Thursday, November 5, 2009

Number 27

That is all. I can't even express my thoughts coherently right now.

This blog is now devoted to my move to Korea.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

A Third Way

Two nights ago, AJ Burnett got absolutely lit up by the Phillies, giving up 6 runs in 2 innings. This was on three days rest, so it was treated as a big shock by the NY media. Of course, about 25% of Burnett's starts are really bad and you never really know what you are going to get. After all, last year he did go 3-0 with a 1.86 ERA on 3-days rest pitching in Toronto. There has been a lot of second guessing as to what Girardi should've done with the pitching rotation and it has centered around two choices:

1) Start Chad Gaudin in Game 5, who hadn't started in over a month and then have AJ and Pettite on full rest start Games 6 and 7 with CC coming out of the pen
2) Stick with the 3-man rotation

But there was a third option, that was of course never considered publicly: treat Game 5 like a spring training game. Why not take advantage of NY's extremely deep bullpen? Have a lineup that looks like:

Two innings of Gaudin...and then completely blowing Charlie Manuel's mind by going:
2IP: Joba
2IP: Robertson
2IP: Hughes
1IP: Rivera
(with doses of Marte and Coke sprinkled in as needed)

I would prefer not to start Gaudin, but Aceves instead. I would just start Gaudin so the trap could be sprung. Gaudin had no place starting against the Phillies anyway; he is absolutely killed by left-handed batting who hit 100 points of OPS higher against him than RHB. The Phillies left-handers would have destroyed him. If he couldn't handle left-handers in the caverns of Petco he definitely couldn't handle them in the bandbox of Philly.

Each of these relievers would be dealing HEAT and it would be a glory to watch.

This couldn't have been any more ineffective than Burnett and the bullpen would be rested due to the off-day in time for Game 6 if it were needed. But it's unfortunate that managers are to risk averse and would rather fail in old-fashioned ways than running the risk of failing in an original way and being crucified for it.