High Leverage situations
with all that has been published/researched/discussed regarding high leverage situations, i am not sure why manager’s don’t utilize any of that information during games. Most teams have a closer that is used exclusively in the 9th inning in “save situations”. That is unlikely to change, so my issue is with a team that has a closer and one other dominant reliever. Obviously, the Tigers with Zumaya, the Padres with Linebrink fall into this category. But let’s rip on Ned Yost for a minute with his use of Derek Turnbow. Turnbow was an All-Star closer last year, and just as good the year before that. While he lost his breaking ball in the second half of last year, that trouble seems to be behind him, and he is as dominant as ever so far this year.
In the game on Tuesday, the Brewers were leading 5-4 in the bottom of the 7th. There were 2 on and 2 outs as their situational lefty had just struck out Griffey and Dunn. Phillips was coming up (a righthander) so Yost brought in Aquino who proceeded to blow the game and then throw some gasoline on top that led to an 11-5 loss. Why not bring in Turnbow to get 4 outs? He hadn’t pitched in 3 days. Why do manager’s get so caught up in narrowly defined roles?
April 19th, 2007 at 7:15 am
Well then you’ll be pleased to know that Terry Francona is paying attention. In the first game of the Angels seriesn last week, the Sox were ahead 4-1 in the top of the 8th inning - men on 1st and 3rd, one out, Vlad Guerrero and Garret Anderson coming up. Papelbon is rested. Francona brings in Papelbon - potentially for a five-out save (like he’d done in the Rangers series)… realizing that *this* was the high-leverage situation.
Papelbon strikes out Vlad on four pitches. Anderson lines out to LF on two pitches. Total of six pitches in the inning, and the three-run lead preserved. Sox score six runs in the bottom of the eighth, so Papelbon is pulled for Mike Timlin (returning from injury, having missed much of spring training, perfect situation to get some work).
If Francona “saves” Papelbon exclusively for the ninth inning, that game could’ve turned out far differently i.e. it would’ve been too late to bring Papelbon in the ninth, as someone else from the Sox bullpen could’ve easily given up hits to Vlad and Anderson (decent hitters they).
Excellent job of managing, and obviously, excellence of execution from Papelbon.