Official Game Thread - 5/2 - Bucs vs Snakes

[Ecbucs]

230E03121504135350610 wrote: The bucs certainly let this one get away. I'm with you guys, no

reason to take Keller out after 6 innings.
Really interesting ride home listening to the post game show. Bob Walk was asked was it possible that after retiring 16 in a row, Keller lost his feel pitching from the stretch? Walk basically said no, because he got beat by two infield singles and a double steal. The run he gave up was "pure luck". He said he could agree with that if they had roped a couple of doubles.



Fast forward to Shelton's post game presser. Said he pulled Keller because he lost his arm slot and was losing his stuff from pitching from the stretch.  Very interesting.



Not one reporter as far as I know asked the most logical question: "He would have been starting from the windup, why not let him start the 7th at the very least?"



Shelton was disingenuous IMHO, border line lying. I think he saw a chance to play with his toy, the bullpen, and manage it like he was in a do or die playoff game.



Not exactly sending a vote of confidence in Keller from the way he managed today.



All that being said, Stephenson has been pretty good, so I can at least understand Shelton just wanting to ride the bullpen the rest of the game.
I can't decide if Shelton has horrible baseball instincts or no instincts at all. During his tenure there have been countless games using head-scratching lineups that had no chance and pitching moves that defy logic. Cherington must approve because he extended Shelton. And Cherington improved the roster this year. But this brain trust is a liability once the game begins. 


yeah, Ben must approve, who knows how many of Shelton's moves are made because Ben's staff tells him it is a good move. My guess is that the front office has more influence on the lineup than Shelton.

[Bobster21]

I was shocked to see the same lineup 2 days in a row for the first time this season. It made sense since it was against another RHP and they had hit so well the day before. Normally, Shelton has to put his managing on display by showing us how many lineup combinations he can think of. So yesterday they had a 3-1 lead behind one of the most dominant pitchers in MLB this year. Keller was cruising on 84 pitches except for a HBP and 2 infield singles in the 6th. But Shelton had to inject himself and perform "managing" for the audience. So he gifted the Dbacks with ABs against Stephenson instead of Keller in the 7th. Game over. Shelton's keen managerial savvy noted that Keller was not as sharp in the 6th pitching from the stretch. Never mind that Keller would have started the 7th NOT pitching from the stretch. And maybe if someone had reached against him, his ability to get thru the 6th pitching from the stretch would have settled him down. A change could have been made if necessary. But it was not necessary to open the inning with no one on base. (Maybe Shelton confused the 7th with the 10th when the pitcher opens the inning out of the stretch with a man at 2B.) Sadly, even with a 2-run lead and a dominant pitcher going for them, the Pirates could not overcome their manager to win.