"Secret's out: Leadoff men back in vogue"

[Balta1701]

Agreed.  I'm not trying to dog the trade.  I'm just saying that if we could have pods leading off and el caballo still hitting 2nd or 3rd...good God.

 

To get talent, you have to give up talent.

 

Personally, I think our biggest pickup was probably A.J. Giving Garland and Buehrle a smart play caller...wow.

 

That wouldn't have happened without the Lee trade. It'd be nice to stick him back in this lineup, but then again, it'd be nice to stick lots of people into that lineup, but they aren't all going to happen.

 

Also remember 1 thing...Lee had a good year last year, but not a great year. He wasn't producing power at all for the first 1/2 of the year. He's been on fire this year, but he has a habit of cooling off. During his 29 game hit streak or whatever it was last year, he only had like 1 home run. He's driving in runs like mad right now, but I'll lay you 2 to 1 odds he doesn't lead the NL in RBI's.

[ReinsdorfSucks]

i know the stat is out there but can't find it. how many times has scotty pods scored after stealing a base? it's a pretty signifigant number if i recall

[Jabroni]

I wish we had simply traded Paulie instead for Pods. We would not have to get Dye that way, and we could have simply signed a Timo Martinez kinda 1B.

 

Lee in LF, Rowand in CF, Pods in RF and Everett as reserve OF/DH. Maybe we could have played Everett at 1B by letting Paulie go too....

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It's pointless to even think this way. The Brewers are stacked with good 1st basemen. They already have Lyle Overbay and they may even trade him because they have Prince Fielder in the minors. They would not have wanted Konerko.

[southsider2k5]

Yes, they did.

 

The way I did the numbers...Garcia and Dye were bought with Ordonez's money, while El Duque, A.J., Pods, Hermanson, and Vizcaino came from El Cabayo.

 

The way I saw it, Maggs money was pretty well spent before 2004 ended. Pretty much Garcia+Contreras=Maggs.

[santo=dorf]

QUOTE(mac9001 @ Jun 9, 2005 -> 08:38 PM)

A base stealer is only effective if his success rate it above 75%. Scotty has so far been around 80% for his career, so he can be classified as a productive base stealer. If Scotty can keep his OBP above .350 and keep the steal rate above 75% he's an elite leadoff man. IF the steal rate falls below 75% he's better off just staying at first. These numbers don't however take into account the affect a productive base stealer has on a pitcher.

here some info about SB effectiveness:

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=2607

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"...and so it was brought foward by baseball prophet Joe Sheehan. In the name of the father, son, and holy spirit."

 

:rolly

 

As long as Scotty is on base messing with the pitcher's mindset, and scoring runs, the Sox will continue to win. If these numbers don't take in account how a base runner alters a pitcher's mindset, what is the point in discussing them?

Edited June 10, 2005 by santo=dorf

[marsh]

Didn't you guys hear? Pods sucks cause he has a s***ty slugging %.

[marsh]

"...and so it was brought foward by baseball prophet Joe Sheehan.  In the name of the father, son, and holy spirit."

 

:rolly

 

As long as Scotty is on base messing with the pitcher's mindset, and scoring runs, the Sox will continue to win.  If these numbers don't take in account how a base runner alters a pitcher's mindset, what is the point in discussing them?

 

A thing to remember is that percentage can change based on overall run production. If baseball as a whole is scoring less runs than the percentage drops because getting a runner in scoring position carries a higher premium. I think that is what I read somewhere.

 

edit: Santo, I meant to reply to the person you replied to.

Edited June 10, 2005 by marsh

[LosMediasBlancas]

Experts my ass.

 

The object is to get the runner into scoring position. Stealing a base is stategically no different than bunting him along. Do the "experts" disapprove of bunting as well?

 

Something the statistics don't reveal is the havoc on pitchers and defenses that a base stealer wreaks.

 

I hate repeating myself, but experts my ass!

 

No s***, when Scotty walks, you might as well call it a double. I guess doubles are insignificant too....idiots.

[3E8]

I wish we had simply traded Paulie instead for Pods.

 

"Hi, it's KW. Yeah. I think I've put something together. We'd like to have your starting CF, and in return we will give you a super slugging 1B whos contract is up after this year with no options for 2006. What's that? Yes, he does play the same position as Lyle Overbay and Prince Fielder. Come again? Do I know that there is no DH in the National Leauge? Haha, you're funny Bob Melvin. So, back to this deal. You down?"

[ChWRoCk2]

No s***, when Scotty walks, you might as well call it a double. I guess doubles are insignificant too....idiots.

maybe a triple, there was a good article about three weeks ago in the tribune about how spod steals bases, if i can find it ill post ilt

[DukeNukeEm]

there was a good article about three weeks ago in the tribune

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Bulls***

[Jake]

No s***, when Scotty walks, you might as well call it a double. I guess doubles are insignificant too....idiots.

