Right - what you're playing for, though, is to avoid a sweep. You're reducing your chances of winning the series to reduce your chance of going 0-4. It's a bad strategic decision if your goal is to win the series. It doesn't matter who you pitch those 3 innings. Again, you might blow this game and lose as a result - but you make it more likely that you navigate 4 games instead of 3 innings. To win this series, you need to have a plan to successfully navigate 30 more innings. If you use Javier for 2 or 3 today, you lose him for 5 or 6 tomorrow, meaning you bring in a crappier pitcher for more innings tomorrow. Or you run Valdez, McCullers, and Urquidy out on 3 days' rest, meaning you likely get fewer and crappier innings from them.
Now I'm a 'bit confused. I understand Javier let a guy on base...but we just wasted a start for this so might as well just ride him unless he gave up another hit or two and save Ryan for tomorrow if we need him for a few innings. Again...-If- there's a tomorrow.
