This Week in Japanese Baseball (Episode 8)

[@L33TH4XM8]

it's criminal how few views these videos get. such interesting and comprehensive analyses every week!

[@ggbetz]

I love this series. Just getting into japanese baseball by watching yours and Gaijin Baseballs videos, without being able to watch games.

[@dpo1168]

Great stuff man!

[@tacosno409]

“The Ugly” in this episode is so darn ugly.. One of the most frustrating

[@fjordfjairlane766]

Regarding the "ugly", I think there can still be some sense in traditional lineup construction. IIRC, going by the historical rate of WHIP in baseball makes the likeliest three hitters to start the ninth inning for a team have been #1-2-3 or #2-3-4. I still think it can make sense to place your best hitter in the #3 or #4 spot in the lineup SO LONG AS #1 or #2, or preferrably both, are hitters who are good at getting on base if nothing else.

[@yukissubmarine]

Even if that is true (which it might be), it doesn't make much sense for a team to have a less-optimized lineup at the beginning of the game for a chance to have an optimized lineup at the end of the game. The goal should be to have a lead well before the ninth inning, anyway. It's widely accepted in MLB that a team's best batters should get the most plate appearances--no serious managerial candidate would disagree. Most NPB teams obviously don't agree--that's interesting to me, even if the math doesn't make sense

[@PEBelarus]

I like the bay stars coming back this year in the central. They have got a lot of talent but they are just not grooving as a team. Maybe too much pressure or maybe too many bunts and playing for one run. Maybe they don't run as aggressively as they should. But they've got a killer lineup and when they get hot, watch out.

[@jonathancracolici536]

The Carp look poised to make a move given that they have a few games in hand

[@G483F33LY]

I can't wait until the next one of these, Rakuten and Orix have shaken the CL standings like a snowglobe and are making up a lot of ground in the PL standings.

[@rdrisms]

Not to get political but the lineup construction thing feels like a vignette for japans economy and society lol - everyone recognizes the necessity of a change and little is done about it Same country that still mostly uses stamps in official business!