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Old 11-29-2003, 11:20 AM   #35
dickbaveta
Bat Boy
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 18
Yes, but unearned runs are stupid, because there are very few instances where the pitcher doesn't deserve some of the blame. Sure, an inning might get extended a batter because of an error, but the pitcher is the one who allowed the next guy to hit the ball 450 feet. I would argue the pitcher deserves more of the blame in that case.

As for the CI, passed ball examples...those are situations in which a catcher allowed a batter to reach first through his fault. It won't be his doing if the batter/runner circles the bases as the inning continues though, the lion's share of that is on the man standing on the mound. Sure, it wouldn't be an earned run, but if we are going to try and say player X costs his team X runs a year, the blame needs to be apportioned amongst teammates...throw the ER/UER rule out the window.

And frankly, anybody who would rather have Vance Wilson over Piazza in that scenario is nuts. Last year (I can't find easy team/individual numbers) the NL had 1294 steals in 1879 attempts, a 68% success rate. The average team had 118 attempts. Lets assume for arguments sake that the Mets had 118 steals attempted against them...well, the difference between Piazza or Wilson based on the situation given is 30 steals a year. Or about 6 runs according to version 3403.12 b of the RC formula. Sure, the pitchers lose some focus in those situations, but even if you triple that number, Piazza's bat still outweighs Wilson's by far more than 20 runs.

Now, if the Mets had a even league average alternative that would be another thing...for the record, last year Piazza in his 270 PAs finished 23.4 runs above replacement, good for 4th among NL catchers. Wilson? 1.2 runs above in 290 PAs, which puts Piazza a full 40 runs ahead with the bat in a full season.
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