The LOOGY
I didn't know what a LOOGY was until a few months ago. It was then that I figured out that it was not phlegm, but an acronym.
Left-handed
One
Out
GuY
LOOGY. Pretty simple, right? Alas, the LOOGY has gone extinct due to overhunting and habitat loss from Rob Manfred. The semi-new rules state that when a pitcher comes into the game, he must face three batters or finish an inning. So unless your LOOGY comes in with two outs and gets the batter out, then he no longer exists.
Anyway, LOOGYs were pretty cool and also quite useful for platoon advantage if you have a left-handed batter sandwiched amidst a bunch of righties, which I can imagine happened quite often. If you were in a big spot when said lefty came up to bat, the LOOGY was your man. But you wasted a reliever, especially if you were throwing Billy Wagner to get one out. Then you're out one of the greatest closers to ever live, and you put yourself in that predicament.
A great example of a LOOGY in baseball was Jesse Orosco (played from 1979-2003). In his last 13 seasons, Orosco never averaged 1 inning (701 appearances, 504 innings). And he never had a season in his last five when he averaged two outs per appearance. Rich Hill was also a LOOGY for a while in different parts of his career.
So, the LOOGY was cool, but you had to be careful with whom you chose to be that LOOGY. And now that they are no longer allowed in MLB, they are being forgotten. However, the LOOGY is still alive in NIPPON baseball over in Japan. There are plenty of short-term relievers overseas. Why, Manfred, whyyyyyyyyyyyyy...?
Because fans watching a game don't actually like endless pitching changes of people they've never heard of for miniscule advantages.
ReplyDeleteWell, being left-handed, I hold them in high regard. And I do believe that the managers should have free will to do it if they want to. Nonetheless, I do agree somewhat that it is a waste of time for a small advantage. But if it works...
ReplyDeleteWhether something is good for baseball as something to watch has to be weighed against whether it works a little bit.
ReplyDeleteAhh lefty prejudice :)
If that's the case, then maybe pinch hitters shouldn't be a thing considering how hard and usually unsuccessful they are. Getting an out to get your team out if a jam is huge, and more batters get out then get on base, so you can make that case.
DeleteI have to say I wasn't a fan of the new rules when they were instituted, but for the most part I'm okay with them. The only one that really doesn't sit well with me is the limited pick-off attempts.
ReplyDeleteRob Manfred is an idiot.
ReplyDelete