The Removal process

You see it all the time with managers in today's game. Removing an effective pitcher because of other factors besides how that pitcher is pitching at the moment.

And it has to stop!

After the 6th inning of last night's improbable 8-7 Boston Red Sox comeback, I said to myself that Joe Maddon, Tampa's hip manager, was going to remove his starting pitcher, Scott Kazmir.

Everything pointed in that direction: Kazmir's pitch count was at 111 (oh, my God!), the Rays have a good bullpen plus a 7 run lead. The Rays hierarchy are also worry about their 24 year old lefty, who was shelved earlier in the year with elbow issues.

But, there were 9 more outs to get, Kazmir had set down his last 9 Red Sox and he was pretty much dominating the team all night.

Why the hell do these managers remove highly effective pitchers? It boggles my mind. First it was Jerry Manuel removing Johan Santana against the World Series bound Philadelphia Phillies in July, then it was Charlie Manuel (no relation to Jerry, except on how to handle pitchers, lol) removing Cole Hamels against the Chicago Cubs in August, Joe Torre removing a highly effective Derek Lowe in the NLCS and now Maddon in the removal of Kazmir last night.

When will these managers learn that when you have a stud pitching effortlessly and dominating a team like Kazmir (and Santana and Hamel's were prior) that YOU DON'T REMOVE HIM FROM THE GAME. What is so bad about having Kazmir on the mound at least another inning? It seems like manager's are so beholden to the "closer" that they are afraid of having a starting pitcher go deeper. There is something to admire about a starting pitcher on the mound in the 8th and 9th innings.

I know the Rays bullpen has been good all post season and had a full day off, but why take out a known commodity in Kazmir to go to the unknown? Kazmir was pitching great - no need for him to be pulled.

Pitching is so unpredictable, especially bullpens, plus you already know how the starting pitcher is performing and what type of stuff he has going already that night! Kazmir was great and his stuff last night was great, but a manager does not know how is bullpen is going to be on a night to night basis. Last night the Rays' bullpen was terrible (Dan Wheeler looked scared) and they (and Maddon) might have blown a chance at the World Series.

Longoria needs to go back to basics

And speaking of goats. Can Evan Longoria please set himself before he throws the ball to first base? That is the first thing we teach beginning baseball players before they throw. Get your feet set. Now it has been twice this series that Longoria has thrown a ball away while scooping up a short hop grounder with his momentum coming in. With the slow Kevin Youkilis running, there is no way Longoria would not have gotten Youkilis with a stronger, more accurate throw from a set position.

It may look flashy when it works out, but throwing on the run should only be done when absolutely necessary. And that the throw got away from Carlos Pena at first, allowing Youkilis to be awarded second base. That necessitated the intentional walk to Jason Bay and the eventual game winning hit by JD Drew.

Defense killed the Rays late

One more item about last night. The biggest play might have been when Dustin Pedroia was up in the 7th inning with two outs and runners on first and second. When Pedroia hit the line drive to right field, I thought Gabe Gross should have caught the ball on the fly. That would have ended the inning and David Ortiz would not have had a chance to hit, but he then Ortiz hit the three run homer, bringing the score to 7-4. Even the announcer, Chip Caray said during the play, "Gross plays it safe in right field," That's the thing - playing it safe. What's the worst that could have happened? He misses the ball (unlikely) and it goes to the wall (highly unlikely). Then its stil a run in and probably second and third. But, if he catches the ball....

The risk/reward on a play like that, especially when it could have ended the inning is worth the aggressive nature of the play. When you team is in the lead and the Rays were, you can afford to attempt plays like that.  

Also, on Coco Crisp's 8th inning game tying hit to RF, Gross had probably the worst throw from right field I ever saw. The throw practically went straight into the ground. The tying run was Mark Kotsay, who doubled with two outs in the 8th just off of BJ Upton's glove in CF. Upton has caught pretty much everything in this series so far - except Kotsay's drive.

And Gross' "tent on a circus" effort on JD Drew's game winning hit was nothing to write home about either.

Three late mistakes for a guy considered one of the better defensive outfielders.

All in all, it was a nice good bye to the Fenway faithful last night, giving their fans something to cheer about. That is until James Shields spins a 5 hitter Saturday night for the series clinching Tampa Bay victory.