Master Index of Archived Threads


O-o-T-S -- Tues 4/20

Frayed Knot Apr 21 2010 10:57 AM

We've been so wrapped up in our own problems that we haven't been paying a whole lot of attention to out of town goings-on, but some interesting stuff last night: - Kyle Kendrick throws an 8-inning gem (0 runs, 4 hits) for the Phils against Atlanta but (of course) gives way to the closer for the bottom of the 9th. With Lidge still not available that means Ryan Madson gets to protect the 3-run lead. Yeah not so fast. After getting two outs sandwiched around a walk to Chipper, Madson serves up a 2R-HR to Troy Glaus, and then a game-tying solo HR to Jason Heyward (his 4th). In bottom 10, Jose Contreras (no, really!!) comes in and gives up a lead-off walk-off HR to Nate McClouth. In short, that's 3 HRs in a 4 batter span after two were out in the 9th with a 3-run lead. Ooooh, that one's gotta hurt. - In Boston - where they simultaneously put Mike Cameron and Jacoby Ellsbury on the DL - call-up Darnell McDonald gets into the game as a PH in the 8th w/the Sox down 2 and promptly hits a game-tying HR. He stays in the game and comes up again in the 9th w/the bags full and hits a walk-off single (off the monster) to end the BoSox million-game losing streak. McDonald, a 1997 1st round pick of the Orioles, is now a 31 y/o career minor leaguer who has had brief appearances with three different ML teams over the last 13 years (in 2004, 2007 & 2009). - SF's Jonathan Sanchez - who threw a no-hitter last year - tossed a 7-inning one-hitter in Sandy Eggo last night ... and lost the game. Chase Headley singled leading off the 4th and advanced on a steal, a foul-out, and a sac fly. The Giants, meanwhile, got themselves shut out on 6 hits by the combination of Mat Latos (7 IP), Mike Adams (1), and Heath Bell (1).

metirish Apr 21 2010 11:01 AM Re: O-o-T-S -- Tues 4/20

Taking Kendrik out there would drive me crazy, I assume he was fine , probably a high pitch count?....but, and even when Ryan Madson is the closer you have to take the starter out......

Edgy DC Apr 21 2010 11:06 AM Re: O-o-T-S -- Tues 4/20

Do you think that Grady Little's internationally derided decision not to pull Pedro in 2003 has led managers to be even more hooky? What the hell are you hooking Kendrick for?

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Apr 21 2010 11:11 AM Re: O-o-T-S -- Tues 4/20

Charlie and Jerry must be "reading" the same game-management book-on-tape.

Fman99 Apr 21 2010 12:39 PM Re: O-o-T-S -- Tues 4/20

I heard someone refer to Ortiz as "Big Popup." I found that funny.

Edgy DC Apr 21 2010 12:42 PM Re: O-o-T-S -- Tues 4/20

Nobody loves you when you're down and out.

DocTee Apr 21 2010 01:01 PM Re: O-o-T-S -- Tues 4/20

That Sanchez start was phenomenal. The Giants stranded the tying run on third (no outs) in the eighth, and the thought was that if they had gotten him home, Sanchez would've hit for himself and gone back out there with the score tied (or the lead) for the eighth.

Frayed Knot Apr 21 2010 02:20 PM Re: O-o-T-S -- Tues 4/20

[quote="Fman99":14uq1ojy]I heard someone refer to Ortiz as "Big Popup." I found that funny.[/quote:14uq1ojy] That's one of those: 'now why didn't I think of that'? Tito pinch-hit for Papi (w/Lowell) against a LHP the other day. Tough times indeed. Of course he had a similar bad start last year and mostly righted the ship, but it gets tougher and tougher to pull the rabbit out of that hat.

Frayed Knot Apr 21 2010 04:45 PM Re: O-o-T-S -- Tues 4/20

The other cool part about the Nate McClouth game-winning HR was that his Braves teammates gave him the mother of all silent treatments. Not only were they not there at the plate to greet him but they all disappeared through the tunnel leaving him with only an empty dugout to return to. Naturally he found them just out of sight at the top of the tunnel where he was promptly mobbed.

MFS62 Apr 22 2010 10:34 AM Re: O-o-T-S -- Tues 4/20

[quote="Edgy DC":yyiy5pyn]Do you think that Grady Little's internationally derided decision not to pull Pedro in 2003 has led managers to be even more hooky? What the hell are you hooking Kendrick for?[/quote:yyiy5pyn] And if Trot Nixon doesn't misjudge, then turn the wrong way, on Jeter's fly ball "double" in that inning, Pedro gets three outs, is smoking a big Luis Tiant-style cigar in the dugout after the game, and nobody is criticizing Little for a pitching change he shouldn't have had to make. Any manager who saw the game wouldn't be basing moves they make on what Little did. Later

Edgy DC Apr 22 2010 10:42 AM Re: O-o-T-S -- Tues 4/20

Pedro was certainly spent. But managers are now routinely pulling guys who clearly aren't, and are in fact pitching masterfully.

Benjamin Grimm Apr 22 2010 11:13 AM Re: O-o-T-S -- Tues 4/20

I was watching that game in 2003, and was absolutely stunned when Little let Pedro continue pitching. That, though, was an aberration. With the Red Sox, Pedro Martinez was the tail that was allowed to wag the dog. In most cases, it's the pitch count that rules over everything else these days. I'm waiting for the next step in baseball evolution; I don't know that it will be better, but I'm sick of the current variety of push-button managing. I'm ready for the next innovation that will put this LaRussa-inspired eighth-inning/ninth-inning crap behind us.

Edgy DC Apr 22 2010 11:53 AM Re: O-o-T-S -- Tues 4/20

What I'm suggesting is that it wasn't an aberration, but perhaps a tipping point. I don't really buy it myself, but we've come a long way when we have a (1) very good pitcher (2) on top of his game, who is (3) exhibitting no signs of tiring, who (4) has a shutout going (5) being pulled in the ninth for a closer (6) despite the closer being injured. Is there any reason whatsoever to believe there's a tactical advantage there --- short-term or long-term?

Benjamin Grimm Apr 22 2010 12:07 PM Re: O-o-T-S -- Tues 4/20

I think the only advantage is that you won't get ripped for doing something "unconventional" in the even that it doesn't work out.

Frayed Knot Apr 22 2010 12:37 PM Re: O-o-T-S -- Tues 4/20

In this particular case, Kendrick was at 108 pitches after 8. We, of course, have no idea how he was feeling at that point or what was said in the dugout. I'm sure the thinking was probably not only to save a relatively young pitcher from racking up 'abuse' so early in the season but, hell, it's a 3-run lead and you'll win 95% of those no matter who you throw out there. Ooops! Thing is, Madson even got the first two outs (sandwiched around a walk) and all was looking good ... and then the roof caved in on him.