Lester

[Chimi]

He was brought in to win these type of games and he failed big time.  A's gave him 7 runs and he couldn't even win with that.  Lester went out and choked up 6 ER.

 

Hope he was worth it for the A's fans.

[laagamer]

Spoiler alert.

 

He wasn't. 

[ELEVEN]

Ahahahahahahaha!

[Angels_Make_Me_Drink]

Now he'll go back to Boston and the A's will be left with nothing.

[Mark68]

*Lester* didn't give up 6 earned runs. He came out up 7-4.

 

Gregerson failed to keep the runners from scoring. So, yes, the runs got charged to Lester. But it was really Gregerson who gave up the last two.

[Blarg]

His post was correct, Lester gave up 6 earned runs. He left with 2 on and only one out. Those are his runners and were charged accordingly.

 

Shields went only 5 innings and gave up 4 runs. Yost was a lot quicker pulling the plug before it got out of hand while Melvin watched the 8th inning spiral out of control.

 

In the end neither Shields or Lester had anything to do with the final outcome although from the standpoint that the A's made a huge payout to get Lester, then made sure their rotation would put him pitching the crucial one game play in, the A's completely blew it and Lester was no better than any other member of their rotation.

[arch stanton]

No idea why Melvin felt obligated to bring Lester out for the 8th unless it was to make Beane look bad. They had a properly rested matchup worthy pen ready to get 6 outs.

[AngelArcher]

His post was correct, Lester gave up 6 earned runs. He left with 2 on and only one out. Those are his runners and were charged accordingly.

 

Shields went only 5 innings and gave up 4 runs. Yost was a lot quicker pulling the plug before it got out of hand while Melvin watched the 8th inning spiral out of control.

 

In the end neither Shields or Lester had anything to do with the final outcome although from the standpoint that the A's made a huge payout to get Lester, then made sure their rotation would put him pitching the crucial one game play in, the A's completely blew it and Lester was no better than any other member of their rotation.

 

How so? Shields gave up a broken bat single and a walk before getting pulled for another starter. A's scored 5 runs after Shields was relieved while giving up the lead. Royals scored 2 runs after Lester was relieved while still holding onto the lead. Which inning spiraled out of control? 

 

Yost would've lost his job had they not come back to win. To me, pulling Shields was a questionable move and bringing in Ventura was even more so, since Ventura has only made 1 relieve appearance in the majors.

[shellback]

as ron darling commented, yost screwed up by replacing shields with the rookie. could of asked his 3 relivers for 4 outs each. imo he had the game won at that point.

[eligrba]

I would like to have Lester on the Angels.

 

Just sayin'

[Lou]

I would like to have Lester on the Angels.

 

Just sayin'

 

just sayin' what?

[yk9001]

as ron darling commented, yost screwed up by replacing shields with the rookie. could of asked his 3 relivers for 4 outs each. imo he had the game won at that point.

 

Playoff monday morning quarterbacking is the worst.

 

Yost also brought in a rookie later in the game who was pitching for TCU in June.  Dude gave them 2.1 innings of light's out relieving.

[floplag]

*Lester* didn't give up 6 earned runs. He came out up 7-4.

 

Gregerson failed to keep the runners from scoring. So, yes, the runs got charged to Lester. But it was really Gregerson who gave up the last two.

 

alas thats not how the scoring works... im sure many starting pitchers wish it was

[shellback]

Playoff monday morning quarterbacking is the worst.

 

Yost also brought in a rookie later in the game who was pitching for TCU in June.  Dude gave them 2.1 innings of light's out relieving.

what the hell does ron darling know? huh?

[yk9001]

I was watching the game.  Unless I am mistaken, nobody said shiat about what a bad move it was as he was warming up.

 

After he gave up the bomb, then it became a bad move.

 

 

If Finnegan had blown up, it would have been "Why the hell do you have this kid who has never won a professional game pitching in extra innings!?!?!?!"

 

Everybody is a MMQ.

[Lou]

the difference is that Finnegan had pitched 21 innings in relief this season to Ventura's 1.2   

In his only relief appearance (in mid-July) he was brought

in to start an inning. He had never entered a game with runners on base. 

 

It was a stupid move

[shellback]

thanks.

[yk9001]

the difference is that Finnegan had pitched 21 innings in relief this season to Ventura's 1.2   

In his only relief appearance (in mid-July) he was brought

in to start an inning. He had never entered a game with runners on base. 

