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NLDS Game One Thoughts
By Mike | October 4, 2007
A lot has been made out of Lou Pinella’s decision to pull Zambrano after six innings in last night’s game, and its easy to criticize the move after the fact.
For the record I was against it at the time. The logic didn’t quite make sense. He was pulling his top pitcher in a tied game so that he’d be ready for game four. I can understand that move if the Cubs are ahead. You figure the bullpen combo if Marmol, Howry and Dempster have been closing the door all year so if you can win the game and minimize the effort needed by your ace you go for it. Similarly if the Cubs are down the you pull him figuring that you have probably already lost, no use making game four any harder by tiring him out.
But it was a tie game, and good Carlos was rolling. You have to leave him in there. By taking him out you are not only counting on your bullpen for the hold, but you are also counting on your offense to push across a run or two. What happens if the bullpen does hold, but the offense chokes. Then you’ve used all your ammo and you’re still tied and the advantage swings to the D-backs.
I think Lou got a bit ahead of himself. They should have tried to win this one at all costs and worried about game four when it comes around. Maybe if they won this game they wouldn’t have needed a game four.
The reason the Cubs lost yesterday is not because Marmol gave up two runs, its because the offense couldn’t come through in the clutch. They had runners on base in at least the first 6 innings, including leadoff men on second and couldn’t score. Webb didn’t seem to have his best stuff yesterday and they kept letting him off the hook. If the Cubs are going to win this series they are going to need some help from the offense. Hopefully they get it tonight and we go back to Chicago tied up at one.
Topics: Baseball, Chicago Cubs |
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