In this case, there's no question Manuel made the right call
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In this case, there's no question Manuel made the right call
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
There is no question Charlie Manuel made the right move last night in removing Kyle Kendrick from a 3-0 game for a pinch-hitter in the top of the ninth inning. Sure, the Phillies lost 4-3. But you can't blame Manuel.
Rationale?
1) In his first two starts of the season, Kendrick threw 107 pitches total. Last night, he threw 108 pitches through eight innings.
2) Due up in the ninth inning were Martin Prado, Chipper Jones and Brian McCann, who had combined for the only four hits that Kendrick had allowed on the night, including a double by Jones in his previous AB. In their careers of Kendrick, McCann and Jones were a combined 13-for-34 with three home runs, four doubles and six walks off of Kendrick.
3) The most pitches Kendrick had ever thrown in a major league game was 113. That came on June 25, 2008 at Oakland. Kendrick also allowed four hits in eight scoreless innings that day. Manuel also took him out after the eighth inning (in that case, with a 4-0 lead). The Phillies won, though, so you might not remember.
4) Kendrick was due up in the top of the ninth.
On top of all of that, the Phillies entered the season with an opportunity to find out if Ryan Madson could succeed as a regular closer. If Brad Lidge comes back healthy and effective, they might not need that knowledge. But better to get it now and not need it than to be in a position of trial-and-error after the trade deadline.
Manuel made the call. The Phillies lost. But correlation does not equal causation.
In this case, the call was the correct one.
Nice logic Murph...but I'm old school. You are both right and wrong. You train a pitcher to close, to learn how to finish a game....mentally and physically. This was Cholly's chance to give KK his shot. To learn how to be another Halladay. These guys close games out on fumes all the time. You have to experience it as a starting pitcher to learn how to do it. I was fortunate to do it many, many itmes during my meager career. It is the coolest feeling in the world from a starting pitcher's standpoint. You know you've done your job and your teammates respect is never higher, particularly on the nights where you are battling for every out. This manager, this pitching staff and this team took a major step backwards last night, while the Braves lept 3 steps forward.— Mark1npt- If Kendrick was flirting with a no-hitter or perfect game, that might be different. Madson gave up the 2 homers after 2 outs. If Kendrick gave up those homers, we'd all be 2nd-guessing Manual right now.— davesju93
- Nice logic Murph...but I'm old school. You are both right and wrong. You train a pitcher to close, to learn how to finish a game....mentally and physically. This was Cholly's chance to give KK his shot. To learn how to be another Halladay. These guys close games out on fumes all the time. You have to experience it as a starting pitcher to learn how to do it. I was fortunate to do it many, many itmes during my meager career. It is the coolest feeling in the world from a starting pitcher's standpoint. You know you've done your job and your teammates respect is never higher, particularly on the nights where you are battling for every out. This manager, this pitching staff and this team took a major step backwards last night, while the Braves leapt 3 steps forward.— Mark1npt
- The call was right. Madson just served up fat pitches. If you can't rely on your bullpen to hold a 3 run lead in the 9th, you're going to struggle. Hamels and Kendrick have come up big in their last starts, but either offense went to sleep or bullpen did.— tiger4366
I agree. Charlie made the right call. I also agree that this is the time to find out whether Ryan Madson has the right stuff or not. I think his performance last night and Sunday speak volumes. Last night's failure is obvious. But what did he do on Sunday that was so bad? After all, 1IP, 1 hit and no runs. Doesn't look too bad until you remember that the one hit was a double that plated Florida's second run. Ryan has been given lots of chances over the last two years and has shown repeatedly that he cannot be relied upon. We have no choice but to stick with him until Romero and Lidge are back. After that, he's the mop up man until he shows he's worth more.
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- I'm okay with Heyward hitting a HR off Madson. Heyward is going to be a sick hitter for years to come, and Madson's stuff isn't that nasty to lefties. The Glaus shot was bad, though. That was a meatball pitch. All this said, I'd rather watch Madson blow a save than Lidge struggle to make one. Lidge is a joke and needs to get out of baseball.— maximusud
- Of course it was the right call. You have a closer to do just that - close ballgames. Kendrick threw well, but at 108 pitches, Manuel did what ANY manager would do with any pitcher except Roy Halladay on the mound. You put in your closer and expect that he can retire three batters before giving up three runs. The problem here is that Ryan Madson has proven time and time again that he is utterly incapable of closing ballgames with any sort of reliability. He's not a closer - not now and not ever.— veritas1325
- Ok so Kendrick is no Roy Halladay. Thats fine. But when hes sitting there with a chance for a shutout and the braves havent been able to figure him out why wouldnt you atleast let him go out there for the first hitter? I bet the entire Braves dugout was excited when they were able to get a different look b/c they sure werent doing anything against Kendrick. I know we need to find out about Madson but was that the best scenario for winning the game? He struggled the last two times Charlie put him out there. Even at a score of 3-1 id agree with you but when its a shutout im atleast letting Kendrick try to finish it off would be more a confidence booster for Kendrick rather than a knock on Madson. Bad choice.— MTust24
- I'd go the other way, Kendrick gets more confidence having pitched an 8 inning gem, and DON'T give him a chance to blow it in the 9th for his sake! That would have been the worst outcome, wasting all the positives the first 8 innings brought. A loss to the braves in april is not a big deal. Having said that, the question of madson as a closer is getting answered pretty fast, so if lidge isn't right, phillies need a plan c.— doc al
- Man, baseball is a funny game. Kendrick throws a shutout! After he seemingly was on his way back to the minors. You gotta hand it to Cholly for sticking with the young man. I cannot second guess him. A three run lead in the ninth? We need to find a closer. The team is a lot stronger with Madson as late inning set-up - NOT closer.— Cameiros
- We need to get Lidge back. I think he will pretty good this year. If he isn't, they need to get Heath Bell.— BammBamm
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- If you cannot trust closer to protect a 3-0 lead for one inning, then you do not have a closer. Of course Manuel did the right thing. That said, Manuel has to be thinking about who else can close a game till Lidge returns and proves he is ready to be depended on again. Phils blew a 6 run lead to Braves a few years ago in late innings, though in terms of abruptness, this loss felt worse.— citizenkane
