Postseason Recap: Managers clueless as to when to pull their starters

Yesterday in the opening day of the postseason, we had not one, but two dreadful managing moves that arguably cost teams the chance to get back into games:

Cardinals 5 @ Padres 1

In the fifth inning, with it being a 4-0 game already, Padres manager Bruce Bochy intended to pinch-hit Ryan Klesko in for Jake Peavy, but instead the Padres went to the bench 1-2-3. Instead of double-switching in Todd Walker (who he left in after pinch-hitting in the next inning) anyway, he left Peavy out there to give up another run, which ran the game to 5-0, an almost insurmountable deficit. Had he gone to his bullpen after the fifth, remembering that he had a day off tommorow so there was no need to hold anyone back (not that this didn't work out for him, but I'm just saying), he probably could have gotten zeros or thereabouts for the game. If the game was only 4-1 instead of 5-1, he probably wouldn't have pinch-hit with Mark Bellhorn in the one opportunity they really had to get back into the game, as he would've only needed a single to take it to a one-run game instead of an extra-base hit. Once you get into that scenario, who knows what could happen?

Tigers 4 @ 8 Yankees

After scoring three to get back into this game in the top of the fifth, Tigers skipper Jim Leyland (inexplicably reminding me of war vet dad of Mike Cooper) decided to leave Nate Robertson out there for not one extra inning, but two. This after he had already been shelled for five runs in the third. I understand that the Yankees lineup is good enough to score on any pitcher, but giving them a third or fourth crack at Robertson after they had already solved him is inexcusable. Let Jason Grilli get his chance, let Rodney and Ledezma go a few if you have to. There was no reason to let Robertson give up those extra two runs that buried the Tigers under a huge lead again.

I was also pleased to learn that Chien-Ming Wang is a fan of pasta.

We'll be right back, here on the FOX Future Considerations baseball entertainment fun hour, now featuring actual baseball!



WHAT IF A COMEDIAN RAN FOR PRESIDENT?

What if he won?


WAH WAH WAH CAN I MAKE BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN MY SECRETARY OF STATE HAHA JUST A TEEEENY JOKE THERE KIDS


WHO DO YOU WORK FOR?

Buck: Oops looks like we missed the actual first pitch of the at-bat and they threw over to first and the ball got away, haha. But at least you got to see that commercial where Chevy said that it was American because they helped haul wood to New Orleans after Katrina. Doesn't that make you want a nice heavy duty car regardless of the fact that it's mad overpriced and not as good as Japanese cars? Haha. It should! Also, buy Budweiser because people like to rub my neck.

McCarver: I KNOW I SURE DO JOE DO YOU WANT TO HELP ME PLAY LEGOS

Athletics 3 @ Twins 2

The game relegated to the noon slot so that FOX could continue it's ongoing YES mk. II transformation was the best of the day, with Johan Santana and Barry Zito (assist to free-swinging Twins) turned in an amazing pitcher's duel that was tense into the very last inning. A lot of people questioned Gardenhire's decision to bring in Crain instead of Nathan or Neshek, and had they done that, we might still be playing baseball right now with how deep the A's and Twins bullpens go. The bigger blunder (shockingly leading to me agree with Joe Morgan), was letting Castillo attempt to steal that bag in the first when Zito was having command problems.

Tune back in tommorow, when I will rant about how stupid people are to think that the Mets are done in the NL without Pedro. Or, alternately, where I rip into people on our team for not hitting Derek Lowe. Either way, it should be fun.