JotCast | 2016 AL Wild Card Live Blog

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jon

5:44

jeff,

jon

5:44

Jeff,

Jeff Sullivan

5:44

Girlfriend came home and while I wasn't paying attention the Orioles made two outs

God bless the fast-working pitchers

5:45

Carson! Gameday.

Carson Cistulli

5:45

Thank you, Sullivan.

Uncle Jimbo

5:45

A shift *should* be easier to hit against because the infielders are not spread out.

Jeff Sullivan

5:45

Stroman is through three, and the box score says he's been perfect. He would probably agree with the assessment

5:46

Stroman's fastball is averaging 93. Tillman's fastball is averaging 90

Carson Cistulli

5:46

In theory, Uncle Jimbo, yes. But I think what's less easy is contradicting years of hitting tendencies. Like, I think Sullivan wrote a piece about players attempting to bunt against the shift. Generally, it hasn't gone well, is what I remember.

Jeff Sullivan

5:47

Almost to a man, players say that bunting is extraordinarily difficult

Especially with pitches being tougher than ever before

Zack

5:47

I feel like more guys directly trying to attack the shift (bunting against it, for example) would increase the BABIP. But it doesn't feel like there's been way more of them.

Jeff Sullivan

5:47

I miss that Ben Lindbergh column

Stewie

5:48

Who are pitchers who come to mind as being as big as Tillman while still being relative soft-tossers?

Jeff Sullivan

5:48

CHRIS YOUNG

Doug Fister

Carson Cistulli

5:48

I think Chris Young is probably the logical conclusion of that profile. Mark Hendrickson was also the same sort of thing.

Although, perceived velocity is probably a different question.

Jeff Sullivan

5:49

Kevin Pillar with another easy out in an at-bat where he looked like he's supposed to be a better hitter than he is

jtperks

5:49

At what MPH should I be impressed, homer wise? 110mph?

Carson Cistulli

5:49

I benefit less from wealth-management commercials than I would from a hypothetical poverty-management commerical.

Jeff Sullivan

5:50

105 is pretty good. 110 is outstanding

Doe

5:50

Carson: How futile and meaningless do you think a living Emil Cioran would find this game, and to an end, all of sport?

Carson Cistulli

5:50

In a charitable mood, he would tolerate it as a diversion from the horrors.

He was rarely in a charitable mood, however.

Jeff Sullivan

5:50

I am so glad you are here

5:51

Pitching to the score/shutdown innings are probably one of the dumbest theories ever right? Professional athletes who have done nothing but play baseball their whole lives relaxing over a 1 run lead?

Carson Cistulli

5:52

By the way, if anyone cares, here's a note about Jeff: he wrote me an email the other day JUST TO EFFING SAY THANKS for a good 2016 season. Which is a bullshit move for a talented, handsome person to make.

Jeff Sullivan

5:52

I don't think they're dumb theories. Everyone on a team can "feel" a shutdown inning and there are definitely pitchers who pitch differently depending on the score

I like you, Carson, because you improve my life by some certain degree

Carson Cistulli

5:53

Ugh.

Stop.

Continents of Death

5:53

Does your girlfriend watch baseball at all, Jeff?

Jeff Sullivan

5:53

She has watched baseball before, certainly

Adam

5:53

Have the words "bloop", "squib", or "nubber" ever been uttered outside the context of baseball?

Eric A Longenhagen

5:53

A squib is a person with magical parentage who can't do magic.

Jeff Sullivan

5:53

But I would not often use the active verb

Continents of Death

5:53

Should they get Liriano up after this inning?

Carson Cistulli

5:54

I think, per Eno Sarris's post from earlier today, it would make sense to save him for Texas.

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