tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4715664748588828731.post6915531868449653624..comments2023-09-02T09:28:48.961-04:00Comments on Tigers Amateur Analysis: Oh, SnapErin (aka SabreRoseTiger)http://www.blogger.com/profile/03466396457164462310noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4715664748588828731.post-88151144605598115252010-08-02T19:06:55.207-04:002010-08-02T19:06:55.207-04:00That's a fair point. I can see both sides to t...That's a fair point. I can see both sides to the argument. Were I in Leyland's shoes, I probably would've had Coke pitch to Youkilis, but I understand why he issued the IBB (lefty matchup, double play possibility, Ortiz was 0-for-8 against Coke). Fortunately, intentionally putting the winning run on base is not something that Leyland does very often (off the top of my head, I can only think of two other instances where he's done it, one of which was the night before, and in both those instances the gamble paid off, but eventually you're gonna get burned, and in those two cases, there were already two outs).Erin (aka SabreRoseTiger)https://www.blogger.com/profile/03466396457164462310noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4715664748588828731.post-58217926856697656402010-08-01T10:36:36.047-04:002010-08-01T10:36:36.047-04:00You're right, but here's why I don't l...You're right, but here's why I don't like the walk to Youk: To force the same result, Youkilis would have had to hit a home run. By walking him, the game can be won with a double. Even if Youkilis crushes a ball, any non-HR would only have tied the game. By putting the winning run on, with less than two outs, for Ortiz substantially increases the probability of losing that game.<br /><br />But again, the way Coke was pitching, they probably would have lost anyway. And perhaps pitching to Youkilis would just have delayed the inevitable or, gasp, pushed the game into extras which would have been even worse. Who would have pitched?Grand Cardshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02658028013441039898noreply@blogger.com