What did DT do wrong tonight?

[Fan4Life]

BB hits the wall in the 5th or 6th.n He tried to get 7 in the Yankee game and it did not happen. He got ripped for that. Now he is getting heat for taking him out. I thought Bergy's was done.

Every manager goes into a game with a plan. His plan IMO was to go with Bergy for as long as he could and if the game was close go with Ray and then Baez for 2. Ray let him down, he then chose Walker. He could have gone to Baez in the 7th but even if Baez gets Dunn and Willingham then Walker or Hendrickson needs to close. He has to count on them at some point

He took BB out after a couple dink/dunk seeing eye base hits. I don't see that as "hitting the wall". A couple walks, or hard hit balls, outs or not, could be seen more as a problem to me. Obviously we disagree on the siutation.

[Mike B]

He took BB out after a couple dink/dunk seeing eye base hits. I don't see that as "hitting the wall". A couple walks, or hard hit balls, outs or not, could be seen more as a problem to me. Obviously we disagree on the siutation.

Dunn had just put the Nats ahead with a long homer off BB. He stayed with him and he gave up another hit. IMO, he was done. You want to give Ray a chance to give up a hit in that situation without it costing you a run. That part worked.

[SilentJames]

He took BB out after a couple dink/dunk seeing eye base hits. I don't see that as "hitting the wall". A couple walks, or hard hit balls, outs or not, could be seen more as a problem to me. Obviously we disagree on the siutation.

EVERYTHING was up. he just gave up the go-ahead blast to Dunn. Did you watch the game man?

[Fan4Life]

EVERYTHING was up. he just gave up the go-ahead blast to Dunn. Did you watch the game man?

Nationals 6th

Brad Bergesen pitching:

Ryan Zimmerman: Zimmerman singled to left.

Adam Dunn: Strike looking, Ball, Ball, Dunn homered to center, Zimmerman scored.

Josh Willingham: Bunt foul, Ball, Strike swinging, Willingham grounded out to shortstop.

Ronnie Belliard: Ball, Foul, Belliard grounded out to shortstop.

Austin Kearns: Foul, Ball, Ball, Kearns singled to shallow center.

Yes, I did. After the HR, 2 ground outs and a wussy single. Then DT decided he was Dunn.

[Mike B]

EVERYTHING was up. he just gave up the go-ahead blast to Dunn. Did you watch the game man?

Agreed, In watching BB, to me it is obvious when he starts to tire or tries to overthrow. The arm angle drops and the pitches elevate in the stike zone.

[now]

When looking at matchups, people tend to focus on the pitcher's splits and leave out the hitter's splits. The truer odds are an average of the two.

Walker .368 vs. LH

Dunn .275 vs. LH (after Sunday, that is)

Net (avg.) odds in the situation: .322

In this case it didn't matter much (Dunn hits .288 vs. RH, not much different).

BTW Hendrickson this year:

starter - 6.39

relief - 1.59

vs. LH - .310

vs. RH - .314

But my real questions are:

1. Why is Jamie Walker on this team?

2. Why isn't Adam Dunn on this team?

[PaulFolk]

I'm not happy with his choice of taking BB out, that is correct. I didn't recommend Baez come in, in the 6th-7th. I said whoever DT had decided would close the came should have came in when it was on the line... in the 7th as you pointed out. Is that out of line?

Why was the game on the line in the 7th, but it wouldn't be in the 9th?

The O's had a 1-run lead in the 7th. Let's say Trembley brings in Baez and gets 1-2 scoreless innings out of him. Well then, the Orioles still have a 1-run lead in the 9th, and now Baez is done for the day. Now what? You're still going to have to use either Ray or Walker. And the game's still on the line.

The bottom line is that Trembley had to squeeze 9 outs from a bullpen that had only one decent pitcher available (Baez). Unless Baez could pitch all 3 innings, Trembley had no choice but to use Ray, Walker, or Hendrickson with the game on the line.

[Fan4Life]

Why was the game on the line in the 7th, but it wouldn't be in the 9th?

The O's had a 1-run lead in the 7th. Let's say Trembley brings in Baez and gets 1-2 scoreless innings out of him. Well then, the Orioles still have a 1-run lead in the 9th, and now Baez is done for the day. Now what? You're still going to have to use either Ray or Walker. And the game's still on the line.

The bottom line is that Trembley had to squeeze 9 outs from a bullpen that had only one decent pitcher available (Baez). Unless Baez could pitch all 3 innings, Trembley had no choice but to use Ray, Walker, or Hendrickson with the game on the line.

