Dan Le Batard asked Fredi 20 questions and you can read it here.
The one I want to focus on is this one:
"The stolen base. It doesn't equal runs. The risk is not worth the reward very often. An out is more valuable today than a single base. I've seen the stats, and I used to think that the stolen base was more important than it was. You have to pick your spots with it.''
Okay, which one of you bought Fredi The Book over the offseason.
Actually, this nothing wrong with stealing bases you just have to make sure you're successful about 70 to 75 percent of the time. Or something like that, if memory serves me correctly, and it so rarely does. Sure The Book is about 12 feet from me as I write this but I'm way too lazy to go thumb through it to find the exact number.
But he is very correct in that you have to pick your spots. Say BH Kim is on the mound and after three pitches the player is still standing on first, it brings to mind the question: What are you thinking?
Should the team found itself down two runs in the late innings with two outs and a runner on first with Willingham, Hermida, Ross or someone like that at the plate. That is not the time to attempt a steal of second.
I have no problem with the Marlins playing the percentages as long as the strategy doesn't turn into "a Bloop and a Blast". I'm more of a "Get 'em on, Get 'em over and Get 'em in" type of guy.
Your opinion may vary.