Frayed Knot wrote: Frayed Knot wrote: Backup shortstops are almost always going to be low-hitting, glove guys so it's not like getting rid of Q and replacing him with [player X from the pile of available non-starters] is going to change things much. The problem, IOW, isn't really with the specific backup it's that, unless the everyday guy suddenly bounces back to 2012 form, the starter isn't strong enough. As for using Q yesterday, I though Terry made all the reasonable moves, especially seeing how he was hamstrung with a temporarily short roster. Q to 2nd for defense plus Young to LF and Brown out of the game in order to protect a one-run lead in the 9th was the way to go, but stuff like that all falls apart when what your pitcher really needs is a LF who's 18 feet tall. I don't think Young is appreciably better on defense than Brown and you essentially replaced Brown's bat with 0's. I was confused by the double-switching though. Like bringing in Recker for the final couple of outs of the 10th, you ended up being what would've been the tying run (with Q behind him). These double-switches didn't lengthen the lineup (just pinch-hitting for pitcher would've done better) and it wasn't that short since Young apparently could pinch hit. Then again, it always seems like this happens in extra inning games, managers somehow get all the subs in there. And Williams didn't use his closer tie game on the road either. Young is hardly a GG out there but he's a damn sight better than Brown and Q is better at 2B than Young. With a one-run lead in the 9th those moves are no-brainers IMO. The double-switches were mainly for batting order reasons (Ike for Duda, etc.) I'd have to re-check the d'Arnaud/Recker one. And while I've been critical of Terry in the past for over-using that tactic, I was OK with how he handled things yesterday. Young was bad on defense so yeah, I guess the infield and Parnell's tendency for grounders make sense there more than the OF, and I guess you're assuming you don't need the batting order. But the double switches for batting order cost spots. It's not like the relievers were due up 2nd. You could've pinch-hit Duda and left him in the game and gotten a whole new turn of the batting order.