Will the reporters press Buck on bringing in Strop?

[Aristotelian]

This is it. Strop would have been last choice. Conger and Aybar are both switch hitters who are much worse from the right side. Why not being in Patton there, who's better to RHB and you turn both those guys around?

This was Buck trying to build Strop's confidence. He should be used as a mop up guy, if at all. You can still manage the pen without using THE most ineffective piece you have in a high leverage situation

My guess is that Buck's thinking was that he wanted Strop to face Trout. He was hoping that Pedro would bring his nasty stuff. I think it's a good play for that situation, it just didn't turn out as he wanted.

[Loophole]

A big reason we lost this game today was this past Sunday. In a game that should of been a blowout we wind up going through Hunter and JJ. It would of been nice had Tillman given us 7 innings but we got 6. Buck used O'Day in the 7th because he needed work. Matusz screwed everything up in the 8th. He let up 3 runs and couldn't get through the inning. Then Buck went to Hunter and then when Tommy couldn't get out of the 9th, JJ finished things up. Had Brian breezed in the 8th Buck could of gone to Strop, Patton or McFarland to start the 9th. Hunter and JJ instead both had to pitch in a game where we had a 7 run lead in the 8th. A lot of times the seeds for a loss are planted several days in advance.

Gonzo went 8 innings yesterday. The bullpen was rested. Any reliever who can't throw because he was used three days earlier shouldn't be in the major leagues.

[weams]

Any reliever who can't throw because he was used three days earlier shouldn't be in the major leagues.

What? Did the Red Sox release Koji?

[El Gordo]

Gonzo went 8 innings yesterday. The bullpen was rested. Any reliever who can't throw because he was used three days earlier shouldn't be in the major leagues.

That's just silly. In that case all bullpens are always rested all the time.

[eddie83]

Gonzo went 8 innings yesterday. The bullpen was rested. Any reliever who can't throw because he was used three days earlier shouldn't be in the major leagues.

JJ and Hunter were used that game. JJ has pitched 3 games in a row. If neither of them pitches that game then Buck doesn't manage the same way today.

[slakattack]

As long as Chen is on the DL and/or DD can't find another legitimate SP , this team needs an extra arm in the pen and that means a bench player has to go...this team's core hitters are good enough to suffer through that temporarily

*throws 2 pennies*

[Loophole]

That's just silly. In that case all bullpens are always rested all the time.

Have you ever heard of a decent reliever who could only be used once every four days? A single day off is usually more than most of them need. The only time this is ever an issue is when they throw a ton of pitches in one appearance or appear a few days in a row.

[pollaxt]

My guess is that Buck's thinking was that he wanted Strop to face Trout. He was hoping that Pedro would bring his nasty stuff. I think it's a good play for that situation, it just didn't turn out as he wanted.

If that's the case, I guess Buck didn't realize Trout has a career OPS 100 points higher against righties than lefties. Regardless, Buck/Strop cost the Orioles a 3 game sweep and a record 10 games over .500 and I'm peeved.

[Il BuonO]

This is it. Strop would have been last choice. Conger and Aybar are both switch hitters who are much worse from the right side. Why not being in Patton there, who's better to RHB and you turn both those guys around?

This was Buck trying to build Strop's confidence. He should be used as a mop up guy, if at all. You can still manage the pen without using THE most ineffective piece you have in a high leverage situation

There were two guys that hit before Trout ever came up and both of them, BOTH OF THEM, are decidedly better from the left side.

My guess is that Buck's thinking was that he wanted Strop to face Trout. He was hoping that Pedro would bring his nasty stuff. I think it's a good play for that situation, it just didn't turn out as he wanted.

With two guys on base and no outs, the play was to get the guys coming up and then bring in either O'Day or Hunter for an out to get Trout and have them go the next inning. Both were rested and can easily throw an inning and a third. And then bring in the other one for the 9th.

We still have Johnson, Matusz, McFarland, and Strop for mop up duty if tomorrow's game gets out of hand, but you win today's game first. And mop up duty is ALL Strop should be used for if he is going to be given a roster spot at this point.

[LookitsPuck]

Hey Gordo, what about this little quote from Buck:

"Well, it depends what the needs of our bullpen are," he said. "Yesterday, we had three or four guys that we weren't going to use. We've got some guys who, when they're healthy, might be ahead of him, but we'll play it by ear, depending on what the needs and health of our bullpen are.

