Here's an example to illustrate what people are saying is momentum.

You are a hitter leading off in the 7th inning, and you are tied 4-4. You were winning by 4-1, but you just lost the lead in the 6th, and now you need to get the lead back.

Meanwhile, in a parallel universe you are the exact same player in the exact same situation in the exact same game facing the exact same pitcher (who just came into the game in both universes), but in this universe you were losing 4-1 in the 6th inning and you tied it up in the 6th. Now its the 7th and time to grab the lead.

Believers in momentum would argue that the 2nd player would do better than the first player.

I don't follow. If Morse hits it out we still lead 3-2. Morse doubled in the run and subsequently scored. Not sure on your logic

You're right. For some reason I remembered him hitting later in the game and it being closer.

Yep, had him on the ropes a couple of times and they got off.

ROFL

But so true.

Stop moving the goal posts, you clearly compared momentum to voodoo magic, and were condescending to those that suggested otherwise in the process. There is no doubt you know baseball, and generally I enjoy reading your posts and interacting with you. But it's ok to disagree, and for people to come to different conclusions, right or wrong.

I was definitely referring to a very real thing called psychological momentum, that you can see in players body language, and often their performance. Bill James disagrees, but Bill James knows numbers, not pressure situations on the mound or in the batters box.

Here's an excerpt from someone far more intelligent than I at least defining the topic at hand, "We know it as the "Big Mo", the "Hot Hand", and being "In The Zone" while the psychologists call it Psychological Momentum. But, does it really exist? Is it just a temporary shift in confidence and mood or does it actually change the outcome..."

As Jeff Greenwald put it in his article, Riding the Wave of Momentum, "The reason momentum is so powerful is because of the heightened sense of confidence it gives us -- the most important aspect of peak performance. There is a term in sport psychology known as self-efficacy, which is simply a player's belief in his/her ability to perform a specific task or shot. Typically, a player’s success depends on this efficacy. During a momentum shift, self-efficacy is very high and players have immediate proof their ability matches the challenge. As stated earlier, they then experience subsequent increases in energy and motivation, and gain a feeling of control. In addition, during a positive momentum shift, a player’s self-image also changes. He/she feels invincible and this takes the "performer self" to a higher level."

http://www.science20.com/sports_are_...m_sports-33165

You're talking about confidence. Not momentum

In sports, I think these kind of work hand-in-hand.

But in the end this is all just based around personal opinions because it cannot be proven as fact.

Good lord. I looked at the final score and said to myself, "did they bring Alex Smith in"?

I wasn't moving the goalposts, I'm not sure if you understood what I meant in that quote. People were pointing out events that had a strategic impact on the game, as in, since this happened the manager had to do that.

Anyway, the impact that what you are talking about has, especially in the world series, is so small that it may as well not exist.

No, this is pretty close to what I was talking about. These are not mentally fragile children who wilt when something bad happens, at the MLB level these are seasoned pros who have spent a lifetime keeping cool, blocking the world out, and playing their game. Whatever you may have felt or was thinking about a minute ago, at the moment of performance all of that stuff leaves your head and all you see is the ball or the glove.

The idea of momentum in sports is an incredibly interesting one, and certainly won't be solved on a message board so I'll step away from the keyboard and move on to the task at hand, beating the Giants in game 5 today.

To get some Royals mojo going, I'll start by throwing on my lucky Royals cap. We have a flawless record when I've worn it in the postseason, and that Al is some voodoo magic I can believe in.

:cool:

I meant to say, "did they bring in Alex Smith to do something of importance"?