What the $&@* is a pythag record? Let’s not Bill James the crap out of the real game of baseball. The Bill Jamesing of the game has given us starting pitchers who are done after 100 pitches and a plethora of 6th inning, 7th inning and 8th inning “specialists.” Also, we now have a ton of hitters taking pitches right down the middle in order to get the pitch count up on the starter so he can be removed earlier in the game – so we can “get into the bullpen.”

So instead of knocking the starter out by hitting him hard and being aggressive at the plate, we are now trying to pitch count him out of the game.

How about wins and losses only. Those that actaully happen in a game.

You don’t win titles based upon your pythag record. All winning teams are lucky. Those that seem to win by being lucky – such as those teams which win with bloop hits or a wild pitch in the 10th inning. Or maybe the ball your backup first baseman (Tony Clark)hits bounces over the wall for a ground rule double instead of staying in the field of play for a playoff series win over the Red Sox in 2004.

Those teams that always seem to win via luck are those teams that put themselves into position in order to “win by being lucky.” Lucky teams usually do not make fielding mistakes, sometimes get a hit with a runner in scoring position and run the bases well. These are all things the Tampa Bay Rays have done better than the Yankees these past two games and is why the Rays are in first place with the best record in the American League.

Also, by Bill Jamesing the game, your teams manager takes out his very effective starter (Wang) out of the game after 7 complete innings? Why? Because his friggin’ pitch count was at 101 pitches? What kind of horseshit, pussy manager did Cashman hire? A good manager lets his top starter go for as long as he looks fresh and strong. Wang was cruising along in this game until the Bill James chart called for Joe Girardi to take out Wang.

Imagine in 1978 if Bob Lemon tried to take out Ron Guidry in a 1-0 game, or if Billy Martin tried to take out Catfish Hunter after 7 complete. Oh, wait, those managers never would have thought twice to run his starting ace pitcher out for the 8th and then the 9th inning.

Then when Wang is officially out of the game, why do you only throw your best non-closer relief pitcher only one inning? Joba only throws 15 pitches and is pulled after one inning!

Can someone please send Joe Girardi a set of balls so he can be a real manager and not have to consult some chart or call Bill James or Brian Cashman with regards to how to handle a pitching staff.

By the way – too late to push the panic button – and even if the button got pushed what would happen? You guys want Cashman to trade a bunch of young playes for Ichiro or Griffey, Jr. or maybe we should sign Barry Bonds.

went two innings in 6 of his 19 regular season appearances last season. Plus, he went two innings in both of his ALDS games – midges notwithstanding.

Most managers start thinking about their bullpens whenever the starter lets a runner on base from the sixth inning on.

I know all the stats regarding how the game has changed – but the game really hasn’t changed. You still need to hit the ball to win games, walks will kill a pitcher and your best pitchers should pitch the most innings.

I can see 5 years from now the Yankee manager is still going to limit Chamberlain’s starts to 7 innings or 100 piches – whichever comes first because the Yankee brass wants to save his arm for the future and not “burn him out” or get him injured.

Meanwhile Joba will then have a bunch of 13 wins seasons…and no World Series rings.

it is on every team page on baseball-reference.com. But teams don’t win Division titles based upon their pythag record, but their actual wins and losses.

Studies have shown that the same amount of pitches are throw in games today as they were in the 1950’s, but now starting pitchers throw less innings per game. If the starters (the best pitchers) are throwing less, then the middle relievers (the “worst” pitchers) throw a higher percentage of pitches.

The truth is that in every era, pitchers handle the workload for which they have been conditioned. Modern pitchers haven’t been trained and developed to throw as many pitches as earlier pitchers did, and so they don’t throw as much. Throwing a baseball builds arm strength – not strength liek big biceps, but strength in the ligaments and tendons within the joints. Minor league starters only go 5 or 6 innings per start – no matter how they are doing and they are conditioned to pitch like babies in the majors. They are not allowed to pitch very often.
Human physiology didn’t suddenly change in the late 1980s. The arm can withstand the rigors of throwing the baseball – if the arm practices by throwing the baseball.
The late 60’s – to early 1980’s is basically the last decade or so where pitch counts and innings limits were out the door. And there were so many pitchers who could throw and throw, inning after inning, game after game, year after year.
Ryan, Carlton, Seaver, Sutton, Gibson, Hunter, Palmer, Stottlemyre, Kaat, Blyleven etc. and the list goes on during the era of the four man rotation.
Not many aces nowadays and nothing but arm injuries in the era of the five man, innings limit, pitch count era.
For example, only 76 pitchers have started 450 or more games – with Kenny Rogers becoming the latest in early May 2008. That equates roughly to 30 starts for 15 straight seasons – a pretty good career. Only 10 of those 76 starters are from the modern era of pitch counts, etc while 26 are from the era of the four man rotations of the late 60’s early 80’s and most of those careers are far in excess of 450 starts.

By the way DeathSquire 36 – A recent interview on WFAN in New York with Cubs GM Jim Hendry had Hendry saying that Woods’ and Prior’s injuries were not related to overuse by the manager. Hendry said exams of Woods’ elbow revealed ligament damage as far back as high school. I personally believe it was Woods’ across the body motion and horrible mechanics (and his love for the slider) which contributed to his elbow problems. And Prior’s shoulder problems were caused by an on field collision with Brian Giles which fractured Prior’s shoulder but this fracture DID NOT show up on an MRI and Prior continued to pitch with a fractured shoulder.
I do feel however that pitchers under 25 should throw mostly fastballs and changeups and limit their use of all breaking pitches.