GatewayRedbirds.com

I just have this sense that Hamilton is not gonna catch up to a 98 mph fast ball when he's swinging with only his upper body.

Regardless Rhodes should not be anywhere near the mound in a situation like that.

Sure he came in the other night and sat his batter down but I'd much rather attribute that to luck more than anything.

I've been looking at it, and I think LaRussa made the right moves in terms of matchups and WE.

A [expletive] Texas Leaguer and a couple fly balls. Whatever. Great game.

It's as if deep down inside of Tony he's panicking, saying "I"ve got to do SOMETHING, and I've gotta do it NOW !!!!

Has he ever said why he prefers Danny D at third? Freese does not appear to be that bad to me. I actually think he's a slightly above average defensive third baseman. But regardless of all that...third base is not a premium defensive position, so is it really worth a defensive substitution?

ilstu24 wrote:Has he ever said why he prefers Danny D at third? Freese does not appear to be that bad to me. I actually think he's a slightly above average defensive third baseman. But regardless of all that...third base is not a premium defensive position, so is it really worth a defensive substitution?

I, too, would like to hear an explanation for that.

But I'll give you the canned Tony response:

"We really like Danny's glove. We thinks he gives us a better chance to protect the lead. And he's come up with some big late inning hits this year, so we've got a lot of confidence in him at the plate."

A [expletive] Texas Leaguer and a couple fly balls. Whatever. Great game.

Oh, I agree. The loss did not bother me. The slavish obsession to match-ups felt a little forced.

ilstu24 wrote:Has he ever said why he prefers Danny D at third? Freese does not appear to be that bad to me. I actually think he's a slightly above average defensive third baseman. But regardless of all that...third base is not a premium defensive position, so is it really worth a defensive substitution?

I've been trying to figure that out too. Freese provides good D from what I can see. In a tight game where he is likely to get another AB, it is confusing (and we didn't even benefit from a dbl switch last night). Especially with as hot as his bat has been.

Radbird wrote:

ilstu24 wrote:Has he ever said why he prefers Danny D at third? Freese does not appear to be that bad to me. I actually think he's a slightly above average defensive third baseman. But regardless of all that...third base is not a premium defensive position, so is it really worth a defensive substitution?

I've been trying to figure that out too. Freese provides good D from what I can see. In a tight game where he is likely to get another AB, it is confusing (and we didn't even benefit from a dbl switch last night). Especially with as hot as his bat has been.

I may be mistaken, but I thought Tony's reasoning earlier in the year was not wanting to push Freese a full 9, given his past injuries. That answer always seemed weak at the time, and it's just downright silly at this point.

maddash wrote:

Radbird wrote:

ilstu24 wrote:Has he ever said why he prefers Danny D at third? Freese does not appear to be that bad to me. I actually think he's a slightly above average defensive third baseman. But regardless of all that...third base is not a premium defensive position, so is it really worth a defensive substitution?

I've been trying to figure that out too. Freese provides good D from what I can see. In a tight game where he is likely to get another AB, it is confusing (and we didn't even benefit from a dbl switch last night). Especially with as hot as his bat has been.

I may be mistaken, but I thought Tony's reasoning earlier in the year was not wanting to push Freese a full 9, given his past injuries. That answer always seemed weak at the time, and it's just downright silly at this point.

It's hard to imagine taking that bat out of the lineup. Wait, no it isn't but it should be.

If Tony takes out Freese again in this series before the game ends, I am going to be really, really angry. It makes no sense at all. He has been a very hot hand, as the basketball phrase goes, and would you take out Albert, Matt, Lance, if you thought you might need some runs later? I like Danny D a lot, his Dad was a salesman for my son in law's insurance agency in the 80's-and he watched him hitting wiffle balls when he was 2 years old, but come on- he is not going to give you a clump of rbi's you might need late in the game.

It would be different if Freese was in a 1 for 30 hitting slump right now, but he has been very clutch lately- and if Tony can't see that, he should not be managing in a World Series.