Just wondering if anyone knows why McDonald pinch hit for Reddick.  Does McDonald have some hits against the pitcher he was facing?  I didn't understand the move, but Tito ususally has a good reason and I was wondering what it was.

He did it because he didn't think Reddick could hit the lefty. After all Reddick only had 2 hits in the game.
He should have known that as soon as Dmac was announced, Acta would make a move.
But, with Dmac hitting a buck sixty-seven, he was bound to get a hit!

I don't normally say it, but the move was absolutely a boneheaded one by Francona.  Chalk it up to a 'senior moment'.

I don't pretend Reddick would have had an easy time with Sipps, but I wouldn't have wagered he would have had a HARDER time than McDonald against anyone else.

Francona had to know he wasn't going to get a Lefty-Righty matchup regardless of what he did.

In Response to Reddick v. McDonald:


First mistake--"Tito usually has a good reason..."

Tito pinch hit for Reddick because he wanted the Right handed pitcher in the game for Jacoby.

Cleveland had a lefty pitcher throwing 95mph heat side arm.  The Red Sox had LRLR hitters coming up - Red/Scut/Ells/Ped.  If I'm the Cleveland coach, I leave the lefty in the game to pitch to Reddick and the right handed but light hitting Scut, so that I get the lefty/lefty match up with Ellsbury.  If someone gets on, I make the switch to the Right handed pitcher for Pedroia.

But, with MacD pinch hitting, the Sox have RRLR coming up to bat.  Now, keeping the Lefty in the game to go against 2 RH followed by Ells doesn't look so good.  Cleveland can bring in their RH pitcher to get the favorable match up against the MacD and Scut, take a gamble by leaving him in against Ells and have the favorable match up against Pedroia.

If Tito doesn't PH for Reddick, chances are Ellsbury doesn't face a RH pitcher. 

In my opinion, what appeared to be a bone headed move by Tito was really a brilliant move.

In Response to Re: Reddick v. McDonald:


I was one of those wondering why you dont PH for CC with his horrid OPS against lefties vs. PH for Red..But looking back and reading your post, I once again realize why Im sitting on a Mac typing about the game and Tito is managing championship teams..

In Response to Re: Reddick v. McDonald:


Dirty do you actually think the Tery haters are going to buy this logical statement from you? Very few on this board look ahead as you ave pointed out. They only look at the one moment of the PH for Reddick and that putting up Mac was dumb. They will never buy your theory.
However your theory IMHO is a perfect fit.

m

Its an OK argument, but I don't buy it.  Sipp would very likely not lasted long enough to face Ells.  Look his history up if you don't believe me.  He hasn't pitched more than 1.1 Innings...well...ever.  And he has only pitched 1.1 innings ONCE this year.  Sipp had already thrown the entire 8th inning and 14 pitches thus far.

He would have been at 1.2 IP (and likely over 20 pitches already) if he had been left in long enough to even face Ells.

By the way, does anyone know how Reddick does against LHP?  Look that up too and then come back and tell us how DMac was a better choice against either a righty or a Lefty.

I'm not a Terry basher, but I won't pretend he makes the best decision 100% of the time.  He erred here.  It worked out in the end which is the important thing.

It was an interesting move, and I'd like to hear Francona's reasoning.  Looking at the numbers, LH hitters are only hitting .164 against Sipp this year, while RH hitters are hitting .248 against Smith. 

From the game thread from yesterday:

In Response to Re: Wednesday's Game Thread: Indians at Red Sox:


And this post is exhibit A for why all you armchair managers have no idea what the hell you are talking about.  To say they had no idea what Acta would do is as clueless as it gets.  If you don't think the Sox have stats on what type of moves Acta makes in a given situation late in games, you know less about baseball than I already thought you did.  Baseball is a game of stats and manager's tendencies is another.  Are you just spouting off at the mouth or do you actually follow the game closely.  Of course Acta could change up and nothing is foolproof but the chances were he would go righty righty and use one more pitcher.  That DMAC grounded out is fine.  You are trying to win the game without going all night.  Creating matchup decisions was the right move which gave the Sox favorable ones in key at bats.

Thanks, guys.

To DIRTY WATER LOVER :  Thank you !

