Molitor is a mediocre manager

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

I still think it is seen as very temporary. I do think if he stays for a little bit he will start 6th and 7th innings (and extra inning tie games). Just don't see him coming in the middle of innings with runners on base.

If they have plans to put May back into the rotation after the break because they want to keep his arm fresh, I'm fine with that.

 

I only worry that we'll reach the end of July, Trevor won't be in the rotation, and he'll only pitch junk innings out of the pen. That's such a waste of his talent.

[Mike Sixel]

It is true, the sacrifice increases the odds of 1 run scoring.......I agree with the poster above, they were playing not to lose. If he really wasn't using his best pitch, out of fear of a passed ball......that is awful strategy.

[tobi0040]

 

It is true, the sacrifice increases the odds of 1 run scoring.......I agree with the poster above, they were playing not to lose. If he really wasn't using his best pitch, out of fear of a passed ball......that is awful strategy.

 

Agreed on the removing the splitter.

[USAFChief]

I don't mind the Suzuki bunt. Literally all Robinson has to do is hit the ball past the pitcher to score a run, but of course his worthless self strikes out on 3 pitches.

was it a surprise to Molitor that Robinson was due up next? Shouldn't that be part of the decision process?

 

Sac bunting early in a game is bad strategy. Always.

[spinowner]

I've been meaning to post this little story I thought of when I saw this thread. Ed Lopat managed the KC Athletics in '63 and part of '64, with not-so-great success. One time the PA guy announced a substitution and then, not realizing his mic was still live, said, "That Lopat doesn't know how to manage."

[Linus]

For me the bunt was fine.  Lord knows the posters here are aware of Suzuki's less than overwhelming prowess with the bat.  It has more to do with David Price - the game, at that point, had the look of a low scoring affair where runs were going to be at a premium.  Pretty doubtful they were going to string together multiple hits in one inning of Price.  With the bunt, they need one.

 

As far as the splitter not being called: could have happened but Molly doesn't call the pitches so that's not on him.

[ashbury]

I've been meaning to post this little story I thought of when I saw this thread. Ed Lopat managed the KC Athletics in '63 and part of '64, with not-so-great success. One time the PA guy announced a substitution and then, not realizing his mic was still live, said, "That Lopat doesn't know how to manage."

Lopat no doubt muttered that the PA guy didn't know how to work the equipment upstairs, but nobody outside the dugout heard him.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

 As far as the splitter not being called: could have happened but Molly doesn't call the pitches so that's not on him.

I heard Provus and Atteberry saying he wasn't throwing his splitter, so was just offering an educated guess as to why not. I imagine Molitor does call pitches sometimes but if it was Suzuki calling the pitches and not wanting to block a low splitter in that situation, then that's even more evidence to me that Suzuki needs a break and Molitor should rest him more.

 

Fryer caught Santana's last prep in Rochester (8 shutout innings) so will be interesting to see who catches him tonight. So, it's not like Suzuki needs to catch Santana due to some veteran rapport they have that Fryer doesn't.

[tobi0040]

 

was it a surprise to Molitor that Robinson was due up next? Shouldn't that be part of the decision process?

Sac bunting early in a game is bad strategy. Always.

 

Couple of things Molitor was probably aware of when he made the decision.

 

-David Price is really good and runs may be hard to come by in this game.   So if you have a guy on base, getting him in is a priority.  The odds of a multiple run inning on the back of Suzuki/Robinson is pretty low.

 

-The only way our best hitter (Brian Dozier) does NOT come up in that inning is if Suzuki hits into a double play.  Kurt has a 45% GB rate and a 16% line drive rate and he is slow.  He has hit into 6 DP’s on the year.

 

-Suzuki against Price is 6-30, .200 average, .650 OPS, 10 K’s (33% k rate).  I found this information on a fantasy baseball daily matchup site from yesterday and listed Kurt as one of the top bats to avoid.

 

As it turned out, Kurt was 0-2 in the game against Price.  One of those outs was a grounder to short, which would have been a double play ball in this situation. Robinson was 0 for 2 with two k’s.  The Twins mustered just two runs in 8 innings, so runs were in fact hard to come by.

 

It seems to me that all the logic that went into the decision proved to be true.

 

 

 

[DaveW]

It worked somehow, but why would you call a steal, down 4 with the tieing run on deck?

[Brock Beauchamp]

I heard Provus and Atteberry saying he wasn't throwing his splitter, so was just offering an educated guess as to why not. I imagine Molitor does call pitches sometimes but if it was Suzuki calling the pitches and not wanting to block a low splitter in that situation, then that's even more evidence to me that Suzuki needs a break and Molitor should rest him more.

 

Fryer caught Santana's last prep in Rochester (8 shutout innings) so will be interesting to see who catches him tonight. So, it's not like Suzuki needs to catch Santana due to some veteran rapport they have that Fryer doesn't.

Maybe I'm totally off base here but I don't believe the manager calls a specific pitch in any circumstance. If anyone on the bench would do that - and I don't think they do - it would be Allen.

 

My understanding is that managers and coaches call large scale game maneuvers, not specific pitches.

[DaveW]

I give him all the credit for letting Suzuki and Santana hit there. That Santana at bat and the confidence shown in him could be a big moment in a young 23 year old players career.