This isn't going to be the last blown 9th inning the players, coaches, and fans ever experience. And next time we could just as likely be on the other side of it.
A lot of pitching coaches look at relievers as "out getters" more than any defined role. It's a mentality of your job is to pitch every pitch the best you can regardless of situation. The coaches job is to get you in your best matchup. They thought it was a good matchup for Rudis and it didn't work out. That wasn't a horrible decision by the coaches. Learn and move on. Rudis left them hanging and got crushed, that's high level ball. They apparently were sitting on them too.
It's hard to question coaches over 1 game, they are the ones that spend a ton of time with these guys.
That being said, we clearly have a closing issue, that's multiple blown saves/games now. And usually having a defined closer in the 9th, when the margins are smallest/experience really helps, is what most of the top coaches do. Wilson or Jackson seem the most logical choice to me right now, but the coaches are the ones who should know best.
Freshcorn and Rudis have both lost games in the 9th with hanging breakers, but if they are throwing great in practice then I don't blame the coaches for continuing to use them.
A lot of pitching coaches look at relievers as "out getters" more than any defined role. It's a mentality of your job is to pitch every pitch the best you can regardless of situation. The coaches job is to get you in your best matchup. They thought it was a good matchup for Rudis and it didn't work out. That wasn't a horrible decision by the coaches. Learn and move on. Rudis left them hanging and got crushed, that's high level ball. They apparently were sitting on them too.
It's hard to question coaches over 1 game, they are the ones that spend a ton of time with these guys.
That being said, we clearly have a closing issue, that's multiple blown saves/games now. And usually having a defined closer in the 9th, when the margins are smallest/experience really helps, is what most of the top coaches do. Wilson or Jackson seem the most logical choice to me right now, but the coaches are the ones who should know best.
Freshcorn and Rudis have both lost games in the 9th with hanging breakers, but if they are throwing great in practice then I don't blame the coaches for continuing to use them.