You've made an intelligent, reasonable explanation for what I also thought a poor move at the time. I really hope you're correct, as it would indicate Tito's much smarter than some nattering nabobs of negativity suggest , often ad nauseum.
 
Previously I've often questioned his in-game strategies, while surmising his masterful job of ego-coddling, personality-juggling, respect-engendering management style seemed to usually motivate player over-achievement.
IMO the love and respect for Francona from the clubhouse is tremendously valuable, and mitigates any situational mistakes over a long 162 + game schedule.
Again, fans with long memories realize the value we currently enjoy.

In Response to Re: Reddick v. McDonald:


i always say it because there's always so many.
btw, i still love your haircut.

Like I said you will not get the neagative posters to even think Terry was correct in his moves any time it works out right.

NOT one of them will ever say he did something right and/or they will never make a comment after being shown how wrong they are.

They think Terry manages in a vacum and does not have stats and other information to make decisions.
They will tell you Scioscia does use stats to make decisions but Terry is not smart enough to use them or use them correctly.

Just the way they are.

I just think Tito want to win the game by just hitting the ball out of the park cuz all Cleveland Indians's bull pen pitcher are all mostly fast ball throwers.  See Elsbury hitting one out last nite!!

In Response to Re: Reddick v. McDonald:
I think you just found the number they were looking at.

Sorry guys!  :)  Not buying this argument...  NOT BACHING TITO EITHER!!!!!!

Anybody who is buying this set-up move is kidding themselves.  We had 3 key at bats to get it done!!!  NO MANAGER "burns" 1 key at bat to set up a favorable matchup for Ells.!!!

The only decision that should be a factor in THAT at bat?????????  Reddick vs.D'Mac.  THAT was the ONLY factor in that decision.  Anybody that has more faith in D'Mac over Reddick, whether it be a LH pitcher or RH pitcher, is simply not facing the realities of D'Mac as the "go to" RH hitter.  He simply IS NOT getting the job done on ANY ACCEPTABLE level.  

In that KEY AT BAT, the decision is EASY!!!!  REDDICK EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK!!!!!!  (Over D'Mac)

NOT BASHING Tito!!!!  I love Tito!!!!!!!!!   Just don't agree with THAT move!

Having said that......   WE WON!!!!   All is forgotten   :)   :)   :)

p.s.  We (& perhaps Tito) focus WAY TOO MUCH on the "matchup" of the moment, as opposed to focusing on who's hot & who's NOT, irrespective of L vs. R matchups.!!!!!!  

In 22 at bats, Reddick is batting 409 against lefties.  DMAC is batting 200 against lefties and 100 against righties

409 vs 100 and the 100 pinch hit for Reddick.

Neither guy had batted against either pitcher before.

Ellsbury is batting 100 points higher against rightines than lefties.  Prior to last night, he was 0 fer against Sipp and Smith.

No one in their right mind would PH DMac for Reddick just because he wanted DMac to hit against the lefty in place of Reddick.  Tito had to know that Cleveland would have brought in a righty to pitch to DMac.  If Tito had DMac PH for Reddick strictly because of the Lefty on the mound, then he is the dumbest guy on the face of the earth.  Even my girlfriend was questoning Tito putting in DMac for Reddick.  So either Tito knows less about baseball than my girlfriend who's been following the game for 5 years and never played softball, or he made the move for other reasons than simply because he thought DMac had a better shot at getting a hit.

In Response to Reddick v. McDonald:


Can you cite a few instances that indicate that Terry(Tito is his father) has a good reason for making moves??

In Response to Re: Reddick v. McDonald:

It lends credence to the "IN SPITE OF FRANCONA" theory.

In Response to Re: Reddick v. McDonald:


"It worked out in the end which is the important thing."
The problem is that the team is able to bail Francona out most of the time. This does not excuse the decision, it simply reinforces the "WIN IN SPITE OF"  theory.
As in the past 7 plus years, these kind of nonsensical moves will hurt the team more than they should.  (See below)

Last 14 days:

In Response to Re: Reddick v. McDonald:
And I also think it is very possible that they are also considering Reddick's MiLB splits since his MLB 2011 sample set is so short.

I'd still rather have Francouer than DMac for his fielding in RF vs DMac's and also his nice splits vs LHPs, but such is life.