tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post7871972349191947008..comments2023-10-16T07:13:12.123-05:00Comments on A plain blog about politics: Friday Baseball PostJonathan Bernsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15931039630306253241noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-83596422909880184572010-05-26T00:19:23.299-05:002010-05-26T00:19:23.299-05:00Well, maybe if that additional middle infielder we...Well, maybe if that additional middle infielder were Rogers Hornsby or Joe Morgan or Cal Ripken...but then no rejiggering would be necessary...Don Coffinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07198988872512792834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-19565821103131010362010-05-25T23:34:31.263-05:002010-05-25T23:34:31.263-05:00Sounds about right to me. But I'm only commen...Sounds about right to me. But I'm only commenting here because I need an excuse to write this somewhere, and I can't wait for Friday: in the history of baseball, I'm pretty sure that no team has succeeded in scoring more runs because they rejiggered things to get an extra middle infielder into the lineup. Especially when we're talking about guys such as Renteria, Sanchez, and Uribe.Jonathan Bernsteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15931039630306253241noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-78802848251409879952010-05-25T23:14:32.976-05:002010-05-25T23:14:32.976-05:00I'd point out, about Torres, that he has alway...I'd point out, about Torres, that he has always had good OBAs in the minors that apparently did not translate, in very limited opportunities, to the majors. (I love BaseballReference.com, especially for its inclusion of minor league stats.)<br /><br />The primary difference last year and this year compared to his past is that his batting average (and major league walks) have increases--but in very small samples (172 plate appearances last year and, so far this year, 123). It makes me wonder about two things: Can he sustain his walk rates throguh the season? And, have his higher batting averages been a result of a real change in approach, or are they a result of a higher-than-is-sustainable set of outcomes on balls-in-play? We may get some clue by the end of the year.Don Coffinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07198988872512792834noreply@blogger.com