Urgency, or the lack thereof

[dougdirt]

From Lance McAllister:

Dusty said he and Price wanted to get Arroyo through 5th because bullpen taxed by Leake and Bailey short outings

It is September, with expanded rosters, with a home game in the playoffs on the line, and they were concerned about the bullpen being taxed?

Yeah. I don't really know what else to say.

[smixsell]

Classic Dusty anti-logic. That about sums it up IMO.

[Tony Cloninger]

It seems the season was a formality for them. They think they will just turn it on even more during the postseason...I guess?

OK, let us see how you plan to turn the light on all of a sudden.

[Joseph]

It seems the season was a formality for them. They think they will just turn it on even more during the postseason...I guess?

OK, let us see how you plan to turn the light on all of a sudden.

I feel like that's how the season has been handled. Like the playoffs were a foregone conclusion. I hope it works out that way.

[Norm Chortleton]

[OldXOhio]

Very important to have a fresh pen for fan appreciation day

[Todd Gack]

From Lance McAllister:



It is September, with expanded rosters, with a home game in the playoffs on the line, and they were concerned about the bullpen being taxed?

Yeah. I don't really know what else to say.

We were 2-12 w/ RISP and had 11 men LOB and you want to complain about this?

[OldXOhio]

We were 2-12 w/ RISP and had 11 men LOB and you want to complain about this?

PIT scored 8 runs in the game. We go 5-12 w/ RISP and we still lose.

[Todd Gack]

PIT scored 8 runs in the game. We go 5-12 w/ RISP and we still lose.

We've scored 9 runs in the 5 games since we've last played Pittsburgh. I'm not really concerned about Dusty's misuse (allegedly) of the bullpen right now.

[OldXOhio]

We've scored 9 runs in the 5 games since we've last played Pittsburgh. I'm not really concerned about Dusty's misuse (allegedly) of the bullpen right now.

No one disputes the fact that the offense is in a huge funk. But leaving Arroyo out there to serve up one long ball after the other didn't help. Especially if you think the team can't score beyond a certain number of runs in the first place.

[Todd Gack]

No one disputes the fact that the offense is in a huge funk. But leaving Arroyo out there to serve up one long ball after the other didn't help. Especially if you think the team can't score beyond a certain number of runs in the first place.

Fine. But if we can't score, why does it matter who pitches?

[dougdirt]

We were 2-12 w/ RISP and had 11 men LOB and you want to complain about this?

I want to complain about this. Yes. Our offense didn't get the job done. But our manager didn't get his done either. Here is the difference, no one at all was actively trying to prevent Dusty Baker from making his choice. The Pirates pitching staff and defense were actively trying to stop the Reds offense from getting their job done.

Dusty going to the bullpen, with 2 games left in the season with expanded rosters, is a whole lot easier to decide to do than it is to just choose to get hits at will. THAT is why I am choosing to complain about this. If you can't understand that, then I don't know what to tell you.

[Todd Gack]

I want to complain about this. Yes. Our offense didn't get the job done. But our manager didn't get his done either. Here is the difference, no one at all was actively trying to prevent Dusty Baker from making his choice. The Pirates pitching staff and defense were actively trying to stop the Reds offense from getting their job done.

Dusty going to the bullpen, with 2 games left in the season with expanded rosters, is a whole lot easier to decide to do than it is to just choose to get hits at will. THAT is why I am choosing to complain about this. If you can't understand that, then I don't know what to tell you.

What does expanded rosters have to do with this? A sense of urgency would mean you want to bring in the guys we'll use for the playoffs anyway and not the Zach Dukes of the world to 'play with urgency.'

Hoover pitched Friday and Saturday.
Marshall pitched yesterday.
Simon pitched Friday.
Parra pitched yesterday.
Lecure pitched yesterday.
Chapman hasn't pitched since the Mets series.

I would consider those our 'main' guys. So let's say we stop the bleeding and win yesterday. We play today and Cueto has a short outing again and we have to use our bullpen again. Now you're looking at using some of those guys for extended innings and essentially using them just to determine whether or not we play in Pittsburgh or Cincinnati on Tuesday.

Maybe it's just me, but I'm less concerned about location of game rather than how we play on Tuesday.

[dougdirt]

What does expanded rosters have to do with this? A sense of urgency would mean you want to bring in the guys we'll use for the playoffs anyway and not the Zach Dukes of the world to 'play with urgency.'

Hoover pitched Friday and Saturday.
Marshall pitched yesterday.
Simon pitched Friday.
Parra pitched yesterday.
Lecure pitched yesterday.
Chapman hasn't pitched since the Mets series.

I would consider those our 'main' guys. So let's say we stop the bleeding and win yesterday. We play today and Cueto has a short outing again and we have to use our bullpen again. Now you're looking at using some of those guys for extended innings and essentially using them just to determine whether or not we play in Pittsburgh or Cincinnati on Tuesday.

Maybe it's just me, but I'm less concerned about location of game rather than how we play on Tuesday.

Sunday doesn't matter unless you win Saturday. The game was managed like neither game mattered.

As for what expanded rosters have to do with it..... you have more options to use than normal. A tired bullpen isn't an excuse for leaving a pitching in there who has given up 4 home runs in 4 innings.

[EMAW]

Yep, all that ails this team is the manager, classic Bash Baker theory by the Baker Bashers
Last time I checked Price was pitching coach and shared input