it is good to know that through 150 games, Scioscia still likes to take the bat

[jshep]

It's almost as if Scioscia was thinking, "ya know, it's late in the game and Trout frequently sucks late in the game so..."

 

Instead relying on Josh Hamilton vs a LOOGY, because "Trout isn't clutch"

 

Good managing.

Edited September 21, 2013 by jshep

[jshep]

If Scioscia actually believes what he said here rather than just trying to save face, It's hard to have any faith in his decision making skills.  If this scenario:

 

Give up out + LHP vs. Hamilton > rely on best player in baseball to get an XBH

 

somehow makes sense in his mind, then he's definitely losing it. 

 

Yep.

 

And also, Howie is a pretty decent hitter, so if you let him swing the bat instead of bunting, you aren't even necessarily looking for an XBH from THE BEST PLAYER IN BASEBALL.

[ScottT]

I wonder what Arte Moreno and Jerry Dipoto think of Scioscia's decision and explanation.

[LBHalos17]

Dipoto probly loved seeing that! It may have saved his job...

 

I'm starting to agree; Scioscia's days should be numbered.

[OregonLAA]

That needs to be the last straw with Scioscia. What an awful philosophy

[70runner]

Scioscia prefers his worst hitter against LHP over his best hitter against anyone.  Brilliant.  Absolutely trucking brilliant. 

 

It would be unfortunate if this meaningless spurt at the end of the season saves Scioscia's bacon.  If he stays and Hamilton hits behind Trout next year, Trout will set new records for intentional walks.  Hamilton vs LHP is an opposing manager's wet dream. 

[Angel Oracle]

Good news is THE contract is halfway over now.

The org is slowly losing length of contract as an excuse to keep Scioscia.

[Mark68]

Five more years!

 

Five more years!

[fan_since79]

Among Scioscia's obsessions:

 

bunting

the contact play

pitch counts

righty-lefty, lefty-righty match-ups

 

I can't wait until we get a less obsessional manager.

[Ray McKigney]

What did Scioscia do that everybody is so upset about? It's not like he pinch hit for Trout.  

Edited September 21, 2013 by Ray McKigney

[GalericX]

So lets suppose he let Kendrick hit... and then Kendrick does his routine double play ground ball... you would all be yelling at either Howie or Sosh for letting him hit...  I am more of the opinion to not let Howie hit 2nd.  Sosh did take the bat out of Trouts hands for sure, and that is bad.  But more and more around here, its damned if you do, damned if you don't.

[ScottT]

He skipped Trout for the sake of advancing a runner one base.  He also took the bat out of Howie Kendrick's hands, who is 8th in the AL in BA.  Hamilton has done poorly against LHP this year and had never seen the pitcher he faced.  

 

Scioscia needs to go.  It may not help much.  These moves and explanations are tired.  I'm buying into the hype that he and Dipoto are at odds.  

Edited September 21, 2013 by ScottT

[jshep]

If Howie had hit into a DP, I would have been momentarily pissed at Howie, sure.

 

But letting him swing the bat there is absolutely the right call, so I would have had absolutely no problem with Scioscia going that route.

[GalericX]

If Howie had hit into a DP, I would have been momentarily pissed at Howie, sure.

 

But letting him swing the bat there is absolutely the right call, so I would have had absolutely no problem with Scioscia going that route.

 

I completely agree with you.

[EE_]

Howie hits into double plays (15 this season) as a consequence of his high ground ball rate. He also almost never hits infield pop ups though. Just 14 total in his 8 year career. I can live with the DPs.

 

Forcing your 2nd or 3rd best hitter to make an out to earn the privilege (if "successful") for the opposing manager to avoid the best player in the game only to setup a Hamilton Vs Lefty situation (.187/.213/.345) is indefensible and imbecilic.

[CaliAngel]

What did Scioscia do that everybody is so upset about? It's not like he pinch hit for Trout.  

 

The thing is previously in the game when we were tied Howie hit a double, and without batting an eye, the Mariners walked Trout to get to Hamilton who freaking blows because they didn't want the winning run coming in off a guy who's batting .330. So basically it was foreshadowing of what they would do, and Scioscia should have known off the bat that if the game was tied with a guy on second and Trout came up, that they were going to intentionally walk him to get to Hamilton who freaking blows.

 

So what happens later in the game when we're still tied? We get Shuck to walk, and immediately fat man has Howie bunting to move him to second base. Ridiculous. LET HOWIE BAT! So Howie ends up advancing the runner, and Trout is up with the go ahead run on second and WHADDYA KNOW, they decide to intentionally walk Trout for the second time in a row to get to Hamilton who freaking blows.

 

Hamilton who freaking blows grounds into his second double play and the inning is over.

