Why is it that the most heralded managers often make the dumbest moves? Do they deliberately, constantly try to outwit the obvious, in the hopes of being further praised as an unconventional genius?
7th inning of a tie game, 4-4, Cards have the bases loaded and one out. Lefty, scrubby, struggling John Mabry at the plate. NL RBI leader and right handed hitting stud Scott Rolen sitting on the bench.
Does La Russa pinch hit? No. Why?
Absolutely no reason, other than the fact that if it works, he can be praised for winning on a very unconventional move.
Well, the unconventional move doesn't work...it follows the script of exactly what you'd expect. Mabry whiffs, Cards fail to score.
And then, top of the 8th, pitcher's spot due in the same 4-4 tie. Matt Morris has thrown close to 100 pitches, and given up 4 ER in 7 innings...far from an extraordinary outing. And La Russa lets him hit.
Why? I can only imagine, again, so that if Morris hits a home run and strikes out the side in the 8th and 9th, he can once again be heralded for being a genius. And if the Cards lose, well, the game is forgotten.
I hate these "ingenious" managers.
7th inning of a tie game, 4-4, Cards have the bases loaded and one out. Lefty, scrubby, struggling John Mabry at the plate. NL RBI leader and right handed hitting stud Scott Rolen sitting on the bench.
Does La Russa pinch hit? No. Why?
Absolutely no reason, other than the fact that if it works, he can be praised for winning on a very unconventional move.
Well, the unconventional move doesn't work...it follows the script of exactly what you'd expect. Mabry whiffs, Cards fail to score.
And then, top of the 8th, pitcher's spot due in the same 4-4 tie. Matt Morris has thrown close to 100 pitches, and given up 4 ER in 7 innings...far from an extraordinary outing. And La Russa lets him hit.
Why? I can only imagine, again, so that if Morris hits a home run and strikes out the side in the 8th and 9th, he can once again be heralded for being a genius. And if the Cards lose, well, the game is forgotten.
I hate these "ingenious" managers.
