Ron Washington's explanation makes no sense
by Adam J. Morris on Apr 13, 2009 6:18 PM CDT
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PrintCourtesy of Evan Grant, we have Ron Washington's explanation of his 8th inning bullpen usage:
Manager Ron Washington said he brought Madrigal in because with runners at second and third and one out, he felt the need for a strikeout. His hope was the Tigers would pull back Thames, who rarely hits against right-handers, and send up switch-hitting Ramon Santiago. When Jim Leyland failed to comply with his wishes, Washington felt it wiser to set up the double play than allow Thames a chance to get the ball in the air for a sacrifice fly.
Had the double play been in order at the time he went to the bullpen, Washington said he would have used Scott Feldman, who is more prone to get ground balls than Madrigal. But once Madrigal was in the game, he had to face at least one hitter, so he was going to have to face Thames. And the Rangers didn’t get Feldman up, so he couldn’t have warmed up in time to face Gerald Laird. Madrigal struck out Laird, but then allowed a single to Brandon Inge to score the go-ahead runs.
Washington added that, in hindsight, he may turn to Frank Francisco to get an out or two in the eighth inning since he doesn’t really have a right-handed setup reliever.
“I’ve seen too many closers get hurt trying to pitch multiple innings, so I wanted to stay away from it,” Washington said. “But if I’ve got to get one or two outs extra, I don’t think I’d hesitate the next time.”
Okay...setting aside the Francisco issue...
First, he really thought Jim Leyland would burn his utility infielder hitting for Marcus Thames, the DH? Particularly a guy with a career 656 OPS against righties?
Secondly, he would have gone to Feldman if the DP was in order, supposedly...but then he says he stayed with Madrigal after issuing the intentional walk instead of going to Feldman because he didn't have Feldman warming up.
So, given that Feldman wasn't warming up in the first place, how would he have gone to Feldman if the DP had been in order?
Does this make sense to anyone else? Because it sure doesn't to me...
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my question is
why didn’t EG ask follow-ups to those answers??
can we please get a joel sherman type here in Texas…
Stability is key, and JD is a Beast.
zywica for life...
Maybe...
…Daniels and Ryan will read that and follow up?
by Black Francis on Apr 13, 2009 6:32 PM CDT up reply actions
Maybe Daniels will read that and start packing his bags.
Would YOU let him pick the next Manager?
I'm just killing time until I'm reincarnated.
Just can't read the tea leaves, can ya?
Do you hire serial killers to babysit your kids, too?
I'm just killing time until I'm reincarnated.
because quite clearly daniels has been a failure in every part of the game
and the rangers are going to lose every game for the rest of the year
EXACTLY
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Apr 14, 2009 7:59 AM CDT up reply actions
and we have the worst farm system around
and are STILL losing at the major league level. life just doesn’t get any better…
"Hang-Dai, Wu...Hang-Fu$&ing-Dai"
by Walter Sobchak on Apr 14, 2009 11:13 AM CDT up reply actions
Shocking headline, I couldn't believe it!
Josh Hamilton puts his pants on one leg at a time just like you but once he gets his pants on he hits baseballs 420 feet.
I call BS
I think RW realizes he should have gone with Frankie. The decision should have been made before the game to get Frankie an inning of work. He hasn’t pitched since Wed. With the score being 4-0 in the 8th, he should have had Frankie ready to go if CJ got in trouble.
Elvis Andrus - 2009 AL Rookie of the Year
thank you!
Josh Hamilton puts his pants on one leg at a time just like you but once he gets his pants on he hits baseballs 420 feet.
yet not suprising
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Apr 13, 2009 6:32 PM CDT up reply actions
its ron washington
expecting logic is never a good plan
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
It's just the fumbled way
he thinks he’s protecting his players. He probably thinks his only other reply would be to say, he didn’t think CJ would suck or the kid would have an error. Doesn’t excuse his managing, but that’s how he rolls. Player’s manager and all. Ugh.
"I saw your act, just didn't make it for me. Just a lot of fluff."
