Mike Wilner Writes the Blog Post I Should Have.
by Tom Dakers on Apr 22, 2010 9:47 AM EDT
in Toronto Blue Jays Analysis
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PrintI really should have written this.
It is absolutely stupid that we could lose a game by a run in extras without getting Randy Ruiz an at bat, considering the line up we have. Fred Lewis being left in to face a lefty with Ruiz on the bench was just stupid, even though it worked out. And then leaving Mac to make the last out of the game with Ruiz on the bench was beyond stupid.
I love how Wilner describes that last at bat:
Standing at field level, I watched McDonald and he spent a few extra seconds in the on-deck circle after Buck returned to the dugout anticipating, I’m sure, Ruiz’s shadow to engulf him as the big pinch-hitter emerged from the dugout. Nothing. McDonald took a step towards the plate, then turned around to look back into the dugout, expecting to be called back. Nope. He then went to the plate and meekly grounded to short fighting off an 0-2 pitch to end the game.
And the defensive troubles if Ruiz batted and if the we tied the game:
Yes, you have to worry about your defense, and had the game gone to an 11th inning, it would have been awfully ugly - BUT YOU’D BE PLAYING IN THE 11TH INNING WITHOUT HAVING LOST THE GAME YET!
Which, of course, is the point. It is better to have defensive worries and still be in the game, than have no worries after a loss. You have to try to win the game.
Yes I know, we can't pinch hit for anyone because they would 'be destroyed', which is one of those things I don't get. Isn't the player that doesn't get used getting 'destroyed' to instead then?
Like Wilner said during Jays Talk there isn't another manager in the league that would have made it through that game without using Ruiz. Not one. And if Ruiz isn't getting into a game like that, then why are we carrying him on the roster.
Anyway, read all of Wilner's post, it's perfect and I should have written it.
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All this is moot
Because does anyone honestly think Ruiz would stand any chance against a filthy closer like Joakim Soria? But your ultimate point is valid: worry about defense later and try to tie the game/win now.
I don’t think Ruiz would have done well against mini-Mariano either. But the point is you have to give players the oppurtunity to come through. You give them the oppurtunity to hang themselves if they don’t perform, aka Overbay. Ruiz is a big bat, use him as such. It even sounds like JMac was stunned he didn’t get PH for.
That recounting of Johnny Mac at the last at-bat is priceless
It sounds like everyone in the world, including Johnny Mac, knew what the proper decision would be in that situtation except for the one person that needed to make it.
I know the year is a write-off and having Cito lame-duck manage doesn’t matter, but what kind of message does it send to the players that the ownership hold loyality and close ties way above proper management?
Ball.
There's no way he wouldn't know
It’s not just about him being a smart player, he’s also very smart about what he can and can not do. I think anyone on the team that saw what was going knew what should have been done.
Ball.
If Ruiz isn't going to hit there...
…I don’t understand why he is on this team.
Knights, Canucks, Dolphins, Jays and Raptors all the way.
The thing about Ruiz
Is that he probably won’t be that effective unless he gets semi-regular AB’s. I don’t know why he’s on the team in a pinch hit capacity only. I would only keep him on the team as part of a regular platoon DH.
Unless he starts playing, I think he’ll be shuffled out once Hill or Encarnacion come back. Feel bad for the guy, but thats the way it goes.
Thought we were going to see Ruiz in the eight.
I thought Ruiz would have been out at the bottom of the eight to replace Johnny Mac after Molina’s single. At Least Cito brought in the PR. McCoy.
yea, I was going to post that. I agree. I expected Ruiz to come in and hit in the 8th but instead they advanced the runner, which seemed ok as, I believe, there were no outs at the time. However, it did leave the bench a bit tight, (ie: you lose McCoy after Buck comes in) so for that reason, I would probably have used Ruiz there, especially when you consider how notoriously bad the KC bull pen is. As such, it might be better to get Ruiz more than one AB. If nothing else, I would have swapped him in for Overbay because Lyle was clearly struggling that day. It is easy to second guess, but some seem more obvious than others.
