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?
Sully Baseball 