Worst Mistake of Robin's Young Career?

[greg775]

Kill or move this negative thread if you wish, but last night after watching the game on MLB.com for a few hours, I found myself FURIOUS that Robin gave away a baseball game.

 

Normally you can blame the manager, but you can't, if you know what I mean. Their decisions affect the outcomes of every game, but last night ... running out of pitchers in a tie game??

 

Robin Ventura single-handedly gave Boston the game by having to pitch L. Garcia in a tie game. It was one game on the schedule gift wrapped and deposited in the Sox L column of the ledger. All because of the manager.

 

My question is: Are you as mad as me??

And my question for Mr. Ventura is ... in your long baseball career, did your manager on any level ever run out of pitchers in a tie game where you had to gift wrap the game for the opposing team by pitching a fricking infielder??? Didn't think so. Congratulations on being the first that anybody can remember. Perhaps he was upset at all the walks, but you don't throw an infielder in a tie game. How bout asking for a volunteer from the starting staff to pitch?

 

I am disgusted by last night. Throwing a damn infielder in the 14th inning? My god. I didn't see the Red Sox running out of pitchers.

Edited April 17, 2014 by greg775

[Y2Jimmy0]

Kill or move this negative thread if you wish, but last night after watching the game on MLB.com for a few hours, I found myself FURIOUS that Robin gave away a baseball game.

 

Normally you can blame the manager, but you can't, if you know what I mean. Their decisions affect the outcomes of every game, but last night ... running out of pitchers in a tie game??

 

Robin Venture single-handedly gave Boston the game by having to pitch L. Garcia in a tie game. It was one game on the schedule gift wrapped and deposited in the Sox L column of the ledger. All because of the manager.

 

My question is: Are you as mad as me??

And my question for Mr. Ventura is ... in your long baseball career, did your manager on any level ever run out of pitchers in a tie game where you had to gift wrap the game for the opposing team by pitching a fricking infielder??? Perhaps he was upset at all the walks, but you don't throw an infielder in a tie game. How bout asking for a volunteer from the starting staff to pitch?

 

I am disgusted by last night. Throwing a damn infielder in the 14th inning? My god. I didn't see the Red Sox running out of pitchers.

 

I hate the way Robin uses the bullpen. I hate that Conor Gillaspie is the #3 hitter. Some of his decisions don't make any sense. I can't hang 15 walks on the manager though.

[Eminor3rd]

You and I must not have watched the same game. What I saw was a coach trying to save a two run lead by not letting his pitchers continue to walk three of every four batters they faced.

 

I guess he could have let Veal or Cleto stay in and actually lose the game right then and there, thus eliminating the need to play extra innings.

[TheTruth05]

Definitely would not have run out of pitchers had they been able to throw the ball for strikes.(minus lindstrom and webb before he gassed)

[BigHurt3515]

You and I must not have watched the same game. What I saw was a coach trying to save a two run lead by not letting his pitchers continue to walk three of every four batters they faced.

 

I guess he could have let Veal or Cleto stay in and actually lose the game right then and there, thus eliminating the need to play extra innings.

 

So he brings in the guy who wasn't even on the MLB roster to begin the year in the 8th inning up 2 with a runner on first? That was stupid. That whole 8th inning was poorly managed IMO

[Dick Allen]

Kill or move this negative thread if you wish, but last night after watching the game on MLB.com for a few hours, I found myself FURIOUS that Robin gave away a baseball game.

 

Normally you can blame the manager, but you can't, if you know what I mean. Their decisions affect the outcomes of every game, but last night ... running out of pitchers in a tie game??

 

Robin Venture single-handedly gave Boston the game by having to pitch L. Garcia in a tie game. It was one game on the schedule gift wrapped and deposited in the Sox L column of the ledger. All because of the manager.

 

My question is: Are you as mad as me??

