12/21/24
October 02, 2003
A Squeeze Bunt In Extra Innings With The Bases Loaded and Two Outs!!!: This was one of the gutiest calls I've ever seen in sports. The A's beat the Red Sox in extra innings after the Sox bullpen blew another lead. Discuss.
It wasn't a call - Hernandez decided to bunt on his own. "I looked over at third when I took the first pitch and watched what's over there," Hernandez said. "I thought he was very deep, and the first thing that comes through my mind is if I get it down the third-base line, I've got a good chance to be safe." Hernandez won the game with his bunt and Chavez saved the game with his defense, but Erubiel Durazo's 11-pitch walk against Martinez was my favorite. Once he got two strikes, Durazo swung late to protect against the off speed pitch, fouling off ball after ball to the third base side (he's a lefty). A classic example of using hitting strategy to beat a great pitcher.
posted by dusted at 10:56 AM on October 02, 2003
i am so tired. so so very tired.
posted by jerseygirl at 11:05 AM on October 02, 2003
I was so asleep.
posted by corpse at 11:28 AM on October 02, 2003
Dusted, you stole my thunder. As soon as I saw the FPP, I decided to post on that AB. It was an excellent example of what makes post-season baseball great... Every at bat counts so much, especially those in the late innings. What a battle that was, even if no runs came of it.
posted by 86 at 11:50 AM on October 02, 2003
I'm still mad about it. And tired. Perhaps my anger is fueled by utter and complete exhaustion. Walking zombies around here, I'll tell ya. Kim can't close. You don't put Kim on the mound in these situations. He doesn't perform in the close games. If we have a 7 or 8 run lead, sure let the kid throw a couple pitches. Of course, that negates the save situation and the idea of being a "closer". Heart attack closer. I don't know if I would have put Lowe in either that late in the game. He's not exactly a fierce dominating presence (i.e. Pedro coming in to relieve in the 99 series). Lowe's got too much of a headcase thing going on and I don't know if I'd subject him to more. If he gets murdered on the mound, he's going to get shaken and do the Derek Lowe face. I think I would have put Arroyo in. Oakland hasn't seen Arroyo's stuff yet and he probably would have been fine. And another thing... I can't believe they walked Long. Lowe sure as hell didn't want to do that. He knew he could get Long out. /armchair manager And I hate the ESPN d-squad announcers from last night. A trio of Captains of the Obvious. Maybe they could recap how many pitches Pedro threw just one more time, I didn't catch it the first 49 times they said it.
posted by jerseygirl at 12:30 PM on October 02, 2003
I thought something was going on when I loaded ESPN this morning and saw that the game was still in progress (top of the 12th at the time, me eating breakfast in the UK). sheesh. didn't take long for me to think of red sox fans (and since I don't actually know any I'll admit to thinking about you jerseygirl) staying up to watch the game. yowch. sounds like a great game though. now I wanna watch some baseball (sniff).
posted by gspm at 12:43 PM on October 02, 2003
Oh Jgirl - I totally agree. That was the worst called game I've seen in years. Black and Dekkar oughta sponsor the broadcast booth - cuz it's full of tools. I found that game to be so sloppy - two great pitchers just really not at the top of their game and a couple of teams that had really piss-poor offences. Boston forgot how to hit and Oakland just can't. Of course, If I'm Ken Macha, I go into my clubhouse today and say well, Manny didn't beat us, and neither did Nomar, David, Trot, Bill, Kevin, Jason or Johnny. But holy shee-it watch out for that Todd-guy. I bet he wasn't even on their radar going into this series. Boston really hurts after this one with Tim "the knuckler wasn't dancing today" Wakefield going today against Barry "I'm Cy fucking Young" Zito.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 12:56 PM on October 02, 2003
I think I remember, way back at the beginning of the season with Arizona, Kim didn't even want to be a closer. He was never developped as one, he doesn't want to be one, I don't know why Boston wanted to turn him back into one. He'd be a fine 4th or 5th starter for the Sox next year if they'd just let him be. He pitched fine in Arizona as a starter (sub 4.00 E.R.A).
posted by therev at 01:03 PM on October 02, 2003
don't know if I would have put Lowe in either that late in the game. I'd say the only reason I'd choose him over some of the others in that bullpen is the fact that a couple of years ago, he was a pretty fantastic reliever. The problem with throwing someone like Arroyo is that he is so young, he's going to be hit or miss; get torched right away and put them far out of the game or pull a K-Rod and dominate. You're rolling the dice with him, at least with Lowe you know you're going to get a quality inning or two.
posted by therev at 01:06 PM on October 02, 2003
Kim can't close. You don't put Kim on the mound in these situations. He doesn't perform in the close games. If we have a 7 or 8 run lead, sure let the kid throw a couple pitches. Of course, that negates the save situation and the idea of being a "closer". Heart attack closer. If Kim stays in, the Red Sox win the game. I said when he came in that I bet Little and his over-managing ways wouldn't let him finish. Let your closer close! It's the first game of the postseason, and you've let your closer know in no uncertain terms that you have no confidence in him. But I agree with you in everything else - I can't believe they walked Long! He would have been out. Lowe shouldn't have pitched at all. The announcers are abysmal. Where I watched the game (Red Sox fan haven Riviera - see my post at hello.typepad) there was one room with the sound off and one with it on. We chose the room with the sound off, of course. There are some funny pictures of Chris Connelly rooting for the Red Sox if you follow that link.
