Jorge Soler Zero Percent Financing Thud On The Shower Door SPLOOGE Fest

[Oleg]

If Soler is really that good (and, I'm sure he is), he probably should have recognized the ball/strike tendencies after the first strike call.  Understanding the strike zone doesn't mean "don't swing".  It means foul the fucking pitch off if it's not a pitch you can do something with.  It sounds like it should have been apparent on strike 2 as well (although it didn't really matter if he fouled off strike 2).

Also, Cervelli is a pretty good pitch framer.  So, blaming the umps is probably not the proper place to lay all the blame.

Which brings up a broader point...complaining about officiating is dumb.  Soler isn't getting screwed any more than anyone else.  Maybe the umps are mad about the impending lifting of the embargo but I doubt it.  Soler will figure his shit out (he's not even having a bad year, just needs to make some adjustments).  But, holy shit, putting the blame on bad officiating is just poor form.

[Chuck to Chuck]

Which brings up a broader point...complaining about officiating is dumb. 

Correct, unless it's done in the context of suggesting a solution. Like QUESTEC for all balls and strikes.

Soler isn't getting screwed any more than anyone else.

Don't know if that's true.  Sure seems like he's gotten an awful lot of the bad calls.

[Saul Goodman]

If Soler is really that good (and, I'm sure he is), he probably should have recognized the ball/strike tendencies after the first strike call.  Understanding the strike zone doesn't mean "don't swing".  It means foul the fucking pitch off if it's not a pitch you can do something with.  It sounds like it should have been apparent on strike 2 as well (although it didn't really matter if he fouled off strike 2).

Also, Cervelli is a pretty good pitch framer.  So, blaming the umps is probably not the proper place to lay all the blame.

Which brings up a broader point...complaining about officiating is dumb.  Soler isn't getting screwed any more than anyone else.  Maybe the umps are mad about the impending lifting of the embargo but I doubt it.  Soler will figure his shit out (he's not even having a bad year, just needs to make some adjustments).  But, holy shit, putting the blame on bad officiating is just poor form.

A quick look at Baseball Reference tells me that Soler, despite leading the NL in strikeouts, has improved on last year's OBP by 16 points.  Instead of being 33% of the way toward first base, he's 34.6% of the way toward first base.  That's absolutely staggering.  His only real problem is a power shortage: .573 slugging last year (in 24 G) versus .399 this year.  The strikeouts are a part of that, I'm sure, but he'll heat up and adjust as the season goes on, and that number should settle somewhere in the middle closer to .573 than .399.  He's going to have a big year and I'm going to love every minute.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

If Soler is really that good (and, I'm sure he is), he probably should have recognized the ball/strike tendencies after the first strike call.  Understanding the strike zone doesn't mean "don't swing".  It means foul the fucking pitch off if it's not a pitch you can do something with.  It sounds like it should have been apparent on strike 2 as well (although it didn't really matter if he fouled off strike 2).

Also, Cervelli is a pretty good pitch framer.  So, blaming the umps is probably not the proper place to lay all the blame.

Which brings up a broader point...complaining about officiating is dumb.  Soler isn't getting screwed any more than anyone else.  Maybe the umps are mad about the impending lifting of the embargo but I doubt it.  Soler will figure his shit out (he's not even having a bad year, just needs to make some adjustments).  But, holy shit, putting the blame on bad officiating is just poor form.

A quick look at Baseball Reference tells me that Soler, despite leading the NL in strikeouts, has improved on last year's OBP by 16 points.  Instead of being 33% of the way toward first base, he's 34.6% of the way toward first base.  That's absolutely staggering.  His only real problem is a power shortage: .573 slugging last year (in 24 G) versus .399 this year.  The strikeouts are a part of that, I'm sure, but he'll heat up and adjust as the season goes on, and that number should settle somewhere in the middle closer to .573 than .399.  He's going to have a big year and I'm going to love every minute.

It's almost as if this was expressed before.

