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The Kenny Rogers Solution

AG/DC Aug 27 2008 08:05 AM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Aug 27 2008 08:11 AM

The winning run on third and no outs, walking the next two batters. I guess, if you're going to walk one, you've got to walk two, to set up the home-first double-play. I don't really like it because it gives the pitcher no margin for error. Especially, when a lot of lefthanders --- Kenny Rogers, Scott Schoeneweis, for instance --- deal with righthanded batters in game situations by getting them to chase. It plays on you psychologically if you have no margin for error, perhaps taking you out of your game. He almost walked or hit Brett Myers. I mean, who doesn't want the luxury to throw a few at Myers given a chance? It also meant, in this case, walking lesser hitters to get to better hitters. I realize he had two poisonous hits off the bench, but I don't ever want to walk Eric Brutlett to pitch to anybody. The strategy is: Walk Werth Bring the infield in Pop up Bruntlett Whiff Myers Drop the infield back Cowboy up and pitch to Coste with a normal alignment and some margin for error.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 27 2008 08:10 AM

I thought this was a thread about trading for him. He reportedly has cleared waivers.

soupcan Aug 27 2008 08:13 AM

Kenny Rogers is the last thing this team needs.

AG/DC Aug 27 2008 08:14 AM

That would be interesting. The internet would explode. In fairness, Rogers was asked to walk the bases loade with one out.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 27 2008 08:15 AM

He's not having a good year and at 43, unlikely that he'll many others. OTOH, I'm so mad at Feliciano I'll try any lefty.

soupcan Aug 27 2008 08:16 AM

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: He's not having a good year and at 43, unlikely that he'll many others. OTOH, I'm so mad at Feliciano I'll try any lefty. Yeah really. On second thought how much worse could he be...?

metirish Aug 27 2008 08:18 AM

Feliciano has been rubbish all year it seems , don't know what's up with him.

HahnSolo Aug 27 2008 08:19 AM

Maybe he can show everybody else in the bullpen his pine-tar-on-the-hands trick.

batmagadanleadoff Aug 27 2008 08:43 AM

I hate it when Kenny Rogers gets blamed for anything bad having to do with 1999. Ordonez still sucks.

AG/DC Aug 27 2008 08:46 AM

Yeah, well, I'm a-trying to talk about what the best of your bad options is after that leadoff triple.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 27 2008 08:48 AM

Didn't mean to lead the conversation in the wrong direction. I think there's an argument for the walk Werth, then pitch to Bruntlett solution, but basically leadoff triples in extras on the road are your death no matter what.

HahnSolo Aug 27 2008 09:17 AM

I don't mind walking the bases loaded there. Get a pitcher up with the bags full (check), then get a guy slow enough to turn two on (check).

AG/DC Aug 27 2008 09:34 AM

The thing is, do you really want Rogers/Schoeneweis/John Franco throwing without their best weapon --- which is making guys chase stuff?

HahnSolo Aug 27 2008 09:41 AM

I'm not so keen on Schoenweis with his best weapon. I'm apt to do what Jerry did primarily b/c I have a close to sure out with the pitcher up. Then take my chances with bags drunk and one out.

smg58 Aug 27 2008 09:51 AM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Aug 27 2008 10:00 AM

I think the intentional walk gets overused in those situations. (Actually, I think it gets overused in general.) I don't like taking away the margin for error, and I think the ability to pitch effectively outside the strike zone is more important in those situations than the ability to turn two.

smg58 Aug 27 2008 09:59 AM

PS Sanchez still has a year before free agency. He stands a reasonable chance to improve the second year back from an injury, so I wouldn't be too quick to non-tender him. I'm not sure how much good he is for us right now, though. Like him or not, Schoeneweis is the most consistent of our currently available relievers. I'm not so keen on him either, but what are our options?

AG/DC Aug 30 2008 09:02 PM

SeewhuImean?

smg58 Aug 31 2008 04:59 AM

I thought the ninth was mishandled. The count was 2-1 on Cantu, after he had bitten on a pitch well out of the strike zone. I'd have given him at least one more. Plus, if Heilman's control was starting to look off (and it absolutely WAS), somebody else had to come in if the bases wound up loaded.