NEW YORK – Naturally, both Giants manager Bruce Bochy and Mets manager Terry Collins were asked about the warmth that Orioles manager Buck Showalter is taking for not using All-Star closer Zach Britton in Monday’s extra-inning loss inside the AL wild card game.
Naturally, neither Bochy nor Collins was quick to rip a participant in their managing cohort.
“Yeah, Buck’s inside a tough spot, ” Collins said. “I didn’t watch the ending of the overall game. But I do know that he’s inside a situation where … does he save his closer if he gets command? If he uses him inside the 10th, he’s liable to leave of the jam and also the game goes 13, and that they finally score, that is he visiting run available? After which he’s likely going to be criticized for using his closer inside a tie game.
“You know, it’s only the nature of the overall game. He’s perhaps one of the best otherwise the very best in baseball, for me, of running a game. So I kinda feel bad he’s being heavily criticized because he knows what he’s doing. Hopefully tonight I will give the ball to Jeurys Familia having a one- or two- or three- or four-run lead and never need to face that. ”
Bochy, who has got endured a hefty slice of criticism over his handling of the chaotic bullpen this season, also veered far from offering an opinion on Britton’s use or non-use.
“You really know what, it’s what it is that we undergo as managers, ” Bochy said. “Buck does such an excellent job. I‘ve such a lot respect for him, and it’s section of the territory when you’re inside the playoffs. We’re checked out a great deal, believe me. We have been, and all of us have. ”
Bochy stated the obvious about Eduardo Núñez, saying the speedy third baseman is “coming around, but slower than all of us hoped” given by a hamstring injury. It remained iffy whether Núñez could be with an NLDS roster against the Cubs, should the Giants advance past the Mets in Wednesday’s NL wild card game.
It was eventually mentioned that Bochy had to wait patiently till the NLCS roster in 2014 to obtain Michael Morse’s sore oblique healed towards the point where he could possibly be activated.
“That worked out all right, didn’t it? ” Bochy said, smiling.
Bochy said he wouldn’t be scared to make use of Johnny Cueto or Jeff Samardzija either early or late in relief of Madison Bumgarner if needed. Nobody is on the pitch count to the wild card game, Bochy said.
If Cueto doesn’t pitch an extended piece, he would start Game 1 in an NLDS at Wrigley. Bochy clearly doesn’t want to make use of Cueto, but this really is time for them to worry about tomorrow tomorrow.
“Johnny, he’s perhaps one of the best pitchers inside the game, and he’s fresh, ” Bochy said. “It gives us another long man. ”
The only real extra position player that Bochy could afford added was Tony Sanchez, which might allow him to pinch hit Trevor Brown earlier inside the game without hesitation. But Bochy wanted the extra pitcher, instead.
He said he chose right-handers like Hunter Strickland, George Kontos and Derek Law over Cory Gearrin because “you’ve got to create a call, and Law’s return healthy, and Strick’s throwing well. Not that Cory hasn’t, but if this were another way around, you’d be asking a similar question. ”
Checking power upon the Mets bench, though, a ground ball specialist like Gearrin may need been a far better fit.
“We feel we’re covered from the ideal side, ” Bochy said. “That’s why we went the way in which we did. ”
If it is the pecking order, it may be hard for Gearrin in order to make the roster in subsequent rounds. The Giants would make sure to add Matt Moore along with Ty Blach or Albert Suarez for any best-of-5 series.
Bochy Isn‘t likely in order to make any replacements for late-inning defense. He even feels good about the way in which Conor Gillaspie has played at third, albeit defense hasn’t been a strength of his.
It’s too simplistic to pick out one hitter like the secret for the overall game, but Yoenis Cespedes sticks out.
The Mets scored a ridiculous 51. 1 percent of the runs on home runs this season. Cespedes was their leading home run hitter, with 31. Curtis Granderson hit 30, and he’s one among three left-handed batters inside the lineup, but he often rested against pitchers like Madison Bumgarner (He’s 0 for 3 having a walk against him in her career. )
Cespedes presents the greatest threat, and it also barely matters that he hit just. 214 /. 297 /. 379 after Sept. 1. He certainly found his form once the Mets visited AT&T Park in April, hitting three home runs in three games immediately after being activated coming from the disabled list due to a strained quadriceps. (Cespedes hit those homers off Moore, Samardzija and Jake Peavy. )
Against Bumgarner, Cespedes is 3 for 10 having a double, three walks and three strikeouts. He’s 0 for 3 with two strikeouts against Sergio Romo and 0 for 9 against Cueto.
Collins said he was a little concerned that Cespedes slumped to end the season. And yet…
“He, for myself, is a man who could say what he’s facing tonight and can also flip it on, ” Collins said. “We need him to do this tonight. ”
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