The M's have a bad manager

by Adam J. Morris on Aug 31, 2007 3:32 PM CDT in News

I linked to this rant from two days ago about M's manager John McLaren's bullpen mismanagement, refusing to bring J.J. Putz into a critical situation because it wasn't a "save" situation, with McLaren instead allowing Rick White to gascan and let the game get out of hand.

Then, yesterday, with the Mariners having lost 5 games in a row, and having tied up the game in the top of the 9th, McLaren did the same thing.

With the meat of the Cleveland Indians lineup coming up, McLaren went with Ed O'Flaherty to start the 9th. After getting one out and giving up a walk and an HBP, McLaren turned to Rick White, who has a 7.49 ERA this season, and who was pitching in his third game in a row. And White, after getting an out, promptly walked the next two batters, ending the game.

With two on, one out, and a tie game in the bottom of the 9th, one would assume that Putz (and his 1.35 ERA) would have been the obvious choice. After all, Putz hadn't pitched since getting the save in the 2nd game of the Ranger series last Friday, and had just pitched just 2 innings in the previous 12 days. After all, in a situation like that, where any run means the game is over, you want a high strikeout guy, your best relief arm, out there.

But not McLaren. And why?

McLaren had closer J.J. Putz warmed up and ready to go in the bullpen, but was reluctant to use his closer in a non-save situation.

Instead, with the majority of his bullpen already used, McLaren went to a pitcher who'd spent the past month recovering from a neck injury in Class AAA before joining his 11th major-league team last week.

"He was the only guy we had, to be honest with you," McLaren said, adding that lefty long man Ryan Rowland-Smith was going to work extra innings if the game stayed tied. "We had to have J.J. available, if we ever took the lead, to wrap it up."

Putz hasn't pitched during the 6 game losing streak. Including last night, when any rational person would have used him in the 9th, to bail the M's out of a jam and give them a chance to win, instead of using an inferior reliever so that your "closer" can be brought in in a "save" situation...on the off chance you actually make it out of the jam in the 9th, and then get the lead sometime later.

Unbelievable.

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McLaren

He obviously read the same book on managing that Wash has read. Sounds eerily familiar to me.

Fire Ron Washington

by pblack on Aug 31, 2007 3:28 PM CDT reply actions

yup

I'm thinking wash would have done the same exact thing, although gagne did pitch the long save a couple of times as has wilson. However, pretty sure the rangers were always winning when the close has come in.

Forget Johnny Bench, we got Gerry "the Jet" Laird

by ab03 on Aug 31, 2007 3:54 PM CDT up reply actions

Good call, Adam

It's always fun to see people who get paid a lot of money to make important decisions, and who are in a powerful position of authority and decision making, get exposed for their utter stupidity.

Where you at, Hargrove?

"No team has any major strengths as all NFL players are roughly the same. If you cant run on third and one it isn't because of your players." - Sharky

by inactive lsb user on Aug 31, 2007 3:30 PM CDT reply actions

putz needs to pitch

not having a closer pitch in a week is really bad. when he DOES come in in a save situation now, he could be "rusty" and blow it. i don't think you should go 4 games w/o the close pitching. even if it's just 1/3 an inning

Al Gore 2008 http://www.myspace.com/igotsculture

by gossamer on Aug 31, 2007 3:54 PM CDT reply actions

yup

at least buck understood that much

Forget Johnny Bench, we got Gerry "the Jet" Laird

by ab03 on Aug 31, 2007 3:55 PM CDT up reply actions

Well, then,

I can only hope that Seattle signs McLaren to a long-term contract.

by Lucas on Aug 31, 2007 5:09 PM CDT reply actions

baseball would be a better game

if they eliminated the Save as an official stat.

I'm not gay, I just have a wide stance.

by SteveP on Aug 31, 2007 5:13 PM CDT reply actions

Boras and co.

would never let that happen

"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates

by slc ranger on Aug 31, 2007 7:40 PM CDT up reply actions

Oh and great quote.....hahaha

"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates

by slc ranger on Aug 31, 2007 7:41 PM CDT up reply actions

So

They have a lot in common with the Rangers.

Oh, the irony.

If Lindsey Lohan, Kobe Bryant, or a democrat politician was dogfighting, they'd walk and we all know it.

by Sharky on Aug 31, 2007 5:57 PM CDT reply actions

Sharky

Have you ever tried pot?

I normally don't recommend drugs to other people, but in your case, I think it might help with those anger issues.

"Then I met some friends for a beer, went to a BoDeans's concert, and son of a vondruke, if I didn't leave him at the concert hall."

by RCCook on Aug 31, 2007 9:49 PM CDT up reply actions

That's what we need

A baked sociopath.

by Lucas on Aug 31, 2007 9:51 PM CDT up reply actions

Good point

Drugs and sociopathy don't mix.

"Then I met some friends for a beer, went to a BoDeans's concert, and son of a vondruke, if I didn't leave him at the concert hall."

by RCCook on Aug 31, 2007 10:36 PM CDT up reply actions

Or, rather

Shouldn't mix.

"Then I met some friends for a beer, went to a BoDeans's concert, and son of a vondruke, if I didn't leave him at the concert hall."

by RCCook on Aug 31, 2007 10:36 PM CDT up reply actions

LOL

hey Scott...

I'm in Pharmaceutical sales. Need any free samples :)

If I flip a quarter, what are the chances of me getting head?

by hurlerhurley on Sep 1, 2007 1:41 AM CDT up reply actions

You keep using that word

but I don't think you have any idea what it means.

by FirebatM3 on Aug 31, 2007 10:11 PM CDT up reply actions

Baseball Would Be Better

Baseball would be better if it did not record saves. The whole concept of a "save situation" has truly destroyed quality bullpen management in my opinion. It's unbelievable to me that a manager would rather pitch his bullpen ace when there are no runners on and the team has a three inning lead in the ninth rather than when the team is up by one in the seventh, yet there are two one and no outs. It makes absolutely no sense outside of the fact adding a save to a players stats.

by rangeressary on Aug 31, 2007 10:19 PM CDT reply actions