We have a bullpen day today. I’m kind of grumpy about a bullpen day in a five-game season. I get that teams have very good records in bullpen days, but I’d rather we had a starter ready to go. I’m surprised
that Kevin Gausman didn’t volunteer to go a day early (maybe he did, and we don’t know about it). But then if it goes to game five the team should have a rested Gausman and Yesavage. But I think they would be better off in the long run to have a ‘real’ starter. We’ll see, I guess.
Louis Varland get the opener role.
I didn’t think we’d win in three games, that was a lot to expect, but when Vlad hit that home run, I thought ‘we are going to win in three games’.
It likely would have been a while different game if IKF hadn’t booted that ball in the first. Getting out of the inning on seven pitches would have been great. IKF is a good fielder. Good range, and few errors. He had 6 at short, three at third and none at second (though only 26.1 innings at second this year).
Addison Barger’s error? In my mind that’s an error on Davis Schneider. He’s played enough outfield now that he has to know to call the infielder off and make the play himself. He’s coming in on the ball, and he stops. And, of course, it blows away from Barger. It is rather cruel to blame it on Barger, he went a long way, in that last moment, to get a glove on it. I’m sure the outfielders are told to call off the infielders, but I would restate that to Davis.
Beyond that, I likely would have been ok with walking Judge, in the fourth, even with two guys on, and staying with Mason Fluharty to go after Bellinger and Rice. As it turned out, walking Judge, even with Louis Varland coming, would have been the better move, as Varland got the two lefties (fly out and strikeout). It shouldn’t be possible to homer off a 100 mph pitch that is 3 inches off the inside of the plate. And, it hits the foul pole. A few inches to the left, and it is harmless. Baseball is stupid sometimes.
Hindsight, as they say, is easy. Whereas winning the third game in a five game series don’t come easy, as Ringo Star said.
