Asshole managerial strategy

[Guest iramets]

No, no, no, calm yourself down, I'm not talking about Willie again. I'm talking about St. Joe's decision to bring a well-rested Mariano Rivera to start the ninth inning of an 11-6 game yesterday. As FK astutely noted in the IGT:

] we made Rivera throw, what? 35-40 pitches and give up 5 hits. May affect him and/or help us tomorrow

Torre, of course, was aware that there is a game today, a game in which he might need his closer somewhat more than he needs him in a "five-run lead with three outs to go" situation. But he didn't want him in a tight game without having pitched in a few days.

Joe's obvious solution would have been to bring in Mariano to get the last out or two, keeping Farnsworth out to start the ninth faced two or three batters and get at least one out. Meanwhile he could have had Mariano warming up. After two batters, Farnsworth either has

1) two outs, in which case Joe brings in Mariano for the final out, thus giving him a little work and leaving him fresh for today

or

2) an out and a man on base (or possibly an out and a HR), in which case he brings Mariano in to give him two outs to get

or

3) two men on base and no outs. In this case I'd let Farnsworth pitch to one more batter (he had a five run lead) and then bring Mariano in to put out the fire.

There's no way to assure a certain pitchcount for an inning, of course, but I can't see any downside to letting Farnsworth face a few batters at the start of the ninth with a five run lead.

Now if the Mets are in the game late, they're looking at a tired arm from Rivera, and Joe has outsmarted himself.

[Frayed Knot]

I think Joe is actually more concerned with overusing Farnsworth since he's usually been the one who is noticably worse in the multiple innings and/or multiple days situations. So he prolly figured he get MR some work since he's the "known quantity" and then - with the night game after day game - have them both reasonably usuable for Sunday. Plus, having to go to his pen in the 4th inning burned up some of the other options.

Nice that it all backfired.