It's hard to disagree with the bottom line Major puts out there. If Pedro somehow clamped them down, Little is a genius for sticking with his ace and beating the yankees. If Beckett had been shelled in game six, McKeon is labeled a senile idiot.
Red Sox fans apparently think that if all the right decisions had been made they would be 162-0. The grass is always greener I guess.
i still think i stick with my ace in that situation...pedro is one of the best pitchers in the game, his numbers after a certain number of pitches notwithstanding.
But you would stick with him after he gives up a home run in the 7th and the outs he got were hard-hit balls? You also stick with him when you have a guy like Timlin who had only given up one hit the entire series or Embree, who was nails? As I said before, if it wasn't for the bullpen's dominating performance, then it wouldn't have been bad, but I think the bullpen had proven themselves. Too bad that Grady felt he couldn't trust them.
I go with the ace too. Just because he had a bad inning doesn't mean he won't pull it back together. He's an ace afterall.
It's ironic that Little is let go for not using his bullpen in Game 7 and yet, according to the Globe article, "Little will be blamed for his handling of the bullpen, which had an ERA (4.83) better than only Kansas City and Texas, and provided Red Sox fans with some anguishing moments. " The Sox pen was solid in 12 games of the postseason, but sucked out loud for 162 games before that. Given the choice between staying with my ace or going to a historically suspect pen, I think I'd stay with Pedro too. Pedro said he still had enough in the tank, and his catcher said he was still throwing as well as he did all game. I don't think Grady Little is an incredible manager, but he's being scapegoated.
Or the other way around Torre leaves and Little takes over the Yanks........ I was watching Peter Gammons on ESPN News earlier and he said he heard talks about this. But i dont believe anything he says, always says trades are going down but hes never right. Billy Beane even used him a couple of times to get players he wanted by telling Gammons lies.
I can't believe that you guys are defending his decision. You have to remember that Pedro Martinez is not a 9 inning pitcher anymore like he was in 1999. Believe me, I have watched enough Red Sox games the last 4 years to tell you that Pedro's injuries have decreased his endurance. He is not the same pitcher he was 4 years ago, guys. But with the bullpen pitching the way it was, he didn't have to try to do everything on his own. And that line about him not wanting to come out doesn't wash, Sam, because he is a competitor and all competitors are going to say to leave me in. As a manager, you have to have some balls about you and say "No, Pedro. I think you are done for the night. Good job." They get paid good money (talking about managers); it is about time they show that they are worth it.
