Thoughts on the Hinch/Verlander decision.

I look at it this way. Its 2-1. The offense has been sluggish. Morton, although he pitched well, was showing signs of fading.

So the question becomes, who is your best pitcher available and who can give you several innings?

Sure there was risk. Sure a rain delay could have screwed your plan royally. Sure, you might have got one more inning out of Morton. And sure, Harris was warmed up as well.

But again, who was you best pitcher available?

 

Baseball is too fluky to put every single decision under a microscope. If that ball is half an inch higher, it's a fly out and everyone is praising using Verlander in relief. The margin is that small. Dwelling over "right" or "wrong" based on results is pointless. What I look for in a manager is if the decisions he makes have solid data and reasoning behind it and I appreciate Hinch in that regard. He's always super prepared with contingency plans on contingency plans.

 

@bobrek pretty much summed it up in his post

morton was getting hit on hard consistently throughout that game. but props to him getting out of a bases loaded 0 out stretch. if you're going to play this what if game then it was only a matter of time til all the hard contact hits off morton translated to runs. but whatever houston is moving on. and the same projected lineups will be for houstons game 1 and 2. they took care of business and ended before a game 5.

 

We would have still had DK for game 5, and he has been pretty money in the post season. However, verlander is a guy who throws harder as a game goes on. I think he said he hadn't relieved in like 13 years.

 

He said he'd never relieved except maybe in a spring training game once.

 

This is silly. Baseball is a fickle game in which wrong decisions come out good quite often.

That said, I don't see the big deal about using Verlander. It isn't like he pitched 9 innings in Game 1, and didn't have adequate rest prior to Game 1. He's pitched 8.2 innings now over what 13, 14 days? I see very little reason to think he needed another day of rest for 3 innings.

 

What's silly? Are you saying using Verlander was the wrong decision? Using Giles for 2 innings was the wrong decision?

 

I liked the decision. Win the effing game. Treat it with urgency...because it's urgent. No problem with this decision at all.

 

It was a ballsy decision and one that I didn't agree with but it worked out. The biggest piece of info that I didn't know at the time was the weather and I suspect that Hinch had more info on the weather than he's letting on. I mean MLB is keeping track of the weathers and keeps the umpires up to date in case they have to call a rain delay. I have a hard time believing that HInch is just relying on what Boston does. If Hinch rely believed he could get several innings out of Verlander then it's not that bad of a call.

 

How did it work can you explain to me please? So Verlander is the reason that Bregman hit a hr and reddick and Beltran each got us some rbi’s? No it didn’t work. He gave up a two run hr and the lead. I love Verlander, but anyone who says that the move worked is mentally impaired

 

it worked bc he still pitched after that and gave up nothing. those would of been for nothing if he gave up more runs so it works both ways. it's not just from the pov of batters

 

Hinch is just playing 7D Backgammon with everyone. He knew the Yankees was going to pull it out later that day. EDIT: Just realized that whatever the Yankees/Indians result is, it wouldn't have matter as the game would've been on Friday. 5D Chinese Checkers then*

In all seriousness, yesterday would've been a good time to have a McHugh make an appearance in Relief. I really don't see Gregerson being a positive contributor. But whatever, it worked out fine.

 

I still think Morton was settling in and that we could have brought out musgrove and been fine but you do you

 

Please tell us what the result of the game would have been if Hinch had not brought in Verlander when he did.

 

i disagree. he was getting hit on hard consistently. red sox were making good contact hits. just bc the balls happen to bounce houston's fields way doesnt necessarily mean he was settling in and it was only a matter of time til they tacked on more runs. morton gets the credit for getting out of a horrible jam but other than that it was time for someone else

you do you. yeah hinch did him. and he came out with a W. who knows what you're decision would have done. that's why you're sitting their and hes in the dugout

 

Put in musgrove who’s been nails or Harris. Also I wouldn’t have pulled Morton yet. He gave up a walk but was showing signs that he settled in. I’ll tell you what ACTUALLY happened, Verlander gave up the lead...

 

what else ACTUALLY happened. he gave up nothing after that and the astros won. but none of that helps your agenda even though those are very much relevant

 

He pitched a few innings and gave up 2 runs. I guess if you want to lay out the red carpet go ahead. I still and will always stand by the fact that hinch is an awful manager. He’s only successfull because he has A LOT of talent to work with.

You’re sh*^%ing on Morton who went longer and only gave up one run. It’s whatever I’m done arguing with a guy who has the name YOLO.

 

I've definitely gone back and forth on the Verlander thing. My first reaction was pure anger and frustration. I guess I've kinda changed my opinion on the whole deal, but I can't help but wonder how I would have felt had we lost.

The reality is Verlander was okay, but he gave up the damn homer and Morton was starting to come around. It seemed like a quick hook from Hinch. I suppose if Hinch was never planning on starting Verlander in a potential game 5 then it could be argued that it was the right move. Either way we won the game so whatever, but I'm not gonna start praising Hinch for getting lucky.