5/29/09 reds vs brewers

[mth123]

The thing that made no sense to me was the whole 9th inning sequence. Hairston, Hanigan and Hernandez coming up and Hairston makes the first out. Now Hanigan, who has been one of the team's better hitters up there and he's taken down for Phillips. The only reason to do that would be to play for the Home Run. If the team is just looking to get a baserunner, Hanigan is a much better bet to get on base than Phillips is (especially since Phillips hasn't played in a week and has the broken thumb and all). So with Phillips up there, the expectation has to be that he'd be swinging from his heels trying to hit one out. Instead he bunts. What?????

I can't complain too much about Dickerson. I'm not a guy who likes giving away an out by bunting unless its an automatic out like the pitcher or some one up there, so I have no problem wuth him swinging away. If Rosales plays under control and makes the right play on the bases, it would not have been a double play. Dickerson was probably the right choice with Coffey out there pitching. If the bunt was the play, I'd have let Cueto hit for himself.

[PuffyPig]

Who cares about the past? My point is--everyone thought Burton was the heir apparent to the closer's role while Coffey was junk. Nope. Wrong again (myself included). Tough game to figure out.

And in one month (or less) it could be reversed again.

Coffey has pitched well before. Let's see if can do it over a long period of time. He's not missing bats and his HR/FB rate is about 33% his usual rate.

I still bet Burton long term.

[PuffyPig]

If the bunt was the play, I'd have let Cueto hit for himself.

But then you telegraph the bunt for sure. Even if you had Dickerson bunting, there is some uncertainly which increases your chances of something good happening.

[mth123]

But then you telegraph the bunt for sure. Even if you had Dickerson bunting, there is some uncertainly which increases your chances of something good happening.

Agree, but I'd have saved Dickerson to hit for Taveras to get the run home. Cueto is a good bunter but you make a good point, perhaps Janish to bunt may have been a better choice.