BadAggie said:
AgLA06 said:
BadAggie said:
Presumably bat would have been for the bench.
Market was such that decent rental bat would've cost a fair amount.
So you go to plan B and call up the 1B from AAA crushing it.
Plan C is Uncle Mike giving it another go at a return.
I don't buy this idea that one weak Maldy bat in the lineup prevents the rest from producing.
Yah proven statistics and reality or over rated!
Maldy sucking at plate is as much a crutch for underperformance of the top of the order in a given game here as Maldy's super great intangibles are for the pitching staff.
Last night in the top of the 7th inning, Maldy had a 3-1 count with 1 out and a runner on 1st. He swung at ball 4 and grounded out. He had the hottest hitter in baseball coming up behind him. And what did Altuve do? He doubled down the line to left. Had Maldy just stood still and taken ball 4, he would've been on 2nd base for that double, as there was a passed ball in Altuve's AB that would've advanced him. The game would've been tied 2-2 after Altuve's double. Tucker then walked. Bregman got out to end the inning. If Maldy, who has a .178 average, had not swung at ball 4, we would've had Alvarez up with two runners on in the 7th rather than him leading off the 8th.
1, 2, and 4 all got on RIGHT behind him, but his out on a ball he shouldn't have swung at cost us a run and the chance for more with Alvarez coming up with runners on. Should Bregman have produced with runners on? Absolutely. Should Alvarez had been in the 3-spot to begin with? Most likely.
In a 3-0 or 3-1 count, Maldy should NEVER be swinging. Not at this point in the season. If this were May...fine, take your hacks. Not in August when you SHOULD be trying to win every game at all costs.