It was real exciting to watch Clayton Kershaw pitch a gem tonight. A win would have been a great way to end this series with the New York Yankees and interleague play. Unfortunately, Joe Torre was involved in this game. With a four-run lead going into the ninth inning, The "Hall of Fame" manager decided to bring in Jonathan Broxton. This after Broxton had pitched in two of the last three games. WTF?
Now, I know Broxton is going to take a lot of heat for tonight's loss, but this has to fall on Torre. He's got a record of bullpen abuse, and now he's making Jonathan Broxton his next victim.
We saw how much Torre used Ramon Troncoso earlier this year, now he's a mess. He continues to use George Sherrill, even though Sherrill couldn't get my grandmother out. Hong Chi Kuo will probably require another surgery soon. Cory Wade is just starting to make a comeback from shoulder surgery. The list goes on and on.
It's tough watching Torre manage(if you want to call it managing) a bullpen. I don't think he understands what he's doing to the reliever's arms. The madness needs to end. Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers should have won tonight's game. Thanks to Joe Torre, that didn't happen.
I am and have been for a bit, questioning Torre's managing decisions. I'm sure he's wholly aware of what he's doing. He's sending a message; however, the message is being received garbled. If he's telling his weaker-than-usual bullpen (in terms of years past) to get stronger; find their mojo, and get with the program -- then it's being met as if aliens landed in Dodger clubhouse. His decisions are also affecting non-pitching staff as well.
ReplyDeleteI'm also aware that each year there will be a handfull of games that fall in the "woulda/coulda/shoulda" category. The last game of the Yankee series will be one of them. We had a 6 run lead and blew it, monumentally. We self exploded, though there was a timer present -- and Torre didn't execute the disarming sequence properly. Maybe he thought he did the best he could with what he has to work with. I personally, would not have had Broxton close that night. Weaver would have been a better choce. I wouldn't have trusted Sherrill either (his days are numbered).
I am seeing and feeling the signs of desperation -- and it will take the strength of a strong leader to turn this around before the All-Star game. Otherwise, it's going to be an extremely long and second half of the second half of the series. We need to look and act upon the vision of silver linings.
SPA - The Dodgers should not have lost tonight. You're right, Broxton should not have been involved in this game, especially after the Dodgers scored in the bottom of the eighth inning to extend the lead to four. At that point, Torre should have stopped warming Brox up. If Torre doesn't have faith in any other reliever, he's in big trouble.
ReplyDeleteYou're right, it could be a long second half of the season.
Why bring in your closer with a four-run lead? How does this make sense? They're not equipped for these situations, there are other relievers that are. Or, here's a shocking option -- let Kershaw finish the game.
ReplyDeleteI could see disaster coming as soon as I knew Broxton was coming in.
I was cursing Broxton all the while, but you're right, there is no reason he should have been out there.
The more I see Torre manage the bullpen, the more I appreciate just how special Mariano Rivera is.
night owl - Great points. I fotgot to bring that up. Kershaw could have kept on pitching.
ReplyDeleteWatching Mariano Rivera yesterday, I thought how easy he made it look.