Just have Aroldis Chapman close already!

I just watched the Reds beat the Yankees. It was a nailbiter, right down to the last pitch.

Closer Sean Marshall was shaky and the Yankees finally started getting some hits with runners in scoring position.

Reliever Jose Arredondo had to come out and relieved Marshall. He got the final two outs and earned his first career save.

There was no reason for it to get to that point.
In the 8th inning, Dusty Baker brought in Aroldis Chapman out of the pen.

He has a decent ERA.

It is currently 0.00.

Right now Sean Marshall’s ERA is 5.02. See the difference?

But not only that, but when Chapman was on the mound against Granderson, Cano and A-Rod, it didn’t seem fair. Chapman was so dominating that any hit would have looked miraculous.

It is so obvious that he has big league hitters number.
Nobody has scored a run off of him and he has 38 strikeouts in 21 1/3 innings against only 7 walks.

Why trust the 9th inning to someone else? Today he looked like he could have gone another inning. At least give him the chance to face Ibanez, Swisher and Martin?

There was no doubt a sigh of relief in the Yankee dugout when Chapman was taken out.

And if Chapman is going to be a reliever anyway, why not use him in the way that best helps the team out. Not all innings are created equal.

A Yankee rally in the 8th puts the Reds in a bad spot.
A Yankee rally in the 9th could end the game.

And players at the bat can press knowing that these are their last licks. And to do it against Chapman would essentially make the game 8 innings long.

I’ve been screaming this since September of 2010.

Why doesn’t anyone listen to me?

  

Have you learned your lesson, Mark Melancon?

My kids sometimes get into trouble. And when they do, I’ll send them to their room and let them think about why daddy is mad.

And after about 20 minutes or so, I’ll go into the room.

Usually the first thing I will say is “Have you learned your lesson?”

I think the same can be said to reliever Mark Melancon. The Red Sox traded 2008 Division Series hero Jed Lowrie for Melancon to be a contributor in the bullpen.

He saved 20 games for the lowly Astros in 2011. He must have been able to do something in Boston.
And he did. In 4 April games, he had a 49.50 ERA, lost 2 games and let up 5 home runs in 2 innings.

Not 5 runs. 5 HOMERS! He let up 11 runs in 2 innings.
He let up 2 walks and 4 hits (including 3 homers) in his final game on April 17 in Texas. He recorded zero outs.

He was sent to Pawtucket, just like my kids are sent to their room.

Now he has pitched a month in Pawtucket.
He has pitched 13 innings in as many games. He has struck out 21 batters in those 13 innings and walked none. He has allowed only 9 hits and has a 0.00 ERA for the PawSox, saving 5 games.

It is safe to say that he is better than a AAA pitcher right now.

He’s learned his lesson.
He said he is sorry.
He will finish his spelling homework and not hit his brother.

The Red Sox need a good arm in the bullpen.

Let him come out and play.

  

Happy Birthday Poppy

There are so many things about my relationship with my dad that seems to come right out of the Field of Dreams handbook.

He taught me about baseball. We bonded all through my childhood about baseball. We played catch. I loved hearing about his baseball heroes. We went to many games together and can always talk about the game.

But the nice thing is we never had the big falling out that required me to dig up a farm, build a baseball field and have ghosts and James Earl Jones come together to have us reconcile.

We’ve remained close all through my 40 years on this planet. We’ve always had baseball but we have a lot more too.

It’s my dad’s birthday. He’s never missed one of mine and I never forget his.
So for my best baseball friend, my traveling baseball companion and my dad who doesn’t have to be a ghost to have a catch with me, happy birthday.