August 07, 2007
Bullpen Use
When the Red Sox picked up Eric Gagne, one reason bandied about was to shorten the game to six innings. With three pitchers capable of closing in the pen, one could pitch the seventh, one the eighth and one the ninth. So last night, Curt Schilling comes off the DL, pitches six strong innings, allowing two runs while striking out five, the comes out for the seventh. He then gives up a homer and a double. His pitch count was low, so I understand him starting the seventh, but wasn't the start of the seventh the perfect time to go to Gagne? On top of that, once you take him out with a man on second, isn't bringing Gagne a better move than Tavarez, who allowed the insurance run to score? Or is Francona only allowed to pitch Gagne with a lead so he can get a hold?
On another note, that insurance run scoring brought out the rule book:
Schilling departed in the seventh trailing, 3-2, after bantamweight Maicer Izturis hit his third home run of the season to open the seventh and slumping catcher Jeff Mathis (0 for 18) doubled. A fourth run was charged to Schilling when Reggie Willits, facing reliever Julian Tavarez, bunted Mathis to third and Chone Figgins lined a ball to Moss, who juggled it a couple of times before securing it in leather.
That ignited a mini-controversy, as Mathis had left well before Moss had full control of the ball, but the argument mounted by Francona didn't last much longer than the one Francona initiated after Ramirez was ejected.
The applicable section of the rulebook was Section 2.00, in which this stipulation is added under the definition of a catch: "Runners may leave their bases the instant the first fielder touches the ball." That would guard against outfielders deliberately breaking into a circus act, rather than the inadvertent performance by Moss.
The Angels win 4-2 and extend their AL West lead to four games over Seattle.
Posted by David Pinto at
08:20 AM
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Given Schilling's low pitch count, and the fact that the bottom of the Angels' order was up in the seventh, I can understand why Tito let him start the inning. However, you can certainly make a good case for pulling him after the home run. And Tavarez wouldn't have been my choice in that spot; he's more of a long man than a shutdown type.
When the Gagne deal was announced, Tito said he intended to use Gagne to start innings, rather than bringing him in with men on base. But even if you don't want to use Gagne with Mathis on second, I'd prefer Okajima or Delcarmen to Tavarez. I might even prefer Timlin, in spite of his meltdown last time out.
The other thing Tito may have had in mind: this was the first game of a tough series, and he might have been trying to (a) get just a bit more out of Schilling, and (b) save his frontline relievers for times when he was protecting a lead.
Personally, I would have brought in Delcarmen or Okajima after the Izturis home run, but I'm just trying to understand Tito's thinking.
The problem for any manager is Gagne's injury history. Gagne saved both ends of a doubleheader just before the trade, but everybody holds their breath a little when he goes out there. His July ERA of 4.35 probably made the Sox even more reluctant to push him hard at all. Not to mention that he's allowed runs in both his appearances so far for Boston.
Still, his scant use by Francona does seem like tender loving care taken to an extreme. If they're so afraid of using the guy, why make the trade at all?
