Author Topic: The Matt Williams Effect  (Read 36629 times)

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Offline spidernat

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Re: The Matt Williams Effect
« Reply #500 on: July 23, 2014, 02:05:36 pm »

Offline PC

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Re: The Matt Williams Effect
« Reply #501 on: July 23, 2014, 02:05:43 pm »
Williams doesn't like moving players around in the lineup and Bryce is going to continue to bat where he's batting now.  If was going to move Bryce to #2 permanently, that would be the only way he'd move him there today.  For just a one off, he keeps players more or less where they play every day.

Offline nfotiu

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Re: The Matt Williams Effect
« Reply #502 on: July 23, 2014, 03:00:27 pm »
Williams doesn't like moving players around in the lineup and Bryce is going to continue to bat where he's batting now.  If was going to move Bryce to #2 permanently, that would be the only way he'd move him there today.  For just a one off, he keeps players more or less where they play every day.
I think he made a bunch of photocopies of the lineup.  It is easier to just white out one or two guys, than have to re-write it all.

Offline NatsAllThe Way

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Re: The Matt Williams Effect
« Reply #503 on: July 23, 2014, 03:00:28 pm »

Offline Minty Fresh

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Re: The Matt Williams Effect
« Reply #504 on: July 23, 2014, 04:16:45 pm »

Offline pazzo83

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Re: The Matt Williams Effect
« Reply #505 on: July 23, 2014, 04:20:00 pm »

Offline PC

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Re: The Matt Williams Effect
« Reply #506 on: July 25, 2014, 03:43:56 pm »
Quote
Dan Kolko @masnKolko  ·  33m

#Nats lineup: Span 8, Rendon 5, Werth 9, LaRoche 3, Desmond 6, Harper 7, Ramos 2, Walters 4, Roark 1

Dan Kolko @masnKolko  ·  22m

This will be the 4th time Zach Walters has gotten a big league start, and at four different positions - SS, LF, 3B, 2B.

YES!!!!  I didn't think Williams had the stones to do the right thing.  I don't want to see Danny Espinosa on the diamond facing a right handed pitcher, EVER!

Online imref

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Re: The Matt Williams Effect
« Reply #507 on: July 25, 2014, 03:47:59 pm »
YES!!!!  I didn't think Williams had the stones to do the right thing.  I don't want to see Danny Espinosa on the diamond facing a right handed pitcher, EVER!

this is the right move, looking forward to seeing if Walters can stay hot.

Offline vicki4471

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Re: The Matt Williams Effect
« Reply #508 on: July 25, 2014, 03:57:29 pm »
How many errors is Walters going to make though? NO way he turns the double plays Danny turns...

Offline Mattionals

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Re: The Matt Williams Effect
« Reply #509 on: July 25, 2014, 04:17:59 pm »
How many errors is Walters going to make though? NO way he turns the double plays Danny turns...

He only has 4 errors at 2B in AAA.  I'd guess that he projects better defensively at the keystone than any where else on the diamond.

I like the kid and have high hopes.

Online varoadking

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Re: The Matt Williams Effect
« Reply #510 on: July 25, 2014, 04:19:18 pm »
How many errors is Walters going to make though? NO way he turns the double plays Danny turns...

He does seem somewhat "awkward."

Online Slateman

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Re: The Matt Williams Effect
« Reply #511 on: July 25, 2014, 04:41:37 pm »
YES!!!!  I didn't think Williams had the stones to do the right thing.  I don't want to see Danny Espinosa on the diamond facing a right handed pitcher, EVER!

Hooray, we got more strikeouts and crappy defense at second base!!

Offline Ray D

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Re: The Matt Williams Effect
« Reply #512 on: July 26, 2014, 07:01:20 pm »
Matt Williams just said (post game interview)  "We can't change the way we play"  (in reference to aggressive baserunning).  Can't change playing STUPID baseball is the way I take that.

And godamit Matt please stop saying "it's in our DNA".  Do you know anything about biology?

Offline Ray D

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Re: The Matt Williams Effect
« Reply #513 on: July 26, 2014, 07:03:46 pm »
And it seems that on the bunt play, the first pitch was a real sacrifice attempt but the second was a fake bunt.   Batter tries to fool the defense into thinking it's a bunt so the runner at third can steal second.    Does Matt know that that doesn't work in the major leagues.   It works occasionally in high school.

Offline Baseball is Life

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Re: The Matt Williams Effect
« Reply #514 on: July 26, 2014, 07:07:26 pm »
And it seems that on the bunt play, the first pitch was a real sacrifice attempt but the second was a fake bunt.   Batter tries to fool the defense into thinking it's a bunt so the runner at third can steal second.    Does Matt know that that doesn't work in the major leagues.   It works occasionally in high school.

It's more like a straight steal and the reason you don't bunt is you don't want to pop it up.

