27 Oct 05
Originally posted by squaccermanI'll give it a shot to (hopefully) answer some of your questions...
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OK, back to baseball.
My understanding is limited, but is the pitcher the most important player on the team? It would seem to me that with the scores being so low (when compared to the number of scoring attempts, ie batters having a swing) there must be quite a lot of emphasis on defence, ie pitching well enough to not be hit. If this is correct ho ...[text shortened]... is the 'World Series' finals all that is on this time of year? I'd quite like to see a game.
The pitcher, in many ways, is the most important player on each team. He alone can determine what he will do on each play (i.e. each pitch). The batters (and fielders) can only react to what happened, depending on where the ball is hit, etc. Baseball is the only 'major' sport in which the team with the ball is on defense. The pitchers themselves are credited with 'wins' and 'loses', this is not true of any other players. A pitchers won-loss record is a major indicator of how a pitcher is judged. It's a pretty reliable (over a long period of time) indicator of how good a pitcher is, but there are other factors that affect a won-loss record. Some times a pitcher a pitch well but still lose, due to errors and/or lack of offensive support from their teammates. Or, a pitcher can pitch poorly (i.e. give up a lot of runs), but still get a win due to the superior offensive performance of his team.
There are nine innings in a regular game, but it is rare for a starting pitcher to pitch all nine innings (it's happened frequently in this years postseason, but it is a relatively rare occurance). Most front line starting pitchers start between 30 and 35 games in a season (they pitch about every 5th game, sometimes every 4th). I think it's rare for any pitcher, these days, to complete even 10 games in a season (the leading Major Leage pitchers completed only 7 games this year).
A pitcher can not re-enter the game after he has been replaced. This is also true of any player. Once you leave the game, you're done for the day. A player (including the pitcher) can move to another position during a game and can play as many positions during the game as the manager will allow (about 2 or 3 players in history have in fact, played all 9 positions in a game... Bert Campinaris of the Oakland A's did it as did Ceasar Tovar of the Minnesota Twins, both in the late 1960s or early 1970s). I believe they may have been the first two to do that, and maybe one other player has done it since, but I'm not sure...
The batting order does not reset after each inning...it picks up where it was when the third out was made in the previous inning. This means that the first inning is really the only inning in which a manager gets to decide who will hit, and in what order. However, if the third out is made by a runner attempting to steal a base and being thrown out, the same batter who was up when the attempted steal occured will lead off the next inning (with a fresh count, no balls and no strikes)...(and no comments from the peanut gallery). 🙂
Once the World Series is over, that's pretty much it for baseball in the USA until the spring (there may be year-round leagues that operate in warm weather areas, but I'm not sure about that). There are winter leagues that play throughout the winter, but they play in Latin and South America...a few major league players sometimes participate in these leagues to get the practice they need to stay sharp...
Hope that helps at least a little bit...
27 Oct 05
Originally posted by squaccermanThe World Series started last Saturday night (Oct 22), game two was Sunday 10/23 both in Chicago, and both won by the White Sox.
Every single country with a National Football Federation who is a member of Fifa (and there are around 150) get to play in the World Cup (of football, or Soccer). They don't all make it to the finals (only 32 teams make it every 4 years), however the qualifying competitions are based on regions to make sure that every part of the world is represented. I ...[text shortened]... ing of the name.
When doies the series start anyway, and if it already has what's the score?
Game Three was in Houston on Tuesday 10/25 (White Sox won in 14 innings, and now lead the series 3 games to none. No team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a World Series. The W.S. has been played every year since 1903, with the exception of 1904 and 1994, so we're talking about 100 W.S. to date).
Game four is going on right now, in Houston
27 Oct 05
1 edit
Originally posted by RBHILLI stand corrected my good man, I stand corrected. It seems I gave Houston way too much credit on this one and shall learn from my mistakes. I do believe with the 1-0 lead right now, the ChiSox shall have it tonight. At least they didn't throw this one.
Posted on page 5 of this Thread.
27 Oct 05
Originally posted by zakkwylderMy post on page 5 should get a rec.
I stand corrected my good man, I stand corrected. It seems I gave Houston way too much credit on this one and shall learn from my mistakes. I do believe with the 1-0 lead right now, the ChiSox shall have it tonight. At least they didn't throw this one.
27 Oct 05
Baseball's finally over. God. I don't even care the Sox won anymore, I'm just glad it's over so I can go back to being stressed about real things, like the upcoming chess season or the 7 weeks of work I'm behind in in both Spanish and Math. God. Baseball's great but it's annoying as being woken up by a fly landing on your lip every morning (currently happening). God.
27 Oct 05
Originally posted by zakkwylderI don't go near the spirituality forum. I fear if I go in and post something I will be pummled with fliers and pamplets until I'm nothing more than a pile of paper. Plus the choir they have in there is a bit creepy.
I will refer you to the spirituality forum(He's pretty big over there). And I too am thankfull its over as well.
27 Oct 05
Originally posted by PhlabibitWell, this once your wife is wrong. Don't tell her that though, or you'll have hell to pay. You'll get "shot down" every night. Either that or she won't shave her legs, which is worse than not getting any...
XS, I would love for the Astros to win... I think it's the 'underdog' thing... and perhaps if MY RED SOX can't win it this year, I don't want anyone else to!
Alpha... even my wife thinks Houston can win at least 2 of these games.
P-