And my question for Mr. Ventura is ... in your long baseball career, did your manager on any level ever run out of pitchers in a tie game where you had to gift wrap the game for the opposing team by pitching a fricking infielder??? Didn't think so. Congratulations on being the first that anybody can remember. Perhaps he was upset at all the walks, but you don't throw an infielder in a tie game. How bout asking for a volunteer from the starting staff to pitch?

 

I am disgusted by last night. Throwing a damn infielder in the 14th inning? My god. I didn't see the Red Sox running out of pitchers.

Once every few years, you have to do it for the longer term good of the team. Hope Leury gets lucky, he almost did, and the team scores. Webb couldn't go anymore. They could have maybe thrown a starter out there, but they didn't want to screw him up. Leury almost got out of it, but the fact is even if he did, there would have been more baseball as the Sox didn't score.

 

Remember in the 2005 WS game 3 when Buehrle came in. Ozzie said Buehrle was pitching one inning, and after that, if Blum hadn't homered, we would have seen a postion player on the bump. The Sox were out of options because the guys in the 8th and beginning of the 9th couldn't throw a strike so they were yanked. If he would have left them in and they continued to walk people, he would have been criticized for not taking them out. I have no problem with what happened last night, including inserting Garcia instead of Paulino. If Paulino pitches, they probably lose anyway, and then screw up his next start, meaning another loss.

 

 

[Dick Allen]

Definitely would not have run out of pitchers had they been able to throw the ball for strikes.(minus lindstrom and webb before he gassed)

Even Webb walked the first guy he faced which eventually scored.

[fathom]

It was poor managing in the 8th and 9th, but this team still had plenty of chances to win the game if the offense didn't fall asleep outside of Dunn, Alexei and Flowers. I just wish he'd settle with Lindstrom in the 8th and Webb being the closer.

[lasttriptotulsa]

When your pitchers walk 15 batters and the game goes 14 innings, you're going to run out of pitchers. They don't have an off day coming up otherwise they probably would have used Paulino. What I really think Greg wants to say here is that Ozzie would have never let this happen. Go ahead and say it Greg. We all know what you're thinking.

[Kyyle23]

Hey greg, remember that world series game when Ozzie ran out of pitchers and had to bring in Mark Buehrle for the save? It happens. You cant plan for extra innings, and things got crazy when the bullpen couldnt throw a strike

[fathom]

Hey greg, remember that world series game when Ozzie ran out of pitchers and had to bring in Mark Buehrle for the save? It happens. You cant plan for extra innings, and things got crazy when the bullpen couldnt throw a strike

 

Same World Series game where the only reason it went to extras was Ozzie decided to use a rusty Dustin Hermanson?

[Kyyle23]

Same World Series game where the only reason it went to extras was Ozzie decided to use a rusty Dustin Hermanson?

 

DO NOT REMIND GREG OF BAD OZZIE DECISIONS IN A THREAD ABOUT POSSIBLY BAD ROBIN VENTURA DECISIONS

[SoxFan562004]

I'm not saying Robin is a great manager, but yesterday has to be on the pitchers. That amount of walks is just flat out unacceptable and really tied Robin's hands. I also had zero issue with him not having a SP go in. Some games you have to eat for the greater good, that ended up being one of them.

[Harry Chappas]

The world series game had pitchers batting kind of a big difference.

 

You should not run out of pitchers in an American League extra inning game.

 

1. The Sox need a long reliever

 

2. Webb should have pitched the 8th and Lindstrom the 9th

 

3. Cleto should not have pitched the 9th

 

It would have been a nice game to win. The walks meant nothing. Ventura tried to get cute with the LHH/LHP match-ups.

 

Farrell messed up by pitching to Ramirez.

 

Oh and De Aza sucks.

 

 

 

[fathom]

I'm not saying Robin is a great manager, but yesterday has to be on the pitchers. That amount of walks is just flat out unacceptable and really tied Robin's hands. I also had zero issue with him not having a SP go in. Some games you have to eat for the greater good, that ended up being one of them.

