Comments on: Just Don’t Give Up a Grand-Slam-And-A-Half! http://firegardy.com/2008/09/11/just-dont-give-up-a-grand-slam-and-a-half/ Mismanaging games since 2002 Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:37:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: sirsean http://firegardy.com/2008/09/11/just-dont-give-up-a-grand-slam-and-a-half/comment-page-1/#comment-1063 sirsean Fri, 12 Sep 2008 18:38:23 +0000 http://firegardy.com/?p=141#comment-1063 <p>Well sure it looks like hindsight now -- except that I've been complaining about the fact that the rookies are being left out of blowouts while we continue to ride the "reliable" arms in unnecessary situations ... and my point all along has been that eventually a game like this will come along and we'll actually NEED those "reliable" arms.</p> <p>I'm sure the odds are good. Technically, apparently, Korecky and Humber have both made it into games in September. Korecky took the 8th inning of our 9-0 loss in Toronto on Sep 4, and gave up 4 ER in a third of an inning. He faced 5 batters and 4 of them scored. Humber actually followed him in that inning, getting 2 outs and only giving up 1 run. (Of course, Humber allowed 2 of the runners he inherited from Korecky to score.)</p> <p>It's a good thing we supported their confidence by immediately stashing them on the bench for a week. (What is it with Gardy treating rookies like crap? They both probably needed to get into another game within 2-3 days to get their feet back under them.)</p> Well sure it looks like hindsight now — except that I’ve been complaining about the fact that the rookies are being left out of blowouts while we continue to ride the “reliable” arms in unnecessary situations … and my point all along has been that eventually a game like this will come along and we’ll actually NEED those “reliable” arms.

I’m sure the odds are good. Technically, apparently, Korecky and Humber have both made it into games in September. Korecky took the 8th inning of our 9-0 loss in Toronto on Sep 4, and gave up 4 ER in a third of an inning. He faced 5 batters and 4 of them scored. Humber actually followed him in that inning, getting 2 outs and only giving up 1 run. (Of course, Humber allowed 2 of the runners he inherited from Korecky to score.)

It’s a good thing we supported their confidence by immediately stashing them on the bench for a week. (What is it with Gardy treating rookies like crap? They both probably needed to get into another game within 2-3 days to get their feet back under them.)

]]> By: Schulte http://firegardy.com/2008/09/11/just-dont-give-up-a-grand-slam-and-a-half/comment-page-1/#comment-1062 Schulte Fri, 12 Sep 2008 18:29:30 +0000 http://firegardy.com/?p=141#comment-1062 <p>Excellent list. Here's my hindsight moment of the day, and maybe you saw this coming. What if Gardy would have done what seems plainly obvious...use a young guy in a blowout! Breslow and/or Boof might have been available to follow Nathan after his stint in the ninth, yesterday's outcome might have been different. Hindsight is great and being an armchair manager is folly, but come on. A sweep was within grasp, the club is in a tight race and that makes it all the more frustrating. Maybe it's better that I don't have DIRECTV.</p> <p>What's the Vegas line that Korecky, Humber or Mijares get into a game this season? Time is running out.</p> <p>I'm beginning to think you have it in for Punto and Reyes...</p> Excellent list. Here’s my hindsight moment of the day, and maybe you saw this coming. What if Gardy would have done what seems plainly obvious…use a young guy in a blowout! Breslow and/or Boof might have been available to follow Nathan after his stint in the ninth, yesterday’s outcome might have been different. Hindsight is great and being an armchair manager is folly, but come on. A sweep was within grasp, the club is in a tight race and that makes it all the more frustrating. Maybe it’s better that I don’t have DIRECTV.

What’s the Vegas line that Korecky, Humber or Mijares get into a game this season? Time is running out.

