That is at least my take Donal. I have yet to read or ever hear Collins say he wants his guys to take fastballs over the plate until 2 strikes because he would rather they walk than God forbid hit an extra base hit somewhere.

If there is such a quote I would sure love to read it as I would surely find such a comment to be the dumbest thing he could ever say deserving of a worthy berate from my part.

Not a statement about the importance of OBP but rather the ascertation that it’s importance (one way or the other) was proven about ten years ago. The annual range give or take a few points from batting average to OBP has remained about the same about the last 60 years – minus the six year period (1963-1968) with the increased strike zone and the steroid era.

IN fact, for a number of years between the late forties and early fifties, the OBP range was actually about ten points higher than we get now. If getting on base any way possible wasn’t deemed as important more than a half century ago past, it would show up in the variation between batting averages and on base percentages.

That teams with a lower OBP score more runs than those with a higher OBP.

But you keep on believing all this crap you think is true because it was posted on the internet if thats what makes you feel smart.

They also get the message that your not going to swing at the first pitch strike so might as well throw it and get into a pitchers count right away and take away the hitter’s advantage.

“We went a year and a half here where we led all of baseball with on base percentage, base on balls.”

They keep whining about a lack of power yet who are the guys we all have heard wispers of not being here next year?

Wright, Duda, Davis and Hairston!

#1 through #4 in the HR column

These are the guys that we may need to let go to get better!
At least thats what seems to be what they are thinking.

Could it have been the burden of trying too hard because they knew they had to score more runs to create a bigger lead to protect the bullpen from blowing – on top of seeing that the starting pitching was starting to falter and thus that meant even more runs required to offset the more runs we were giving up?

That, of course, is not Terry’s fault.

But as far as drawing more walks, don’t you think one has to also talk to the opposing pitcher about that?

Instead of playing baseaball with 25 different talents that all have something to offer when you’re trying to WIN and get to the post season the philosophy has shifted from playing ball, winning, and going after the other team to trying to get the starting pitcher out of the game by making him throw as many pitches as possible.

That’s what it is now – let’s try and get the SP out of the game – regardless if it’s a guy with a flat 85 mph fastball throwing hanging breaking balls that you would go after and attack or a Roy Halladay on a good day when he’s throwing nothing but strikes and you have play a different kind of game completely.

Now it’s all one approach. Hello last place 2013. Already.

“We went a year and a half here where we led all of baseball with on base percentage, base on balls.”

Aren’t hits better than Walks?