Angels Fans: Do you walk Votto with first base open?

[Glen]

Upon further thought, I say pitch to him and hope he pops up to the infield.

[Mads28]

 Absolutely, you walk Votto.  Scoscia went lefty/lefty match up because Phillips would have hit right handed against Downs.  I can remember a few years ago, when the Angels only had one left hander on the whole staff.  Scoscia said it didn't matter that the guys in the BP, were effective against lefties or righties.  Now with two lefties in the pen, it seems to matter.

[Inside Pitch]

If they walk him and phillips wins it, someone would have made a thread asking "why walk the hitless votto and pitch to phillips who hit a jack earlier? "

 

 

Or they would be talking about how Phillips posted tremendous clutch and high leverage numbers last year.

People would have found a reason to be critical either way, but  there really wasn't of a downside to putting Votto on base,

[Richard]

Someone should email Arte about this.

 

 

I know a certain Rams fan who can help us get this accomplished!

[Mark68]

It doesn't matter whether it was lefty/lefty or lefty/righty or whatever. What matters is this: 1) Downs hit the first batter in the inning, who happens to be Shin-Soo Choo, who also happens to have speed; 2) The next batter (Heisey) was bound to bunt him into scoring position (if Choo doesn't end up stealing second outright); 3) Votto IS a dangerous hitter, but one that had been kept in check the entire series to that point; and 4) The on deck hitter, Dat Dude BP, had already hit a 3-run bomb in the game, and is no slouch himself.

 

There was no easy choice. You have a guy with speed in scoring position, you have a perennial MVP candidate at the plate, but a good hitter on deck. So, you walk Votto, and face Phillips with two on and one out, maybe he hits into a DP, but he is probably the second toughest to double up on that team (behind Choo), but almost as likely, he hits a single, and you lose anyway. Or, you "pitch" to Votto, never giving him anything close to hittable, and maybe he chases, maybe he ends up walking anyway. But if he chases, you now have two outs. You can then have the option to pitch around Phillips, and then take your chances with Jay Bruce.

 

If we weren't screwed once Downs came jogging in from the bullpen, we certainly were after his first pitch hit Choo. I don't blame Scioscia for opting to pitch to Votto. I DO blame Downs for hitting Choo, and certainly for his pitch location against Votto.

 

I'm not a Scioscia fan, but I have no problem with how he handled it. It's not his fault that Downs' execution sucked.

[Chuck]

For the record, this isn't a Scioscia bashing thread. It's a thread to critique a decision of his that I disagreed with. Scioscia frustrates me at times, but I still like him and it would take a manager like Joe Maddon for me to accept anyone different for the Angels managerial position.

That's all.

I've already turned the page and ready for tomorrow.

[Docwaukee]

Votto has a .900ops vs. lefties.  pitching to Votto at all is dicey at best.  Phillips is at sub .800ops hitter vs. righties.  Walk Votto and bring in a RHer to pitch to phillips.  It probably wouldn't have mattered anyway. 

[Carlos]

It doesn't matter whether it was lefty/lefty or lefty/righty or whatever. What matters is this: 1) Downs hit the first batter in the inning, who happens to be Shin-Soo Choo, who also happens to have speed; 2) The next batter (Heisey) was bound to bunt him into scoring position (if Choo doesn't end up stealing second outright); 3) Votto IS a dangerous hitter, but one that had been kept in check the entire series to that point; and 4) The on deck hitter, Dat Dude BP, had already hit a 3-run bomb in the game, and is no slouch himself.

 

There was no easy choice. You have a guy with speed in scoring position, you have a perennial MVP candidate at the plate, but a good hitter on deck. So, you walk Votto, and face Phillips with two on and one out, maybe he hits into a DP, but he is probably the second toughest to double up on that team (behind Choo), but almost as likely, he hits a single, and you lose anyway. Or, you "pitch" to Votto, never giving him anything close to hittable, and maybe he chases, maybe he ends up walking anyway. But if he chases, you now have two outs. You can then have the option to pitch around Phillips, and then take your chances with Jay Bruce.

 

If we weren't screwed once Downs came jogging in from the bullpen, we certainly were after his first pitch hit Choo. I don't blame Scioscia for opting to pitch to Votto. I DO blame Downs for hitting Choo, and certainly for his pitch location against Votto.

 

I'm not a Scioscia fan, but I have no problem with how he handled it. It's not his fault that Downs' execution sucked.

 

Best reasoned argument right here. Good job!

[Tyler]

Of course you walk him.

[Brian Ilten]

I say it's a no brainer. I don't trust Downs and Votto can actually hit lefties. 

 

Boo! Terrible non-call by Scioscia to let him face the Reds best hitter. 

Exactly. It's a no brainier. Which is exactly why Scioscia did the opposite. They guy is so enamored with himself that he over thinks the easy stuff too many times.

[stormngt]

I say it's a no brainer. I don't trust Downs and Votto can actually hit lefties. 

 

Boo! Terrible non-call by Scioscia to let him face the Reds best hitter. 

I thought it was a bad call by Sosh as well; however after hearing his explanation (plan to walk the righty next) it made more sense.

[ettin]

Votto has a .900ops vs. lefties.  pitching to Votto at all is dicey at best.  Phillips is at sub .800ops hitter vs. righties.  Walk Votto and bring in a RHer to pitch to phillips.  It probably wouldn't have mattered anyway. 

 

In Scott Downs defense, he has a .209 BA Against vs. LHH over his career and a 64.3% Ground Ball rate on top of that against LHH (and that did happen in this case). However, Joey Votto is one, if not the, best hitters in the League right now. It just found the right spot and it didn't work out.

 

I don't think this was a colossal fail on S-C-I-O-S-C-I-A's part. The numbers pointed to a coin flip and the numbers also pointed to a majority of the hits turning into ground balls. I don't think this decision was as bad on the surface as it appeared, to be honest.

 

I missed who was up next behind Votto (Phillips?) but the ball managed to find that one hole.....

[Brian Ilten]

You never let their best hitter be the one to hurt you in that situation.

[nate]

Does anyone know if there was a RHP up in the pen?  If not that is a fail on Scioscia's part.  In late innings like that you should always be ready for matchps.  Can walk Votto then bring in a RHP to face Phillips.

[gotbeer]

Their best hitter of this game was Phillips.  So of course walk Votto to get to him.