Apologies all around. I'm not going to make the end of this one.
I sincerely hope this link will magically become a happy recap, but what I did see would definitely count as an ughfest. An outside observer might think Victor Zambrano got jobbed by getting stuck with those runs pinned on his resume by Heilman, but it was one of those outings where the unfairness turns out to be perfectly fair. Victor started the night with his mechanics totally out of whack (I liked the shot of Pedro doing pitching coaching by semaphore), did the Bad Victor thing of pitching away from contact, thereby neutralizing Good Victor's movement on his pitches (Milton Bradley in the 5th was particularly infuriating, despite winding up OK), somehow turned in a glittering sixth, then paid the price for those extra pitches and making himself work too hard with those out-of-gas walks to start the 7th. Heilman, well, early ughs (why did the infield appear to be playing in on Robles' single?) and then some awfully good pitching a bit late. Roberto immediately finds his flesh in the way of another comebacker, then somehow gets out of it despite being so out of sync with Piazza before that pitch that he shrugged.
On the flipside, well, Bad Victor was lucky enough to draw Worse Weaver. Welcome back Victor Diaz, all hail David Wright, and curse the fact that Marlon Anderson's little liner was about an inch from being a very silly 93-foot RBI. Though we should have been docked a run for the mere appearance of Ice Williams in the starting lineup.
And were they actually playing Wagner? In L.A.? If there's a place where Wagner makes less sense than Los Angeles, I'd like to know about it. I'm surprised it even made a sound.
And now Padilla gets rescued by a great play by Jose Offerman, of all people, so we promptly celebrate by wasting a leadoff single. I give up. I can't remember the last time I woke up and had to check whether we won or lost, but tomorrow morning will be the next time.
He should have left him in and let him work out of trouble. We were not tied or behind. With a 3-run lead, you let him work out of it. Pitchers need to be allowed work out of trouble once in a while, especially when their confidence is low. With a 3-run lead, the game should have been his to win or lose. Willie has a lot to learn about the pitcher's psyche, obviously. Add that to the list of Things Willie Needs to Learn.
Boy, are we gonna have to agree to disagree on this one. Victor had thrown 107 pitches and just walked the first two guys after struggling with his mechanics all game. Moreover, he's his own worst enemy on the mound, battling himself more than the other team at times. You let insecure pitchers work out of trouble when their confidence is high, not when they've been close to disaster all game. Absolutely agree with Willie on this one.
Nope. This is the perfect way to sink a guy. Bobby V. used to do it all the time and it drove me nuts then too. Letting someone work out of trouble when they have a 3-run lead is how you build confidence… especially in a pitcher who has had the piss-poor luck Zambrano has. You can see him getting more and more down, and knowing he's going to be yanked for putting a couple of guys on only makes it worse. He'll never say it in interviews, but if you knew him personally, I'd bet that's what he'd tell you. Few things sink a pitcher lower mentally than being made to feel the manager has no confidence in his ability to hold a couple of guys on–with a 3-run lead. Especially when you've pitched as well as Zambrano has.
Willie reminds me a lot of Bobby V. in that he seems to have his clear favorites, and then there's the guys he makes it obvious he doesn't like and wishes he didn't have to play. He shows visible exasperation and dislike for certain players, and thinks nothing of denigrating his players in public. I don't like that in a manager. Or a person.
Thank you, Gary… talking about Willie not even acknowledging Trachsel going back into the rotation. “Willie's always been a 'my guys' type of manager, and Trachsel's not one of 'his guys.'” I'm glad someone finally said it out loud.
Yep. Great way to run a team. Us vs. them. Willie's guys vs. everyone else. He really should go back to the Bronx, where the only connection between the players is the logo on their uniforms and the signature on their paychecks. I hate that he's brought “The Yankee Way” to the Mets. Doesn't work for me at all.
How has Willie Randolph established an “always been” track record already?