We're going to walk this guy the next guy is going to hit into a double play and we're gonna go home

[CA-ORIOLE]

The next hitter was either Romine or as it turned out Hernan Perez, a .287 hitter at the AAA level. I think the delta is huge, at least it sounds big.

The point in my OP was that it is sometimes lost on people that managers use statistics and books to inform decisions, but I guarantee you Buck's in game decision making is driven more by his knowledge of things like a team's bench strength than whether or not his chances of winning increased or decreased by 5.5 percent if he put the winning run on first.

And despite what Malike says there's some really good bits in The Idiots Guide To Managing Baseball Teams.

Correct, it's huge delta between Castellanos and Romine/Perez and I'm sure the "run matrix" doesn't have a 75% GB rate built in.

[backwardsk]

Buck reassured Britton that the pitches that had been hit for doubles were both good pitches. Then, he took the weight off Britton's shoulders and put it on his own by telling them exactly what they were going to do and what was going to happen next.

I don't know how you can calculate how much that relieved the pressure on Britton and the infield, allowing them to just play the game. Not having to think is big. That's why Buck went out there instead of sending Wallace. He wanted all of them to know that this was on him.

After the game he gave them credit for executing, which they richly deserved.

Excellent points.

[PeteU]

The actual quote by Buck on the mound is pure awesomeness. It just builds the legend behind the man and this team even further.

As for the decision, I liked it, even before the double play. We were up 2 games to none, so we had a little bit of flexibility. With one runner on second, a single up the middle ties it and a homerun wins it. Putting a guy on first doesn't change either of those scenarios. The only risk would be a double down the line or in the gap. But now you're moving out of the middle of the Tigers order and down into the far less potent bottom part of the order, and the chance for either a double or homerun decreases significantly. You set up the double play for a pitcher who can get ground balls, and that's exactly what we got.

I was 100% supportive of the decision the moment Buck made it.

[Mayor McCheese]

Gotta say, most managers wouldn't have taken that risk. It could have ended bad, but I'm glad Buck had the guts to put It all on the line and take that risk. It ended the game, the series and gives the players more time to rest before the ALCS. BUCKle up! Love the guy.

That was the correct play. Any manager would have done the same thing. It was honestly a no-brainer.

[CA-ORIOLE]

That was the correct play. Any manager would have done the same thing. It was honestly a no-brainer.

I liked the move, but this is certainly not true.

[Mayor McCheese]

I liked the move, but this is certainly not true.

It was certainly true for this situation.

Who would you rather face Nick Castellanos or a guy who has ONLY 7 AB's this year facing the Britton ?!?!?

Britton was just missing with his sinker. Get the weaker hitter to the plate and make your pitch and the game/series is over. Thats all that needs to be said here.

[Aristotelian]

It was certainly true for this situation.

Who would you rather face Nick Castellanos or a guy who has ONLY 7 AB's this year facing the Britton ?!?!?

Britton was just missing with his sinker. Get the weaker hitter to the plate and make your pitch and the game/series is over. Thats all that needs to be said here.

Then why is everybody on this board and in the media talking about this move? Sure there was a logic to the move, but it was far from a no-brainer. I am sure there are many managers in the league who would have gone the other way.

[Mayor McCheese]

Then why is everybody on this board and in the media talking about this move? Sure there was a logic to the move, but it was far from a no-brainer. I am sure there are many managers in the league who would have gone the other way.

The media??? really the media???? LOL - They are talking about the move because it ended the series... thats why. If this were the 7th/8th inning it would NOT be getting that much attention.

If you want to argue if Buck debated about making this move you can. He made the right move that IMHO any manager would have done with the given situation (Pitcher / Hitter).

No need to argue. Lets enjoy this ride.

[Ruzious]

Then why is everybody on this board and in the media talking about this move? Sure there was a logic to the move, but it was far from a no-brainer. I am sure there are many managers in the league who would have gone the other way.

The sports media exaggerating the wisdom of something so they have stuff to talk about? Never!

It was a good move that worked. I think most managers would have made it - probably some wouldn't have.

[Malike]

Buck does weird things sometimes. Remember when he intentionally walked Bonds with the bases loaded? They won that game, too. Sometimes you have to put the book down, and make an unconventional decision.

[Palmoripken]

Buck does weird things sometimes. Remember when he intentionally walked Bonds with the bases loaded? They won that game, too. Sometimes you have to put the book down, and make an unconventional decision.

That's right, Buck was the guy that famously walked Bonds with the bases loaded. I hadn't known they won that game and I admit I thought it was a weird move at the time but Buck clearly knows what he's doing at there.

[Satyr3206]

I thought it was the right call based on who was coming up and who was pitching. If Cabrera or either Martinez was coming up my opinion would be vastly different.

[Malike]

I thought it was the right call based on who was coming up and who was pitching. If Cabrera or either Martinez was coming up my opinion would be vastly different.

I have no doubt Buck's would have been vastly different as well.

[harp6]

Then why is everybody on this board and in the media talking about this move? Sure there was a logic to the move, but it was far from a no-brainer. I am sure there are many managers in the league who would have gone the other way.

The media doesn't even know the rules of the game, so how are they supposed to know strategy. I was watching TBS after the Royals/Angels game and they were saying that tie goes to the runner because Pearce did not establish control (Close his mit on the ball) yet. They did not know that the rule is when the ball strikes the back of the mit.

Furthermore, most of them rarely watched the O's and do not realize how good Britton is at getting groundballs. Based on the situation to me it was an easy decision and anyone who watches and knows the O's well, knew that Buck would make that decision.

[CA-ORIOLE]

It was certainly true for this situation.

Who would you rather face Nick Castellanos or a guy who has ONLY 7 AB's this year facing the Britton ?!?!?

Britton was just missing with his sinker. Get the weaker hitter to the plate and make your pitch and the game/series is over. Thats all that needs to be said here.

Since we agree totally on this. I'm not really going to argue with you about it. As you have pointed out there are enough numbers to trump the rune expectancy matrix objectively and probably subjectively.

My only point is that I do think some managers may not have made the move.