Monday, April 25, 2005
I Did Not Know This
Apparently runners attempt more stolen bases against sinkerballers. According to an article written by Tony Jackson at LA Daily News on April 24, 2005:
Running game: Dodgers catcher Jason Phillips worked with bullpen coach/catching instructor Jon Debus over the weekend on controlling the opposition's running game, a season-long bugaboo. Phillips entered Sunday's game having thrown out just two of the 14 runners who had attempted to steal on him. ....
"We have three sinkerball guys, and teams notoriously run on sinkerballers just to avoid the double play," Phillips said. "It's not even trying to steal a base, per se. And the other thing is that sinkerballers rarely use the slide step (to hold runners close) because it throws off their sinker to some extent because they can't get out front. And, a sinkerball always challenges a catcher (throwing out runners) because the ball is always down in the zone."
Just about everything Phillips says makes sense. The intricacies of baseball...the more you know, the more there is to learn.
Running game: Dodgers catcher Jason Phillips worked with bullpen coach/catching instructor Jon Debus over the weekend on controlling the opposition's running game, a season-long bugaboo. Phillips entered Sunday's game having thrown out just two of the 14 runners who had attempted to steal on him. ....
"We have three sinkerball guys, and teams notoriously run on sinkerballers just to avoid the double play," Phillips said. "It's not even trying to steal a base, per se. And the other thing is that sinkerballers rarely use the slide step (to hold runners close) because it throws off their sinker to some extent because they can't get out front. And, a sinkerball always challenges a catcher (throwing out runners) because the ball is always down in the zone."
Just about everything Phillips says makes sense. The intricacies of baseball...the more you know, the more there is to learn.
