1 of 1- forsberg_us
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8/26 GC
They say a manager only truly wins/loses about 5 games each way over the course of a season. If that's true, last night was one of Matheny's 5 in the bad column.
Today's story in the P-D makes it sound even worse. He sounds like someone who either doesn't understand his job or doesn't understand the game. Pittsburgh pinch hits with Davis, and Matheny leaves Choate in the bullpen because he wasn't sure Davis would actually bat and he only wants to use Choate in a "game changing" moment.
Well here's a clue Mike. Pittsburgh was down to 2 remaining bench players after Davis was announced. Both McCutcheon and Alvarez had left the game. A decision to replace Davis would have meant leaving himself with one position player on the bench in the 8th inning. It's unlikely Hurdle does that, but if he does, you're at a decided advantage for the rest of the game.
Oh, and as far as a "game changing" moment, I'd say a 3 run HR in the bottom of the 8th of a tie game might have a bit I an impact on the game's outcome.
I think I'd respect him more if Matheny just came out and said he played a hunch and it didn't work or if he would simply acknowledge he fucked up. At least there'd be some reason to think he might not repeat the gaffe if the situation arose again. As it stands, I'm not sure he wouldn't make the same decision tonight.
- tkihshbt
- Scott Rolen
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Re: 8/26 GC
Yeah, I couldn't believe he allowed Maness to get to that point.
- artie_fufkin
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Re: 8/26 GC
"Pittsburgh pinch hits with Davis, and Matheny leaves Choate in the bullpen because he wasn't sure Davis would actually bat and he only wants to use Choate in a "game changing" moment."
I wish I hadn't read that, because I was going to chalk it up to a pitcher who's been pretty good since May throwing a bad pitch to a hitter who can hit a mistake a long way, just like what happened with Jonny Freakin' Gomes in the World Series.
Even La Russa admitted his mistakes every once in awhile. And La Russa knew what he as doing most of the time.
- forsberg_us
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Re: 8/26 GC
artie_fufkin wrote:
"Pittsburgh pinch hits with Davis, and Matheny leaves Choate in the bullpen because he wasn't sure Davis would actually bat and he only wants to use Choate in a "game changing" moment."
I wish I hadn't read that, because I was going to chalk it up to a pitcher who's been pretty good since May throwing a bad pitch to a hitter who can hit a mistake a long way, just like what happened with Jonny Freakin' Gomes in the World Series.
Even La Russa admitted his mistakes every once in awhile. And La Russa knew what he as doing most of the time.
It's infuriating when you read Matheny's actual comments. I was just paraphrasing.
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Convinced Davis and his .100 average against lefties wouldn’t have stayed in the game to face Choate, Matheny opted not to bring his lefty specialist.
“They pull him pretty fast,” Matheny said. “Any time we bring Randy in, we have to be — in my opinion — in a game-changing situation. We have to be extremely confident that that lefty is going to stay in there. I’ve watched Clint (Hurdle) too many times. I know exactly what he’s going to do in those situations. That’s usually the deciding factor. And that’s putting Randy in a real tight spot.”
The former New York Mets lefty has hit .100 this season with a .100 slugging percentage in 32 plate appearances against lefties. He is the prototypical hitter the Cardinals had in mind when they signed Choate to a three-year deal for the specialist role. Choate has held lefthanded hitters to a .111 average and struck out 22 in 63 plate appearances. He was warm. He was ready. He was not used.
Matheny explained that despite stressing at several points this season that he’s comfortable using Choate against righties, he was not in this case.
He understood the lack of a move would draw questions.
“I trust Seth to get that guy out right there more so than Randy having to come in and watch a righthanded (hitter) face him and put him up against a wall,” Matheny said. Hurdle “is not going to hold on to his (righties).
”The Pirates had two righties remaining on the depleted bench, Chris Stewart and Jordy Mercer. Stewart has hit .444 (12 for 27) against lefties this season, and pesky Mercer has batted .313 (30 for 95). Also factoring into his decision, Matheny said, was the unavailability of Nick Greenwood and the eagerness to avoid bringing in Carlos Martinez immediately if Choate couldn’t retire one of those righties. Matheny said he wanted to avoid using setup man Pat Neshek and hold Trevor Rosenthal for any save opportunity as the away team.
Last edited by forsberg_us (8/28/2014 9:46 am)
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Thread Starter- artie_fufkin
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Re: 8/26 GC
”The Pirates had two righties remaining on the depleted bench, Chris Stewart and Jordy Mercer. Stewart has hit .444 (12 for 27) against lefties this season"
Buh-buh-buh-buh-but ....
Stewart is the backup catcher, and since one of the commandments of Mathenaging is Thou Shalt Not Use The Backup Catcher, so according to Matheny, all he had to worry about was Mercer.
And does anyone else remember early in the season Hrabosky touting "Choate can get out righties!!" or some sort of similar nonsense that was in direct opposition to statistical evidence? It may have been Hungo just flapping his jowls, but he's been the mouthpiece when they've campained for things like Vina/Renteria for a Gold Glove, Adam Wanwright for a Silver Slugger, and who can forget the memorable "Matt Holliday is a much better fielder than before he came to the Cardinals ..." agenda that ended when he got blasted in the nuts with a line drive in Los Angeles?
- APIAD
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Re: 8/26 GC
I believe your correct artie. Choate was being billed as the lefty that could get out right handed bats.
What annoys me is the cardinals ablity to get beat by the same players over and over.
Also i feel like any bitch i had against tlr was sort of nit picky looking back. After watching MM manage batting the pitcher 8th is starting to make sense.
- artie_fufkin
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Re: 8/26 GC
"What annoys me is the cardinals ablity to get beat by the same players over and over."
There are guys who have made their careers by crushing the Cardinals. Wasn't Alvarez going to be sent to the minors a couple of years ago, but then someone else on the Pirates got hurt and they had to play him in a series in Pittsburgh and he hit something like .800 with five homers and about 11 RBI? It was the turning point in his career.
I'm convinced Aramis Ramirez has never opted to leave the NL Central because his career batting average would be 50 points less if he never faced Cardinals' pitching.
And don't even get me started about Bud Freakin' Norris. The best thing about the Astros moving to the American League was they didn't have to face Cy Norris five times every season.