Wilson
He tweetered twice since yesterday’s game:
@Nick0rz only idiots draft setup guys in fantasy baseball dudeabout 18 hours ago from web in reply to Nick0rz
and
“big ups to all my haterzzzzz” hahaabout 19 hours ago from web
by Black Francis on Apr 13, 2009 6:37 PM CDT up reply actions
I almost suggested that as a possibility
That he brought Madrigal in hoping for a pinch hitter, fully intending to walk him if Leyland didn’t comply. It was a bluff, a weak one, but really an inexpensive one if you are going to IBB him anyway.
The Francisco argument is insanely dumb. But it is what it is, and other managers think like that also.
What doesn’t make sense is why Feldman wasn’t warming up besides Madrigal. Is this just an oversight on Wash’s part? Did the bullpen coach not have Feldman up in time? What happened there?
Davis starting, Blalock scratched
Blalock has neck stiffness.
by Adam J. Morris on Apr 13, 2009 6:43 PM CDT reply actions 2 recs
Blalock...lol
"It doesn't look like he's trying. It kinda pisses me off," "He could throw 110 if he tried. The way it explodes out of his hand is really something special." ~ B-Mac on Feliz.
by Kinslerhomer on Apr 13, 2009 6:44 PM CDT up reply actions
I'm so surprised
that the Ironman can’t go.
"The idea that the Rangers are going to be a solid contender for a number of years is a fantasy." - Adam J. Morris
He must not have taken his neck conditioning very seriously
Give me Sheets or give me Offseason Blues Part III.
by inactive lsb user on Apr 13, 2009 7:02 PM CDT up reply actions
It's shit like this that makes me wonder why Washington still has people who defend him.
Ron Washington is not a manager folks. He’s a coach. We should start referring to him as such.
this
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Apr 13, 2009 7:13 PM CDT up reply actions
i defend him against irrational critiques
you have a lot of those
Ceterum censeo Cat esse delendam - Cahill the Elder
That goes for JD as well
Wash was never a good choice for a lot of reasons. I’m sure he is a good coach but is way over his head as manager, which he also demonstrated in his stint as a minor league manager. He needs to go and JD as well. Would be happy for the Rangers to name JD the head of minor league operations but he, like Wash is not up to his job at the big league level. I am remembering the many comments made when he picked Wash that he had to get this right, one more screw up and he was history. And yet people seem to be willing to stick with JD for some reason. Most of us who have worked in organizations know you never reach your potential when you are weak at the top and we have three weak people in key positions – Wash, JD and Hicks. We need some change we can believe in!
Foolish consistency is the hobgobblin of little minds - Emerson
by RangerEddie on Apr 14, 2009 11:44 AM CDT up reply actions
Another of these losing series and Washington will be a coach...
For the Toledo Mud Hens! And the Boy Blunder will be their new GM.
Wharter
Utility infield argument?
I don’t know if that would be wasting, bc after the at-bat, Leyland could switch Santiago onto the field, correct?
Other than that, the fact that Feldman wasn’t warming up makes Wash look ridiculous.
What’s worse of all from this, IMO:
He has a theory that closers shouldn’t pitch more than one inning bc they’ll get injured, and he changes that theory after one game?! Season is 162, he’s coached for, what, 60 years? And because C.J./Warner blew it, he’s completely willing to side-step the theory that he’s developed over the course of his career?
I think Wash might be dumb : /
I can't remember ever defending Washington
Because frankly, I think he is not intelligent enough for his job.
But really, with the bullpen JD has given him to work with, there just isn’t much he can do. I mean, you can’t really pitch FX2 for 2 innings every time the team has a lead. And anybody else that he throws out there is likely to fail. Our bullpen just doesn’t have much talent and that’s not Wash’s fault, it’s JD’s.
Doctor please. Some more of these.
it could be Hicks' fault
but it’s certainly not Ryan’s
"Hang-Dai, Wu...Hang-Fu$&ing-Dai"
by Walter Sobchak on Apr 14, 2009 11:16 AM CDT up reply actions
In checking...
how Leyland has used Thames this year, 84% of his AB’s had been against LH’d pitching. Small sample size, but some grounds to think he might hit for him.
