JohntheBaptist said:
Plus [Mattingly's] falling into the almost-always-bad-idea of Ace on Short Rest in the Playoffs. They all must have Beckett in '03 in the back of their head when they go with it. I can't seem to find info on it--anyone know how often Kershaw's done it and how he's fared?
VORP Speed said:
Kershaw has done it once, last year against Atlanta, and he was very good.
Edit: 6IP, 2R, 0ER, 3H, 1BB, 6K, 91 pitches
Boy was that prophetic. Yeah, you can get 6 good innings out of a short-rested starter, but don't try to get greedy!
D-Lowe gave us 5.1 innings in ALCS Game 4 (quick hook at 88 pitches after Matsui's one-out triple), but 6 innings in ALCS game 7 (only 69 pitches, and a solid lead at that point) on 2 days' rest. The previous year, Lowe had started 2003 ALDS Game 3 (7 IP, 100 pitches, 1 unearned run) after being the losing pitcher in relief in Game 1, two days prior, then logged the save in Game 5 on 1 day rest, then came back and started ALCS game 2 on two days' rest again (6.2 IP, 98 pitches, knocked around for 6 ER). In 2008, for the Dodgers in ALCS game 4 vs Atlanta, he started on 3 days rest after losing game 1. 5 IP on 74 pitches, 2 ER, and a N/D in an eventual team loss.
Anecdotal Lesson: You can get away with it, but don't push it. Especially not with pitchers who, unlike D-Lowe, don't have a history of closing to give them the confidence of taking the mound with something other than their usual physical and mental preparation routine. Mattingly pushed it way farther than he should have. La Russa and Playoff Tito would both pull Kershaw after the first single. Possibly Playoff Farrell does too, but certainly after the 2nd single. Leaving Kershaw in on short rest at 100 pitches (after
saying you were hoping for "90 pitches or so"!), with 2 on and 0 out, to face Matt Adams, was straight-up managerial malpractice.