One thing that really gets my goat is when managers misuse their bullpens, especially their closers. Yesterday, as I was following the Angels-Tigers game on the web, I was reminded of this, and how I would manage a closer.
With the Tigers storming back from a 7-0 deficit, the Angels were in a tough spot. The score was 7-5 (Angels leading) in the 8th inning. Scot Shields had pitched 1.1 innings, and recorded 2 outs in the eighth after the first two batters reached base. Halos skipper Mike Scioscia went to his dominating closer, Frankie Rodriguez. K-Rod walked the first two hitters he faced, forcing in a run. He retired Curtis Granderson on a groundout to escape any further damage, but the Tigers had crept to within a run entering the ninth.
The Angels went out 1-2-3 in the bottom of the eighth, and still led 7-6 entering the top of the ninth inning. Of course, K-Rod came back out for the ninth, as was Scioscia's plan. Rodriguez struck out Marcus Thames, then the slumping Gary Sheffield doubled to deep center, and stole third base to boot. Next, Magglio Ordonez hit a monster shot to left that gave the Tigers the lead, 8-7. K-Rod got the next two outs, but the damage had been done. The Angels' closer used FORTY pitches to get 4 outs.
Of course, the Angels came back to win 9-8 in 10 innings. My point is that Scioscia should have gone to someone other than K-Rod in the eighth. In fact, I never like it when managers do funky things with their closers. When a game enters the later innings, the pressure starts mounting, and effective performance becomes more mental than physical. When you start taking guys out of their routines, you are messing with their ability to focus entirely on the task at hand. For a closer, he should only be thinking about getting 3 outs. Anything other than that breaks the routine.
I realize that K-Rod was brought in to get out of a nasty situation. I also realize that some will say that the biggest out in this game was the one in the eighth inning, as opposed to what may or may not have taken place in the ninth. I disagree. By using their closer in the eighth, The Angels gambled that K-Rod would get a quick out, and be able to effectively pitch the ninth. He didn't (in either case), messed up the save, and is probably out for today's game because of yesterday's high pitch count.
What would I have done? LA brought in Dustin Moseley to finish the 10th inning. I would have used him in the 8th, and saved K-Rod for the ninth. Scioscia had used Bootcheck and Carrasco for three innings each the day before, so those two were not available. By using Moseley, he would have kept K-Rod on his normal routine of closing out the ninth (assuming Moseley got out of the eighth). Today, the Angels' bullpen will be out of whack for a third straight day if Rodriguez is not available. And that's what gets my goat.
With the Tigers storming back from a 7-0 deficit, the Angels were in a tough spot. The score was 7-5 (Angels leading) in the 8th inning. Scot Shields had pitched 1.1 innings, and recorded 2 outs in the eighth after the first two batters reached base. Halos skipper Mike Scioscia went to his dominating closer, Frankie Rodriguez. K-Rod walked the first two hitters he faced, forcing in a run. He retired Curtis Granderson on a groundout to escape any further damage, but the Tigers had crept to within a run entering the ninth.
The Angels went out 1-2-3 in the bottom of the eighth, and still led 7-6 entering the top of the ninth inning. Of course, K-Rod came back out for the ninth, as was Scioscia's plan. Rodriguez struck out Marcus Thames, then the slumping Gary Sheffield doubled to deep center, and stole third base to boot. Next, Magglio Ordonez hit a monster shot to left that gave the Tigers the lead, 8-7. K-Rod got the next two outs, but the damage had been done. The Angels' closer used FORTY pitches to get 4 outs.
Of course, the Angels came back to win 9-8 in 10 innings. My point is that Scioscia should have gone to someone other than K-Rod in the eighth. In fact, I never like it when managers do funky things with their closers. When a game enters the later innings, the pressure starts mounting, and effective performance becomes more mental than physical. When you start taking guys out of their routines, you are messing with their ability to focus entirely on the task at hand. For a closer, he should only be thinking about getting 3 outs. Anything other than that breaks the routine.
I realize that K-Rod was brought in to get out of a nasty situation. I also realize that some will say that the biggest out in this game was the one in the eighth inning, as opposed to what may or may not have taken place in the ninth. I disagree. By using their closer in the eighth, The Angels gambled that K-Rod would get a quick out, and be able to effectively pitch the ninth. He didn't (in either case), messed up the save, and is probably out for today's game because of yesterday's high pitch count.
What would I have done? LA brought in Dustin Moseley to finish the 10th inning. I would have used him in the 8th, and saved K-Rod for the ninth. Scioscia had used Bootcheck and Carrasco for three innings each the day before, so those two were not available. By using Moseley, he would have kept K-Rod on his normal routine of closing out the ninth (assuming Moseley got out of the eighth). Today, the Angels' bullpen will be out of whack for a third straight day if Rodriguez is not available. And that's what gets my goat.
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