Don't think that's valid
Of the two times before Thames was scheduled to face a righty relief pitcher, he was pinch hit for ZERO (0) times.
So, so far, there’s no real evidence to think that Leyland was going to pull Thames for some other pitcher against a righty…..
It is a small sample, but there’s been no reason to think that Leyland will pinch hit for Thames against a righty.
R
the biggest problem is that we were 6 games into the year
and RW making any assumptions about pinch hitting for a guy 6 games into the year is kind of…dumb
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Apr 14, 2009 7:59 AM CDT up reply actions
All afterthoughts
And I think Ron Washington probably believes that was what he was thinking at the time. But it’s not a bit different from anyone’s “I wonder if maybe he should have ….” line of thinking. And Francisco aside is the crux – it was shocking to see CJ, competent against LH hitters, go out for the 8th against RH bats.
Bottom line, it seems Wash doesn’t really think it’s a matter of accountability, after all, he did the template thing. 8th inning guy to start the 8th. When that blows up, you need to have an effective contingency.
"He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts... for support rather than illumination." - Andrew Lang (1844-1912) also -
"Telephone, n. An invention of the devil which abrogates some of the advantages of making a disagreeable person keep his distance."
~Ambrose Bierce
by Ed Coffin on Apr 13, 2009 10:57 PM CDT reply actions
basically we just need better production
if Ron W. screws up and puts the wrong guy out there, then to me, the “wrong guy” shouldn’t even be in the game. management aside. now, if you have a guy who is horrible at getting righties out, but awesome vs. lefties, and you put him in against all righties, that’s a management flaw. but I still say, an 8th inning guy should be able to get 8th inning hitters out, not just 8th inning lefties. he’s not a lefty/righty specialist, he’s an inning specialist. I blame two nights ago on CJ. Not Ron. And I blame last night on Padilla and Feldman. Not Ron.
I am not standing up for Ron. I think he deserves the blame for the team’s production, and for game management flaws. Which there have been. But it all comes down to getting outs if you’re a pitcher, and avoiding outs/producing if you’re a hitter. And we haven’t done enough of either outside of the first series of the year.
"Hang-Dai, Wu...Hang-Fu$&ing-Dai"
by Walter Sobchak on Apr 14, 2009 11:19 AM CDT up reply actions
and I didn't mean the "wrong guy" shouldn't be in the game
due to game management, I meant, he shouldn’t be in our bullpen or on this team. period.
"Hang-Dai, Wu...Hang-Fu$&ing-Dai"
by Walter Sobchak on Apr 14, 2009 11:20 AM CDT up reply actions
Except
almost every bullpen in baseball has “wrong guys” in the bullpen. Relievers are normally relievers because they are not consistent enough to start, or have too limited of a pitch assortment. Outside of a small minority of guys who are great reliever, most of em just struggle along, having good games and bad.
"The idea that the Rangers are going to be a solid contender for a number of years is a fantasy." - Adam J. Morris
Why is CJ
an 8th inning specialist? Because Ron says so? Seems a little circular. You might as well say Jennings is your 8th inning specialist. It would be just as valid.
I had no problem with RW putting CJ out in the 8th. I had problem with RW riding him as he crumbled. Other than FrankieFrank, I don’t see any reason not to make a pitching change when any bullpen pitcher gets in trouble. I wouldn’t bet on twitterboy pitching himself out of a jam after watching him last year.
"The idea that the Rangers are going to be a solid contender for a number of years is a fantasy." - Adam J. Morris
and I don't agree
that could be placed on the manager. so could putting in Madrigal. or his reasoning. but at the end of the day, if CJ didn’t fold, and we win, none of that rears its ugly head. I just have to blame the players and their lack of production first…golden opportunity of back-to-back dominant starts by Millwood, and one completely wasted
"Hang-Dai, Wu...Hang-Fu$&ing-Dai"
by Walter Sobchak on Apr 14, 2009 11:50 AM CDT up reply actions
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