Tonight is moneyball versus traditional baseball values in the under the perfect microscope. 1 game playoff, small market vs small market. Built to last vs built to win today. And Oakland is in rough shape. Only 3-2 after 3 but they might as well be finished. In games like these their philosophy breaks down. They cannot hit consistently with RISP. They cannot create opportunities to score so they struggle against elite pitchers And vanish against elite bullpens. Power numbers are fine but that is the only offense they get. And power goes too against the pen. KC however can compete without outplaying Lester. 3-4 RISP so far, 2 of those at bats created by moving runners over in some form of aggressive "run creation" in reality it's opportunity management. Oh and about that bullpen? KCs is elite, best In the majors good. How, you may ask, can a small market team afford to be elite in talent and depth in the pen? It's cheap, and allegedly dispensable, or overvalued or whatever market trend Mr Beane may have created while being played by the most popular kid at the dance in his movie.
To be clutch, one must believe in clutch
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