I’m beginning to think you have it in for Punto and Reyes…

]]> By: sirsean http://firegardy.com/2008/09/11/just-dont-give-up-a-grand-slam-and-a-half/comment-page-1/#comment-1061 sirsean Fri, 12 Sep 2008 16:45:31 +0000 http://firegardy.com/?p=141#comment-1061 <p>Heh. Tough call. Until someone starts to actually step up, they're all bunched together in the second-to-lowest tier -- except of course for Reyes, who should have his pants nailed to the bench out in the bullpen to prevent him from <i>ever</i> being able to stand up.</p> <p>Over the past couple of days Gardy seems to be trying to rebuild Crain and Boof. But I don't think they're there yet. I might actually rank the bullpen thusly:</p> <p>Nathan Breslow Boof Crain Guerrier Korecky Humber Mijares Punto Reyes</p> <p>I assume Punto would love to get to try to pitch, and that Gardy would love to throw him out there to "have the game in his hands." I'd support that if it'd keep Reyes OUT OF THE GAME WHERE HE BELONGS.</p> <p>By the way, Korecky and Humber are set to shoot right up this list, but they need to actually come into games and start to prove themselves before I just say they're good to go. I was clamoring loudly for Korecky to get the call all of August (I thought he'd be the 2nd best pitcher in the pen after Nathan), and now that he's here he's not being used at all. It's not encouraging.</p> Heh. Tough call. Until someone starts to actually step up, they’re all bunched together in the second-to-lowest tier — except of course for Reyes, who should have his pants nailed to the bench out in the bullpen to prevent him from ever being able to stand up.

Over the past couple of days Gardy seems to be trying to rebuild Crain and Boof. But I don’t think they’re there yet. I might actually rank the bullpen thusly:

Nathan Breslow Boof Crain Guerrier Korecky Humber Mijares Punto Reyes

I assume Punto would love to get to try to pitch, and that Gardy would love to throw him out there to “have the game in his hands.” I’d support that if it’d keep Reyes OUT OF THE GAME WHERE HE BELONGS.

By the way, Korecky and Humber are set to shoot right up this list, but they need to actually come into games and start to prove themselves before I just say they’re good to go. I was clamoring loudly for Korecky to get the call all of August (I thought he’d be the 2nd best pitcher in the pen after Nathan), and now that he’s here he’s not being used at all. It’s not encouraging.

]]> By: Schulte http://firegardy.com/2008/09/11/just-dont-give-up-a-grand-slam-and-a-half/comment-page-1/#comment-1060 Schulte Fri, 12 Sep 2008 16:40:47 +0000 http://firegardy.com/?p=141#comment-1060 <p>Ok, I'll buy that...so if every reliever had 5 days off, who do you throw out there after Nathan?</p> Ok, I’ll buy that…so if every reliever had 5 days off, who do you throw out there after Nathan?

]]> By: sirsean http://firegardy.com/2008/09/11/just-dont-give-up-a-grand-slam-and-a-half/comment-page-1/#comment-1059 sirsean Fri, 12 Sep 2008 16:19:33 +0000 http://firegardy.com/?p=141#comment-1059 <p>Definitely. Bringing in the closer in the ninth in a tie game at home is the proper usage -- from that point on there can never be a save situation, and there's no point in bringing in lesser relievers to possibly lose the game earlier. Once this situation comes up, the relievers should be used in descending order of ability until they've all been exhausted ... or we actually manage to score a run.</p> <p>It was especially the right move because Nathan was so well rested. He hadn't been used since Sunday when he threw just 9 pitches.</p> <p>The only questionable decision was taking him out after only 15 pitches -- and I don't have a problem with that. If he'd thrown another 15-20 pitches in the 10th, that's too many pitches. (That said, I just noticed that he threw 45 pitches in Toronto during one of his two inning blown saves. Maybe that's what Gardy was remembering. It was the last time he came out for a second inning, and it didn't go well.)</p> Definitely. Bringing in the closer in the ninth in a tie game at home is the proper usage — from that point on there can never be a save situation, and there’s no point in bringing in lesser relievers to possibly lose the game earlier. Once this situation comes up, the relievers should be used in descending order of ability until they’ve all been exhausted … or we actually manage to score a run.

It was especially the right move because Nathan was so well rested. He hadn’t been used since Sunday when he threw just 9 pitches.

The only questionable decision was taking him out after only 15 pitches — and I don’t have a problem with that. If he’d thrown another 15-20 pitches in the 10th, that’s too many pitches. (That said, I just noticed that he threw 45 pitches in Toronto during one of his two inning blown saves. Maybe that’s what Gardy was remembering. It was the last time he came out for a second inning, and it didn’t go well.)

]]> By: Schulte http://firegardy.com/2008/09/11/just-dont-give-up-a-grand-slam-and-a-half/comment-page-1/#comment-1058 Schulte Fri, 12 Sep 2008 15:58:18 +0000 http://firegardy.com/?p=141#comment-1058 <p>Did you guys agree with bringing Nathan in for the ninth in KC 2-2 game?</p> Did you guys agree with bringing Nathan in for the ninth in KC 2-2 game?

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