 

And even when Scotty doesn't steal, the pitcher still about s***s himself with every movement Scott makes. He ends up more or less giving up the steal by allowing a hit while he's preoccupied with Pods.

[ChWRoCk2]

Bulls***

Article on how spod steals bases

 

you may need a login: tell me if you do, ill quote it

Edited June 10, 2005 by chi-guy2

[ChWRoCk2]

Commander-in-thief

Sox left fielder Scott Podsednik tells our David Haugh how he steals a base

 

By David Haugh

Published May 20, 2005

 

 

Asking Scott Podsednik to explain how to steal a base is a little like asking an artist to describe the color blue.

 

He shakes his head and shrugs his shoulders.

 

"I don't want to think about it," the Sox left fielder said.

 

But Podsednik loves the thought of standing on first base and knowing, along with everybody else at U.S. Cellular Field, how badly the Sox need him on second.

 

"I enjoy stealing a base when everyone in the ballpark knows you're going," Podsednik said. "That's what I do. I have to help this team with my legs."

 

Maybe only Giacomo has had a more surprising spring using his legs. Podsednik leads the major leagues with 24 stolen bases and is on pace to break Rudy Law's 22-year-old team record of 77.

 

Reluctantly, between batting practice and a film session three hours before a game earlier this week, Podsednik detailed the directions he follows when he gets on first and the fun begins.

 

1. The preparation

 

Typically after batting practice before each game, Podsednik will sit down and watch videotape of that day's starting pitcher to memorize his delivery motion and move to first base.

 

He compares the images to the data in the scouting report that includes the elapsed time it takes the ball to go from the pitcher's hand to the catcher's glove and then from the catcher to second base. Picking up the slightest tendency--how high the pitcher raises his knee on pickoff attempts--can make the difference between getting in scoring position and going to the dugout.

 

Podsednik: "I know his times, I know if he pays attention to runners, I know if he throws over a lot," he said. "I know all these things before I get to first base just by our scouting reports and film."

 

2. The lead

 

Before leading off, Podsednik peers across the diamond to read the signs from third-base coach Joey Cora, a formality for someone given the green light to steal.

 

He then usually takes the equivalent of three strides off first base, always in the same order: right foot extended, left foot behind, right foot, right foot. It leaves him about 80 feet away from second base--give or take a precious foot or so.

 

Podsednik: "I can't explain to you how far it is off the base because mentally I've done it so many times I just know," he said. "If the guy has a quick move over to first, I might shorten up four, five, six inches. [but] if he has a slow move, I may get out there six inches. I'm going to take whatever he gives me."

 

3. The jump

 

He keeps his hands on his knees until the pitcher, out of the stretch, puts the ball in his glove. The instant Podsednik can be sure the ball is headed to the catcher and not the first baseman, he is off. He knows immediately if it was a good decision.

 

Podsednik: "I'd say 95 percent of the bases I steal, I know if I have them stolen within the first two steps," he said. "A base is stolen in the first two steps."

 

Podsednik believes the good ones steal bases off the pitcher, not the catcher--with one exception. "The only one who will alter whether I run is [ivan] Rodriguez [of the Tigers]," he said. "If he's behind the dish I know I have to be perfect, and I'll probably have to pick an off-speed pitch. If he's not behind the plate, with due respect to all the other catchers in the league, it really doesn't matter who's behind the plate."

 

4. The sprint

Based on Podsednik's calculations, on average, pitchers get the ball over the plate 1.25 seconds after committing to the pitch. Most catchers can uncork a throw to second base in 2 seconds. Podsednik consistently gets down the line to second base in 3.28 seconds.

 

That makes a pitcher with a quick delivery and good pickoff move--Podsednik said Chan Ho Park of the Rangers kept tabs of him better than anybody else this season--harder to run on.

 

Podsednik: "If the pitcher's 1.20 or 1.19, I know I have to be perfect to get down there," he said.

 

Once his legs start running, his mind goes blank. "I don't really concentrate on anything," he said. "I guess I look at the base. What's going through my mind is that you might want to pick it up a little bit."

 

5. The slide

 

It takes Podsednik 12 strides to get to second base from his lead at first, and then he slides.

 

Podsednik: "The steps aren't going to be exact, but pretty close," he said. "If I think it's going to be a close play, I'm going in head first. But if I know I have it 100 percent, I go in feet first."

 

In those cases, Podsednik usually pops up, dusts himself off and starts eyeing his next target: third base.

 

1st base--90 FEET--2nd base

[DukeNukeEm]

Article on how spod steals bases

 

you may need a login: tell me if you do, ill quote it

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No. I meant bulls***, the Tribune never puts out good articles.