11 replies to this topic

[jon abbey]

I almost started this last week, but another butchering of the bullpen tonight pushed me over the top:

Coming into tonight, the bullpen was fully rested except for Phelps, who's unavailable through Tuesday after throwing 5+ innings yesterday. NY was up 8-4 after six innings, and despite no off day tomorrow and Wade having warmed up without coming in in the sixth, Girardi went to his default Soriano/Robertson/Rivera 7th/8th/9th plan, when clearly the correct move was to go to the already warm Wade.

So Soriano sucked and couldn't get through the 7th, Robertson had to come in with the bases loaded and a 8-5 lead. He got Trumbo on 5 pitches.

Then NY scored 3 more in the bottom of the 7th for a 11-5 lead, but Girardi still had Robertson pitch the 8th for a total of 25 pitches.

Then he finally went to one of his back end guys in the 9th, Logan, but here's the capper: up 11-5, one out, no one on base, and the camera cuts to the bullpen, AND RIVERA IS WARMING.

So just to be clear, in a game where it was never closer than three runs, he used Robertson and Soriano for 20+ pitches each, Logan for 15 pitches, and warmed up Wade and Rivera. With Phelps unavailable, the only guy he didn't use or warm was Rapada. Just terrible, and it's at least the 4th or 5th game he's mismanaged the bullpen like that, and we're only 9 games into the season.

[skully78]

He hasn't pitched since Wed. Maybe he was just getting a bullpen session in once they knew he wasn't needed?

[jon abbey]

Yeah, that's fine, but Girardi needs to do a better job staggering his three top relievers. If it's a one run lead against BOS or TB, that's understandable, but now the pen is more handicapped for tomorrow than it should be. It really should have cost them the third game against BAL, still no idea how they pulled that one out.

[Sampo Gida]

Might not have a lot of confidence in Wade. Also, might be a case of taking the Twins and Pavano lightly and not wanting to let the Angels get away from him. CC "should" give the pen a rest on Tuesday as well.

Soriano kind of made things worse by needing Robertson to bail him out.

Not defending Girardis job this season though.

[jon abbey]

There's often stuff we don't know, but Wade was just warming in the exact same situation the inning before, and he's been superb so far this year (a combined 5 2 0 0 1 9 in three appearances), and he also hasn't been in a game since last Tuesday.

It's just a knee-jerk "seventh inning with the lead=Soriano" move without thinking, and that is no way to manage a baseball team.

[EvilEmpire]

Seems like Girardi is less apt to take chances on games following a loss. Tonight was a little irritating but I can't get too worked up about it.

[cromulence]

It's just a knee-jerk "seventh inning with the lead=Soriano" move without thinking, and that is no way to manage a baseball team.

The same knee-jerk that was going to cause him to pull Phelps for Soriano against the O's before Soriano tore his nail. I'm probably wrong but I feel like his bullpen management has gotten worse over time, particularly with the 7-8-9 binky. He's always been awful with warming up Mo when it's not necessary, so that's nothing new.

[terrynever]

It's amazing how Girardi's personality is so bland that even the NY media can't get him to stir up controversy. Joe may have slight issues managing his bullpen but Torre was horrible at it. Who is Girardi's Scott Proctor? Remember, that was a concern when he was hired to manage the Yankees, after a couple of Marlins pitchers came up hurting under his watch.

Girardi is mechanical and dull. He manages a veteran team that doesn't need a whole lot of communication to crank it up every night. He's a good fit for a veteran team that owns a deep bullpen.

My favorite manager is Joe Maddon but he left Matt Moore in an extra inning on Sunday, after his young lefty hit 95 pitches through six innings and was trailing 5-4. Leadoff hitter Mike Aviles hit a 410-foot HR to dead-center, and still Maddon left Moore in to face Pedroia and Gonzo. 107 pitches in all.

My point is, we can bitch about every manager. Girardi's no genius. He's from the Francona school: say nothing exciting to the media, let the players play.

[cromulence]

Posting this as the inning starts, so not a second guess, but if the 8th inning was so critical that you had to run Robertson out there how is it that the 9th is Cody Eppley time? Should have tried to get 2 from Wade, then Robertson or Mo for the 9th. Don't understand Eppley at all. And Robertson needs to be treated right and not Proctored.

Edit: And now Mo after the leadoff man gets on. Genius stuff, Joe.

Edited by cromulence, 20 April 2012 - 05:28 PM.

[jon abbey]

I thought it made sense because of who was up each inning. Robertson for the meat of the lineup, Eppley to try to go through the bottom and pulled if he let on a baserunner. He also held Phelps to back up Garcia tomorrow, pretty nice job by him today there.

I think if he can be criticized for anything today on the pitching side, it's for pulling Nova after 93 pitches when his bullpen had to go 8+ innings combined the last two games.

[ThePrideofShiner]

He can also be criticized for not using Jones to pinch-hit for Ibanez in the eighth, even if Ibanez ended up getting a hit. Plus, Jones is better in the outfield.

[jon abbey]

He said since he's playing with a three man bench, he didn't want to do that, and also he'd be screwed if they then had an OF get hurt, both of which make sense to me.