One thing for sure, it is not a good sign if this thought passes through your mind “oh look, the outcome of this game rests on the bat of JMac”. LOL Not to bad-mouth JMac he had a great game yesterday and his defensive shovel of the ball was awesome.
Also huge Kudos to the Jays for all the baserunners they picked off, 2 at 2nd and 1 at first, I think. That was really nice to see.
by aagoodfella on Apr 22, 2010 12:00 PM EDT up reply actions
As an aside
I’m impressed Wilner wrote this. As part of the Jays radio team and involved with Sportsnet, to publicly and emphatically tear a strip off a manager that gets away with an awful lot for winning 2 WS with the highest payroll in the game (and a lineup stacked with talent) impresses me.
Too few journalists have the guts to do that sort of thing anymore.
Knights, Canucks, Dolphins, Jays and Raptors all the way.
Tom,
for my money, you did write this blog post, albeit in comment sized chunks in yesterday’s game thread. You can’t be blamed for not wanting to relive that experience
"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman
Maybe management just doesn't want Ruiz
They don’t think he can play anywhere in the field, so there really is no spot for him. He’s not going to be part of their future. In all honesty having Brian Dopirak up to platoon with Overbay makes the Jays better than having Ruiz’s power bat to pinch hit off the bench. But it was pretty clear that Ruiz outplayed him in the Spring so they couldn’t cut ties than. If the only way to get him into the lineup is to have Lind out in LF why would they go out and get Fred Lewis? I get that he cost nothing (except Ruiz’s oppurtunity). I know that they don’t care what the fans think nor should they really but maybe they are trying to put a muzzle on Ruiz’s potential to make it easier to release him because after last fall he became a fan favorite
Ruiz could platoon Overbay if they were to go for platooning and personally I would rather see Ruiz in that role than Dopirak
Except they've said Ruiz can't play the field
so there goes any chance of platoon. Id be down with a platoon too if Ruiz could handle it but he can’t, according to management and like it or not its more than just Cito with that opinion
For me, when I was watching along on MLB gameday I work
What I would have done once Molina got on (Well first I would of hit for Molina but I digress).
Pinch run with McCoy. Which was done
Pinch Hit Ruiz for McDonald
Then afterwards I would have had a def swap between Ruiz and McCoy and put Buck in for Ruiz.
In the 8th it worked out, so I won’t complain even though its winning in spite of the decision not because of it. But I definitely would have pinch hit Ruiz in the end, maybe it would have matter (Most likely it wouldn’t have) but it gives you the best chance to win/keep the game going.
Life as a Toronto Sports Fan?... *sigh*... It is what it is...
It all depends on how you play it.
In the 8th if you pinch hit Ruiz and he doesn’t advance the runner (ala sac bunt that was done) than McCoy doesn’t score on Lewis’s single and the game doesn’t go to extras. Even John Mac batting in the 9th, or course Ruiz has more power, but the odds of him jacking one to tie the game aren’t very good. Ruiz is still more likely to get a base hit than Mac too. That said, its more likely that you’ll be able to cash Mac in if he’s standing on 1st or 2nd with 2 outs than if its Ruiz and by leaving him in you don’t have the defensive nightmare the next inning. Probably should have pinched hit for Ruiz but I don’t think its as big a deal as people think
Like I said it most likely wouldn’t have matter because you fail in baseball waaaay more then succeed. But that is not a reason to not do it.
Life as a Toronto Sports Fan?... *sigh*... It is what it is...
And aside from all of that you can’t fall into the trap of thinking the same thing would have happened regardless. Maybe if McCoy wasn’t on second then Lewis wouldn’t have got the same pitches and things go completely different.
Baseball is a glorious game that each situation is unique given pitchers vs hitters in different situations and counts. Throw in catchers calling for certain pitches and forget about it.
Life as a Toronto Sports Fan?... *sigh*... It is what it is...
cito
In a “rebuilding year”, why do we have a manager that won’t play people? Is it so next year we can not know if there good and then suck next year finding out as well?
he needs to take himself into upper management early let a monkey manage the team
probably just as good as cito
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