Last night, Tony Gwynn and Tony Graffanino were due up with one out and Drew Anderson on second base, with the game tied in the bottom of the ninth inning. Braden Looper was on the mound.
As you know if you read this site very often, I'm not the sort of guy to reflexively favor veterans over rookies, but there's something to be said for a more experienced approach at the plate.
Gwynn's at-bat went like this:
Pitch 1 - In play, out(s) recorded.
Then, with two outs, Graffanino's:
Pitch 1 - Ball
Pitch 2 - Ball
Pitch 3 - Foul
Pitch 4 - Ball
Pitch 5 - Foul
Pitch 6 - Foul
Pitch 7 - Foul
Pitch 8 - Foul
Pitch 9 - Foul
Pitch 10 - In play, run-scoring play.
I'll have to save this project for another day, but I wonder if working the count is more effective against short relievers than starters. Looper entered the game in the 8th, and usually only gets a few outs. Tacking on 5-8 more pitches to the end of his outing couldn't have made life easy for him.
Pitch 2 - Ball
Pitch 3 - Foul
Pitch 4 - Ball
Pitch 5 - Foul
Pitch 6 - Foul
Pitch 7 - Foul
Pitch 8 - Foul
Pitch 9 - Foul
Pitch 10 - In play, run-scoring play.
I don't often have an occasion to say this, but...go patient Brewers!