Quote:
Originally Posted by Resolute 14
Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
Even with his struggles, I'm not sure you want to hand Bautista a second chance to end the game after you got him the first time around. Especially since an IBB with a pitcher struggling to find control often results in 2-0/3-1 counts as they lose the strike zone.
If you do walk EE, you absolutely need to bring Britton in for Bautista.
|
The other issue if you intentionally walk EE, there is no bases for Bautista - just in case. You don't want to walk JB with the bases loaded to lose the game. You have to pitch to him, meaning there will be something JB could push into the OF.
Even if the Orioles asked Ubaldo to pitch around EE, that dude was wild last night. Those first to pitches said it all. Chin music to travis followed by a hanging curve. He could've been trying to pitch around, and just failed.
Im not sure if Britton was up in the 11th. I thought the mound call was buying time, so who knows if Britton would've been ready (should've been up earlier)