Official Game Thread - 5/31 - Bucs @ Jays

[Doc]

NO reason to take Falter out after 6 innings.

Looks like one of those decisions made prior to the game. Gotta follow the formula. So now they can only hope the relievers do as well as Falter was doing and if the relievers are really needed tomorrow, they might not be available.

This is a classic mistake made by bad managers. Instead of focusing on winning the very game he's playing, the bad manager tries to win two or three games in the future during the game he's currently playing. Clearly, Shelton has proven he's not capable. Poor Bailey Falter. He was the latest victim of being "Sheltoned" last night.

[Surgnbuck]

Unluckiest loss of the season. Bae losing a fly ball that ties the score. Springer's catch. Of course, no one being able to hit the ball didn't help either. Pirates lost this game they had won on at least two, maybe three occasions.

Hope they bounce back. Need to hit the ball today behind Keller.

I'd really like to know the thinking behind taking Falter out after 6 innings. Probably doesn't make a difference, but he was only at 81 pitches. I didn't get to watch much of the game, so maybe someone knows what Shelton had to say about it.

[Bobster]

Unluckiest loss of the season. Bae losing a fly ball that ties the score. Springer's catch. Of course, no one being able to hit the ball didn't help either. Pirates lost this game they had won on at least two, maybe three occasions.

Hope they bounce back. Need to hit the ball today behind Keller.

I'd really like to know the thinking behind taking Falter out after 6 innings. Probably doesn't make a difference, but he was only at 81 pitches. I didn't get to watch much of the game, so maybe someone knows what Shelton had to say about it.

The Post Gazette reported that Falter was throwing hard in the 6th because "He had a hunch his start was ending soon."
DK's blog reports, ""Really good effort by Bailey. I thought he emptied the tank there in the sixth. He had to get Vladdy out with runners on first and second. Just really good outing by Bailey."

In other words, Falter knows Shelton well enough that he knew 6 innings was the limit. Shelton seems more comfortable with prearranged decisions instead of making them on the fly based on performance. I believe Shelton is afraid of leaving in an effective starter after 6 innings because if he fails, Shelton looks bad. So Shelton won't take the chance even if it means pulling a pitcher who would have continued to be effective if allowed to go longer. If he adheres to a formula he thinks is sound, Shelton won't expect to be blamed if someone fails when plugged into that formula.

[Wildwoodcoach]

Just a few thoughts
I let be known about my feelings about Shelton taking Falter out after 6 innings.
I know Reynolds got robbed last night but he is now 0-12 in
the last 3 games. Just not getting it done, Hitting below .250 now
I believe Cruz leads the National League in strikeouts. Not to mention
him going braindead and getting picked off First Base. HIs mental lapses
are becoming more and more common place.
Tellez- Oh forget it- This is on Cherington

[Doc]

Just a few thoughts
I let be known about my feelings about Shelton taking Falter out after 6 innings.
I know Reynolds got robbed last night but he is now 0-12 in
the last 3 games. Just not getting it done, Hitting below .250 now
I believe Cruz leads the National League in strikeouts. Not to mention
him going braindead and getting picked off First Base. HIs mental lapses
are becoming more and more common place.
Tellez- Oh forget it- This is on Cherington

Oneil Cruz is showing himself to be but one more link in the low baseball IQ chain that has hampered the Pirates in the past several years. First there was Ronnie Cedeno, followed by Starling Marte, followed by Gregory Polanco, and now we have Oneil Cruz. Fortunately, Marte and Polanco played the outfield, where they were away from the heady part of the game. They limited their screw-ups to running the bases and their at bats. Cedeno, and now Cruz, played up close and, to make matters worse, manned the most important position on the field. They spread their inadequacies throughout the totality of each game.

This can’t go on. Only Cruz’s arm is suited for shortstop, but that’s not enough. Either play him at first base or DH him. Otherwise, he’ll cost the team more runs than he’s worth.

[Bobster]

Just a few thoughts
I let be known about my feelings about Shelton taking Falter out after 6 innings.
I know Reynolds got robbed last night but he is now 0-12 in
the last 3 games. Just not getting it done, Hitting below .250 now
I believe Cruz leads the National League in strikeouts. Not to mention
him going braindead and getting picked off First Base. HIs mental lapses
are becoming more and more common place.
Tellez- Oh forget it- This is on Cherington

Oneil Cruz is showing himself to be but one more link in the low baseball IQ chain that has hampered the Pirates in the past several years. First there was Ronnie Cedeno, followed by Starling Marte, followed by Gregory Polanco, and now we have Oneil Cruz. Fortunately, Marte and Polanco played the outfield, where they were away from the heady part of the game. They limited their screw-ups to running the bases and their at bats. Cedeno, and now Cruz, played up close and, to make matters worse, manned the most important position on the field. They spread their inadequacies throughout the totality of each game.

This can’t go on. Only Cruz’s arm is suited for shortstop, but that’s not enough. Either play him at first base or DH him. Otherwise, he’ll cost the team more runs than he’s worth.

Polanco's baseball IQ was also apparent in the OF. It seemed like whenever a ball was hit over his head, he ran up to the wall instead of setting up for the rebound. So he usually ended up chasing the ball back toward the infield as the runners got an extra base or two.