Buck just told us what he thinks of Jim Johnson

[jabba72]

I think Buck's just trying to get JJ's arm life back in it by resting him as long as possible. I believe the next save opp. it will be Johnson will be coming in.

[ExileAngelos]

That was a pathetic post. It is almost like he has it in for JJ.

Consider the source. Hardly a shock.

[eddie83]

Buck's exact words were he "kinda, almost needed to pitch tonight". He brought it up on his own as well, wasn't directly asked about it.

[Frobby]

So Eddie, I didn't here Buck but it looks like you and Frobby have two totally different takes on what he actually said. Did you get it wrong? Make it up? Or has Frobby completely lost it?

Maybe I have lost it:) It has a been a tough 10 days of baseball. I certainly didn't make it up.

I did hear what Frobby said later in the presser.

Your account is more or less correct. The stuff I quoted was at the end of the interview in response to a direct question about whether Buck had thought about using JJ to start the 9th. Earlier on he praised MacFarland for saving the rest of the bullpen by pitching multiple innings and said, "Jimmy was the only [other] guy who had the rest. He almost needed to pitch tonight."

But I don't see those statements as contradictory. They're consistent.

I would have relieved MacFarland after he gave up the second straight hit of the inning. You could tell they were catching up to him. I posted in the game thread that I thought Mac should be pulled, right before he allowed the double.

[Pruke]

You should be ashamed of yourself for this post. JJ has had a poor year but that happens in sports and is nothing to be ashamed of when you are giving your best effort. Besides that, I guarantee you that nobody on this team thinks Jim Johnson is the sole reason they are where they are.

Thank you again for being the voice of reason.

Signed,

Long suffering O's fan

[TonySoprano]

On needing to score more than one run in the seventh after loading the bases with no outs:

"We'd like to. Got back within one run there. Mac (T.J. McFarland) was great there. It got away from him a little bit in the last inning, but we were short down in the 'pen and he gave us some much-needed innings. Puts us in a better position to get some of our guys back physically. Jimmy (Johnson) was the only guy who really had the rest. He kind of almost needed to pitch tonight. The rest of them were a little short. Two or three guys there I was trying to stay away from unless we were at a winning cause."

source - Roch

[eddie83]

source - Roch

And yet in a game of this significance he left a Rule 5 guy in who hardly ever pitches? I am not knocking TJ, I defend him more than most around here and I don't think he has hurt us as much as some people do.

[El Gordo]

I'm missing something. Were Hunter and O'Day fried, and totally unavailable. When was the last time they pitched?

[eddie83]

I'm missing something. Were Hunter and O'Day fried, and totally unavailable. When was the last time they pitched?

I think he wanted to stay away from them. I do believe that to be the case. Definitely with Hunter. O'Day pitched last Sunday.

[El Gordo]

I think he wanted to stay away from them. I do believe that to be the case. Definitely with Hunter. O'Day pitched last Sunday.

When do relievers need more than a day's rest. In many cases they pitch 2-3 days in a row. We needed his game.

[atomic]

Buck is slumping. He was out managed in national.league games with no DH and he seems to be lost out there.

[Frobby]

I'm missing something. Were Hunter and O'Day fried, and totally unavailable. When was the last time they pitched?

Buck said he wanted to give them another day unless we had been in the lead.

[eddie83]

When do relievers need more than a day's rest. In many cases they pitch 2-3 days in a row. We needed his game.

Look I wanted JJ there. I didn't get it at all. He had him up and yet he pulled the trigger after the damage was done. He was either going to bring him in with runners on or with runners on and runs already in. O'Day has pitched 6 times since the 10th, I can see wanting to give him 2 days off in a row.

[Moose Milligan]

Wasn't it last week when someone was telling me that JJ has been pitching like he did last year?

FACT!

[Barnaby Graves]

Wasn't it last week when someone was telling me that JJ has been pitching like he did last year?

FACT!

I think you can make that argument depending on how you look at it. His xFIP is only 0.20 higher this year. His BABIP is WAY up, like 70 points. But that is being driven by a higher LD% of over 20 vs. last year's slightly over 16.

The short of it, while the improved K rate and unimproved BB rate and HR rate are basically cancelled out, he is being hit harder in general. That is what the numbers are saying.