Offline Ray D

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Re: The Matt Williams Effect
« Reply #515 on: July 26, 2014, 07:21:35 pm »
It's more like a straight steal and the reason you don't bunt is you don't want to pop it up.
No, the reason you don't bunt is because you'll be out.  A (real) bunt accomplishes nothing because it is assumed that the runner is going to steal second.  So you lay off the pitch and you'll have a runner at second and then you can swing away. 

 Except that the runner was out at second, and the reason he was out is that the fake bunt doesn't fool anyone at the major league level. We used to use it when I was coaching 10u baseball many years ago, and that's the last time I saw it until today (except in girls softball).

Offline looper

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Re: The Matt Williams Effect
« Reply #516 on: July 27, 2014, 10:48:13 am »
starting espinoza again against a right hander today . havent they given him enough chances to see he cant hit especially against right handed pitchers. i gues walters big  double on friday was not good enough for williams. Doesnt make any sense atleast see  if walters can hit with consecutive starts. He cant be any worse the espi.

Offline Baseball is Life

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Re: The Matt Williams Effect
« Reply #517 on: July 27, 2014, 11:02:27 am »
No, the reason you don't bunt is because you'll be out.  A (real) bunt accomplishes nothing because it is assumed that the runner is going to steal second.  So you lay off the pitch and you'll have a runner at second and then you can swing away. 

 Except that the runner was out at second, and the reason he was out is that the fake bunt doesn't fool anyone at the major league level. We used to use it when I was coaching 10u baseball many years ago, and that's the last time I saw it until today (except in girls softball).

The fake bunt at the MLB doesn't fool anybody sure but it does get in the way of the catcher a bit. It's better than a straight take.

Offline Ray D

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Re: The Matt Williams Effect
« Reply #518 on: July 27, 2014, 11:02:45 am »
starting espinoza again against a right hander today . havent they given him enough chances to see he cant hit especially against right handed pitchers. i gues walters big  double on friday was not good enough for williams. Doesnt make any sense atleast see  if walters can hit with consecutive starts. He cant be any worse the espi.

It's a complicated equation, and with Zimmerman out it gets more difficult: Espinosa is going to get more starts, and they can't all be against lefties because there are not enough of them.  Matt explained why Frasden started yesterday (righty against righty), it was because he makes contact, and that was the most important thing against Cueto.  I don't know that I buy that but I give Matt credit for having a concrete explanation. I also think the fact that Gio was pitching played into that decision - you don't need as good an infield with Gio pitching, as with Fister - hence Espinosa in the infield today. 

It would be great if everytime Fister or Zimmerman pitched, we faced a lefty.  But things don't work out that cleanly, and I think Matt is doing ok managing all these variable.

Offline Baseball is Life

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Re: The Matt Williams Effect
« Reply #519 on: July 27, 2014, 11:04:04 am »
starting espinoza again against a right hander today . havent they given him enough chances to see he cant hit especially against right handed pitchers. i gues walters big  double on friday was not good enough for williams. Doesnt make any sense atleast see  if walters can hit with consecutive starts. He cant be any worse the espi.

Seems like Williams wants to rotate vs. platoon at 2b. And like Ray says lots of other variables come into play.

Offline blue911

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Re: The Matt Williams Effect
« Reply #520 on: July 27, 2014, 11:05:33 am »
Fister is starting which means Danny is starting. Not exactly rocket surgery

Offline Ray D

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Re: The Matt Williams Effect
« Reply #521 on: July 27, 2014, 11:05:56 am »
The fake bunt at the MLB doesn't fool anybody sure but it does get in the way of the catcher a bit. It's better than a straight take.
Well, I think, sometimes, it gives away the steal.  I mean the guy squares to bunt (and it seems that on the fake bunt they square much too early) you say "whoa, why is he bunting here? must be a fake bunt and the steal is on". If the pitcher and catcher catch on, the pitcher can throw a fastball down the middle, or even a pitchout.

Offline Baseball is Life

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Re: The Matt Williams Effect
« Reply #522 on: July 27, 2014, 11:09:05 am »
Well, I think, sometimes, it gives away the steal.  I mean the guy squares to bunt (and it seems that on the fake bunt they square much too early) you say "whoa, why is he bunting here? must be a fake bunt and the steal is on". If the pitcher and catcher catch on, the pitcher can throw a fastball down the middle, or even a pitchout.

Good point. You can't give it away too early. And if you're smart you take you're time pulling your bat back and stand straight up without interfering. Lefty batters like Harper can really get in the way of a catcher throwing if they're smart. 

Offline More of #34

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Re: The Matt Williams Effect
« Reply #523 on: July 27, 2014, 12:46:28 pm »
Espinosa, Lobaton & Fister batting - wake me up after that half inning.

Offline More of #34

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Re: The Matt Williams Effect
« Reply #524 on: July 27, 2014, 03:31:14 pm »
Espinosa, Lobaton & Fister batting - wake me up after that half inning.

Given Danny's hit and Lobaton's hit, I apologize.