2014 MLB season...

[MarkGrace]

With Perez coming up to bat, and his tendency to chase bad pitches (at least from what I saw in the WS), I think the Royals would have had a better chance of the throw to home being offline than getting a hit out of Perez against Bumgarner.

Obviously in almost every circumstance you're better off holding at 3rd in that situation, but Bumgarner was almost unhittable the entire series. What are the chances that Perez was going to get a hit off Bumgarner? What's the chance that the throw is offline? Even if the throw is offline, is Gordon so far away from the plate that Posey has the time to pull the ball in and get in front of the plate? With Perez at bat, I felt there was 0% chance that he was going to hit off Bumgarner. If Gordon just tries to run home, maybe there's a 10% chance.

I thought for sure dude was going to score on that triple. When the outfielder kicked it a second time I just assumed he was going to plate.

That Perez at bat was great. Whiffs badly at the 1st pitch above his hands, but it was the second pitch where he didn't even swing you knew he was fucked. On that pitch he started his hands on a second consecutive ball up, which means Bumgarner had shifted his perception of the zone and tilted it on him. By biting even when he didn't swing, Bumgarner could keep expanding the zone up and expect him to chase. After working the ladder for a few pitches, I kept waiting for Bumgarner to break off something in the lower third of the zone, but it never came. Smart move on his part though. Perez wasn't showing even a remote ability to catch that ball up, and if he did make contact the absolute worst case was going to be weak contact. Probably better to keep working that portion of the zone than lose a breaking pitch and bounce it with the tying run on 3rd.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

I thought for sure dude was going to score on that triple. When the outfielder kicked it a second time I just assumed he was going to plate.

That Perez at bat was great. Whiffs badly at the 1st pitch above his hands, but it was the second pitch where he didn't even swing you knew he was fucked. On that pitch he started his hands on a second consecutive ball up, which means Bumgarner had shifted his perception of the zone and tilted it on him. By biting even when he didn't swing, Bumgarner could keep expanding the zone up and expect him to chase. After working the ladder for a few pitches, I kept waiting for Bumgarner to break off something in the lower third of the zone, but it never came. Smart move on his part though. Perez wasn't showing even a remote ability to catch that ball up, and if he did make contact the absolute worst case was going to be weak contact. Probably better to keep working that portion of the zone than lose a breaking pitch and bounce it with the tying run on 3rd.

I guess Perez actually homered off Bumgarner in an earlier game. This is all 20-20, but someone else suggested that you have a speedy guy on the bench pinch hit for the catcher and he bunts the ball and tries to outrun the throw. Perhaps that had a better chance at succeeding than telling Gordon to run home and hope for an error or hoping that Perez would get a hit off the untouchable Bumgarner. What are the chances the bunt works? It would have to be better than both Gordon making it home or Perez getting a hit, right?

[MarkGrace]

I guess Perez actually homered off Bumgarner in an earlier game. This is all 20-20, but someone else suggested that you have a speedy guy on the bench pinch hit for the catcher and he bunts the ball and tries to outrun the throw. Perhaps that had a better chance at succeeding than telling Gordon to run home and hope for an error or hoping that Perez would get a hit off the untouchable Bumgarner. What are the chances the bunt works? It would have to be better than both Gordon making it home or Perez getting a hit, right?

Squeeze with two outs bottom 9 of the WS would have taken amazing balls. Would have loved to see that. What they really needed was just for Perez (and earlier hitters) to show some zone discipline to force Bumgarner back down. The hands are a pretty easy line to draw in terms of what you can handle, which is why I have no idea why he/they kept chasing. With a dude like Bumgarner you have to have a plan w/r/t which portions of the zone you can handle and where you're going to attack, and leave the rest alone until you're forced to go after it. But Perez let him just keep expanding so Bumgarner knew he totally owned that situation. imanihojin said they had to swing because of the ump, but there's no reason to chase bad, or even borderline, pitches until you have to protect. Though this is obviously easier said than done. That's a ridiculously overwhelming situation to be in.

[Non Sequitur]

The ultralovable Chevy Guy's dazzling postgame performance is getting excellent notices throughout the land. I also enjoyed the WashPo's observation that Bud Selig was playing Abbot to Chevy Guy's Costello. And "Rikk Wilde" is the best porn name since George Costanza's Buck Naked.

When I watched that Chevy guy, the first thing that came to mind was the Chris Farley Show...that was awesome.

[PaloAltoCougar]

It's interesting (and further evidence for last night being a classic Game 7) that both fan bases had a reasonable expectation of winning up until the very last pitch. Sure, Bum was awesome, but one mistake (and he's certainly made some) and, well, let us not speak of what might have been. And I, too, thought we were looking at a tie game as Blanco and Perez booted the ball around at the wall, but was elated when I saw Gordon hold up. I suspect Bill Buckner was hoping he was about to be displaced as an alltime goat in Series fielding flubs. Nice that Bum saved his mates from eternal ignominy.

[PaloAltoCougar]

When I watched that Chevy guy, the first thing that came to mind was the Chris Farley Show...that was awesome.

I liked the Tweet from Matt Sebek: Dozed off. Why is Saturday Night Live on?

[creekster]

I liked the Tweet from Matt Sebek: Dozed off. Why is Saturday Night Live on?

The Giants parade is at noon today (right past my office's outdoor patio on market street, but I digress). Today is also the City's favorite holiday, Halloween. This seems to be causing a great deal of confusion among the San Francisco population. Do you wear Giants Colors or something more traditional? So far it looks like Giants are winning out.

[PaloAltoCougar]

Chevrolet is embracing their lovable spokesman. Today's SF Chronicle includes a full-page add of their Colorado truck with the headline, "Technology... and stuff".

[Jeff Lebowski]

Chevrolet is embracing their lovable spokesman. Today's SF Chronicle includes a full-page add of their Colorado truck with the headline, "Technology... and stuff".

That is great. Good for them.

[imanihonjin]

Squeeze with two outs bottom 9 of the WS would have taken amazing balls. Would have loved to see that. What they really needed was just for Perez (and earlier hitters) to show some zone discipline to force Bumgarner back down. The hands are a pretty easy line to draw in terms of what you can handle, which is why I have no idea why he/they kept chasing. With a dude like Bumgarner you have to have a plan w/r/t which portions of the zone you can handle and where you're going to attack, and leave the rest alone until you're forced to go after it. But Perez let him just keep expanding so Bumgarner knew he totally owned that situation. imanihojin said they had to swing because of the ump, but there's no reason to chase bad, or even borderline, pitches until you have to protect. Though this is obviously easier said than done. That's a ridiculously overwhelming situation to be in.

I did?

[smokymountainrain]

I did?

Yeah, I think that was lambdacoug.

[imanihonjin]

Yeah, I think that was lambdacoug.

I think MG is pissed at me because I disparaged spam.

[Northwestcoug]

Chevrolet is embracing their lovable spokesman. Today's SF Chronicle includes a full-page add of their Colorado truck with the headline, "Technology... and stuff".

Love it. Smart advertising.

[MarkGrace]

Yeah, I think that was lambdacoug.

Yeah, that's who it was. Sorry, imanionjin. But you're still dead to me for your assault on spam!

[Jeff Lebowski]

Yeah, that's who it was. Sorry, imanionjin. But you're still dead to me for your assault on spam!

What kind of weirdo enjoys junk e-mail?