2020 MLB postseason thread

Let me introduce you to a chap named Sparky Anderson and the Big Red Machine. In the 1975 World Series, Anderson used less than four pitchers in exactly two games. Others saw him use four, five, five, six, and eight. OK, the last one was Game Six (kind of appropriate, now that I think of it) which went 12 innings, but there were managers who went early and often to their bullpens back then, too. Just not as many of 'em as today.

 

It would be more entertaining but why would teams let pitchers pitch out of trouble now?

 

I’m sure the PA would sign off on that.

 

In addition to what Mr. Gee brought up, the 1970s was also before people realized, "Hey, everyone in our lineup should probably be able to hit." You still had dead spots in lineups. I'm a kid of the 80s and 90s, so I mostly remember guys like Luis Rivera and Darren Lewis killing Red Sox rallies.

 

To show how tough they are. Grrrr!

 

You got me thinking on this.

How many of the pitching changes were done between innings due to a pinch hit? That would not slow a game down at all.

 

Four of the games were in Boston, so there was a DH. No pinch hitters. But the three in Cincinnati were under NL rules, so it's possible. I'd have to go look up the box scores.
Just remembered. Sparky was also known as Captain Hook for his bullpen use. So he was an outlier.

 

But Sparky's changes were by gut and what he saw, not so much matchups and numbers. And the Big Red Machine never seemed to have dominant pitchers.

 

No it didn't. At one time Gullet was supposed to be one, but it didn't pan out. Then again, when your 1,3, 4 and 5 hitters are all Hall of Famers (Pete of course is on accomplishment) maybe your entire pitching staff doesn't mean much.

 

As a Tigers fan I've been doing a large amount of mental gymnastics too. Right now, I'm going with "He served time" with a side of "He was the Happy Felsch of the banging scandal."

 

Jeff Passan not a fan of the LaRussa hire.

Passan: The real problem with White Sox hiring Tony La Russa? What drove the decision

 

Clicked out, way too long. Being sincere ...