At the risk of sounding like one of those morons who post on the fan boards of the newspaper Web sites, I'm wondering, is Eric Wedge trying to lose games?
The Tribe's skipper came into tonight's game with a bullpen running on about three cylinders due to "injury" and ineffectiveness, or at the very least inconsistency. Plus Raffie Betancourt was unavailable because of his two-inning outing last night.
He's playing the best, most disciplined hitting team in the league, but has a 2-1 lead.
He's got a veteran starter on the mound who has completed six innings on 78 pitches, allowed one unearned run and only six hits. Let me repeat one of those numbers - 78 pitches. That veteran has just gotten the No. 3 and No.4 hitters, so he's through most of the meat of the order. And he's cruising.
So of course Wedgie brings in the veteran Paul Byrd to squeeze out at least one more inning and save the pen right?
Of course not. Instead let's bring in Jorge Julio, a non-roster invitee to spring training who hasn't pitched in a close game all year.
Of course Julio walked the first, and only, two guys he faced. A bunt single and a single past the range-less J-honny and the Tribe leaves the field down 3-2.
The Tribe managed to tie it in the bottom of the seventh on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch, but it's pretty clear the pitching change in the sixth was a key factor in sending this game in the wrong direction.
They say the manager can affect - one way or the other - about 10 games a season. Put tonight down as one of those 10.
-
TopicRepliesLast Activity
-
Sox Hot Stove: The Jason Bay Decision | Boston Sports Then and Now
joemgill88 started this Boston Red Sox thread102 hours ago -
The Next Ted Williams is Not in a Test Tube - Bring Back the Days of Baseball Mysticism
mlnsports started this MLB thread118 hours ago -
What to do with the Mets?
dublej342 started this New York Mets thread318 hours ago -
dodgers-small market team
wellsfargo11 started this MLB thread318 hours ago -
Is the Chicago White Sox Signing Of Andruw Jones The Correct Move?
GMsPerspective started this MLB thread419 hours ago
Featured Yardbarker Articles
- Report: Nets Will fire Frank
- Report: Weis Has Already 'Cleaned Out His Office'
- NBA: Golden age of the NBA point guard
- Haslett says he has been contacted by NFL team
- The 10 biggest NHL stories of the last decade
- Rasheed Wallace: LeBron is a Flopper
- Report: Selig hints at plan to step down in 2012
- Halladay would approve a trade to the Yankees
- Photos: Tiger's Smashed SUV At The Crash Scene
- I dub thee, Sir Turkododo
Today's Best Stuff
For Bloggers
Company Info
Help
What is Yardbarker?
Join the Yardbarker Network (YBN) for more promotion, traffic, and money.


















rayj0101 said April 15, 2008