[Saul Goodman]

If Soler is really that good (and, I'm sure he is), he probably should have recognized the ball/strike tendencies after the first strike call.  Understanding the strike zone doesn't mean "don't swing".  It means foul the fucking pitch off if it's not a pitch you can do something with.  It sounds like it should have been apparent on strike 2 as well (although it didn't really matter if he fouled off strike 2).

Also, Cervelli is a pretty good pitch framer.  So, blaming the umps is probably not the proper place to lay all the blame.

Which brings up a broader point...complaining about officiating is dumb.  Soler isn't getting screwed any more than anyone else.  Maybe the umps are mad about the impending lifting of the embargo but I doubt it.  Soler will figure his shit out (he's not even having a bad year, just needs to make some adjustments).  But, holy shit, putting the blame on bad officiating is just poor form.

A quick look at Baseball Reference tells me that Soler, despite leading the NL in strikeouts, has improved on last year's OBP by 16 points.  Instead of being 33% of the way toward first base, he's 34.6% of the way toward first base.  That's absolutely staggering.  His only real problem is a power shortage: .573 slugging last year (in 24 G) versus .399 this year.  The strikeouts are a part of that, I'm sure, but he'll heat up and adjust as the season goes on, and that number should settle somewhere in the middle closer to .573 than .399.  He's going to have a big year and I'm going to love every minute.

It's almost as if this was expressed before.

Five pages ago?  It may as well never happened.  I was way ahead of you all on SKO's Doom Train Express fatigue but you don't see me bragging about it.  Except this post.  And maybe one other time.  Who remembers.

[CubFaninHydePark]

If Soler is really that good (and, I'm sure he is), he probably should have recognized the ball/strike tendencies after the first strike call.  Understanding the strike zone doesn't mean "don't swing".  It means foul the fucking pitch off if it's not a pitch you can do something with.  It sounds like it should have been apparent on strike 2 as well (although it didn't really matter if he fouled off strike 2).

Also, Cervelli is a pretty good pitch framer.  So, blaming the umps is probably not the proper place to lay all the blame.

Which brings up a broader point...complaining about officiating is dumb.  Soler isn't getting screwed any more than anyone else.  Maybe the umps are mad about the impending lifting of the embargo but I doubt it.  Soler will figure his shit out (he's not even having a bad year, just needs to make some adjustments).  But, holy shit, putting the blame on bad officiating is just poor form.

A quick look at Baseball Reference tells me that Soler, despite leading the NL in strikeouts, has improved on last year's OBP by 16 points.  Instead of being 33% of the way toward first base, he's 34.6% of the way toward first base.  That's absolutely staggering.  His only real problem is a power shortage: .573 slugging last year (in 24 G) versus .399 this year.  The strikeouts are a part of that, I'm sure, but he'll heat up and adjust as the season goes on, and that number should settle somewhere in the middle closer to .573 than .399.  He's going to have a big year and I'm going to love every minute.

It's almost as if this was expressed before.

Five pages ago?  It may as well never happened.  I was way ahead of you all on SKO's Doom Train Express fatigue but you don't see me bragging about it.  Except this post.  And maybe one other time.  Who remembers.

The North.  The North never forgets.

[SKO]

I can't get too butthurt about those calls.

I can? If you call three straight pitches outside the zone a strike, fuck you. You are bad at your job.

He didn't.  Pitch 3 (the pitch that was clearly way outside) was called a ball.  Pitches 1 and 4 (just outside) and pitch 2 (might even have caught the black) were called strikes.

If you're seriously going to argue that calling all three of those pitches strikes is good umping, I'm just going to walk away. Everyone of those was outside the zone. If the best you can say about ONE of three pitches is "might have caught the zone", that's not good.

I didn't say anything about good umpiring, you twat.  You said he called three straight bad pitches for strikes.  You were wrong.

EDIT: As for the walking away bit, though, be my guest.

I don't even get why you're arguing with me if you're not defending the official anyway? I conceded your point that Jorge should have protected on strike three. If you're not trying to argue that the ump did a good job, where's our disagreement? Are you really that upset that I think something is outrageously bad and you think it was merely "not that bad?" Upset enough to call me a twat, sir?