 

The most puzzling in-game move by the Sox was not throwing a 2 strike offspeed pitch to Sizemore in the 9th. Instead, they kept calling for high fastballs. In a spot where you want either a strike out or ground ball, I thought the pitch selection was ridiculous.

[ScottyDo]

I am just fine with his management of the 8th. You have to send the message that you're not going to tolerate relievers coming in and walking people. You would think that, as you flipped through the rolodex, SOMEONE would HAPPEN to not suck...but it didn't. That says much more about the bullpen than Robin. I am totally in favor of him putting his foot down, even if it costs us a game. Accountability has to come from the manager at this point.

[Harry Chappas]

The most puzzling in-game move by the Sox was not throwing a 2 strike offspeed pitch to Sizemore in the 9th. Instead, they kept calling for high fastballs. In a spot where you want either a strike out or ground ball, I thought the pitch selection was ridiculous.

 

Having Cleto throw anything other than a fastball was stupid. Through two games you can see the Red Sox will take pitches so to try and surprise them with the change ups and other s*** Cleto could not get close to the plate was ridiculous.

 

[fathom]

I am just fine with his management of the 8th. You have to send the message that you're not going to tolerate relievers coming in and walking people. You would think that, as you flipped through the rolodex, SOMEONE would HAPPEN to not suck...but it didn't. That says much more about the bullpen than Robin. I am totally in favor of him putting his foot down, even if it costs us a game. Accountability has to come from the manager at this point.

 

I have no problem with him removing those guys...the bigger problem I had was why was it those guys in and not Webb or Lindstrom?

[cabiness42]

Didn't watch the game, but it appears from the boxscore:

 

Downs walked 1/1 batters

Petricka walked 1/1 batters

Veal walked 1/3 batters

Cleto walked 3/4 batters

 

Now it's April and everybody but Veal and Lindstrom is new to this bullpen, so I don't know how you can expect Robin to have everything figured out by April 16. These guys need to stop walking batters or they'll be gone, and in Veal's case he already is.

[southsider2k5]

You and I must not have watched the same game. What I saw was a coach trying to save a two run lead by not letting his pitchers continue to walk three of every four batters they faced.

 

I guess he could have let Veal or Cleto stay in and actually lose the game right then and there, thus eliminating the need to play extra innings.

 

This should be the last post in the thread. If pitchers can't pitch strikes in a game situation, WTF is the manager supposed to do?

[ScottyDo]

I have no problem with him removing those guys...the bigger problem I had was why was it those guys in and not Webb or Lindstrom?

I mean, you'd think you'd be able to turn to SOMEONE that is not them to do something in the 8th. You can't go with one of them every single high-leverage situation, particularly not in a close game where the leverage might only increase in the next inning. Also, I wouldn't even really put Lindstrom on the list of somewhat reliable pitchers in tough spots. It's really just Webb. If Downs gets an F so far, Lindstrom gets a D-

[southsider2k5]

When your pitchers walk 15 batters and the game goes 14 innings, you're going to run out of pitchers. They don't have an off day coming up otherwise they probably would have used Paulino. What I really think Greg wants to say here is that Ozzie would have never let this happen. Go ahead and say it Greg. We all know what you're thinking.

 

The pitchers threw almost 270 pitches last night.

[Eminor3rd]

So he brings in the guy who wasn't even on the MLB roster to begin the year in the 8th inning up 2 with a runner on first? That was stupid. That whole 8th inning was poorly managed IMO

 

Literally every reliever we have has been bad this year. He could have flipped a coin.

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

I blame Rick Hahn for not keeping Casper Wells around for games like last night. That dude had some dope stuff.

[BigHurt3515]

Literally every reliever we have has been bad this year. He could have flipped a coin.

 

Up by two. No outs with a man on 1st in the 8th inning, which reliever would you pick?? I bet nobody would pick Petricka.