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Official Game Thread - 8/21 - Bucs @ Cards
Posted: Sun Aug 22, 2021 2:45 am
by Surgnbuck
Raise The Jolly Roger!!!!
Official Game Thread - 8/21 - Bucs @ Cards
Posted: Sun Aug 22, 2021 9:56 am
by 2drfischer@gmail.c
002D20313627307073420 wrote: Polanco hits a double!
I hope he's in the line-up today. He's hot.
Official Game Thread - 8/21 - Bucs @ Cards
Posted: Sun Aug 22, 2021 11:33 am
by WildwoodDave2
712731252A30202B263103242E222A2F6D20430 wrote: Polanco hits a double!
I hope he's in the line-up today. He's hot.
He might need a rest
Official Game Thread - 8/21 - Bucs @ Cards
Posted: Sun Aug 22, 2021 12:34 pm
by 2drfischer@gmail.c
5C62676F7C64646F4F6A7D6E390B0 wrote: Polanco hits a double!
I hope he's in the line-up today. He's hot.
He might need a rest
Understandable. He ran about three miles trying to flag down that ball Goldschmidt hit in the third inning.
Official Game Thread - 8/21 - Bucs @ Cards
Posted: Sun Aug 22, 2021 12:49 pm
by Bobster21
I rarely find anything positive about Shelton's performance as manager. But I like how he's used Bednar the last 2 games. Unlike most MLB managers, he does not appear married to the closer formula. Bednar seems to be the guy at this point. But that didn't stop Shelton from using him in the 7th inning Friday when it looked like the game might get away. The Pirates led 3-0 but Underwood had walked 2 batters to bring HR threat Tyler O'Neill to the plate as the potential tie run. Bednar is arguably their best reliever at this point and Shelton used him to get out of that jam. It's always a pet peeve of mine when a manager would rather lose a game in an earlier inning that use his closer in a situation where he can't get a save. It's not as if no one else on the staff is capable of holding a lead in the 9th but managers are obsessed with getting that save stat for 1 pitcher and don't want to use him in any way that negates the opportunity for the stat.
Bednar got out of the jam on 1 pitch and remained to pitch the 8th. Thanks to Bednar's earlier work, there was still a lead to hold in the 9th for Stratton. Last night with a 1 run lead in then 9th, Bednar entered and got the save. Before managers began to prioritize the save stat over winning, it was common for the best reliever to be used either way. Pitch the last inning to nail down the win if not already needed earlier. Or pitch earlier as needed to prevent the game from being lost and worry about the save later if there's still a lead to protect. It was nice to see Shelton manage the BP that way the last 2 games.