Clearly, I am upset enough to call you a twat, because that's exactly what I did.  I quietly and politely stated facts and was met with that passive aggressive bullshit.  As far as you're concerned, anything that's not good is outrageously bad and although it might just be your schtick, after a few months it just gets really, really fucking noisy, and I really, really don't want to have to hear it any more.

Ouch. I'm afraid I'm left with no options then. I really wish it hadn't come to this.

[Eli]

Ouch. I'm afraid I'm left with no options then. I really wish it hadn't come to this.

Nicely done.

[Chuck to Chuck]

I can't get too butthurt about those calls.

I can? If you call three straight pitches outside the zone a strike, fuck you. You are bad at your job.

He didn't.  Pitch 3 (the pitch that was clearly way outside) was called a ball.  Pitches 1 and 4 (just outside) and pitch 2 (might even have caught the black) were called strikes.

If you're seriously going to argue that calling all three of those pitches strikes is good umping, I'm just going to walk away. Everyone of those was outside the zone. If the best you can say about ONE of three pitches is "might have caught the zone", that's not good.

I didn't say anything about good umpiring, you twat.  You said he called three straight bad pitches for strikes.  You were wrong.

EDIT: As for the walking away bit, though, be my guest.

I don't even get why you're arguing with me if you're not defending the official anyway? I conceded your point that Jorge should have protected on strike three. If you're not trying to argue that the ump did a good job, where's our disagreement? Are you really that upset that I think something is outrageously bad and you think it was merely "not that bad?" Upset enough to call me a twat, sir?

Clearly, I am upset enough to call you a twat, because that's exactly what I did.  I quietly and politely stated facts and was met with that passive aggressive bullshit.  As far as you're concerned, anything that's not good is outrageously bad and although it might just be your schtick, after a few months it just gets really, really fucking noisy, and I really, really don't want to have to hear it any more.

Ouch. I'm afraid I'm left with no options then. I really wish it hadn't come to this.

He's a Brit. Shouldn't that be cunt?

[CT III]

I can't get too butthurt about those calls.

I can? If you call three straight pitches outside the zone a strike, fuck you. You are bad at your job.

He didn't.  Pitch 3 (the pitch that was clearly way outside) was called a ball.  Pitches 1 and 4 (just outside) and pitch 2 (might even have caught the black) were called strikes.

If you're seriously going to argue that calling all three of those pitches strikes is good umping, I'm just going to walk away. Everyone of those was outside the zone. If the best you can say about ONE of three pitches is "might have caught the zone", that's not good.

I didn't say anything about good umpiring, you twat.  You said he called three straight bad pitches for strikes.  You were wrong.

EDIT: As for the walking away bit, though, be my guest.

I don't even get why you're arguing with me if you're not defending the official anyway? I conceded your point that Jorge should have protected on strike three. If you're not trying to argue that the ump did a good job, where's our disagreement? Are you really that upset that I think something is outrageously bad and you think it was merely "not that bad?" Upset enough to call me a twat, sir?

Clearly, I am upset enough to call you a twat, because that's exactly what I did.  I quietly and politely stated facts and was met with that passive aggressive bullshit.  As far as you're concerned, anything that's not good is outrageously bad and although it might just be your schtick, after a few months it just gets really, really fucking noisy, and I really, really don't want to have to hear it any more.

Ouch. I'm afraid I'm left with no options then. I really wish it hadn't come to this.

He's a Brit. Shouldn't that be cunt?

He's Australian, you buffoon.

Also: WOOOOOOO! 346 - IN YOUR FACE MATE

[flannj]

I can't get too butthurt about those calls.

I can? If you call three straight pitches outside the zone a strike, fuck you. You are bad at your job.

He didn't.  Pitch 3 (the pitch that was clearly way outside) was called a ball.  Pitches 1 and 4 (just outside) and pitch 2 (might even have caught the black) were called strikes.

If you're seriously going to argue that calling all three of those pitches strikes is good umping, I'm just going to walk away. Everyone of those was outside the zone. If the best you can say about ONE of three pitches is "might have caught the zone", that's not good.

