Old-school Baseball

How ironic that something as contrived—or “new,” to use an adjective more in keeping with MLB tastes—as the wildcard game featured some old-school baseball.  Not that Alex Rodriguez noticed.  He was too busy speaking in purple prose.

What A-Rod and nearly everyone else missed was the composition of the rosters employed by the Cubs and Rockies.  Unlike five- and seven-games series in the playoffs, the wildcard necessitates carrying just one starter, which frees up several roster spots.  The Cubs opted to go with a six-player bench, the Rockies with seven.  And it made all the difference.

The Cubs were able to tie the game in the bottom of the eighth by using Terrance Gore as a pinch runner for Anthony Rizzo after Rizzo singled; Gore promptly stole second base and probably could have stolen third, too, if he had wanted.  Stolen bases are his specialty, to the tune of 27 in his career vs. one base hit.  Gore can’t steal first base, but he can swipe the others if used to pinch run for someone.  With Gore at second, Javier Baez doubled to tie the game at one.

That’s where the score stood until the 13^th inning, when catcher Tony Wolters, he of the .170 regular season batting average, singled in what proved to be the winning run.  Wolters was the third catcher of the night for Colorado.  That’s what a long bench will do for you.

The Cubs may have ended up one run short on account of being one position player short.  That extra pitcher they went with meant they had no one to pinch hit for Gore, who played left field after running for Rizzo.  Gore struck out twice in two at-bats, the second time on a full count leading off the bottom of the 13^th.  Oh, my kingdom for a horse, or a pinch hitter like Smokey Burgess or Gates Brown.

The Rockies will be reverting to form with twelve pitchers for the NLDS.  The Brewers are going with eleven.  The team with the longer bench wins.  You can book on it.