Quick thoughts after yesterday’s game:
-First pivotal moment was the CC tag play at the plate in the first inning. Had Nelson Cruz been safe, you not only add a run but CC has to go back out on the mound, and his night might have ended in the first rather than the 4th. While he allowed another two runs after that play, asking your bullpen to get 8 innings is a recipe for a blowout. The pitch he threw to the backstop might have been the best one he threw all night.
-The Gardner diving single. A hustle play starts a rally, anyone who watches baseball has seen it a thousand times. Especially in Brett’s case, since he distracts from the pitcher’s attention when standing at First.
-The Ian Kinsler pick off. A big part of Texas’ strategy to win this series is to be aggressive on the base paths. The Yanks used that aggressiveness against them, which will give Texas pause going forward. That one play could impact the rest of the series.
-Lots of commentary after last night’s game advocating for bringing in your Closer (Feliz) with the game slipping away for Texas in the 8th. I don’t disagree, I’ve advocated for Bill James’ ‘Relief Ace’ for years. But to be fair, you also have to consider the downside. If he fails in that spot, it’s even more deflating than what happened last night. Also, the general idea behind bullpen management is to always have a better option backing up a lesser one. If you run into trouble again in the 9th, the manager is caught with his pants down and accused of ‘panicking’ the inning before. Stuff like that gets you fired. Pulling out all the stops is best saved for elimination games, I have no big problem with what Ron Washington did last night.
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5 Responses to Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words
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TIQ IQ
how about two words….DAM YANKEES
Steve i agree with all you said . the point about texas’s pen in the eighth, is just the way the rangers had set it up. they put four lefties on just for us. it has worked in the past, match ups, we hit everyone he tried. and hard..we found the holes. if he pitches feliz in the eighth and ninth he burns him for today…and why would he be a lock? rays got him last time out at home.we paid back the sweep. cano hit the ball so hard they came back flat on one side..a lefty..on left..boy did he do yankee land proud..Ron played the way he had too….we were just zoned in ready to hit anyone they put in.. i was hoping they put feliz in vs thames, we had berkman waiting.. great historic win for us, blame need not be placed on washington..just credit for tough, grind out win.. it should be said…texas didn’t lose, the yankees were the yankees and won. texas beat the rays by running all over the rays,they hailed their aggressive style of play..it got them here..now OH..kinsler got picked off, cruz should not have tried to score because he knows the wall behind the plate ..all nonsense …they played their style of game, and they won’t change it now..these espn guys and tbs guys are on them for it last night..they were all giggling last week..we beat them at what they do best.. gardner did what he does best..MO did what he does.. cano and the rest the same..we won ,it is one game ,more to come… great win..
I will NEVER get tired of this picture. Just incredible.
Imbrogno, totally agree. It’s my screensaver for the rest of the playoffs.
Talk about a constipated look! That was great!