So what's your choice here?

[Frayed Knot]

1) Stick with Heilman to pitch to Prince?
He had looked good and was guilty only of a bloop hit -- but he's dealing to a power-hitting lefty as the go-ahead run

2) Stick with Feliciano to pitch the the RH hitting Bill Hall after he plunked Prince?
Pedro isn't usually treated as a LOOGY -- but also had failed to do the job he was brought in for

3) Work the L/R thing using Heilman then Feliciano then Mota figuring that gave you the best odds.
This was Willie's choice.


I ws on the phone at the time and wasn't in the IGT or hearing what Ron & Gary were saying about it .... but I like #2.
I can make a good argument for pulling Heilman there with PF in the wings but not a very good one for the next move.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I forget what I was thinking last night. I might have to check the thread.

You should poll-arize this thread.

[Frayed Knot]

I like discussion better than polls and I think the latter tends to stifle the former.

[Centerfield]

I would have stuck with Heilman since, barring a DP, you would have had a righty following Prince.

If I brought in Feliciano, I would have left him in to face the righty.

[Benjamin Grimm]

As I said in the morning-after part of the IGT, I would have let Heilman pitch to Fielder.

But Willie brought in Feliciano. After Feliciano hit Fielder, I would have (reluctantly) left him in to pitch to Hall. Feliciano didn't look too good, and if I had a righty I was more confident in, I might have made the switch.

In other words, I would have replaced Feliciano with Cordero, but not with Mota.

So I disagreed with both of Willie's pitching changes that inning.

[Farmer Ted]

I would have brought in Gagne to face the rightie.

Glavine gives up a lead-off single to Miller in the 7th and Willie yanks him? I thought that was too early even looking back and seeing he was at 95 pitches.

[Guest Edgy DC]

It's a quick-hooking world, my friend.

[Frayed Knot]

Glavine reportedly admitted to being fairly well gassed when Willie came to chat. Note that a semi-lengthy conversation went on before he made the call.

[HahnSolo]

Heilman had given up a bunt hit and a bloop. I would have kept him in.

If you go to Feliciano with a short bullpen there, I think you have to keep him in the game even when he hits Fielder. He can't be only a one-out guy.

I have zero confidence in Mota at this point.

[TransMonk]

I'd have stuck with Heilman.

After Feliciano came in, I would have stuck with him. I knew the game was as good as tied once Mota began jogging in from the bullpen.

[Guest attgig]

definitely keep heilman in.

Well, first, I would've thought about asking glavine if he was gassed or not in the top of the inning, instead of asking him 4 pitches later. if that was the case, you have a decent bench (ahem gotay) to go to to hopefully get a base hit that moves castro a base.

but heilman has be steady the past few weeks.
What I don't get is, why bring him in to face the bottom of the order? bring in mota then, and then bring in heilman an inning later, so there's no worry of him going the 8th inning, prince or not.

I disagreed with both moves willie made. keep hielman in for fielder, and then second, keep pedro in for Hall.
Also, send mota down, and bring back smith.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Heilman did look great but guys he puts on just score, whether his fault or not. He's a little too homervulnerable for me to really trust vs. Prince after 5 outs, with Feliciano in the 'pen. So I got no big issue with the Heilman Hook.

Feliciano has been ineffective now in several recent outings. Willie looked pissed that he had to come and get him. I could see sticking with him. I'm not gonna pretend I knew Mota would give up the tying hit: He was OK overall.

The real reason this game was lost was Castillo crapping the bed with a man on 3rd and 1 out, and later, Alou's DP.

[Guest sharpie]

What Dickshot said. We really need another trustworthy guy in the pen or Joe Smith to become the Joe Smith from the beginning of the season and Feliciano to stop being recent-Feliciano.

[Guest Edgy DC]

But the real power of what Dickshot said is, how long are we going to be worrying about how to make our pitching more perfect, when our offense is the unit not holding their own?

I think with Glavine and Sosa digging themselves out of holes, and three --- three!! --- game-saving or -turning catches (maybe more), we got more pitching and defense than we deserved last night.

Offense.

[Guest Rotblatt]

Edgy DC wrote: But the real power of what Dickshot said is, how long are we going to be worrying about how to make our pitching more perfect, when our offense is the unit not holding their own? I think with Glavine and Sosa digging themselves out of holes, and three --- three!! --- game-saving or -turning catches (maybe more), we got more pitching and defense than we deserved last night. Offense.

Good point. Out bullpen gave the bats plenty of chances to get it done, and they couldn't come through.

The takeaway from last night for me is that our offense is struggling, not that our bullpen suxx.

That being said, I'd have left Heilman in there.

[Guest attgig]

would a pinch runner for castro and having defelice finishing the game been crazy?

or do u only pinch run for a tying or winning run?

[nymr83]

I would have pulled Heilman for Feliciano but not Feliciano for Mota.
I wouldn't have been particulary upset at leaving Heilman in either, its only pulling Feliciano that I thought was a dumb move.

[Frayed Knot]

Obviously I'm just having fun 2nd guessing the decisions here, not blaming the pitching - or even Willie - for the outcome.
Going down meekly to Suppan ... AGAIN!!! is annoying as hell. Recent hotties Castro & Milledge took a combined 0-for-11.

[Benjamin Grimm]

It'll really be annoying if Suppan kills the Mets in the postseason again, this time as a Brewer.

[Guest attgig]

here's another idea.

would it have been unthinkable to bring in billy for a 5 out save?

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

Sadly, in the game as it has evolved, to bring in one's closer for more than 3 outs is practically unthinkable.