Gibson 2 good starts in a row-MOLITOR?

[Twinfan & Dad]

So you have a pitcher who has struggled! He gives you 5 strong innings two games in a row! You are looking for that forth and fifth guy you can trust to keep you in the game! AND THEN YOU CONTINUE TO PRESS THE ISSUE AND SEND HIM OUT FOR 1 MORE INNING. Molitor, really? It is a confidence ISSUE at this point.

[Twodogs]

Well he pitched into the 8th inning and only gave up 3 runs, he did great, I think if the starter is going good keep sending him out there, no better way to build confidence than to pitch deep into the game.

 

Kudos Gibson

[drjim]

I think finishing 8 shutout innings would do wonders for his confidence.

 

Up 6, no problem sending him out to start the inning. Probably should have pulled him one batter earlier though.

[Twinfan & Dad]

And the ASTRO Game? BETTER taste in my mouth as a starter with 5 shutout innings 2 games in a row for a guy who has struggled. Just MO.

[jun]

Gibson should have been pulled as soon as he allowed the single.

[USAFChief]

I think finishing 8 shutout innings would do wonders for his confidence.

Up 6, no problem sending him out to start the inning. Probably should have pulled him one batter earlier though.

Yeah, there's no way he should have faced Presley.

 

And why bring in a LH reliever to face Upton??

[drjim]

Yeah, there's no way he should have faced Presley.

 

And why bring in a LH reliever to face Upton??

Rogers is far and away the best reliever on the team, I'm not especially concerned about LH vs RH matchup with him.

[USAFChief]

Rogers is far and away the best reliever on the team, I'm not especially concerned about LH vs RH matchup with him.

I don't know why you wouldn't be. One of the reasons Rogers was converted to reliever was trouble with RH hitters.

 

He's probably their best reliever, but I'd still try to limit his exposure to RH hitters.

 

And let's not forget the hitter matters. Upton is a better hitter vs LH pitching.

 

Finally, Molitor needs to manage so as not to need his best reliever as the first arm out of the pen in a game he led 6-0 entering the 8th.

[ashbury]

This is still at least in part a "let's find out what we've got" kind of season, and with the large lead it's not the worst thing in the world to bring in the lefty and find out whether he's taken the next step to being more than a specialist. The worst happened with that first batter and we still had margin for error, and won. I'm not going to give this choice much further thought.

[ewen21]

I was astonished to see Gibson come out to pitch the 8th, but why not?.

In the month of July Gibson has gone six innings and beyond 3 out of 4 times.  Those three instances are the only three times he has tossed over 100 pitches in a game this season.  Is he on to something? 

Doubtful.  

 

I suppose he has room to prove SOMETHING this year.  Maybe he can prove the naysayers wrong and finish strong?  I won't say he can't, but I am not betting on it.

[prouster]

 

So you have a pitcher who has struggled! He gives you 5 strong innings two games in a row! You are looking for that forth and fifth guy you can trust to keep you in the game! AND THEN YOU CONTINUE TO PRESS THE ISSUE AND SEND HIM OUT FOR 1 MORE INNING. Damn Molitor, grab a clue. It is a confidence ISSUE at this point.

 

Complaining about a starter on this team making it into the eighth inning. Sheesh. . .