 

It was a stupid move

 

Please. 

 

If Finnegan had coughed it up, you think nobody would say anything about the fact he was living in a college dorm four months ago, and now in the biggest game of the year?

 

Hindsight is always 20-20.

[shellback]

what coulda happened didn't

[Blarg]

How so? Shields gave up a broken bat single and a walk before getting pulled for another starter. A's scored 5 runs after Shields was relieved while giving up the lead. Royals scored 2 runs after Lester was relieved while still holding onto the lead. Which inning spiraled out of control? 

 

Yost would've lost his job had they not come back to win. To me, pulling Shields was a questionable move and bringing in Ventura was even more so, since Ventura has only made 1 relieve appearance in the majors.

 

Shields had thrown 88 pitches in 5 innings and his fastball was about 2 miles per hour slower in the 5th than the 1st and 2nd when he threw 45 pitches. You have to give it to the pitching coach that he was monitoring all of this and made the decision not to put him out in the 6th and then half way through the inning scramble to get someone warmed up.

 

Hindsight is the bullpen didn't do their job but you can't say they weren't proactive trying to make sure in a one game playoff they had not played the game like they had a couple to go. And it wasn't as though Shields was pinpoint accurate nor was he getting the corners like Lester did.

 

 

Lester also tailed off in velocity as the game went on and lost two mph off his fastball by the time he took the mound in the 8th. He was tired as well and his 50% strike totals for the 16 pitches he threw showed it. Melvin and his crew just went with the idea he had a safe cushion and ignored what Yost didn't, his guy was already done before his warmups were over. The difference last night is it seemed they had the umpire on their side getting calls that Shields wasn't.

 

 

You guys are always ranting Scioscia left a guy in too long or pulled him too soon but sometimes the coaches see something in their delivery or watch the radar gun and decided they are better off putting a new look out on the mound rather than let the hitters track the same delivery as the velocity drops to a more hittable level. The Royals made their decision, paid for it in having no help from the bullpen. It happens.

 

The A's decided to go with the veteran when they only needed 6 outs and had a quality bullpen to put the Royals down. They didn't make a move until the crowd was back in the game. That also happens but shouldn't in a one game playoff.

[Sherlock31]

No idea why Melvin felt obligated to bring Lester out for the 8th unless it was to make Beane look bad. They had a properly rested matchup worthy pen ready to get 6 outs.

Because he doesn't trust his blowpen, The A's pen had been very shaky of late

[Mark68]

alas thats not how the scoring works... im sure many starting pitchers wish it was

I am well aware of how the scoring works.

 

I'm just pointing out all the blaming of Lester when:

 

A) He gave them 7 solid (not spectacular - he didn't have his best stuff) innings;

2) He didn't have to come out for the 8th...with the A's bullpen, he shouldn't have;

iii) Gregerson pulled a Salas and allowed the inherited runs to score before striking out the last two batters;

d) With all of the above, the A's STILL HAD THE LEAD going into the 9th.

 

People looking at the box score and seeing 7 1/3 IP and 6 ER next to Lester's name are making the wrong assumptions based on incomplete information.

[Blarg]

I blame Melvin. Lester never should have seen the 8th inning.

[red321]

I was watching the game.  Unless I am mistaken, nobody said shiat about what a bad move it was as he was warming up.

 

After he gave up the bomb, then it became a bad move.

 

 

If Finnegan had blown up, it would have been "Why the hell do you have this kid who has never won a professional game pitching in extra innings!?!?!?!"

 

Everybody is a MMQ.

 

One of the clowns in the broadcast booth questioned it when Ventura was warming up. Basically along the lines of he couldn't imagine they were readying him for the game in that situation, that he was most likely getting his side work in.

 

If y'all think Scioscia tries to over manage a game, just wait until this upcoming series...Yost will cost the Royals at least one game.

[Blarg]

One of the clowns in the broadcast booth questioned it when Ventura was warming up. Basically along the lines of he couldn't imagine they were readying him for the game in that situation, that he was most likely getting his side work in.

 

If y'all think Scioscia tries to over manage a game, just wait until this upcoming series...Yost will cost the Royals at least one game.

 

Thanks for opening the door to the Scioscia fan club to say he will cost the Angels two.