Questionable NL strategy
Nationals manager Manny Acta made an interesting decision calling for an intentional walk to Robert Andino to get to Brad Bergesen with two outs in the fourth inning. It appeared to work out, even though Bergesen reached base for the second time in two at-bats, because Brian Roberts flied out to end the inning, but you can't judge the strategy by the outcome.
Since Andino was not a great bet to drive the run home from second, Acta was doing the Orioles a favor by bringing the pitcher to the plate in that situation, since it kept Bergesen from leading off the fifth in front of the top of the lineup. Dave Trembley loves to talk about the importance of turning the lineup over, so he was probably thrilled to see that.
Bergesen looks like a hitter. He attacked the first pitch in his first at-bat and bounced it through the middle for a hit. After the walk, he hit another ball up the middle and beat it out when Christian Guzman threw wide of first for an error.
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Comments
Speaking of questionable strategy, Bergesen was getting hit hard in the 5th. Why not pinch hit for the kid? He had his 5 innings in. Instead, he comes out to pitch the 6th and gets ripped again and gives up the lead. Sometimes I wonder.....
Posted by: dave taylor | May 24, 2009 3:19 PM
I hope Brian Roberts sees this.
HEY, BRIAN! How many times are you going to come to the plate with two or three runners on, two outs, AND SWING AT THE FIRST PITCH FOR AN OUT???
You are EXPECTED to work the count, and do your best to get a run in, NOT let your excitement overwhelm you.
Sheesh.
Posted by: Chas | May 24, 2009 3:22 PM
Pete,
Maybe Brad can give DCAB some pointers now that he's out of the game! A shame Brad didn't get another out and a chance to win the game!
Posted by: Keith Rowe | May 24, 2009 3:32 PM
Looks like Adam Jones will be a 3-hole hitter next year. Not enough walks (11/31 BB/K in 145 ABs) to justify the 2-hole. Ideally, you want a .360 OBA in the 1 and 2 slots... I applaud Trembly for putting Jones in the 2, though it shouldn't be a long range plan.
So does Markakis move to 2 or 4? Probably 2, because he looks at a lot of pitches. Flip Flop these two guys in 2010.
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Pete's reply: Anything is possible, but the reason he's not walking is because he's scalding the ball almost every at-bat. It's okay to have your No. 2 hitter do that.
Posted by: shrimptrawler | May 24, 2009 3:47 PM
I think the Official scorer fell asleep or he is doing the Nats a favor. I would have given Bergeson a hit on the play as it would have been a close call. I like what I saw of him with the bat.
Posted by: Dave | May 24, 2009 4:19 PM
You can't judge the strategy by the outcome???? Is that sportswriter humor?
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Pete's reply: No, it's the truth. You can judge the move by the outcome, but not the strategy. You have to judge the strategy before the outcome, or you're just a second-guesser with 20-20 hindsight.
Posted by: d. trembley | May 24, 2009 4:26 PM
By the way,Bergeson would have beat that ball out anyhow,another homer scorer call.Base hit all the way.
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Pete's reply: I agree. Should have been a hit.
Posted by: Burt from Essex | May 24, 2009 4:27 PM
You have to wonder how much the basrunning took out of Bergy today. He flat out busted his butt running on all 3 grounder. I didn't get the Pie double switch,he was second up in the next inning and had a dreadful AB. Pie needs to go bring up Christian.
My question is why not Hendrickson behind Bergy instead of Ray. I threw my hands up as soon as I saw Ray warming up.Ray needs to be the odd man out Tues.
Posted by: John | May 24, 2009 5:31 PM
Yet another case of dumba** manager-think on display. Teams should invest in staff logicians to instruct managers when they are doing absolutely stupid things in the name of so-called strategy.
This might put an end to:
No-hit flashy fielders who don't actually come close to preventing as many bases defensively as they sacrifice offensively with their terrible OPB and hitting.
Derek Jeter at SS.
The abuse of the "Closer" concept by teams with no dominant releiver in their pen.
The use of "Closers" altogether when it makes more sense to shut down rallies earlier in the game, rather than inserting mediocre scrub relievers in a 7th inning jam, blowing your lead, and holding your fireballing ace Closer for the ninth with no one on base and the weaker part of the lineup coming up, trying to protect a smaller lead.
Idiot concepts like "pitch-to-contact", otherwise known as being "hit like hell". There should be a law preventing any baseball coach from even formulating a thing called a concept.
Posted by: Mike N | May 24, 2009 6:16 PM
Pete
I've been trying to figure out why the Orioles can't win ok Sundays. It's been very frustrating.
I think that it's due to Dave Resting so many guys on the same day. Do you think it's possible that the other teams have observed this and are only happy to get a good chance to win on Sunday and are stacking their lineups accordingly ??
I think our record is something like 4 - 27 over the last 31 Sundays.
Our record is almost 500 this year without counting Sundays.
It can't be due solely to coincidence.
Posted by: Bob Sachs | May 25, 2009 12:12 AM
Maybe half the team is out partying Saturday nights!
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Pete's reply: That's probably it, because on the good teams, at least 3/4 of the team is out partying Saturday nights.
Posted by: TerryP | May 25, 2009 5:57 AM
So what your saying is that maybe the WHOLE O's team should stay out late Sat. night???
Posted by: TerryP | May 25, 2009 11:43 AM