Why Mayberry over Gload?
WASHINGTON -- The story of Tuesday's game in The Inquirer focuses on Joe Blanton and his struggles with runners on base. That is what caused the hole the Phillies faced in the seventh inning when the bases were loaded in a four-run game and Blanton's spot in the order due up.
Why Mayberry over Gload?
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
WASHINGTON -- The story of Tuesday's game in The Inquirer focuses on Joe Blanton and his struggles with runners on base. That is what caused the hole the Phillies faced in the seventh inning when the bases were loaded in a four-run game and Blanton's spot in the order due up.
Charlie Manuel turned to John Mayberry Jr. as his pinch hitter. Mayberry, a righty, is the major-league leader with four pinch hits in the early going. He is also much better against lefthanded pitchers and has trouble hitting off-speed pitches.
So Livan Hernandez probably wasn't the greatest matchup for Mayberry. Ross Gload stayed on the bench and he's Manuel's best pinch hitter. He's also a lefty.
The manager's reasoning for Mayberry:
"I liked him on Hernandez," Manuel said. "I liked him most of all because the wind was blowing out to left field. With the bases loaded and one out, I thought if he gets one up in the air, that's about the only chance we have of hitting one out of the yard."
Fair enough. That decision will be the most second-guessed of the night but it's not like it blatantly cost the Phillies the game.
The greater question will be about the use of Gload. Typically Manuel will wait to use his best pinch hitter until the later innings, which can backfire. In this case, it's pretty easy to argue that was the most crucial at-bat of the game for the Phillies.
Manuel also loves to play lefty-righty and righty-lefty, making the Gload decision even more confusing.
And by not using him in the seventh, Manuel wasn't able to use Gload later once Jim Riggleman brought in lefthander Sean Burnett for the save. Instead, Michael Martinez pinch hit in the ninth and grounded out.
The game ended a three-run Phillies loss with the best pinch hitter sitting on the bench while a comeback bid was thwarted.
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Until the other day, PH's were 10/16. Now Charlie's an idiot because of a couple moves you don't like. Okay, you're all geniuses.— COskier
I think the point is the wind shouldn't have mattered. All we needed to was to keep the merry go round going. He was thinking home run and I believe Gload would have at the very least put the ball in play. A single would have been good at that point in the game— pattymac3- I feel Mayberry should get some starts in left against lefthanders. Maybe a rest for Ibanez might be good for both players— Da Nuck
- Hernandez had good control of his slow stuff and Gload has more experience with it. Manuel needed to think a hit was needed, not a shot into the wind in left field where Werth was having a field day catching them.— escapedcamden4monterey
- I mean right field. — escapedcamden4monterey
- Can't win every night. I'd be happy if Blanton manages to win half his starts— balitok
- The real story wasn't Mayberry. The real story is that I stubbed my toe yesterday and it still hurts a little. Just try to imagine that.— Jeffritoe
Comment removed.- Comment removed.
- Why does this get all the attention and not the fact that NONE of the Phillies could score against this pitcher that is -supposedly- so easy for an experienced player to hit and that incredibly blatant error by the umpire. How come no one's talking about that, anyway?— cloudkitt
- Anybody who is defending this obviosuly doesn't know baseball and BEMiller is Charlies' girlfriend.— EL Zorro
- its one game...did you think they will go 18-0 vs. the Nats this year? Blanton is off to his usual slow start, let it go...— tralala
- Did anyone see the shots to right that were kept in by the wind? The best chance to tie the game was Mayberry.
If Gload flies out today's article asks why not go with the guy who leads the league in pinch hits?
OK, so their #1 beat our #5.— smfree31 - If Mayberry gets a hit , it is the right decision, if he doesn't , it is questioned ... and he didn't.
How was the painfully obvious blown call by the second base umpire handled by the league / umpire union ? Rollins is safe no question, the Phils score, and the game is entirely different.
Bottom line :
They have to play up to their level not down to Washington's.— FatBoy90 - Those idiots who are whining about ANYTHING done by ANY Phillies player so far this season should just move to Boston where you whining would be appropriate!— BEMiller
- Relax. Part of baseball has fans dissecting the game when it's over. One opinion or another, it's all good. — escapedcamden4monterey
- I think it's a valid observation and question (ie second guess). I'm ok with Charlie going with the hot hand or his hunch but this is why Gload is here and his 'best' PH. Mayberry isn't likely to keep this up and whatever, he looked bad flailing at that floater. But what Phillie didn't?— PhillySubsMac
- Agree w/ Dickie. I don't mind going w/ the hot bat. Bigger problem for the offense was the number of men left stranded. Didn't we have bases loaded, one out twice last night?— 5LokoNYC
- Mayberry is off to a hot start. Cholly likes to go with his intuition and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. This is a non-issue, no reason to try and start anything here.— DennyP
- Not the first time Charlie's made a befuddling baseball move and it won't be the last.— BlueHens
- Just as EVERY other manager now or ever in the game. Every move that doesn't work is befuddling, and every move that works is genius. — BEMiller
- still do not understand, tagging a guy with an empty glove,the ball was in his other hand....that play changed the entire game— lewisbratspis
- Comment removed.
- He went with the hot hand. I don't mind it.— Vote for Dickie
- Go figure! He kept his best pinch hitter in his pocket and had to use two rookies as pinch hitters in a loss. That's why Charlie is one of the worst managers I have ever seen.— EL Zorro
- And you have some of the poorest vision EVER! — BEMiller
- If the "best fifth starter in baseball" gets outdueled by an over the hill soft tosser like L. Hernandez -- which Blanton quite clearly did -- that should tell us a lot. Were Ruben and Charlie watching?— eman
- Boston and the chance for legitimate whining await you. — BEMiller
- Probably not a good call but the real issue of the night was Fat Joe who needs to disappear— shawnmac
- Actually, it would be better if you did the disappearing act. — BEMiller
