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2008 MLB All-Star Game Thread

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by KevinmH9, Jul 15, 2008.

  1. Armchair_QB

    Armchair_QB Well-Known Member

    Couple things at work here.

    1. You can get away with stretching out a reliever because their job is to be ready to pitch every night of the week. Starters are once-every-four-day guys.

    2. Baltimore apparently didn't give a pitch/inning limit for Sherrill. The other three pitchers' teams did according to Francona.
     
  2. Oz

    Oz Well-Known Member

    Halladay threw only nine pitches, though. And if Francona wanted to brong in Rivera to a Yankee Stadium ovation in the ninth, he could have had Papelbon (who pitched the eighth) get a fourth out to start the ninth before he brought in Rivera, meaning he still had K-Rod to use down the line.
     
  3. KP

    KP Active Member

    That is a great find.
     
  4. Armchair_QB

    Armchair_QB Well-Known Member

  5. outofplace

    outofplace Well-Known Member

    True, but out of self-interest, there is no way he was going to use Papelbon for more than one inning. Can you imagine if Papelbon developed a sore arm after being left in to pitch more than one inning of the All-Star game? Why would Francona take even the smallest of chances with a potential shitstorm like that?
     
  6. Oz

    Oz Well-Known Member

    The Red Sox don't even play until 10 p.m. EST tomorrow, it's not like Papelbon wouldn't have had more than enough time to rest after getting four outs, which Francona sometimes asks of him anyway.
     
  7. outofplace

    outofplace Well-Known Member

    Oz, I know. I'm just thinking of the consequences if something did go wrong.
     
  8. Batman

    Batman Well-Known Member

    No idea why, but the look on Selig's face reminded me of this guy...

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 15, 2014
  9. Oz

    Oz Well-Known Member

    In that case, why play him at all? Or for that matter, consider throwing J.D. Drew in the 16th?
     
  10. outofplace

    outofplace Well-Known Member

    Regarding Drew, t's one thing to say you were considering using one of your players to pitch. It's another to do it.

    Given the way closers are babied now, isn't it possible using Papelbon for more than an inning, even just for one out, might catch the attention of the home fans?
     
  11. D-Backs Hack

    D-Backs Hack Guest

    It's simple.

    Designate three starters to go two innings, three relievers for a frame each.

    If somebody starts getting knocked around or the game goes extras, you've got six pitchers to navigate with. You also have an increased ability to double-switch, create favorable batter-pitcher matchups and do other things with the aim of, you know, winning the game.

    I don't know when the ASG started being about getting everyone in -- the Mike Mussina thing in '93, maybe? The game was never about that.

    And it extends to position players as well. Think Francona would have liked a pinch runner for Navarro in the 11th and saved Varitek (and extras was the only scenario under which Varitek should have played anyway)?
     
  12. Della9250

    Della9250 Well-Known Member

    If pitching is going to be a problem, with all the pitch limits and inning limits and bullshit excuses, then here's the simple fix. When picking the pitching staffs, take 15 guys. if you can't get through an extra inning game with that many pitchers, you're not a competent manager.
     
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