Alright, let’s talk about this “hr/9 mlb the show” thing. I ain’t no fancy computer person, but I hear folks talkin’ about it, so I figured I’d give it a go, you know, explain it in plain English, the way I see it.
What’s this HR/9 all about?
Well, from what I gather, this HR/9, it’s got somethin’ to do with them baseball games on the computer, the “MLB The Show” thing. Sounds like a whole lotta fuss over numbers, if you ask me. But they say it means “Home Runs per Nine Innings.” So, basically, it’s how many home runs a pitcher lets fly outta the park every nine innings he pitches. You know, like if a fella pitches a whole game, nine innings, and gives up two home runs, his HR/9 is a 2. Simple as that.
Now, you might think, “Well, the lower that number, the better, right?” And yeah, you’d be mostly right. Nobody wants a pitcher who’s givin’ up dingers left and right. That’s like lettin’ the chickens loose in the henhouse, a real mess. You want a pitcher who keeps them hitters quiet, makes ’em swing and miss, or hit little dribblers on the ground.
- Lower HR/9 means fewer home runs. That’s good, like a warm biscuit on a cold mornin’.
- Higher HR/9 means more home runs. That’s bad, like a skunk in the cellar.
But it ain’t always that simple, see?
Some fellas, they say, even if a pitcher gives up a few home runs, he can still be alright if he don’t let too many other fellas get on base. Makes sense, I guess. If nobody’s on base when the home run happens, it’s only one run, not a big deal. But if you got fellas walkin’ all over the place, and then somebody hits a home run, well, that’s a whole heap of trouble. That’s like havin’ a leaky roof AND a busted water pipe, double the mess.
Then there’s this “K/9” thing I heard about. That’s strikeouts per nine innings. I guess that’s good, right? More strikeouts mean less hittin’, less hittin’ means less home runs. See, it’s all connected, like a big ol’ spiderweb. And there’s another one, “H/9”, hits per nine, and another one, “BB/9”, walks per nine. All them numbers, they tell a story about the pitcher. It’s like lookin’ at the lines on a fella’s face, you can tell a lot about where he’s been and what he’s done.
And what about this “clutch” thing?
They say some players, they do better when the pressure’s on, when the game’s close, when it really matters. That’s what they call “clutch.” I guess that’s important too. You don’t want a fella who folds like a cheap tent when the wind blows, you know? You want someone who can stand tall and get the job done, no matter how tough it gets. Like a good ol’ mule, steady and strong, pullin’ that plow through the field all day long.
So, this HR/9, it’s just one piece of the puzzle. You gotta look at the whole picture, see how all the pieces fit together. You want a pitcher who don’t give up too many home runs, sure, but you also want one who don’t walk too many fellas, one who can strike some folks out, and one who can keep his cool when the game’s on the line. It’s like makin’ a good stew, you need all the right ingredients, not just one or two.
And don’t forget, this is all just a game, on a computer. It ain’t real life. In real life, a fella can have a bad day, give up a few home runs, and still be a good pitcher. It’s how he bounces back, how he learns from his mistakes, that’s what really matters. Just like life, you know? You get knocked down, you gotta get back up, dust yourself off, and keep on goin’.
Anyway, that’s my two cents on this “hr/9 mlb the show” business. Hope it makes some sense. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I gotta go check on them chickens.
Tags: [MLB The Show, HR/9, Pitching Stats, K/9, H/9, BB/9, Clutch, Baseball, Video Game, Player Attributes]
