re: Mainieri's bullpen tactics

quote:

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He over coaches, he tries to go by the book, to a fault. Doesn't really understand or likes "small ball" and if is wasn't for Canizaro, we'd be much worse off. If a pitcher strikes out the side in the 8th, he should start the ninth, at the very least, regardless of the pitch count. If he played with "regular" talent he'd be sub 500 every year. Good recruiter but not a real good baseball coach, average at best, JMO.

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If anyone played with "regular" talent in this league they wouldn't win much. You have to have talent. We have fewer losses the last 3 seasons than anyone else so I guess the pitching choices are working in some way. There will ALWAYS be games when you go back and look and say the coach should have left a guy in or taken him out. Coaches themselves admit this. YOU WILL NOT FIND A COACH WHO HAS ALWAYS MADE THE CORRECT PITCHING SUBSTITUTION. What you are describing is going by the book anyway. The book would say that a guy pitching as well as Poche should be left in for the 9th. It would also say use your closer if you have a strong one. There is only a wrong answer there in hindsight. If you trust your closer then it's not stupid to bring him in for the 9th.