Due To Circumstances Beyond Our Control...

[DOUGHBOYS]

During the off season, we are numbers whores.
We all have our favorites and we all think that some statistics mean more than others. It could be BABIP, WAR, K/BB ratio, it doesn't matter. We pore over these numbers and hope to find something in a player that others don't see.
We keep these numbers in mind at the draft table and select the appropriate player at the appropriate time.
Then, the season begins.
Those numbers that we looked at for six months now become meaningless.
The control we had during those six months, gone.
We are at the mercy now of unforeseen numbers, and worse, circumstance.

Circumstance is never brought up during the off season. Although we know that a hitter in the Yankees or Rangers lineup may have more opportunities to have a good circumstance while hitting, we don't KNOW.
During the season, circumstance means a lot.
If our hitter hits a ground ball with a runner on third and less than two outs, we get an rbi.
In most other situations, it just hurts our batting average.
The circumstance that gets me the most involves my speed guys.
Let's take Michael Bourn. While Atlanta broadcasters are slobbering over Tim Hudson getting a single, Bourn owners do a slow burn.
They know it takes away an opportunity for a possible stolen base. They know that Bourn will have to get a triple for a rbi. That single has handcuffed Bourn in our eyes.
Heck, one of the best outcomes owners can hope for is for Bourn to ground into a fielders choice.
While a 4-0-3-0 box score may look good to some fighting batting average woes, for speed guys like Bourn, three hits without a run or stolen base is empty.

We always want our big hitters to come up with men on base. And preferably not with runners on second and third, in that circumstance, he'll either be intentionally walked or pitched around in most cases.
When our hitters are up, not only do we want runners on, but we want those runners to be fast. We hate coaches that hold runners at third on one of our hitters slugs.
We also hate being the 'middle man' of an inning.
Here's what I mean-
We own Cabrera. With two outs Boesch singles, then Cabrera singles him to third, then Fielder singles Boesch home, and Delmon Young makes the last out of the inning.
Boesch gets a run. Fielder an rbi. Cabrera an attaboy.

Pitching is little different. Besides a pitcher of mine getting bombed, the hardest thing for me to take is an intentional walk.
If our pitcher has to give an intentional walk, it's a good bet that he's not having a very good outing anyway.
To us, they're just giving them another base runner.
A for sure hit on our WHIP, a possible hit to our ERA.
STOP THE MADNESS!
Even worse, is when our guy gives the intentional walk and the Manager comes out to take him out of the game.
Hey Manager! Let the reliever give him the walk, dammit!!!
And we sulk hoping the reliever can get our pitcher out from a possible two or three more earned runs.

Another circumstance is our closer coming into the ninth inning with a four run lead.
The save is off the table.
He gets the first two hitters, then gives up an infield hit.
The baserunner then takes second on fielders indifference.
I hate fielders indifference. Every out is important and the offense takes a risk in running but the defense at this stage of the game doesn't care.
Some Managers will say we don't want our defense out of position, but if it were that important, they would think about playing that way during the first eight innings, no?
Anyway, off my podium....That runner scores on another single. It is an earned run.
It miffs the pitcher.
It pisses off his agent.
It sends us through the roof.

Our job is to pick the best players and put them in the best possible circumstances to succeed. But, there is no Shandler's Forecaster for circumstances.
We have to be resigned to the fact that like the local game that is blacked out in our area, the circumstances are beyond our control.

[Money Men]

You touched on a lot of our pet peeves.

One that you touched on briefly that drives me crazy is when your starter leaves with men on base, and it is up to another pitcher who you don't own to get you out of the jam.

Now clearly it isn't all luck, as some teams have better pens than others, but a journeyman middle reliever who is not owned by anybody in any contest often drives up our ERA while our starter is watching from the bench.

In my mind, nothing worse than a starter cruising through six with one ER allowed, then getting lifted with them loaded and two outs, and suddenly one pitch from the RP, and that stellar 1.50 Era is now a less than stellar 5.xx for the night.