Scioscia's managing tonight

[Vladfan]

I knew the minute Freese got on that a pinch runner was coming in. That has the way Sosh has done it all year late in the game.

[Reveille1984]

Like pretty much every other person has reiterated, it was a collective flaming turd of a game.  Hitters with zero approach, Scioscia overmanaging and going away from what's made us successful all year, 0-8 with RISP, zero contribution from the middle of the order, Josh looking like absolute shit, etc.  Our ineptitude plus a bit of luck on their side defensively swayed a game that we should have won into the Royals favor. 

 

One of the most irritating games I've watched, compounded even more due the importance of winning game one in a divisional series.

[yk9001]

Did Aoki even have his eyes open when he caught those two balls?

He looked like a Durham Bull going after them.

It's like the Royals are a team of destiny!

 

Folks, don't call that lucky.  He made the catches twice.

 

And look at our lf, falling on his butt.

[Stradling]

Granted I didn't get to see replays of either play because I was at the game, but all night he looked sketchy out in the outfield, but seemed to make the plays. It's almost like the kid in little league that slows down on a ball to make a diving play, well Aoki misplayed the ball to turn it into a great play.

[nate]

He bunted because he was playing for one run late in the game because anyone could see the offense was struggling. I think some of you look at it like the offense struggled because Mike was asking these guys to bunt. Like I said earlier in this thread, I didn't like him having Kole bunt when it got to 3-1.

 

Two things.  Statistically you have less of a chance of scoring a run by giving away an out with a bunt.

 

Second, Kole is the second best hitter on the team.

 

So what Scioscia was doing is regressing and ignoring stats.

[red321]

I'd like to know how a hitter is expected to take ball four when he's squared around to bunt and 98 mph heat is coming at him.

 

That's a great question...I would assume it's the same way he took the first three balls...but I could be wrong...maybe you have to make a special hand signal on ball 4?

 

 

 

But that wasn't the reason why the Halos lost. Heart of the lineup was awful. Not just bad...but downright awful. Trout picked a terrible time to channel Vernon Wells. Pujols wasn't much better, and outside of that drive to right Kendrick looked lost at the plate.

 

Angels didn't lose because of Scioscia and a failed bunt attempt, they lost because they let Jason Vargas shut them down and then couldn't deliver...repeatedly...in the later innings when they had multiple opportunities.

[Adam]

I was ok with all the bunting in the late 2000s when the Angels had a bunch of slappies. The killer was Calhoun bunting at all, but with a 3-1 count? Unreal. Just terrible and really puts a stain on the job he did this year. 

[Adam]

That's a great question...I would assume it's the same way he took the first three balls...but I could be wrong...maybe you have to make a special hand signal on ball 4?

 

 

 

But that wasn't the reason why the Halos lost. Heart of the lineup was awful. Not just bad...but downright awful. Trout picked a terrible time to channel Vernon Wells. Pujols wasn't much better, and outside of that drive to right Kendrick looked lost at the plate.

 

Angels didn't lose because of Scioscia and a failed bunt attempt, they lost because they let Jason Vargas shut them down and then couldn't deliver...repeatedly...in the later innings when they had multiple opportunities.

 

That is true, but the thread is about Scioscia's managing last night. 

[AngelArcher]

Yes the offense was downright offensive, but Scioscia compounded that by giving away outs. Something he rarely did all season. Oh, but it's playoff time and he needs to flip the script to showoff his brilliance.

[The Ghost of Bob Starr]

Mike DiGiovanna â€@MikeDiGiovanna  7m7 minutes ago

Scioscia contracts Yost-itis: 3 fruitless sac bunts, questionable pitching change in #Angels' 3-2 loss to #Royals. http://lat.ms/1oGV4dE

[Vladfan]

No, that's exactly why. The 2-4 hitters were awful so Scioscia took the bats out of the hands of the 1 and 5 hitters who were sizzling. KC got the big hit because they didn't decide to bunt it into the air.

Sizzling????? Um.......OK??

[Angels Never Die]

Calhoun bunting at all was bad, but the fact that he still wanted that bunt despite a 3-1 count completely infuriated me. Scioscia was just throwing away outs left and right that game.

Edited October 3, 2014 by Angels Never Die

[Angels Never Die]

I hate it when Scioscia gets in the mode of trying to be cute in order to justify his position or whatever.

[AngelArcher]

I loved how in the post game interview when the question asked was if he had reconsidered the bunt at 3-1 and he said Kole would've taken it if it was ball four. So, basically no. He wasn't letting Kole swing there.

