Episode 1128: Two for Game 2

## Summary

*Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about the thrills, surprises, and unlikely heroes of World Series Game 2, the ongoing home-run barrage this October, and where the World Series stands, then discuss the Yankees’ decision not to bring back Joe Girardi and whether we’ve learned anything from this month’s managerial moves before returning one more time to a controversial call from NLDS Game 5.*

## Topics

* The Yankees will not bring Joe Girardi back, he is the third manager from playoffs that will not return to team.
* Why the rash of managers getting let go, is it a coincidence?
* Why have managers seemed to lose do much power lately, and who would want to be a manager?
* Joe Torre said in a phone interview that the past ball in game 5 of NLDS was called wrong, it should have been a dead ball.

## Banter

* Game 2 thoughts.
* Cody Bellinger’s just missed home run.
* Was George Springer’s home run the biggest in franchise history?
* Should Rich Hill been left in longer?
* Can you criticize Robert's for cycling through relievers too quickly?
* Is Hunter Strickland the last player to get upset about a bat flip in the playoffs?
* Kenley Jansen looks bored when he's in to pitch due to his dominance.
* How do you follow up the first 2 games?
* Steals have been down through this playoffs.
* If the ball is difference to raise home runs for entertainment, is it more entertaining?

## Notes

* Of 655 world series games played to date, this game had the 15th most win expectancy change.
* The guys did a live chat throughout the game, so they didn't grasp how great the game was until they had to write it up.
* George Springer's home run came off back to back sliders in the same place.
* Rich Hill only pitched 4 innings.
* Charlie Culbertson said he knew the game situation during his home run trot.
* Marwin Gonzalez checked way up on the bat when he hit his home run.
* Kenley Jansen said he missed his spot on the Marwin Gonzalez home run.
* Kenley Jansen had a higher swinging strike rate this season on pitches down the middle, than anywhere else.
* There was a nearby building on fire and a fan jumped into the dugout during the game.
* There have been 18 stolen bases, Javier Baez is the leader with 2 stolen bases, in 2006 there were 24 steals in less games and that's the low water mark.
* Jeff like the home run jump because it means something is more likely to happen at any time.
* This is the first time since 2006 that a manager has been fired after reaching the LCS, and the first time 3 managers from playoffs have been left go.
* Ben thinks there is more to the story of the managers getting let go, then just on field performance.
* None of the teams have given any reasoning to why the teams decided to change managers.
* Managers evaluation is done mostly in hindsight.
* In 2003 Royals manager Tony Pena won manager of the year 83-79.
* Joe Girardi won manager of year in 2006, after finishing worse than the year before, when the then manager Jack McKeon did not receive 1 vote.
* In 2006 the Marlins had the lowest payroll and contended for a wild card spot.
* “This is the latest in October the Nationals have ever received good news, if you consider thos this good news" - Jeff
* A.J. Hinch denied being involved in a bar altercation.

## StatBlast

* Guillen number, which is the percentage of runs scored by home runs, game 2 was 13 runs on 10 home runs so 77%, this years total 43%, regular season average is 36% and playoffs is 39% on average since 1995, this years playoff Guillen number is 51%.

## Links

* https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/effectively-wild-episode-1128-two-for-game-2/