This season's greatest individual achievement

[JTWood]

This season's greatest achievement? This:

3 G, 4 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 5 K, 2 HLD, 0 Wild Pitches

Who am I talking about?

Rick Ankiel

If he pitches in the post season like he has so far, he should be comback player of the year hands down.

It is a great accomplishment but don't you need more than 3 games??

Yes. I was just kidding - about the greatest thing this year, not the comeback player of the year thing.

[Madison]

What would you rather do?

A. Pitch to Barry with the bases empty

or

B. Pitch to Snow (or any other Giant) with a runner on 1st?

Pitch to Bonds with the bases empty.

Bonds with the bases empty

72/206 .350 AVE 23 RBI

Snow with a man on 1B

21/61 .344 AVE 9 RBI

Bonds is generating about 1 less out. Bonds drives in a run 11% of the time when he bats with the bases empty. Snow drives in a run 15% of the time with a man on first. There are certainly situations where walking Barry is the right move, but it is not nearly as often as what some managers tend to do. The bases empty is certainly not a time I would consider giving Bonds an IBB.

Nice research.

Even with that, I'd still walk him though. Better safe than sorry.

[SaintsOfTheDiamond]

Bonds is an achievement unto himself. I never say never, but it will be difficult to imagine a better player than him so late in their career ever again.

I couldn't agree more. It would be tough for many players at any age to do what he's doing, and being so feared by the opposition. I mean even great hitters like A-Rod, Pujols, Sheff, etc etc aren't walked and pitched around like Bonds is, it's unreal.

[Tavish]

I know it seems like I am beating this into the ground, but it seems like every time I look at the season Barry is having (especially combined with the last few years) I get an even greater sense of awe over what he has done. I'll do my best to stop responding to every little remark...... after this one.

Even with that, I'd still walk him though. Better safe than sorry.

The problem is that walking a player is not the safe strategy in the majority of cases, even with Bonds as the batter (IBB in order to face the pitcher being the main exception). Putting players on base creates more scoring oppurtunities, especially when you walk a man with the bases empty.

[thetongueofire]

i agree with Tavish. its a very valid knock on pathetic Giants linup/organization that sometimes when Bonds is in a serious position to drive in runs, the bat is taken out of his hand. as for walking him with bases empty/everytime being beneficial to the pitching team, its just not right imo. walking him, contrary to public opinion, is not an "automatic out". the pitcher doesnt make any outs and all hes doing is putting one more guy on base every single time Bonds comes up to the plate. more guys on base means a higher probability of runs scoring. Bonds only hits a HR only once in 8.5 AB's. i just wish that opposing teams would sometimes have more .

[thetongueofire]

not that it makes much difference except in people's perceptions, you could pretty much rephrase this question

What would you rather do?

A. Pitch to Barry with the bases empty

or

B. Pitch to Snow (or any other Giant) with a runner on 1st?

to.... this:

What would you rather do?

A. give barry a single everytime when the bases are empty.

or

B. Pitch to Snow (or any other Giant) with a runner on 1st?

here are the linear weights value by men on base
<pre>

MOB 1b 2b 3b hr bb k out
--- 0.29 0.49 0.68 1.00 0.29 -0.20 -0.20
x-- 0.49 0.97 1.36 1.74 0.43 -0.32 -0.36


<pre>

notice how each hit is a lot more valuable with the extra guy on base...

[ukrneal]

Individual achoievements I admired (and hope to admire) and thought were the most impressive to me:

1. RJ throwing a perfect game at 41 (or whatever). These happen so rarely and are so hard to get.
2. Ichiro beating Sisler's record (this one has stood for so long). If it happens, I might even throw this one into 1st.
3. Bonds at 700.
4. Maddux at 300 Wins.

[LBJackal]

Also, Maddux's 15 wins in 17 consecutive seasons. That might be the hardest of them all to beat. He even had at least 15 wins in the strike-shortened season. People don't get wins the way they used to, and they don't stay healthy for 17 years in a row either. It will be a VERY long time before this record is beaten. If ever. The way HR's are going it'll just be a matter of time before Bonds' record is beaten. 200 wins and Ichiro's looming hit record will also be tough, but I can see somebody getting more hits than Ichiro this year (perhaps Ichiro next year, who knows).

[Rico The Retard]

the greatest individual ancheivement is Rico the Retard joining the Fantasy baseball cafe

[Lofunzo]

Also, Maddux's 15 wins in 17 consecutive seasons. That might be the hardest of them all to beat. He even had at least 15 wins in the strike-shortened season. People don't get wins the way they used to, and they don't stay healthy for 17 years in a row either. It will be a VERY long time before this record is beaten. If ever. The way HR's are going it'll just be a matter of time before Bonds' record is beaten. 200 wins and Ichiro's looming hit record will also be tough, but I can see somebody getting more hits than Ichiro this year (perhaps Ichiro next year, who knows).

I agree that Maddux's accomplishment is awesome.