From: exujeff@exu.ericsson.se (Jeff Thompson)
Subject: Re: Twins Baserunning
Organization: Ericsson Network Systems, Inc.
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1992 19:50:30 GMT

In article <1992Jul27.173147.17906@news.iastate.edu> sckelm@iastate.edu (Steven C Kelm) writes:
>Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
>Path: exucom.exu.ericsson.se!ericom!sunic!mcsun!uunet!wupost!gumby!destroyer!news.iastate.edu!sckelm
>From: sckelm@iastate.edu (Steven C Kelm)
>Subject: Twins Baserunning
>Message-ID: <1992Jul27.173147.17906@news.iastate.edu>
>Sender: sckelm@vincent1.iastate.edu
>Organization: Iowa State University, Ames, IA
>Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1992 17:31:47 GMT
>Lines: 30

>I'm not sure how many people saw last night's Twins/Red Sox game on ESPN, 
>but for those who did, I am curious on your reaction to some of the Twins
>decisions on the bases.  The time in question is the top of the 4th.  
>Shane Mack doubles to start the inning.  Kirby doubles him home, Twins up 
>3-1.  Chili Davis hits a single to left-center, medium depth, and Kirby tries 
>to score but is thrown out at the plate.  Davis moves to second on the throw. 
>Replays showed that Puckett was actually safe, but the decision to send him is
>the question here.  If Kirby stays at third, you have men at 1st and 3rd with 
>nobody down.  The Twins were hitting very well up to this point so why not hold
>him?  Any reactions.  The same inning Chili tried to score on a sac fly and 
>was gunned down by Tom Brunansky when he went in standing up.  If he had slid 
>he would have been safe.  All in all it was a very ugly inning.

>As a side note,  Joe Morgan made a statement that I thought was rather 
>curious.  Billy Hatcher had just scored from second with some very good 
>baserunning. (If I remember correctly, there was a single to right that Munoz 
>did not get to quickly and tossed the ball to Hrbek who, for some reason,
>didn't realize that Hatcher was attempting to score.)  Following this, Morgan 
>said that he would rather have a lead-off hitter with a lower OBP that could 
>"make things happen" as opposed to a lead-off with a higher OBP that played 
>"station to station".  I think he was referring to Wade Boggs vs. anyone that 
>can run.  If this is what he was referring to then I agree as I don't think 
>that Boggs would be a good lead-off hitter and is better suited to #2 or 3, 
>but in general I don't agree with simply having your fastest man as lead-off, 
>which seems to be what he was saying.  Reaction?

>Steven Kelm



} Concerning TWINS BR.
 I only was able to see bits and peices of the game, but by the sounds of 
your description of the 4th inning I would tend to say that perhamps they 
have changed their baserunning philosophy slightly since the WS when the 
braves had 2 very close plays at the plate.  It seems that umpires tend to 
give the SAFE call unless it is really obvious.  Another point is that it 
usually takes a perfect *one hop* to the plate to get a runner on a close 
play, but I do agree with you that with nobody on...why risk it?  

} Concerning MORGAN.
 I grew rather tired of Joe Morgan over the weekend watching 
the TWINS-BO-SOX series.  On Friday, he first goes out of his way to point 
out that Kent Herbek is not anyway near the player Puckett is...which, true, 
he may not be, but who else, save McGwire (this year only) would you want...
he stops *EVERYTHING* and is in the clubhouse. Two innings later..he praises 
Herbek as one of,if not the, best defensive 1st basemen in majors.  Those 
sets of comments made me curious, to say the least.  But, back to his 
theory, I would tend to have to lean towards his MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN 
view, if for no other reason than you get the defense in different 
positions from 2 on down that creates more base hits and RBI's.  That 
along with the fact that in the lead off, your chances of having any body 
on base ahead of you are slim.  Look at the TWINS who got two WS with 
GLADDEN at the lead off and GAGNE at the 9 spot who is there partly because 
he plays ss and it takes some of the stress off of his defense if he bats 
9th.  Not sure I  got on the right thread...but thanks for the topic.
}jeff 
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