  The bottom line is that you need 8 combined from those two.  McDowell cannot be trusted for more than 1 inning.

But I think it can be done, no problem.

[GDavis]

Okay, a few things: GDavis--I personally prefer to pitch to the opposite hand as the batter...but that might just be a matter of personal preference--as you are a good player who prefers just the opposite.

And as far as the Ojeda/Orosco/McDowell thing, ideally you get more than 5 out of Ojeda or more than 2 out of Orosco--both of which can be done.  The bottom line is that you need 8 combined from those two.  McDowell cannot be trusted for more than 1 inning.

But I think it can be done, no problem.

If a pitcher is fatigued it's easier to go lefty vs righty because you can stay on the outside of the plate and curve em in....even at slow speeds it's a tough pitch to read.

If a pitcher is fresh I like the looong curve going away from the batter.  You can still shave the corner and it will leave the batter vulnerable to the inside pitch as well.

[JoeDirt]

I think it's really interesting that people of a high level of play can have the exact opposite opinion.  That's one of the things that makes this game so great!

[SmokedUBad13]

at MOST you get 5 innings out of ojeda. that means you need to get 4 combined from uncle jesse and mcdowell. orosco will give you 2 solid, but 6 outs from mcdowell is asking a lot.

I have to disagree.  I've pitched up to 7 2/3 innings with Ojeda, and that's including 4-5 wasted pitches for each one of those walks I mentioned.  Of course, that's the extreme, but my point stands.  I also get more than two innings out of Orosco.

In the championship game I got a solid 6 shutout innings out of Bobby O. Orosco and McDowell combined for 3 scoreless. And this was against Blyleven..who's no slouch..and using Detriots lineup. It can be done if you consistently hit your spots.

And as far as the Ojeda/Orosco/McDowell thing, ideally you get more than 5 out of Ojeda or more than 2 out of Orosco--both of which can be done. The bottom line is that you need 8 combined from those two. McDowell cannot be trusted for more than 1 inning.

But I think it can be done, no problem.

NY's pitching isn't half bad if you use your pitchers wisely.  It's those blessed lefties who make them decent against a righty dominated offense.  If Ojeda or Orosco had McDowell's skill/endurance, then NY would have nothing.

If a pitcher is fatigued it's easier to go lefty vs righty because you can stay on the outside of the plate and curve em in....even at slow speeds it's a tough pitch to read.

If a pitcher is fresh I like the looong curve going away from the batter. You can still shave the corner and it will leave the batter vulnerable to the inside pitch as well.

I'll agree with that.  I hope to see GDavis and Big Apple RBI Champ at the Ohio tournament. 

[fightonusc]

It's all about pitch count. As has been documented, I threw a perfecto with Mike Krukow against Fryak, who's a pretty good player. The secret is to throw hittable first pitches to guys you aren't too worried about. Let weak hitters make contact and pop out - why waste stamina and pitches on them?

[Gerlost]

I initially thought BOS would be the better choice in his situation, I may have changed my mind after this result from earlier today: