I think at some point you have to make sure you get your best arm in there. http://www.espn.com/blog/sweetspot/...ed-buck-showalters-epic-failure-costs-orioles
...not pointing fingers at you or anyone in particular but it's easy for people to second guess coaches when they are not the one who actually had to make the decision. Ubaldo Jimenez has been the O's best pitcher recently. ...I can't imagine anyone who I'd rather have coaching the Yanx other than Buck Showalter.
It's a tough situation for sure. The O's dodged a huge bullet in the ninth when they got Bautista to strike out and a big double play. They weren't getting out of that last jam regardless of who they brought in. The only question is if they should've started the inning with Britton.
...yeah, from Showalter's comments he seemed to believe he was in a good position once Osuna had to leave the game. He said he was hoping to get a lead in the top of an inning and then bring Britton in the bottom of the inning to close it out...just didn't work out the way he hoped.
I hears Davey Johnson once comment that during the '86 season everyone in New York knew more about managing than he. I heard Showalters comments and given the high power offense of both teams he made what he considered his best shot. I was of the opinion that whomever got the first bomb would win the game and Toronto got it. Texas and Toronto, two teams playing on a gas tank, my money is on Odor if Joey Bat gets within punching Range.
As much as I hate to say it but if I had to bet money on it the Red Sox are going to the World Series.
One thing I look for in PS Play is the unexpected. Cleveland has a diminished pitching staff but I'd like to see them come up huge and beat Boston so low they have to look up to see down. If that doesn't happen I'd say the Rangers will kick the Massholes all the way back to Boston.
...^^^that's a bet...and I don't want any of those puffed Chee-tos...I want the extra chrunchy kind !
^^^Mo did pitch in that game but Cone was just as much to blame as McDowell...Mo started bottom of the 9th inning after Cone blew a 4-2 lead in the 8th ...Mo promptly allowed the winning run to reach 2B...McDowell came in and put out the fire by striking out Edgar Martinez and then got ARod on a FC. ...McDowell was then left out there to pitch the 10th and then spit the bit the 11th.
I think about that 1995 game five against the Mariners all the time for many reasons. The most important being that it lead to Buck leaving, Torre being hired and the birth of a dynasty. As bad as the end result was it was actually one heck of a series. Mattingly turned back the clock and turned in a playoff series he could be proud of. On the flip side Edgar Martinez just absolutely killed the Yankees in that series. He was 12/21 .571 2hrs 3 doubles 10 RBIs and 6 walks. As for game five McDowell was certainly awful in his one series start as well as his relief appearance in game five. Certainly had a huge hand in that Yankees blowing the 2-0 lead in that series. The bottom line is nobody including Buck knew what Rivera was at that point in time. He road Cone into the ground that game because of what happened the previous night. He knew the bullpen was shot. Wetteland had been tattooed the night before in a game in which the Yankees blew a 5-0 lead as well as getting knocked around in game three. Buck was in a game five without a closer. The idea was ride Cone as far as he could and piece whatever he had to together at the end. It obviously didn't work out but those things happen in baseball. The loss to Arizona in the World Series was worse.
This may well be the legacy of Showlater's career; and or end of it..... Britton 47 saves, none blown; a 0.54 ERA; the best Pitcher in the bullpen, available, but not used. I get Buck's explanation, yet I doubt O's brass will. The Media sure will never let this go, like a rabid dog on a bone..... get over it O's fans, a team has little room to cry, when collectively, they could not win the Pennant.... a WC game is just that, wild....
Buck has had some bad managerial luck. The year after he left the Yankees and Diamondbacks both teams won the World Series.
I've always felt Buck got the short end of a raw deal, esp in AZ....! He did a great job with the Yanx, when you look at his roster, he had to work with....Always like Buck, even quoted him during an employee meeting, when no one knew who Buck Showalter was....say wtf? A good way to get one's attention, esp 274 non-attentive peeps. Simply say "Buck Showalter stated"; and you will hear a pin drop.... all he said, was: "I told my players, I am not looking for a team of superstars, only players who will come to the park daily and hustle 100%"..... ( I was forever branded after that, since the Yanx were the worst team in MLB then)....1992 won only 76 games....