I didn't say anything about good umpiring, you twat.  You said he called three straight bad pitches for strikes.  You were wrong.

EDIT: As for the walking away bit, though, be my guest.

I don't even get why you're arguing with me if you're not defending the official anyway? I conceded your point that Jorge should have protected on strike three. If you're not trying to argue that the ump did a good job, where's our disagreement? Are you really that upset that I think something is outrageously bad and you think it was merely "not that bad?" Upset enough to call me a twat, sir?

Clearly, I am upset enough to call you a twat, because that's exactly what I did.  I quietly and politely stated facts and was met with that passive aggressive bullshit.  As far as you're concerned, anything that's not good is outrageously bad and although it might just be your schtick, after a few months it just gets really, really fucking noisy, and I really, really don't want to have to hear it any more.

Ouch. I'm afraid I'm left with no options then. I really wish it hadn't come to this.

He's a Brit. Shouldn't that be cunt?

For the love of...

[SKO]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/winning-and-losing-the-strike-zone-game/

Per this article the Cubs batters have gotten screwed more than anyone but the Phillies when it comes to ball/strike calls this year. Soler probably doesn't get it worse than anyone else but it's easy for it to seem like it when each instance sticks out more for a slumping hitter.

On the flip side,  Cubs pitchers have benefited from a generous zone, so either Montero and Ross are as great at framing as we were told or the Cubs in general have just drawn some umps with wide zones this year.

Either way, I think there appears to be some substance to my FEELING that Soler keeps getting the short end of the stick and I'll demand Robot Umps till the cows come home or Jorge starts crushing dongs and I forget all about it.

[InternetApex]

If Soler is really that good (and, I'm sure he is), he probably should have recognized the ball/strike tendencies after the first strike call.  Understanding the strike zone doesn't mean "don't swing".  It means foul the fucking pitch off if it's not a pitch you can do something with.  It sounds like it should have been apparent on strike 2 as well (although it didn't really matter if he fouled off strike 2).

Also, Cervelli is a pretty good pitch framer.  So, blaming the umps is probably not the proper place to lay all the blame.

Which brings up a broader point...complaining about officiating is dumb.  Soler isn't getting screwed any more than anyone else.  Maybe the umps are mad about the impending lifting of the embargo but I doubt it.  Soler will figure his shit out (he's not even having a bad year, just needs to make some adjustments).  But, holy shit, putting the blame on bad officiating is just poor form.

A quick look at Baseball Reference tells me that Soler, despite leading the NL in strikeouts, has improved on last year's OBP by 16 points.  Instead of being 33% of the way toward first base, he's 34.6% of the way toward first base.  That's absolutely staggering.  His only real problem is a power shortage: .573 slugging last year (in 24 G) versus .399 this year.  The strikeouts are a part of that, I'm sure, but he'll heat up and adjust as the season goes on, and that number should settle somewhere in the middle closer to .573 than .399.  He's going to have a big year and I'm going to love every minute.

It's almost as if this was expressed before.

Five pages ago?  It may as well never happened.  I was way ahead of you all on SKO's Doom Train Express fatigue but you don't see me bragging about it.  Except this post.  And maybe one other time.  Who remembers.

The North.  The North never forgets remembers.

Assuming that's a Game of Thrones reference, we may as well get it right.

[Quality Start Machine]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/winning-and-losing-the-strike-zone-game/

On the flip side,  Cubs pitchers have benefited from a generous zone, so either Montero and Ross are as great at framing as we were told or the Cubs in general have just drawn some umps with wide zones this year.

That would explain both Cubs' pitchers getting help and Cubs hitters getting hosed.

[SKO]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/winning-and-losing-the-strike-zone-game/

On the flip side,  Cubs pitchers have benefited from a generous zone, so either Montero and Ross are as great at framing as we were told or the Cubs in general have just drawn some umps with wide zones this year.

That would explain both Cubs' pitchers getting help and Cubs hitters getting hosed.

The run does set up the play action, yes.