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Thursday, April 30, 2009
TV and radio analysts are the same guys that manage teams, at least in the old days…
Every wonder how it is possible that a major league manager or an ex-player TV or radio commentator seemingly understands less about some aspect of baseball than your 8 year old son? I do.
I’m watching the Atlanta/Cardinals game last night and in the top of the 5th inning, there is a runner on second base and 1 out and the Cardinals pitcher is up to bat. Long-time Cardinals announcer Al Hrabosky, while not necessarily the brightest of commentators, played in the majors for 13 seasons and has been announcing for 25 years. You can’t get much more of a pedigree than that. He says, “There is no guarantee that Wainwright (the Cards starter) is bunting. In fact, the Braves don’t seem to be expecting a bunt.” I am almost positive that he knew the number of outs - otherwise he would have eventually corrected himself.
I’ll also go out on a limb and say that I am positive that if you go to retrosheet, you will actually find some sac bunt attempts by pitchers in that situation, and not only by Pete Gray or Willie Young.
So the next time you wonder why your favorite manager does not seem to have an optimal lineup (according to the constructs of The Book), be thankful that you don’t have someone like Hrabosky skippering your team, which is entirely possible…
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