Category Archive:
Roch Kubatko
Bowie update(d) - yet again
Nolan Reimold and Jeff Nettles homered in the first two innings to give Double-A Bowie a 2-1 lead over Akron in Game 1 of their best-of-five playoff series.
Akron scored an unearned run off Jason Berken, who's struck out five over three innings.
Matt LaPorta homered off Berken in the fourth inning to tie the score, 2-2.
Bowie has taken a 3-2 lead in the fifth. Torrealba led off with a walk, moved to second on Jonathan Tucker's two-out single and scored on Carlo Rojas' double to right field. Reimold flied out to strand Tucker at third.
We are now in the 7th and Akron is leading the Baysox 4-3.
Thanks for the update Roch.
I have to agree with lefty and RichD about Trembley's handling of the bullpen. Okay, everyone knows our pitching stinks and it's a managers nightmare right now. However, the manager has to do his part and win "winnable" games. And today was a winnable game.
I have three problems with his decisions today. First, he locked himself into only using Cormier for three innings or 45 pitches. He announced that before the game. These are desperate times. Deperate times require deperate measures, or at the very least thinking a little outside the box. So Cormier throws only 32 pitches(27 of which were strikes), gives up two hits and no walks. That's ZERO walks. If I'm managing I'm not taking him out after the third. Do you think he could have gone another inning? Do you think he wanted to? Without looking it up, I'm sure he has thrown more pitches in a game several times this year.
Secondly, Sarfate comes in and throws three great innings. He throws 47 pitches, 30 of which were strikes. Get 5 strikeouts. No walks. He was dominant. The Orioles are up 4-0 after six. the Sox are flat. The O's have all the momentum. Without looking it up I'm sure he has surpassed that pitch total a few times this year as well. Do you think he could have gone another inning? Do you think he wanted to?
Let's just imagine that both Cormier and Sarfate are allowed to pitch four innings each and all we need is one more inning out of our very suspect pen. Now we can't predict they wouldn't have given up any runs in that extra inning, but when Jamie Walker is your option . . . . What would you do?
So obviously, my third problem is bringing Jamie Walker into the game. He gets Ortiz out, allows a homerun(Pedroia), gets out #2(Kotsay). Now your the manager, two outs and Jason Bay who has killed the O's is at bat. Who in their right mind allows Walker to pitch to Bay when you have four right-handed pitchers in the pen? Bay walks. Walker stays. Hits a batter. Walker stays. Gives up a bunt single to load the bases. Finally, he takes Walker out and Rocky Cherry walks in the 2nd run of the game. He continually waits too long to make a change and then brings the guy in with no wiggle room.
Listening to the post-game radio show after the game today and the first thing that Tom Davis and Dave Johnson talked about was the 7th inning. They said they sat and looked at one another in disbelief when he came in with a 4-0 lead.
Now you say it doesn't matter. This team and their pitching staff is awful. My point? The fans question Trembley's abilty to handle the pen, the experts question it after the game. Do you think the players aren't questioning it? Brian Roberts, the face of this team and one of our best players is trying to decide whether it's worth staying here. Do you think he doesn't look at today's agme and question whether this guy can manage a team to the playoffs? or might he rather play for Lou Pineilla, Tony LaRussa, or Mike Sciosia. Do you think Nick Markakis isn't wandering the same?
I like Trembley, He has helped to right the ship somewhat. But I really question whether he has what it takes to manage a pitching staff which is the #1 thing a successful manager has to do.
I have to agree with the poor handling of the pitchers, Cormier only threw 32 pitches and he's out of the game, unreal. Could have pitched another inning or two. Sarfate has thrown nearly a hundred pitches when he started, he may have been able to go 5 innings. This loss is the managers, pure and simple.