A Prophet Among You

Well, that didn’t take long, now did it? No sooner do I point out Dylan Cease’s proclivity to throw pitch after pitch after pitch, he needs 102 to get through six innings in yesterday’s matinee finale of a four-game series with the A’s. That comes out to seventeen pitches an inning for you math savants out there. But wait, there’s more. (And a shoutout here to the late Ron Popeil.) Specifically, the two two-out walks Cease issued in the fourth inning. Walk number one loaded the bases; walk number two forced in a run. Of course, if Cease had fielded a slow roller earlier in the inning, he would’ve been back in the dugout instead of falling victim to his walk-fancy. While I’m at it, let me question the decision-making of both manager Tony La Russa and reliever Michael Kopech. La Russa, so worried about October he risks forgetting about August, rested Tim Anderson, which caused a hole at the top of the batting order. La Russa’s solution? Put Cesar Hernandez at leadoff. Hernandez responded by going 0-for-5, with a double play thrown in free of charge. You wonder, was that a gut decision or one based on metrics of some sort? Ditto with Kopech throwing an 84-mph breaking ball to Matt Olson in the seventh inning with two out. Gosh, something slow and low to a left-handed batter. Who knew he’d crush it for the game-deciding, two-run homer? Maybe most of the baseball world, except Kopech or whoever called the pitch. When you’re a flamethrower, stick to the heat, unless you can throw your changeup down in the 70s. Oh, and outside to the lefties.