Great quote by Prince in the JS and a good article by Hunt

[trwi7]

We got six runs off their ace, when you do that, that should be enough, in my opinion.

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=649149

You can't disagree. Yeah you can say they only tacked on one run after the 3rd inning but anytime you score 6 runs on another teams ace that should be enough to win that game.

Good for him calling out the pitching staff who the offense has basically carried this year.

Also good job by Hunt calling out Yost on his stupid decision to not pinch hit for Linebrink in the 7th, basically conceding an out and not going with Shouse against Valentin.

[livestrong4ever]

I thought it was a good move to leave linebrink to pitch agian. in the 8th.

[trwi7]

I thought it was a good move to leave linebrink to pitch agian. in the 8th.

Why? You're basically giving up an out so he can go pitch and then when he loads the bases for Valentin and you have Shouse ready to flip him around and make him bat right handed where he's terrible, you don't and Linebrink gives up the game winning double.

[Buck You]

I thought it was a good move to leave linebrink to pitch agian. in the 8th.

It was an alright move until the bases were loaded. He should have brought in Shouse, as Hunt said, in that situation.

[Epicurus]

-= original quote snipped =-



Why? You're basically giving up an out so he can go pitch and then when he loads the bases for Valentin and you have Shouse ready to flip him around and make him bat right handed where he's terrible, you don't and Linebrink gives up the game winning double.

While on the game thread, prior to Valentin's hit, I shared my thought that it was a mistake to not turn Valentin around to the right side. Yet, as I think on it, isn't Shouse very weak against righthanders (I don't really know, but thought I heard that). Valentin can hit a lefty who can't throw it by him (i.e., no fast ball).

[trwi7]

-= original quote snipped =-



While on the game thread, prior to Valentin's hit, I shared my thought that it was a mistake to not turn Valentin around to the right side. Yet, as I think on it, isn't Shouse very weak against righthanders (I don't really know, but thought I heard that). Valentin can hit a lefty who can't throw it by him (i.e., no fast ball).

This year (limited sample size remember) Shouse has allowed a .257 BAA, .329 OBP, 300 SLG% and .619 OPS against right handed hitters. Even if he isn't great against right handers I'd still take the chance and flip Valentin and his sub .300 OBP against left handed pitchers around.

[trwi7]

Some more quotes I found interesting.

Reds manager Pete Mackanin and Valentin both expressed their surprise after the game that Yost hadn't brought in Shouse to face the catcher. In fact, as Valentin was running to the dugout from the visitors' bullpen, "I decided to take my time because I thought they would bring in a lefty," he said.

"I wanted to face Valentin from the left side," Yost simply said. "I like Linebrink right there in that situation."

"I'm not happy about giving the lead back that we had," Capuano said. "But it's easier to look yourself in the mirror when you know you left it all out there. I can hold my head up knowing that I gave everything."

So what are you saying? Are you saying you haven't been giving it everything you had?

[goirish2107]

yeah six runs should be enough, but being unable to do more than one solo hr after the third? that smacks of underproduction to me. maybe 6 should be enough, and i would expect nothing more off harrang, but come on. these are nine-inning games. if your team can score six, so can theirs. overall though i blame pitching

[WEFFPIM]

To be fair, Hunt is questioning the decision to keep Linebrink in the game once he loaded the bases. I liked the decision to have him bat, because there have been many times with Linebrink where he pitches a quick and efficient inning but his spot in the lineup is due soon, so he can't keep pitching. He and Shouse are the only relievers that I trust in that bullpen right now, so I don't mind the decision at all to keep him in to pitch the 8th.

However, once the second basehit came to load the bases, Shouse should have been in the game. This is a guy who is a lefty specialist, but has been pitching well against right-handed hitters as well. It should have been a no-brainer move right there. Linebrink had lost it.

This team right now is in such disarray it's scary. Offense is calling out the pitching, players questioning Yost's moves, Capuano saying that "even though the Brewers lost, at least he pitched with everything he had." Boy, that's an irritating mindset.

[GrandAdmiralDan]

Also good job by Hunt calling out Yost on his stupid decision to not pinch hit for Linebrink in the 7th, basically conceding an out

Hunt doesn't make that criticism in the article you linked too.

But the decision to let Linebrink hit in that situation was one that I was against.

Not that I am claiming I was predicting Linebrink would struggle when he came back out to pitch the 8th.
I would have been completely fine with him coming back to pitch the 8th if his spot in the lineup didn't come up in the bottom of the 7th. But his spot was due up 2nd. The game was tied. We had a number of bullpen pitchers still available to us (in particular, Shouse, Turnbow, and Cordero, but perhaps also others if they ended up being needed). We needed to go with a pinch hitter there in an attempt to score, except in the situation where our lead-off hitter got to first base or second base. If that was the case, then I have Linebrink attempt to bunt them over.

and not going with Shouse against Valentin.

That is the criticism that Hunt did make in that article, and I agree with that as well.

I don't really understand either decision.

[trwi7]

yeah six runs should be enough, but being unable to do more than one solo hr after the third? that smacks of underproduction to me. maybe 6 should be enough, and i would expect nothing more off harrang, but come on. these are nine-inning games. if your team can score six, so can theirs. overall though i blame pitching

Well they scored 6 runs. That should be enough to win at least 75% of games played. Does it really matter when they were scored? Is 6 runs in innings 1-3 any different than 6 runs in innings 4-6 or 7-9?