"The reason why we won those first two games and the last game in Tampa... That's the way it works. You try to win that game and keep the health of your people and then make the adjustment the next day. Some things you don't ask the pitchers. You just do it. You go ask Jim Johnson and he'll tell you, 'I'll pitch 10 days in a row.' Well, that's not good for us. We can't do it that way and expect to be a good team. We're not even halfway through the season."

From:

http://www.masnsports.com/school_of_roch/2013/06/showalter-on-strop.html

So, basically Buck is saying that he's playing to win that game and will work with tomorrow based on what has changed. The previous game/games dictate the direction you go in for the current game, not the next day (unless it's a 20 inning game and you may need to start using starters, of course).

[El Gordo]

Hey Gordo, what about this little quote from Buck:

"Well, it depends what the needs of our bullpen are," he said. "Yesterday, we had three or four guys that we weren't going to use. We've got some guys who, when they're healthy, might be ahead of him, but we'll play it by ear, depending on what the needs and health of our bullpen are.

"The reason why we won those first two games and the last game in Tampa... That's the way it works. You try to win that game and keep the health of your people and then make the adjustment the next day. Some things you don't ask the pitchers. You just do it. You go ask Jim Johnson and he'll tell you, 'I'll pitch 10 days in a row.' Well, that's not good for us. We can't do it that way and expect to be a good team. We're not even halfway through the season."

From:

http://www.masnsports.com/school_of_roch/2013/06/showalter-on-strop.html

So, basically Buck is saying that he's playing to win that game and will work with tomorrow based on what has changed. The previous game/games dictate the direction you go in for the current game, not the next day (unless it's a 20 inning game and you may need to start using starters, of course).

I don't see how you get this: So, basically Buck is saying that he's playing to win that game and will work with tomorrow based on what has changed."

From this: "Yesterday, we had three or four guys that we weren't going to use. We've got some guys who, when they're healthy, might be ahead of him, but we'll play it by ear, depending on what the needs and health of our bullpen are." "You go ask Jim Johnson and he'll tell you, 'I'll pitch 10 days in a row.' Well, that's not good for us. We can't do it that way and expect to be a good team. We're not even halfway through the season."

Looks to me like you are making Buck say what you want him to say.

[McLovin]

I don't understand Buck's whole thing about not being able to use so and so, and he had to use Strop.

If you are talking about players as second tier and last resorts because others are not available, they shouldn't be on the team.

A bullpen needs a mop up guy, sure. That's TJ. Two is just too much of a handicap. He's not doing the job, and the O's are trying to make the playoffs today. They should not risk wins today because the guy has 'a good arm' that might be alright three years from now.

[Can_of_corn]

I don't understand Buck's whole thing about not being able to use so and so, and he had to use Strop.

If you are talking about players as second tier and last resorts because others are not available, they shouldn't be on the team.

A bullpen needs a mop up guy, sure. That's TJ. Two is just too much of a handicap. He's not doing the job, and the O's are trying to make the playoffs today. They should not risk wins today because the guy has 'a good arm' that might be alright three years from now.

Furthermore it isn't as if Strop was going to go three innings. It would have been a simple matter for him to swap Strop with whomever he had slotted to pitch the ninth.

[El Gordo]

Furthermore it isn't as if Strop was going to go three innings. It would have been a simple matter for him to swap Strop with whomever he had slotted to pitch the ninth.

So you want Strop to close that game? He said 3-4 guys he wasn't using. Well one was JJ and the other was most likely McFarland, because we'll most likely need a long man tomorrow. So that left O Day and Hunter. At least one was on the don't use list, and the other was set to close, if needed. It was possible that we could have scored more R and then close with Patton or Matusz in the 9th. Patton. As I see it his choices were Patton Matusz and Strop. He most likely went with Strop because of the lefty righty thing.

[Can_of_corn]

So you want Strop to close that game? He said 3-4 guys he wasn't using. Well one was JJ and the other was most likely McFarland, because we'll most likely need a long man tomorrow. So that left O Day and Hunter. At least one was on the don't use list, and the other was set to close, if needed. It was possible that we could have scored more R and then close with Patton or Matusz in the 9th. Patton. As I see it his choices were Patton Matusz and Strop. He most likely went with Strop because of the lefty righty thing.

Sure!

I would much rather see Stop enter the 9th with no one on then see him enter the game in the 7th with 2 on 0 out.