Garner's love of the lefty-lefty bites him again. He has Qualls and Wheeler available... but you gotta love the way he sticks with his lefties to make him look like a smarter manager when it works.
That kind of blown save is WAY more acceptable than giving up the lead or a tie with a walk, a passed ball, a small single, and then a wild pitch.... HUGE difference....or do you disagree? DD
Then our leaky bullpen promptly gives the lead right back.. Our bullpen has been HORRIBLE this year, it could cost the team a chance at the post season.....we need last years bullpen back.... DD
Completely disagree. How is it possibly "way" more acceptable. Pitcher's don't have a great deal of control on allowing singles, so really all Lidge did "wrong" was give up a walk.
No doubt, but at least in one you are not HELPING the other team out. The Astros have a lot of blown saves or blown holds by pitching poor fundamental baseball...too many walks etc. DD
BTW Garner's hot hand management style comes back to bite him again. Trevor Miller in a tied game in the 10th? Not with Qualls and Wheeler available. Period.
How is throwing a strike to a free-swinger, who strikes out more than Dirk on a hot date, NOT helping the other team out? In all seriousness, though, walks (or WP's) are correctable... but getting beat with your best stuff is not. Nathan got beat by throwin an strike on the outside corner that Preston actually had the notion not to pull the ball.
I think he pitched in every game in Chicago... Garner just decided to go with his precious lefty-lefty today.
And yet last year, it was almost automatic you would see Qualls, Wheeler and then Lidge. Granted the bullpen is a lot more shaky this year, but I would rather see all of those three (if available before going to Miller. This game is a perfect example that this team (and pretty much every team for that matter) will only go as far as the pitching takes them. Game woulda been over already if Roy O hadn't coughed up the lead.
Looks like every NL team is crappy compared to the American League (with the exception of the Mets). Seriously... the Twins have the same record we do... but look who is in their division: The White Sox, The Tigers, and the Indians. The Twins also have the best two pitchers in baseball right now (Santana and Liriano). Those four teams are just as good, if not better, than the Cardinals, Astros, Reds and Brewers. The AL teams seem to face tougher competition day-in and day-out.... probably makes them more battle-tested.