posted by djacobs at 01:07 PM on October 02, 2003
I thought Kim only had like two or three blown saves in the RS?
posted by billsaysthis at 01:08 PM on October 02, 2003
I think I remember, way back at the beginning of the season with Arizona, Kim didn't even want to be a closer. He was never developped as one, he doesn't want to be one, I don't know why Boston wanted to turn him back into one. true enough. When we acquired him for Hillenbrand (which is still the best move of the season, despite Kim) (see Mueller, Millar, Ortiz, et al) we tried him out as a starter to accomodate him. He was pretty decent as a starter, but we have decent starting pitching already. We so desperately needed someone in the former Bullpen by Committee that we made a deal with him: He closes this year and we'll start him next year. As far as I know, that plan is still in tact. Williamson, our other reliever with quite a bit of closing experience, has been subpar. I can't explain it, much like the Jeff Suppan thing, but Williamson's got nothing since he came to Boston. I'd be interested in knowing if they can't handle the pressures of a big market team or if the pitching coach is getting to them. If Kim stays in, the Red Sox win the game. I said when he came in that I bet Little and his over-managing ways wouldn't let him finish. Let your closer close! It's the first game of the postseason, and you've let your closer know in no uncertain terms that you have no confidence in him. I thought Kim only had like two or three blown saves in the RS? Kim hasn't been the lights out closer a ballclub of this level needs. When I think Closer, I think fierce. I want someone to stare down to the plate with intensity and dominance. I want a guy out there that is going to try to kill you if you take away his lead. I don't get that with Kim at all. If he can do it as a starter next year (Red Sox fans are always about the "next year") more power to him.
posted by jerseygirl at 01:32 PM on October 02, 2003
i thought, in general, little was out managed last night and he didn't put his team in the best position to win. i was especially baffled by mccarty replacing nixon in the 8th....macha reacted with bradford in relief of rincon.....i thought little got goated out of that inning. i also think kim needs to throw his fastball more. he was waving off fastball after fastball last night in favor of that rinky dink slider of his that is totally ineffective. the prognosis doesn't look good after 130 pitches from pedro last night.
posted by oliver_crunk at 01:40 PM on October 02, 2003
The Sox lost a tough game, and Kim will bear the brunt of the blame. But saying that you can't put him in these situations (close games) isn't 100% true. The situation you want to save him from is LH hitters...that's where his current trouble lies, he looked very good when facing RH hitters during this current relapse. If there's anything that this week has shown us it is that game 2 counts just as much and if the Sox come out 1-1 tonight...mission accomplished.
posted by YukonGold at 02:29 PM on October 02, 2003
Little is not the brightest porch light on the block. Glad I slept through the whole thing. Kim hasn't been the lights out closer a ballclub of this level needs. When I think Closer, I think fierce. Right. And Lee Smith couldn't close. And Jeff Reardon. And whomever else the Red Sox ever sign who blows a save. 2002: 36 saves and a 2.04 ERA. What more do you want. that rinky dink slider of his that is totally ineffective. Tell that to major league batters who hate the thing. They don't call it a "Frisbee" because they think it's easy to hit. He doesn't always have the touch on it, but it's a hell of a pitch when it's working. Kim beats the hell out of Chad Fox, Ramiro Mendoza, et al.
posted by yerfatma at 03:23 PM on October 02, 2003
yerfatma- while it can be a dope pitch, i think it's a handicap because no one in the entire ballpark knows where the thing is going....not even kim....and in situations, like the playoffs, when all you want the pitcher to do is throw strikes and get ahead of hitters, it's a little frustrating to see the guy shaking of a first pitch fastball.
posted by oliver_crunk at 03:47 PM on October 02, 2003
If there's anything that this week has shown us it is that game 2 counts just as much and if the Sox come out 1-1 tonight...mission accomplished. Getting a win on the road would be sweet. But as I write this comment (2:42 PST), the A's are at bat in the 5th with a 5-1 lead. True, the Sox get four more at bats and Wakefield is still pitching, with what seems like only one bad inning and the runs helped by a throwing error, but going back to Boston down two would put 'the mission' in peril.
posted by billsaysthis at 04:45 PM on October 02, 2003
I found that game to be so sloppy - two great pitchers just really not at the top of their game and a couple of teams that had really piss-poor offences. Boston forgot how to hit and Oakland just can't. Boston faced the best pitchers the A's had and got 12 hits. They had the lead in the 9th. This loss had nothing to do with offense and everything to do with pitching. The story of being a redsox fan. Too many walks.
posted by justgary at 05:27 PM on October 02, 2003
Ah well. There's another year before all the contracts expire.
posted by Bryant at 05:42 PM on October 02, 2003
Makes me glad I didn't stay up to watch.