Buck's decision to pull McFarland with 2 outs in the 9th last night

[atomic]

I would have brought ODay in. Getting into the heart of the lineup. What if the next two batters get hits. Then you bring Oday into stressful situation. Get the win before they get any momentum..

[Can_of_corn]

I would have brought ODay in. Getting into the heart of the lineup. What if the next two batters get hits. Then you bring Oday into stressful situation. Get the win before they get any momentum..

The way I look at it, if TJ can't hold that lead he shouldn't be on the team.

[Rene88]

I am with Frobby here, WTH. I thought it might be an injury. I dunno, Buck got on me on that move. Good thread topic.

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[Barnfather]

Buck just explaining on the radio that he did it to keep Britton out of the ballgame, as it would have been likely he would have had to come on and face Ortiz

[Can_of_corn]

Buck just explaining on the radio that he did it to keep Britton out of the ballgame, as it would have been likely he would have had to come on and face Ortiz

So he had Britton warm up as part of his plan to keep Britton out of the game?

How about you just trust the rest of the bullpen to hold a four run lead?

[Why Not?]

There was some factor that nobody not named Buck Showalter considered. I'm pretty sure the guy knows what he's doing. There was a reason. We don't know and won't know what it was.

[LookitsPuck]

Didn't make any sense. You're up by 4. Don't even warm up O'Day. McFarland isn't great but he's not so bad that you have to worry about a 4 run lead with him cruising.

[byrdz]

TJ did blow the save in the previous game. Still seemed like an odd move.

[LookitsPuck]

So he had Britton warm up as part of his plan to keep Britton out of the game?

How about you just trust the rest of the bullpen to hold a four run lead?

Yup. If you can't trust McFarland with a 4 run lead he shouldn't be on the team. Overusing the bullpen and warming up guys unnecessarily is going to kill this team considering how awful the SP has been.

[Barnfather]

Honest question...how is a bullpen pitcher warming up going to kill the team?

Surely it is no more intensity than their out-of-game workouts?

[OFFNY]

Honest question...how is a bullpen pitcher warming up going to kill the team?

Surely it is no more intensity than their out-of-game workouts?

I obviously cannot speak for all relief pitchers themselves, but John Franco once stated that he felt like warming up in the bullpen was no better than warming up and actually pitching in regard to resting a pitcher/giving him the day off. He said that if the manager was going to give a pitcher a day off, then he should have him off completely ...... meaning, don't even have him warm up in the bullpen.

Again, this is John Franco's account/view of this issue while he was pitching for the Mets about 15 years ago. I'm sure that other relief pitchers have different views on the matter.

[Ripken]

It was very strange. Sometimes I think there are decisions being made for reasons we'll never know. Maybe Pedroia called DOD's mother a bad name or something.

[Ohfan67]

Oh, it's a foregone conclusion that they absolutely did not.

They did and Buck explained his thinking (well, sort of, in Buck-speak).

[AdamK]

I've seen the move before. It's called the "crazy Ivan."

[hoosiers]

Yup. If you can't trust McFarland with a 4 run lead he shouldn't be on the team. Overusing the bullpen and warming up guys unnecessarily is going to kill this team considering how awful the SP has been.

This and other reasons earlier in the thread sum it up for me. I really don't think it is worth it to burn O'Day and Britton warming up with a four run lead.

Buck makes a move like this once or twice a year and it seems a big waste IMO.

BTW, I don't think Buck makes moves just to follow the save rule.