Alright, so now Dotel has blown a save by breaking down mentally (against the Marlins), and he has blown one by throwing his "best" stuff (which happens... I'd rather he blow them this way). The next BS, regardless of how it occurs, and if it occurs before the end of this month, will OFFICIALLY signal a call that Dotel just might not have the moxy,karma,mental-makeup, whatever... to close out these games. We all know what he can do in the 8th, and this league is FILLED with guys who can dominate that inning, but haven't had much success in the 9th: Latroy Hawkins Felix Rodriguez Mike Stanton Arthur Rhodes Mike Timlin Alan Embree Right now, Dotel doesn't look much better than Jose Mesa did in his hey day... he has great stuff, and he'll get you a few easy saves, and raise that number big time... but he'll also get beat at the WORST of times.
Ugh. Didn't like the call for Ensberg to bunt. He was by far our best hitter remaining in the inning.
For the record... while it seems like I've just been bashing Dotel left and right... I was one of his biggest defenders when everybody was pointing out before the season that he wouldn't be able to close out games. All the doubters pointed to his brief stint as closer in 2000 (when Wagner was hurt), and said he was horrible then, and probably would fail just as hard now. I was always the one who pointed out that a.) he wasn't comfortable in the bullpen back then, believing he was a starter... and b.) his numbers the last two years, where he was just about unhittable, justify that he's nowhere near the same pitcher he was in 2000. Now, I'm just not sure. It also doesn't help my mindset that Lidge is the one drawing RAVES from other team's scouts, and his 8th innings have been effortless (against some very good hitters... he made Piazza look human yesterday). Sure, he's blown a couple of saves this year as well (one of them in the 9th)... so he could be just as ineffective. Or, he could just have "it" that you need once you're named the closer.
We're coming up on Ricky Stone/Mike Gallo/Brandon Duckworth territory. That's normally when these extra inning affairs end...
Please clear this up for me, as I know almost nothing about baseball. I thought that if a starting pitcher leaves the game with a lead that worst case would be for the pitcher to come away with nothing. If Clemens leaves when it's 2 and 0, why wouldn't he get the victory if the Astros win? Raven
If the game is tied after he leaves the game, he cannot get the win. The same thing applies for a pitcher who leaves the game while his team is losing, if the game becomes tied, he does not get the loss.
I guess throw Backe into the previous list of our bullpen pitchers who will lose extra inning games for us. Btw... when was our last walkoff win? was it Kent's HR against St. Louis last year?
