Quote:
Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins
There is nothing better than facing a batter who swings at the first pitch.
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Yeah, but a pinch hitter against Franklin - it's the right move.
Franklin lives off first pitch strikes. He made his bones last year by throwing a get-ahead strike and then attacking hitters from ahead in the count.
As the season progressed, guys realized what Franklin was doing and that he didn't have the raw stuff to overpower them with that first pitch strike.
And pinch hitters need to go up there attacking, IMO. They don't have their eye in place, they're not terribly likely to draw a walk anyway.
Combine Franklin's tendencies with the fact that a pinch hitter was up there and if I'm managing the Astros, I'm pissed if the guy's not first-pitch swinging.