2020 MLB postseason thread

I'm a Boston fan and we don't really have any examples of leaving a pitcher in for too long.

 

Fair point.
But the guy was dealing. The top 4 batters in the Dodgers lineup was 0 for 8 with 6 strikeouts.
If Cash said he didn't want Snell facing the lineup a third time, OK - I guess - but pulling your ace with the lead in a must-win game is dumb.

 

Yes let's keep doing what we did in the regular season against the best team in baseball because it worked against the Red Sox. The excuse "that's how we did it in the regular season" is notorious from managers who can't understand a championship moment isn't the same thing as a game midway through the season.

Give a guy a chance to work through one out with a runner on first when he's dealing.

 

The "lead" was one run, with the tying run on first and the best portion of the lineup coming up again. Yeah, they looked awful against him, the first two at-bats, but Betts in particular is known for being tough to strike out. Snell also isn't Randy Johnson - he averaged less than 5 innings per start this year. I think the "safer" choice from a "what will get me less shit from the public?" decision is to leave Snell in there, but I think it's pretty likely that Betts gets a hit against him anyway.

 

Well I disagree but that's why we all love the game - to debate the what ifs.
Snell clearly wasn't told the plan and didn't expect to be pulled the way he was performing.

 

Then pull him if Betts gets a hit. But Snell leaves with a runner on first which turns into runners on second and third one out which turns into a wild pitch which turns into an infield hit and now you're down two. All without recording an out. If Snell was grinding with multiple runners on each inning, sure pull him up 1 with a runner on. But dude earned the right to face one more hitter. And one of the biggest rally starters is when a team pulls a dominant pitcher and allows hitters to get a different look.

F the Braves for not winning one out of three and making one of the worst base running mistakes I've ever seen.

F the Rays for trying to steal home to end an inning. F the Rays for not understanding the moment.

 

When celebrations go wrong:

 

Dodgers weren't shut out all season. Rays weren't going to win with just one run. Pulling Snell at that point was not wise, but also not why the Rays lost.

 

Is it just me, or did Mookie Betts look like he's about 50 years old when he took his hat off?
Can't find a good picture of him, but he has a receding hairline, a huge bald spot growing in the back of his head, and his features seemed to age about 30 years without the hat vs. when he had the hat on.

 

Is that really a “rally starter”? I would like to see the “data.” Obviously the Rays organization and Mr. Cash are more fearful of the third time through a difficult batting order.

 

That's a good point. The Rays managed five hits and seven baserunners against the Dodgers, who essentially had a pen game (seven pitchers). Which, by the way, is a concept that "analytical" teams have been doing more and more, mostly with success, but I suppose won't be mentioned much.

 

Damn. I just heard sound of Manfred giving the MVP trophy and think I got a contact buzz.