Posted By:
Brian LindholmeI agree about Agents influencing stats such as the HOLD.
If the situational pitcher didn't have that meaningless stat, how else would he become a multi-millionaire? And how else could an agent representing an otherwise mediocre pitcher get 10% of that fortune? Certainly not by bringing a 2-3 WL record and 85 innings pitched to the bargaining table!
Other useless stats include Putouts by catcher when the pitcher strikes out the batter...excuse me but that's backwards. Credit the catcher when some rifle-armed right fielder guns a runner down at the plate...not for the pitcher's pitch.
To further point out the irony...
Some debate could be made about the backward nature of the assist and putout in the first place...I mean why not credit the player guarding the Hot Corner for the putout when he makes a diving stab of a line smash and gets up to throw out the runner. Give the first baseman an assist because he caught the ball:)
Brian L
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