Game #12: Marlins @ Nationals
Nationals Park - 12:10 PM - Chris Volstad vs Daniel Cabrera
BOX
If i didn't know any better, judging by the way he managed his bullpen on Sunday, I'd say Manny Acta is trying to get a head start in the race to the number one draft pick.
Top six. Acta pulls Daniel Cabrera after he puts two men on to start the inning with Dan Uggla coming to the plate. Acta has to choose between lefty Mike Hinckley and righty Steven Shell. Uggla. Uggla is 1-15 vs LHP this year. He's 0-2 vs Mike Hinckley in his career and 3-4 vs Shell. Acta goes for Shell, the righty. After a deep flyout, he leaves him in to face Jeremy Hermida. Two of Hermida's three homers have come vs LHP this year but he has hit RHP prodominantly better in his career, averaging 20 points higher and OPSing upwards of 50 points higher. He's also walked 111 times against RHP compared to 30 times against LHP. He walked here to load the bases and bring Cody Ross, who was 5 for his last 13 coming in, to the plate. Shell was lucky to give up only one RBI to him as Ross missed a grand slam by inches. By this time, the guy can barely throw a strike. Still, he was left in to face Alfredo Amezaga, who hits 60 points better vs RHP. Amezaga just got under a great pitch to hit and popped out. The only good matchup Shell was put in was the one against his last hitter, Jorge Cantu who struck out to waste the Marlins' first chance to tie.
However, Acta made sure his team gave up the lead in the 8th by going to the lefty with Ross, a career .936 OPS vs LHP, nearly 200 points better than his .742 OPS vs RHP, who had already hit a miracle homer in this series and nearly hit a granny vs a righty in the last AB, due up. He homered, tying the game. Later in the inning, after Amezaga reached on an infield single, Hinckley was left in to face Wes Helms, a career .813 OPS against lefties. He lined one under the glove of Austin Kearns in right but a great throw gunned down Amezaga at home.
By this time, Acta must've been wondering what he had to do to lose the lead. Then the thought struck him. In the 9th, John Baker, who is hitting .429/.500/.571/1.071 in innings 7-9 and vs .329/.416/.476/.893 RHP for his career compared to .218/.338/.382/.720 vs LHP, was due up second. This is where Acta decided to go to a righty, Saul Rivera. After Emilio Boinfacio walked to lead off the inning (it's come to the point where he's getting a red light on a 3-1 count), Baker doubled him in to give the Marlins the lead.
Finally, with Julian Tavarez, who has great career numbers against the Marlins (2.59/0.97/.186) and had no problems getting Ross out earlier in this series, still available and probably already ready to come in as he was throwing in the pen a few innings earlier, Acta watched as Rivera loaded the bases and Ross strides to the plate. He kept playing a spectator Ross as he cleared the bases with a double, his fourth XBH of the series. I guess Acta just wanted to make sure.
As much as I'd like to say the Marlins shocked Nationals Park again with more comeback magic, this one was handed to them. And they and I will both take it.
After the game, Shell was designated for assignment and Rivera along with Wilfredo Ledezma were optioned to the minors. Shell threw in a total of three games this year after holding down a 2.16 ERA in 50 innings last year yet he's taking the hardest fall for the Nats' bullpen having an ERA over 6 so far this year. There's got to be a grievance there somewhere. For his sake, I hope he gets claimed off waivers.
BOX
If i didn't know any better, judging by the way he managed his bullpen on Sunday, I'd say Manny Acta is trying to get a head start in the race to the number one draft pick.
Top six. Acta pulls Daniel Cabrera after he puts two men on to start the inning with Dan Uggla coming to the plate. Acta has to choose between lefty Mike Hinckley and righty Steven Shell. Uggla. Uggla is 1-15 vs LHP this year. He's 0-2 vs Mike Hinckley in his career and 3-4 vs Shell. Acta goes for Shell, the righty. After a deep flyout, he leaves him in to face Jeremy Hermida. Two of Hermida's three homers have come vs LHP this year but he has hit RHP prodominantly better in his career, averaging 20 points higher and OPSing upwards of 50 points higher. He's also walked 111 times against RHP compared to 30 times against LHP. He walked here to load the bases and bring Cody Ross, who was 5 for his last 13 coming in, to the plate. Shell was lucky to give up only one RBI to him as Ross missed a grand slam by inches. By this time, the guy can barely throw a strike. Still, he was left in to face Alfredo Amezaga, who hits 60 points better vs RHP. Amezaga just got under a great pitch to hit and popped out. The only good matchup Shell was put in was the one against his last hitter, Jorge Cantu who struck out to waste the Marlins' first chance to tie.
However, Acta made sure his team gave up the lead in the 8th by going to the lefty with Ross, a career .936 OPS vs LHP, nearly 200 points better than his .742 OPS vs RHP, who had already hit a miracle homer in this series and nearly hit a granny vs a righty in the last AB, due up. He homered, tying the game. Later in the inning, after Amezaga reached on an infield single, Hinckley was left in to face Wes Helms, a career .813 OPS against lefties. He lined one under the glove of Austin Kearns in right but a great throw gunned down Amezaga at home.
By this time, Acta must've been wondering what he had to do to lose the lead. Then the thought struck him. In the 9th, John Baker, who is hitting .429/.500/.571/1.071 in innings 7-9 and vs .329/.416/.476/.893 RHP for his career compared to .218/.338/.382/.720 vs LHP, was due up second. This is where Acta decided to go to a righty, Saul Rivera. After Emilio Boinfacio walked to lead off the inning (it's come to the point where he's getting a red light on a 3-1 count), Baker doubled him in to give the Marlins the lead.
Finally, with Julian Tavarez, who has great career numbers against the Marlins (2.59/0.97/.186) and had no problems getting Ross out earlier in this series, still available and probably already ready to come in as he was throwing in the pen a few innings earlier, Acta watched as Rivera loaded the bases and Ross strides to the plate. He kept playing a spectator Ross as he cleared the bases with a double, his fourth XBH of the series. I guess Acta just wanted to make sure.
As much as I'd like to say the Marlins shocked Nationals Park again with more comeback magic, this one was handed to them. And they and I will both take it.
After the game, Shell was designated for assignment and Rivera along with Wilfredo Ledezma were optioned to the minors. Shell threw in a total of three games this year after holding down a 2.16 ERA in 50 innings last year yet he's taking the hardest fall for the Nats' bullpen having an ERA over 6 so far this year. There's got to be a grievance there somewhere. For his sake, I hope he gets claimed off waivers.
