-David S.-

This is my 150th post on Bleacher Boy!  To celebrate this little milestone, I would like to share some of my favorite posts that I have written.  I haven’t posted for the last few weeks since I’ve been up north fishing and vacationing “unplugged.”

Bleacher Boy Top 10

10. Moneyball and My Twin Sister Sophie

In this article I explain the  importance of just getting on base by any means.  My twin sister Sophie is involved because of how she helped my team win.

9. Aggressive Hitters Vs. Patient Hitters

Part 1

Part 2

In this two part article I break down these type of hitters and their ups and downs.

8. Buying a Jersey…A Kiss of Death

The title explains it all, I don’t think I can ever buy another jersey.

Wait…it struck again!!!

7. What Am I Waiting For?

This one got reblogged on MLBlogs Central.  MLBlogs Central asked people to write an article like this and they picked mine to reblog!

6. Bleacher Boy Radio Guest – on the Rec Room Show!!

Listen to the recording of my first  interview on the radio show, Rec Room Show!!!! I recommend starting 14 minutes into the show.

5. MLB PED PUNISHMENT POLICY…MY TAKE

If  I were commissioner, I would implement this performance enhancing drug policy.

4.  Steroids Shrink What!?!?!?!?

This is my personal research paper outlining what steroids  do to you psychologically and physically.  Very disturbing results from my research.

3. Warning: Graphic Pictures of Why My Grandpa Says I Should Stick to Sudoku

Mr. Injury Prone here!  Want to see a horrific eye injury!?!?

2.  Baseball, a Game of Failure

You don’t beat baseball, baseball beats you.   This explains how truly difficult baseball is, and how to “get a grip”  when playing the game.  Mental toughness is everything!  Like Yogi Berra said, “Baseball is 90% mental, the other half is physical.”

1. No Home Run is Greater Than His Sacrifice!

My favorite article!  It shows how God is involved with my life. I am blessed to be able to play ball and share my passion!  Credo – God, Family, Baseball!!!!!

-David S.-

Is Patience a Virtue?

Some people think a Patient hitter is boring even though some of the best hitters are patient.  These types of hitters typically don’t swing at the first pitch.  They tend to wear down the pitcher, spend a longer amount of time in the batter’s box, and usually have the most walks.  For example, Joey Votto and Prince Fielder are this type of hitter.  They are both always top in the league in walks and top in various hitting categories.

Recently more teams are starting to pick up patient hitters.  This is because they are realizing how many runs they get out of them.  Billy Beane, GM of the Oakland A’s really demonstrated this style of hitting as an asset to the sport by recognizing that patient hitters tend to get on base, one way or another.

Getting on base isn’t the only benefit of a patient hitter.  You can really wear down the pitcher.  His pitch count could start getting high.  This could open up an opportunity for a mistake from the pitcher.  Another benefit is to get the pitcher frustrated.  Once he’s frustrated, he may make mental errors and make all kinds of mistakes.  Are patient and aggressive hitters born or made?

I recently watched one of the most fascinating  baseball movies.  The movie was Moneyball starring, Brad Pitt, as Billy Bean, general manager of the Oakland A’s.  I read the book first which I highly recommend in order to get some more indepth details.  The Oakland Athletics finish a winning season and then end up losing all of their superstars; Jason Giambi, Johnny Damon, and Jason Isringhausen to big market, big money teams.   Billy needs to find out how to replace that talent on a small market, small money budget.  Billy meets and hires an economics graduate who has developed a unique untested statistical approach for appraising players.  While searching for budget players, Billy is taught to stop looking for the homerun hitters and just find players that get on base plain and simple.  The only way to get runs is to get on base.  It doesn’t matter how you get on base – you just need to get on base, period!  A hit, a walk, a hit by pitch, it doesn’t matter.  When you get on base, you can steal a base!  It sounds simple, but is often overlooked by the more glamorous and exciting homerun.  For example, in one of my club baseball tournaments, my twin sister Sophie volunteered to play because we were short a player.  I think the opposing pitchers were nervous pitching to a girl.  She got walked every time at bat, (batting 9th), stole bases and scored a run every time!!!   We ended up winning because of her getting on base!  It  was also her patience and self control, two often overlooked skills, that got her on base.  I hate to admit it, but they are lucky they didn’t pitch to her because she can crush the ball.

Billy can’t afford any top prospects and ends up recruiting a few players for their On Base Percentage stats.  He only had $40,000,000 to spend on the entire team whereas  the Yankess had over $100,000,000 to spend. It’s almost impossible to compete against this type of money.   People think he’s crazy signing Scott Hatteberg to play first base since he was a former catcher-whose arm is shot, but he has a great OBP.  Billy also picks up David Justice,  a veteran at the end of his career, who the Yankees are dumping.  With some other well maneuvered acquisitions the A’s end up winning their division and win more games that season than the previous year with the superstars. Billy went from “Crazy” to “Genius” when really it’s just  simply “Elementary”……you need to get on base.