In their second game of
the season, the Cubs lost to the Marlins in Miami, 2-1 in 17 innings. Cubs’ Manager Joe Maddon went through all 12
of his position players and six pitchers.
Eddie Butler got the loss despite yielding just one run in seven-plus
innings. Here’s the dumb part—Maddon
also used six pitchers in an 8-4 win in nine innings the day before.
This is what happens
when you start going to the bullpen in the fourth inning on Opening Day. You either make sure your relievers pitch two
or more innings or you risk a 17-inning game the next day. Four of the five relievers Maddon used the
first game went just one inning; the fifth threw 1.2 innings. Maddon gambled and lost.
Dumb, but not just
Maddon. Baseball is beset with the affliction
known as creeping pitching staff.
Managers and front offices will look at that 17-inning box score and
say, “The Cubs ran out of rested arms” and wonder if their team shouldn’t go
with fourteen pitchers. Again, just
plain dumb.
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