(November 2, 2016 at 11:57 pm)Brian37 Wrote: I am no baseball fan at all, but nothing else was on and considering both teams having not had a win in so long I put it on.
What the fuck was that manager thinking switching pitchers when they were up by three? And why wasn't he pulled after that one batter kept fouling the ball over and over? I thought, if he keeps making contact someone is going to make a home run? Cubs are lucky to be in extra innings.
Are you talking about Chapman's relief of Lester in the 8th? It's the only time I can place a relief with a three run lead. If so, let's recap:
Lester came on in the 5th with one on, two out. He gave up an infield single and with a catcher throwing error pitched with men on second and third. He threw one in the dirt that ricocheted off Ross' mask that scored two runs!!!! A wild pitch that scored two! A baseball fan would find this rare.
Lester then pitched the sixth and seventh allowing a runner each inning, but otherwise non-eventful = excellent work.
He gets the first two in the 8th then gives up a bullshit infield single, but was laboring. Madden then brings in one of the best closers in baseball to shut it down. Didn't work out, but I would never second guess the decision simply because of the lead at the time (keep in mind that the lead would have been two runs larger if not for the wild pitch thrown by Lester).
This is part of the nuance of the game that many people that find baseball boring don't understand.
