Number 7

LD at Short = Terrible Move

Here is a question for EI veterans: Have you ever had a regular shortstop rated LD at that position? We're talking REGULAR. Day in and day out at short. Unable to get to those balls hit to their left or right. What was your experience with this? I did a replay of the 1908 season using EI, and I rated all the players. It was around 1984, and there was no Internet, so I spent a few hours at the library, going through micro-film to get the schedule and read a little about some of the games played that year as reported by the New York Times. Combining this with stats from McMillans and Neft/Cohen, I made the decision to rate Giants shortstop Al Bridwell LD. Terrible move; made with no real understanding of chances, assists, etc., as compared to the rest of the shortstops in the league. As a result, the Giants were never in the pennant race as they were in real life, as Bridwell was not able to play his position, evidenced by the huge amounts of infield singles to short that opponents hit that year. Not that I feel sorry for the Giants...I'm a lifelong Dodger fan in real-life who has never liked those guys in S.F. Anyway, this LD thing in EI really adds to the drama in a game, especially in the outfield. Fly ball gets hit to an LD in left...will he get it? Kind of makes you pay more attention to each play. But with the shortstop, it becomes a seemingly never ending journey to get that third out.

Case in point: Game 112 between the Lecheros and the Sun Kings. The Sun Kings take a 10-2 lead into the eighth. They give their shortstop Al Dark the rest of the game off after he goes 4 for 5 with two doubles, replacing him for the final two innings with LD rated backup Rocky Rhawn. Righty Hal Gregg is on the mound in relief of "The Chief" Allie Reynolds, and the first batter he faces is left hander Ron Northey. Northey bounces one to, who else? Rhawn at short. But wait! Instead of 6-3, the result is an infield single, because that die roll has the out enclosed in a box, meaning an LD rated shortstop just turned it into a hit. Okay, it happens. Kiner walks (good walk, by the way...At least in my opinion). Bobby Thomson flies out, Rizzuto hits into a FC, and Max West grounds out to first. No runs, one hit. No damage. The Sun Kings go down in order in their half of the eighth, and Gregg heads out to the mound for the ninth. Ralph Weigel walks, followed by a pinch-single by Eddie Robinson. Murtaugh and Kolloway single, bringing in a couple of runs, then Northey skies to center for the first out. Kiner comes up and hits it to short, but oh no! The result is boxed, so it's a hit! Thomson singles, then Rizzuto hits it out! Gregg is gone, seven runs have scored, there's only one out, and it's a one run game! Closer Ted Wilks comes in, and he walks West. Weigel comes up, and he hits it to short. Nooooooooo! The result is boxed, and it's another hit!! Eddie Robinson comes up again for his second appearance in the inning as a pinch hitter, and to the relief of everyone, hits into a 4-6-3 double play. Every grounder to short in the eighth and ninth inning turned into a hit.

So, what exactly does the out chart say? According to the Fifth Edition Second Roll Chart, on ground outs with no runner on first and the batter out at first, we find eleven 6-3 results. Four with a left hander up, and seven with a righty up. Three of the lefty results are boxed, four of the righty results are boxed. For lefties, two of the boxed results come with one out. One comes up with no one out, and none with two out. For righties, one boxed result comes up with no one out, two with one out, and one with two outs. If a lefty comes up with none or one out, and he hits it to an LD shortstop, fuggetaboutit...It's a hit. If a righty comes up with one out and hits it to an LD at short, same thing. Hitsville Hits UK, as the Clash sing on their "Sandinista" album.

On the same chart, with a runner on first and a possible force out, there are eleven results in which the grounder goes in the direction of the shortstop. The breakdown is exactly the same as it is when there is no runner on first. There are ten infield pop-ups that head over to short. Four for lefties, and six for righties. Since infield flyouts don't occur as often as other outs, I don't flinch as much as I probably do with groundouts. Now, I am sure that after playing EI since '78 that an LD rated second baseman has made an appearance or two, and has probably helped extend an inning or two. But the lesson learned from watching Bridwell over a season and Rhawn in his two innings in the field is that whatever I do, I hope I never have to start another LD at short if I can help it!