[TobiasFunke]

Regarding all the bunting, guys let's cut Scioscia some slack, remember how successful the small ball Angels were the the last handful of post seasons?

/sarcasm

[bloodbrother]

Your third sentence explains why your first sentence was incorrect. And as many others have stated, having Calhoun bunt on a 3-1 count was absolutely indefensible.

All that said, all the middle of the order had to do was get one clutch hit all night, and they failed. Blame Scioscia for his managing, but save most of the blame for the team not performing.

The Calhoun bunt was awful. No doubt about it. The other ones I was fine with

[fan_since79]

and didnt like the bunt with cole.  he was hitting the ball hard why bunt him. stupid scioscia

 

And Davis is coming in with a fastball on a 3-1 count. He doesn't want to walk Calhoun there. Kole will get a pitch to hit and Scioscia makes him bunt instead. And to lay down that bunt on a 98mph heater is not easy. No surprise that he popped it up. He's not a good bunter to begin with.

 

So many things wrong with that call.

[bloodbrother]

You know it's bad when you look worse than Ned Yost. Congrats, Sosh!

[WallyWorld]

Like pretty much every other person has reiterated, it was a collective flaming turd of a game.  Hitters with zero approach, Scioscia overmanaging and going away from what's made us successful all year, 0-8 with RISP, zero contribution from the middle of the order, Josh looking like absolute shit, etc.  Our ineptitude plus a bit of luck on their side defensively swayed a game that we should have won into the Royals favor. 

 

One of the most irritating games I've watched, compounded even more due the importance of winning game one in a divisional series.

 

this is a good summary. I'm ready to forget this game.

[Troll Daddy]

Hamilton in the lineup.

Freese homers and is promptly removed.

Calhoun bunting on a 3-1 count in the 8th inning against a guy throwing 98 mph heat.

Did I miss anything?

Turn the damn page...

Freese was taken out for a pinch runner after he walked late in the game.

Every manger in baseball would have Calhoun bunt in that situation. Why would you call off the bunt on a 3-1 count?

Lol on Cowgill starting over Hamilton.

Hope this new day has you thinking clearly.

Edited October 3, 2014 by Troll Daddy

[bloodbrother]

Because Calhoun is a good hitter and in that count he could target a pitch in a certain spot

If he gets the bunt down, they'd have just IBB'ed Trout to set up the double play. So you're giving away an out AND takin the bat out of your best players hands. It was terrible and Mike can't help himself but micro manage at the worst possible times

Totally was fine with pinch running Beckham for Freese though. Get more speed on the bases and playing for a run. The offense failed time and again which makes every little move stand out more to question. Calhoun bunt was only move I was upset about.

[fan_since79]

Freese was taken out for a pinch runner after he walked late in the game.

Every manger in baseball would have Calhoun bunt in that situation. Why would you call off the bunt on a 3-1 count?

Lol on Cowgill starting over Hamilton.

Hope this new day has you thinking clearly.

 

 Because the odds are 90% you're going to get a fastball to drive. The last thing Davis wants to do is walk Calhoun and have two men on with no outs. And the odds are not all that great on laying down a good bunt on a 98mph heater. Calhoun had TWO sac bunts all year. He has come through all season long and is one of our best hitters. The whole thing was screwy.

 

As far as Hamilton, did you watch any of his at-bats? It was painful to observe. I'd start Cowgill over him in a minute.

Edited October 3, 2014 by fan_since79

[fan_since79]

Because Calhoun is a good hitter and in that count he could target a pitch in a certain spot

If he gets the bunt down, they'd have just IBB'ed Trout to set up the double play. So you're giving away an out AND takin the bat out of your best players hands. It was terrible and Mike can't help himself but micro manage at the worst possible times

Totally was fine with pinch running Beckham for Freese though. Get more speed on the bases and playing for a run. The offense failed time and again which makes every little move stand out more to question. Calhoun bunt was only move I was upset about.

 

Another aspect of this terrible call.

[Frieri Meatball]

I felt like running on the field to smack Scioscia for some of the decisions he made in that game.

[joeywings]

Freese was taken out for a pinch runner after he walked late in the game.

Every manger in baseball would have Calhoun bunt in that situation. Why would you call off the bunt on a 3-1 count?

Lol on Cowgill starting over Hamilton.

Hope this new day has you thinking clearly.

is that even a valid question ?