Comments on: Put This One On Joe

By: Rob Abruzzese

Rob Abruzzese — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:07:41 +0000

I don’t see any sense in going into the 9th inning with your best reliever sitting on his butt. The 10th inning is not guaranteed and I think it is managing for statistical purposes holding him until it is a save situation.

Never loose a game with your best reliever sitting. That’s like throwing your second best pitch 3-2.

By: gozer

gozer — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 21:26:32 +0000

There’s nothing worse than failing to hold a late inning lead – nothing! See: The New York Mets.

By: kwame

kwame — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 19:18:31 +0000

They aren’t going to win unless they bat in the 10th. Rivera starting the bottom of the ninth gave them the best chance to bat in the top of the 10th. That was the heart of my argument. Of course I don’t think you should bring the closer in during a tie game in the 7th. That’s why I said “sudden death” situation. Makes no sense to save your best available pitcher for a situation that may never happen. In the NL there would have been different variables at play obviously, but in the AL I think this is pretty straight forward.

By: gozer

gozer — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 18:06:24 +0000

you’re manufacturing an argument. it has nothing to do with getting your closer a “save” or “accumulating a stat,” and the statement that “getting a save situation isn’t important, the win is” is just nonsensical. What do you think we’re talking about? You’re on the road, you bat first, you can’t get a win unless you have a competent pitcher to nail down the game with the outcome on the line. it’s not like there was a walk-off scenario in play for the Yankees. according to the argument you’re using, your closer should be the first man out of the bullpen in a tie game because the most important factor is to preserve the tie in order to give your bats a shot in the top of the next inning. nevermind that you’re counting on the likes of jose veras and edwar ramirez to secure the games most pivotal innings. people are just grasping at straws now.

By: kjf

kjf — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 17:53:51 +0000

Gozer I’m sorry but I think you’re putting the cart before the horse. You can’t worry about “saving” a game that you aren’t winning. This speaks to the “paint by the numbers” approach to managing the end of the game. I’m sure teams have won games in extra innings without their closer available to end the game. When you are an American League team on the road in a sudden death situation,getting a save isn’t important, the win is. At that point, Giardi’s main goal should be making sure his team got another at bat. Not setting up his closer for a save situation. This really makes no sense in the American League where he doesn’t have to worry about the pitcher batting.

We don’t know what the results would be obviously. Its playing the odds, the best chance he had of getting his guys to the plate again was to have Rivera start the 9th.

By: Helen

Helen — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 15:42:35 +0000

I think we need a good first baseman that would have at least attempted to go for the ball to prevent the run to score.

By: gozer

gozer — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 15:35:14 +0000

you’re only prolonging your misery if you don’t have another reliever capable of getting an out. and in the 10th inning, once Mo hypothetically mowed down the bottom of the order, you’ve suddenly got the top of the order coming up for whomever’s available in the pen, attempting to save a game because the closer’s already been burned.

By: Pat Leonard

Pat Leonard — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 15:20:01 +0000

Kwame, you’re exactly right! These managers are morons.

By: gozer

gozer — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:56:12 +0000

I don’t agree that it has to do with stats. I think it has to do with the fact that there’s no way to win a game if you don’t have a pitcher you can trust to close it out. say, mariano were to have pitched the 9th last night like K-Rod did…that means if the Yanks were to take a lead in extra-innings, damaso marte or somebody like him would be counted on to close the game. then when he implodes in spectacular fashion, everyone would be screaming about Girardi burning his closer too early.

the yankees scored 1 run in this game’s final 8 innings. they were outscored 25-12 in this series. on the game’s final play, robinson cano looked like he was afraid to get his uniform dirty. these are the things i’d be lamenting were i a Yankees fan.

By: Kwame Flaherty

Kwame Flaherty — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 05:10:03 +0000

This is the problem with the modern use of the closer. The manager now makes decisions based on accumulating a stat instead of winning the game. On the road the closer should be in if possible because you don’t know if you will get another at bat. Once the game is in sudden death, the best pitcher available should be used.