Problem is, if you fired Shelton this week, how long would it take to get the new hitting coach's input to help the team? And, would it be too late by then? You can't win a division in April but you can sure as heck lose it.
Yes it can; Shelton isn't fired and stays the whole season is one example.
If the Rays improve the hitting, which they undoubtedly will, it will be in spite of Shelton as we've demonstrated in the past. You don't really think we'll still be hitting .140 by the end of the year do you? The inevitable improvement shouldn't be a testament to the ability of Shelton as much as the expected improvement of the players that are severely underachieving, which is almost everyone.
The offense won't get any worse than it is right now. Whoever the hitting coach is, the numbers will improve. Shelton's not going to get fired one week into the season. I'm not a big fan, but the team was 3rd in runs scored last season so he'll get some leeway. The offense was going to be worse this year because losing a guy like Crawford who has a big impact at the plate and on the bases is gone. Now Longoria is out on top of that. The offense right now is depending on Damon who's past his prime, Upton who's been an underachiever his whole career, and Zobrist who might have been a one year wonder. It's not a recipe for a high powered offense.
Yes it can; Shelton isn't fired and stays the whole season is one example.
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Alaskan Assassin
If the Rays improve the hitting, which they undoubtedly will, it will be in spite of Shelton as we've demonstrated in the past. You don't really think we'll still be hitting .140 by the end of the year do you? The inevitable improvement shouldn't be a testament to the ability of Shelton as much as the expected improvement of the players that are severely underachieving, which is almost everyone.
I'm over the Shelton show.
Moo, normally i'd give you the benefit of the doubt but we're discussing the release of Shelton and how long it would take to get someone else into place and so on and your debate point is keeping him indefinetly. Not a good talking point man.
There are the two obvious things at play here - regression to the mean, and coaching in the current. Even is Shelton is terrible, we can expect guys to move back towards career averages, right?
I would like to amend a previous post. My excitement led me to forget Texas has the best record in baseball.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Genius Brian Lawton
Moo, normally i'd give you the benefit of the doubt but we're discussing the release of Shelton and how long it would take to get someone else into place and so on and your debate point is keeping him indefinetly. Not a good talking point man.
There are the two obvious things at play here - regression to the mean, and coaching in the current. Even is Shelton is terrible, we can expect guys to move back towards career averages, right?
GBL,
I was speaking in general. Yes, it could get worse because Shelton stays. However, I do see your point as well. I think this is what causes the confusion. So my apologies for kind of being a bit misleading there. Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?
That said, Shelton still sucks and couldn't coach a tee-ball team.
In AL East news, Toronto blew a 7-0 lead in Seattle. Gave up one in the seventh, five in the eighth (escaped inning on a bases-loaded double play), and then gave up a two-run walk-off double in the ninth for an 8-7 final. What a wild game.
