Is batting in front of Alvarez make him more of an on-base percentage player? I wonder why he takes so many pitches if that’s the approach
First, he has absolutely zero business hitting in front of Alvarez. None. Not in this universe or any alternate one. Secondly, taking fat pitches down the middle is not the job of the guy hitting in front of Alvarez.
Ball 3: 96 mph 4 seam
Strike 1: 95 mph 4 seam right down the gut
Popout pitch: 90 mph cutter in the same location
I hate pop up Bregman too, and I don’t include that breakdown to be argumentative.
But Eovaldi changed speeds on him and got him out in front.
I was wondering at the time, 3-0 with Yordan on deck, does he swing 3-0?
Now of course I wish he did. He seems to be waiting for the perfect pitch and not jumping on it when he gets it.
Setting aside for the moment that this is not an isolated incident, Bregman routinely refuses to be aggressive when he’s ahead in the count, it further illustrates why this lineup construction is fucked up. Your number three hitter is the man. He’s your best hitter, and your best chance at driving in runs. To suggest he give up hittable pitches with two outs and men on because of the guy hitting behind him is just all sorts of fundamentally screwed up (by the guy who constructed the lineup, not you)
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Alex just doesn’t swing at 3-0 pitches, period. He’s reached a 3-0 count 112 times in his regular season career. He’s taken the 3-0 pitch for a walk 94 of those times. He nearly always treats it as an automatic take, forcing the pitcher to prove that he can throw a strike before he swings the bat. If anything, he’s too predictable in that count.
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And I’m not suggesting he be up there hacking 3-0 every time either. But it’s my observation that he doesn’t take advantage of situational hitter’s counts as often as he should. And when you’re down by two runs, runners on base, two out, absofuckinglutely does my #3 guy have a green light 3-0.
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Do or die.
Brantley makes so much more sense at #2, but who am I???
Shit’s expensive, man.