 

So lets suppose he let Kendrick hit... and then Kendrick does his routine double play ground ball... you would all be yelling at either Howie or Sosh for letting him hit...

 

This is just not true at all. So be it, Kendrick hits into a double play, atleast you're not taking the bat out of the hands of the best player on the team. Atleast Trout gets to come up and actually have an at bat. What if Howie K'd? We'd have one out and they'd be forced to pitch to Trout! We all know he's a guy who can get it done with one swing of the bat. He doesn't even need a homer, he can hit a ball down the line and we've got the lead.

 

It's just completely assinine over managing and in this situation when you're at the top of the order late in the game let the guys swing the bat. Don't take the bat out of the hands of your best hitter.

 

Period.

[tdawg87]

Trout would have K'd like he always does in those situations.

Edited September 21, 2013 by tdawg87

[James]

No doubt a dumb decision. Let Howie hit, you have to know that it was highly probable that they would walk Trout no matter what Howie did, outside of a game winning hit, and then bring in a lefty to face Hamilton.

[Stradling]

The thing is previously in the game when we were tied Howie hit a double, and without batting an eye, the Mariners walked Trout to get to Hamilton who freaking blows because they didn't want the winning run coming in off a guy who's batting .330. So basically it was foreshadowing of what they would do, and Scioscia should have known off the bat that if the game was tied with a guy on second and Trout came up, that they were going to intentionally walk him to get to Hamilton who freaking blows.

So what happens later in the game when we're still tied? We get Shuck to walk, and immediately fat man has Howie bunting to move him to second base. Ridiculous. LET HOWIE BAT! So Howie ends up advancing the runner, and Trout is up with the go ahead run on second and WHADDYA KNOW, they decide to intentionally walk Trout for the second time in a row to get to Hamilton who freaking blows.

Hamilton who freaking blows grounds into his second double play and the inning is over.

This is just not true at all. So be it, Kendrick hits into a double play, atleast you're not taking the bat out of the hands of the best player on the team. Atleast Trout gets to come up and actually have an at bat. What if Howie K'd? We'd have one out and they'd be forced to pitch to Trout! We all know he's a guy who can get it done with one swing of the bat. He doesn't even need a homer, he can hit a ball down the line and we've got the lead.

It's just completely assinine over managing and in this situation when you're at the top of the order late in the game let the guys swing the bat. Don't take the bat out of the hands of your best hitter.

Period.

Ok, so Howie hits into a double play, it still doesn't mean they pitch to Trout. They pitch around him and he is patient enough to take a walk. Then you still have Hamilton up against a lefty. I get why he did it, I get more upset at the execution of Hamilton than I do Mikes decision. I understand what you are all saying and I don't really disagree with you, I just think it's six in one hand half a dozen in the other.

[Angel Oracle]

So lets suppose he let Kendrick hit... and then Kendrick does his routine double play ground ball... you would all be yelling at either Howie or Sosh for letting him hit... I am more of the opinion to not let Howie hit 2nd. Sosh did take the bat out of Trouts hands for sure, and that is bad. But more and more around here, its damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Scioscia finally listened on that one. Calhoun is hitting 2nd tonight. It only took Scioscia some 40-50 games to finally do it. Baby steps

Edited September 22, 2013 by Angel Oracle

[jshep]

The thing is, Howie hitting into a DP there is the absolute worst case scenario to possibly come from the decision to let him swing away.

 

And that risk comes with the possible payoff that Howie gets a hit(and he's a good hitter) and puts the Angels in a better position to win the game then the bunt does in it's optimal execution(which is exactly what happened there).

 

Hamilton should have executed as well, but he's been an automatic out against lefties all year, and Scioscia specifically managed that inning with the goal of putting Hamilton in the very matchup that he hits like a pitcher in instead of giving THE BEST PLAYER IN BASEBALL a chance to win it.

 

That bunt was just stubborn, robotic, "old-school managing" by the book that Scioscia should have moved on from by now.

[arch stanton]

I can't think of many scenarios in which they would have pitched to Trout. The situation he chose resulted in 2 on with 1 out and two hitters coming up who are quite capable of putting the game out of reach. I really don't understand whining about getting the go ahead runner to 2nd in that situation.

[shellback]

Scioscia with the bunting all the time.

 

Hate it!

 

oy vay

[shellback]

He skipped Trout for the sake of advancing a runner one base.  He also took the bat out of Howie Kendrick's hands, who is 8th in the AL in BA.  Hamilton has done poorly against LHP this year and had never seen the pitcher he faced.  

 

Scioscia needs to go.  It may not help much.  These moves and explanations are tired.  I'm buying into the hype that he and Dipoto are at odds.  

 

c'mon scott.  surprized you haven't acknowledged that obvious conflict before