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The last twenty comments in true blog fasion, with the links to their authors and the player commented upon.
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Manuel Margot Spotlight
In one of the more surprising plays of this series, Manuel Margot attempted a straight steal of home but was caught successfully by Clayton Kershaw's throw to Austin Barnes.
Most recent steal of home in a World Series: Brad Fullmer, ANA, Gm2, 2002 (double steal)
Most recent caught stealing at home in a World Series (before Margot): Shane Mack, MIN, Gm4, 1991
Most recent straight steal of home in a World Series: Jackie Robinson, BRO, Gm1, 1955
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/robinja02.shtml
Bellinger's "routine" catch and Margot's ill-advised attempt to steal home were bigger. But both of these hits were big.
Yesterday's Biggest Play
Batter: Yandy Díaz (TBR)
Pitcher: Clayton Kershaw (LAD)
Situation: Bottom 3rd, 1 out, 1-1 count, Runner On 1st
Score: LAD 3, TBR 0
Triple to RF (Line Drive to Deep RF Line)
1 run scored on the play, and TBR's win probability increased 13% points, to 40%
Yesterday's Second Biggest Play
Batter: Max Muncy (LAD)
Pitcher: Tyler Glasnow (TBR)
Situation: Top 5th, 2 outs, 3-2 count, Bases Empty
Score: LAD 3, TBR 2
Home Run (Fly Ball to Deep CF-RF)
1 run scored on the play, and LAD's win probability increased 12% points, to 69%
LAD went on to win the game, 4-2
Yes, excellent.
I wonder what kind of jump Sandy Amaros got?
May threw the ball very well -- he did -- but there's something wrong with Game Scores.
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Yesterday's Top Performers
Pitchers:
Clayton Kershaw* (LAD): 5.2 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 6 K, 55 GmSc
Dustin May (LAD): 1.2 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 2 K, 55 GmSc
* - pictured above
He looks so solid at the plate. His batting averages the last three seasons are baffling.
I'm buying him next year.
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Yesterday's Top Performers
Batters:
Max Muncy* (LAD): 2-3, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 R
Yandy Díaz* (TBR): 2-3, 1 RBI, 1 R
Joc Pederson* (LAD): 1-2, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 R
Kevin Kiermaier* (TBR): 2-3, 1 R
Manuel Margot (TBR): 2-3, 1 SB
Corey Seager (LAD): 1-3, 1 RBI, 1 R
* - pictured above
Really? Two runners on, the red-hot Kiermaier at the plate. Still a long way to go.
Good call by Roberts. I would call on him again.
https://www.mlb.com/news/brett-phillips-discusses-world-series-game-winning-hit
I'm going to come back to this video many times ... so much fun ... and I will LOL at the guy that Phillips jukes in centerfield, who is that guy who just goes flying and tumbling by? :-)
Ranking every World Series in MLB history
Good stuff! Especially 4 minutes Kinograms news reel video from Game 7 1924: Senators over Giants in seven (Ranked #3 WS of all-time) ... of which the author says ...
I would consider saying this about as many as five games, but I think Game 7 of this World Series is really it: the best game in baseball history. By average leverage index, it's the fourth-best World Series game, and it's the only one of the top 10 that was a Game 7. For that matter, it's the only one of the top 10 that was even a clincher.
“We worked on that a lot in spring training the last couple years,” Cash, the manager, deadpanned. “Glad it was able to play in our favor tonight.”
In the first three games of the World Series, there was not a single lead change.
I enjoyed this piece by Jeff Passan, now at ESPN ... his comment was the first I'd read pointing out that Jansen had not backed up the throw ... hmmm ...
Baseball is more fun when you grease the ball and the third base line, apparently
As we get ready for Game 5, Bruce Buschel sums up Game 4.
Classic? Best? Thrilling? Incredible?
After a game marred by mistakes, the last play alone had 7 identifiable miscues. To paraphrase our Beloved Leader, I like World Series heroes who don't make errors.
1. With two strikes, Kenley Jansen throws a hittable inside strike to a lefty batter.
2. Centerfielder Chris Taylor boots the ball by not looking it into his glove.
3. Third base coach Linares sends Arozarena home, where he will be out with a half decent throw.
(Lefties Austin Meadows and Brandon Lowe are the next batters.)
4. Arozarena trips over himself after rounding third base and takes a tumble.
5. Relay man, Max Muncy, throws soft and wide to the catcher with Arozarena on the ground.
6. Will Smith, set up in the wrong place, hurries a swipe-tag on a runner that is not running home, missing the ball completely.
7. Kenley Jansen does not back up home plate.
There's a positional adjustment down for 1B defense. Something less for LF, something less for RF. The rest all have positive adjustments up. I remember the general issues from when the systems were all published, but that 1.3 wins for his career on defense is compared to all other positions, not merely first baseman. That's the vaguery and problem with it as a stat. Plus adding oWAR and dWAR don't equal bWAR, which makes it more of a weird issue. Here's how Fangraphs explains positional adjustments.
I keep thinking about the 2-2 pitch to Arozarena.
Smith sets up an inch or two off the plate on the 1-2 pitch and Jansen puts his cutter right into the mitt.
Somehow Arozarena checks his swing.
On the 2-2 pitch, doesn't Smith want to set up right on the black, down, and ask Jansen to hit that? If Kenley makes the same pitch but makes it a strike, chances are the game is over.
Instead Smith sets up a good four inches off the plate for the 2-2 pitch and Jansen, perhaps sensing Smith's fear, perhaps sharing it, misses on the side of caution and now the count is 3-2.
Smith sets the target in the zone for the next two pitches but it's too late. From then on it's all downhill for the Dodgers.
But doesn't that point very directly to the problem? The best first basemen actually lose games with their gloves over the course of their careers? How can "neutrality in a stat" be a good thing?
I agree with your point about scooping balls out of the dirt; almost everyone who plays first is good at that. And I agree that Keith Hernandez was the gold standard for all the other things.
In his 17 year-career he won 1.3 games over his replacement with his play in the field. Anyone who watched a lot of Mets games (and a lot of Cardinals games) knows that's not true.
I go all the way back to Vic Power (his entire career). In 1,627 games played over 12 seasons, he gets a -0.8 dWAR.
His bat wasn't what kept him in the lineup (career OPS: 97). But his career oWAR (9.3) makes the claim that he won more games with his bat, compared to a replacement first baseman, than his glove.
WAR is a great stat; that's why we keep talking about it. But it can and should be improved. If I had an MVP ballot, I hope I wouldn't lean on such a rickety crutch to defend putting Betts ahead of Freeman.
I wouldn't put Juan Soto first, but I'd have him second.
Mets-Astros Game 6.
Best game I ever listened to: 1960 Game 7.
B-R.com gives Giambi -19.7 dWAR and Teixeira a neutral -0.6 over their careers. Teixeria was a very good defensive 1B. Giambi did cost runs. Considering the positional adjustment at 1B for defense, Teixeiria's neutrality in that stat is a good thing. Most of the best 1B defenders are in the low negative range over their careers.
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I figure since the Rays didn't argue/review that Barnes must have grazed Margot's hand on the tag, though in the video it doesn't look like it to me.
And if he didn't, at what point is the falling off helmet not taggable for the out. I mean, how affixed to the head does it need to be?