I would have brought BB out for the 7th as well and only replaced him if had gotten into trouble. IE... 1st and 2nd nobody out. My beef isn't so much about Walker and Ray's performance as I think BB should have beem left in and brought out to start the 7th had he gotten out of the 6th.

[hoosiers]

Exactly, but you can only play with what you have. Ray, Walker and Hendrickson are all prone to the HR ball and LH and killing ALL of them.

Walker - .398

Hendrickson - .310

Ray - .576

Pick your poison and pray at that point. Walker had only given up two homeruns before yesterday (1 RH/1 LH). I mean any way you slice it Dave was in trouble that game with the pen. And it is not his fault, when your starter goes out after three the day before it leaves you in a bad position.

After last night's scoreless IP, Hendrickson has now given up 1 ER in 5.2 IP in relief with 4 hits, 0 BBs and 8 Ks this season. Hendrickson's numbers the first time through an order last year were more than solid. Saying Hendrickson is "poison in the pen" is really contrary to the results.

Why use Ray with a small lead? Ray's last 10 outings involve 7.2 IP and 11 earned runs - giving up more than 1 ER in three of those appearances! Based on recent results, the chances of Ray finishing the seventh with lead the still intact were less than 50% while the chances of Ray leaving with the Nats in front was about one in three.

Comparing Ray v Hendrickson above, it is laughable that DT should go with Ray with a lead at all. And, why is the Ray gamble in the 7th yesterday better than letting Baez close out the 12th with a third inning of work on Friday (after getting six outs on 18 pitches) with a two run lead or letting Hendrickson close the ninth against weak hitters on Saturday? Either of which would have saved GS to be in yesterday's end of game scenario.

Bottom line, using Ray with a one run lead was a reckless gamble on DT's part if Albers, Baez and Hendrickson were available to pitch yesterday.

[PaulFolk]

I would have brought BB out for the 7th as well and only replaced him if had gotten into trouble. IE... 1st and 2nd nobody out. My beef isn't so much about Walker and Ray's performance as I think BB should have beem left in and brought out to start the 7th had he gotten out of the 6th.

BB seemed to be clearly tiring in the 6th-- he'd given up hits to six of the last 10 batters he'd faced, and the Nationals were hitting the ball hard. He was out of gas, and Trembley removed him at the right time, IMO.

[Home Plate]

Was it Sunday's game when a National's commentator critized DT for not telling the infield umpire to stop talking to the O's pitcher? The comentator said that DT should have gone out and told the umpire to talk to him, if he had something to say.

[Mike B]

I would have brought BB out for the 7th as well and only replaced him if had gotten into trouble. IE... 1st and 2nd nobody out. My beef isn't so much about Walker and Ray's performance as I think BB should have beem left in and brought out to start the 7th had he gotten out of the 6th.

If you look at the 5th and 6th innings it seems obvious to me that BB was wearing down. Here is the breakdown.

Belliard flies out

Kearns double

Nieves Double

martis single

harris flied out

Guzman ground out.

6th inning

Zimmerman singles

Dunn Homers

Willingham andBelliard ground to Andino

Kearns singles

Ray comes in and gets Nieves.

BB's last 1.2 IP 6 hits and 4 runs.

taking into consideration his struggles in the mid innings, IMO it was time.

[BaltimoreTerp]

Because you have no idea if the game will be that close later in the game. The O's could make it a 3-4 run game in the top of the 8th or 9th.

He is talking about a relief ace type role and I totally, 100% agree.

I was coming down to say this point.

If you look at it with what we know of how the game would have looked, of course you say what Paul did.

However, the whole point is that when you are making the decision you don't have that knowledge. So your goal should be in favor of protecting the lead now while hopefully your offense will score some insurance runs.

If you don't have the confidence in your offense that they can give you those extra runs, then maybe you have a deeper issue than simply not having the arms.

[RHall31]

I don't understand why DT left Roberts on third yesterday when he was clearly hobbled and he had Andino on the bench. It worked out fine but I thought Andino should have pinch run after Roberts reaction on the wild pitch.

I also don't get why Baez didn't go back out for the 9th.

[El Gordo]

I don't understand why DT left Roberts on third yesterday when he was clearly hobbled and he had Andino on the bench. It worked out fine but I thought Andino should have pinch run after Roberts reaction on the wild pitch.

I also don't get why Baez didn't go back out for the 9th.

I guess the only possible explanation is that DT is "clueless".:rolleyestf: