The “run-down” in Baseball was also known as the “Hot Box” to youngsters decades ago. It’s the situation that a runner is caught somewhere between 2 bases but not close to either one. The “Hot Box” sound seems to describe it better than a “run-down” to me 😊
….In the MLB, a player caught in a Hot Box should be an automatic out. Last week, the Cardinals caught an opposing runner in a “hot Box” and let him escape to return safely to 1b. THAT’S TERRIBLE! I have coached many youth baseball teams. By the time the players reached 7th grade (earlier on some teams), the runner caught in the “hot Box” was an automatic out! It was quickly dismissed by the media but it said something to me…this team had either lost its concentration or just weren’t careful enough, whatever! IT SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN!! I’m wondering what Ollie’s analytics say about a runner escaping a “hot Box”?
…there are figurative “Hot Box” situations in life also. The San Diego Padres are CAUGHT in a HOT BOX. Chosen by many MLB experts to ride into the playoffs in 2023. Their roster is loaded with “stars”—Fernando Tatis Jr, Juan Soto, Manny Machado, Nick Martinez, Josh Hader, Xander Bogaerts, Blake Snell. The “active payroll is $182m. When retained players money, injured list money & buried minor salaries are included- the cost bolts up to $277m for the Padres. As I write this, the Padres are 73-78-in 4th place in the NL West! To give you a comparison, the Cards active payroll is $129+m.. Their total salary base is $185m. It’s $92m less than the Padres!!! I’d say that their SD General Manager is in a real “hot box”
…After the first 3 weeks of NCAA Football, many coaches are CAUGHT IN A HOTBOX. If their team falters below expectations in throughout the 2023 season, will they be expected to use the Deon Sanders method at the end of the season? i.e. Clear out the entire roster and bring in an entirely new roster? Or….will they proceed to the traditional “process” of replacing only the graduates and transfers? Or possibly, a modified Deon approach—approach certain players, who haven’t progressed as expected, to “consider” moving on! Watch the “Hot Box” development as they begin to happen after the season ends.
…I think that Adam Wainwright GOT CAUGHT IN A HOT BOX as he was reaching the culmination of his baseball career. As a fierce competitor, he had always strived to be the best. Yet, he had to realize, that his “best” wasn’t as good as it had been throughout his career. He had to know that Fr Time was tapping him on the shoulder. He had already set some wonderful statistics in his career. 2x-was NL wins leader (’09,13), 3x All-Star (2010,13,14), World Series Champion in 2006, 2x Gold Glove Winner (09,13) Silver Slugger Award in 2017, Roberto Clemente Award in 2020. In many ways known throughout the Lou, he was a genuine, GOOD man. Soooo…why DID he comeback? Was it the competition @ the Highest level? Was it reaching 200 wins? Was it to make another playoff? Was it that baseball was just in his “blood”?
…As we all know now, 2023 was his weakest year in the MLB(by far). He had to know it almost immediately. He could see that his fastball…wasn’t a FAST ball anymore. That his pin-point control wasn’t so precise any longer. In some ways, it was very sad to see one of our longtime “heroes” become just “another guy”. He finally did reach his 200th win in a game that he pitched with the finesse of long-ago. At that game, the excitement in the crowd, & I’m sure at home, just kept rising. It was clearly the best “atmosphere in 2023, and maybe, ever for a regular season game.
… Now, 200 wins ISN’T a guarantee for the HOF. 4 other pitchers-Chuck Finley, Jon Lester, George Uhle & Tim Wakefield- all have exactly 200 wins. None of them have received a call from Cooperstown. On the other hand, Roy Halladay & Lew Burdette ARE IN the HOF with only 203 wins! Wainwright DOES have some things going for him–his name is highly recognizable, and associated with playoff teams, fans across the league remember him for his outstanding, clutch pitching over the years. But…Is it good enough for him to reach the HOF? It really may not matter….he was a terrific pitcher for the Cards for a long time. Best of all, he was a tremendous role model for youngsters & adults! Let the HOF chips fall where they may but from our view—THANKS WAINO for the many great memories.
…seemingly NEVER CAUGHT in a HOT BOX has been ST Louis City SC. Jumping out to a 5-0-0 record to begin the season, City SC stunned the rest of the MLS. St Louis has opened the arms wide to welcome & support City SC club from day 1. It’s the HOTTEST ticket in the Lou. Now…you’d better be in shape….all fans stand throughout the entire match—cheering, singing, yelling. This club has been shaped with players from around the world. All of the players are expected to play @ maximum effort throughout the match. It’s an exciting brand of soccer to play & watch. The HOT BOX for the MLS is that the highest level players of the MLS are competing for national teams during the “international break”. Most leagues around the world, especially the top divisions with the best players pause their league calendar to allow their players to participate. This is a novel idea here in the States but, apparently, accepted throughout Europe. At this point, the MLS doesn’t take that pause. Right now, if a MLS club requests a pause, it’s make up games are week-day games. MLS teams seem split in their approach. There were only 5 MLS games last weekend…sooo that means 65% of the league was NOT in action! It seems like the traditions of European soccer at the highest level is being adopted.
…CAUGHT IN A HOT BOX” for a rare, maybe 1st, time is Nick Saban @ Alabama. Bama is holds a 2-1 record after a non-impressive 17-3 win over South Florida. Bama ranks 71st nationally in yards/play despite playing two lower level teams and a decisive loss to Texas. Alabama has dropped out of the Top 10 and in the for only the 2nd time since the 2015 season. Even worse, they weren’t in the Top 25 teams of USA Today’s rankings!
….Is Ollie Marmol lucky that GM John Mozeliak seems to be CAUGHT IN A HOT BOX? MO HAS to stick with Ollie—he really has no choice. It he removes Marmol that would indicate poor judgement, a severe mistake, on his part for the hire of yet another rookie manager. The hiring DID surprise..maybe even shock.. many MLB experts. It was the 3rd consecutive rookie manager hired by StL with NO previous MLB managerial experience. Maybe , it’s a response to coming off of the longest tenure of ANY St Louis Cardinal manager..EVER–Tony LaRusso. LaRusso managed the Cards for over 2500 games, Red is 2nd with 1900+ games preceded these 3 rookie managers. Or, maybe, the Cardinals decided to go “cheap” at the managerial level?
….Ollie seemingly keeps relying solely on statistics of all sorts for each “move ”during the game. This isn’t anything new. He’s just carried it to the extreme. There are many stats he choose from in his decision making. There are always many statistical options for each situation. Managers across the MLB have faced these same decisions for a long time now.There are always conflicting stats about any 1 situation. It’s been going on for years. Sometimes, it sounds to me like he’s claiming 1st rights on the use of statistics…oops…he calls them….analytics. Thus far, in his 2 years, the choices clearly aren’t working well. The Cards, who are the 2nd highest paid team of the division @ $175m (trail Cubs @ $184m), are last in the division. And…they’ve been there for most of the season. Somehow, the Management’s confidence in him bewilders me. The last time that the Cardinals lost this many games in a season was 1976. Cards were 72-90 in that year. That’s almost 50 years ago!! For me, there is ONLY ONE important analytic for a manager–WINS…period. He’s failed. It’s time for Cards to “move on” if they want to “move up”.
….Well, I hope that you’ll respond to any of the HOT BOX situations. Send to me via email (rjryansr@charter.net), post on my Facebook page-Bob Ryan, or post on my web site http://www.bobryansportsblog.com. Thanks for your time/read! Bob
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