She used to wake me up with coffee ever morning
Spring training doesn't simulate these situations very well. You know that. Even if you have a 2-2 game in extra innings, there's just not the same intensity or emotion of a game.
Besides, in this case, Simon wasn't around for most of spring training to find anything out about him. The Reds have to put his feet to the fire and see what he's capable of. Bottom line is that you can't go using up all your good arms in April. Funny thing is, in the past, I've heard some of these same people complain that Dusty uses these guys "too much." The Reds need contributions from others in the bullpen besides Marshall, Chapman, etc. I'd rather they find out now who those guys will be.
"No matter how good you are, you're going to lose one-third of your games. No matter how bad you are you're going to win one-third of your games. It's the other third that makes the difference." ~Tommy Lasorda
...the 2-2 to Woodsen and here it comes...and it is swung on and missed! And Tom Browning has pitched a perfect game! Twenty-seven outs in a row, and he is being mobbed by his teammates, just to the thirdbase side of the mound.
She used to wake me up with coffee ever morning
Simon has some of the best 'stuff' on the staff. He's got six strikeouts and just one walk in 2 2/3 innings thus far. His command hasn't been very good, but I could see why the Reds want to use him. If he can harness his pitches a bit better, he's going to be a good option for the Reds. We're not talking about a guy who has no talent. This guy has the goods. I think the Reds are wise to give him a shot.
I understand the frustration, but people are overreacting a bit about this. It's a game in April. These are the times you figure these things out. Almost never is a team fortunate enough to have everything decided in terms of personnel immediately to begin a season. Even when you do, injuries quickly change those plans.
"No matter how good you are, you're going to lose one-third of your games. No matter how bad you are you're going to win one-third of your games. It's the other third that makes the difference." ~Tommy Lasorda
IMO, the managers #1 job is to give his team their best chance to win... Dusty didn't do that today!
The hitting has to get better... The starting pitching hasn't been great.... But when you battle to get back in a game you have no business winning, then I expect the manager to pull out all the stops. If nothing else, you've gotta do what you can to get Votto Bruce and Rolen another AB.
I understand the logic for saving Marshall. I understand the logic for saving Bray -- either saving him for a longer game or possibly concerned about a righty pinch hitter coming up against him.
But it's impossible to me to justify using Simon in that spot. It's just a key spot for a pitcher with his track record who was picked up on waivers.
I guess. Like I said, I understand the argument and I'm not totally against it.
It's the old saw that a project slips one day at a time. It was a game where winning was in the balance but there were other agendas at play besides winning this game. It was an L that didn't necessarily have to be an L and its one you can't get back. Sure its April and there is time to make it up, but I really don't like that argument. Do everything you can to win the ones you have a shot at because too many happen where you don't have that shot.
She used to wake me up with coffee ever morning
Even if we concede that it's acceptable to have Simon pitch the 10th, once it became apparent he didn't have good control he should've been yanked, especially with Bray warming. Simon threw 7 strikes out of 16 pitches.
"I can make all the stadiums rock."
-Air Supply
I want my best available pitcher out there with the game on the line... I don't want to save Marshalll just because he could possibly save the game. Go to Marshall, if he gives up a hit, fine... At least you were beat with your best. I hate saving guys for possible situations, especially situations that won't appear if you don't go to the plate again.
If you truly managed a team based on your "best chance" to win a game, you'd have your best relievers burnt out by July, yes?
I understand high and low leverage situations and being selective about how pitchers are managed. But when you get to extra innings and your bullpen has already gone four innings and knowing you'll wind up with nine days without a day off before the stretch of games are over with, you kind of lose the selectivity.
The Reds need to find out about Simon. I'd rather they do so in April, especially during a period of nine consecutive days where they'll have to count on him for some high-leverage innings, than burning out their best arms and then finding out in July. I'm not ready to write the guy off. His stuff is filthy. Even today, I didn't get the sense the Nationals were going to get another hit off him. Unfortunately they didn't need to. My point though is that the guy throws some devastating pitches. I hope the Reds stick with him... contrary to the tenor of this thread, it might well pay off.
"No matter how good you are, you're going to lose one-third of your games. No matter how bad you are you're going to win one-third of your games. It's the other third that makes the difference." ~Tommy Lasorda
Marshall has been one of the best relievers in baseball... He's also been more valuable than most because he pitched multiple innings. Pigeon holing him for save situation decreases his innings and appearances. Through 7 games he has 0 saves, he's thrown 2-3 innings, and he's being saved in an extra inning game... That doesn't add up!
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