- Commissioner’s statement on Ventura, Marte
- Ronnie O’Sullivan: Masters champion ‘felt so vulnerable’ in final
- Arron Fletcher Wins 2017 WSOP International Circuit Marrakech Main Event ($140,224)
- Smith challenges Warner to go big in India
- Moncada No. 1 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- Braves land 2 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- Kingery makes MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- New Zealand wrap up 2-0 after Bangladesh implosion
- Mathews, Pradeep, Gunathilaka to return to Sri Lanka
- Elliott hopes for rain for Poli
Monday’s random thoughts: Bochy’s right moves, Syndergaard’s delivery
- Updated: May 2, 2016
2:25 PM ET
Some stuff from the weekend:
The Giants beat Noah Syndergaard on Sunday. While the big hit was Hunter Pence’s two-run homer to right off a 98-mph fastball — the first home run off Syndergaard this season — the key decision was made the previous batter, as Bruce Bochy showed why he’s such a great manager. The score was still 0-0, and the Giants had runners on the corners with one out and Brandon Belt up. With a full count, Bochy decided to send Buster Posey from first base. Posey is one of the slower runners in the game (he had just two steals in 2015), so considering Syndergaard’s ability to strike hitters out, it was a potential strike ’em out, throw ’em out double play. But Bochy was also banking on Syndergaard’s inability to hold runners in case Belt failed to make contact. Belt lined a hard one-hopper to second base, plating the game’s first run, and with Posey running, the Giants avoided the double play. Pence followed with his home run. Bochy didn’t get any hits or runs in the box score, but that one decision created a three-run inning.
Noah Syndergaard’s slow delivery has allowed baserunners to steal safely on him in 12 of 13 attempts this season. Jim McIsaac/Getty Images
Buster Olney touched on Syndergaard’s trouble holding runners because of his slow delivery to the plate — base stealers are 12-for-13 off him so far. I agree with Buster: It’s not a big concern, and as Ron Darling said during the Mets broadcast, the team probably doesn’t want to worry about telling Syndergaard to speed up his delivery from the stretch, given his obvious success. Olney pointed out that Greg Maddux survived just fine, despite often ignoring baserunners. That said, teams will be wise to run wild on Syndergaard — the Giants entered the game with seven stolen bases and stole three off him, while the Reds swiped five in his previous start — and Syndergaard is on pace to allow 78 steals over 30 starts. Dwight Gooden holds the single-season record, with 60 in 1990. The most in the past five seasons was the 44 that Jon Lester allowed last year, a lot in an era when only 16 pitchers have allowed even 30 over those …
continue reading in source espn.go.com
