No Shows in the Managerial School of Earl Weaver

August 3, 2007 in San Diego...

Unbelievably Jerry Hairston hit his second 3-run homer off of Vinnie "BoomBah" Chulk, to cost Matt Cain a victory on a night in which he struck out eleven and had yielded no runs. But on one lob (of what must look like a softball to Hairston when Vinnie's chulking it up to the plate) Cain got charged for 2 runs and a no decision.

Earlier in the season Chulk gave up a "big fly" to Hairston when Hairston was playing for the Arizona Diamondbacks and yet he was who Bruce Bochy selected as the pitcher to come in from the bullpen when it came time to remove Matt Cain.

This elicited memories of Dusty Baker replacing whomever the starting pitcher was, with Felix Rodriguez in the 2002 World Series. It didn't matter how Felix had struggled in the Series, Dusty just couldn't wait to insert him into a game if, in Dusty's eyes, the starter was appearing out of sorts.

Both Dusty Baker and current skipper Bruce Bochy apparently never took a course in Earl Weaver 101. He was a manager who would not, under any circumstances, allow a pitcher to be burned twice by the same hitter. He just saw no reason to let lightning strike twice because his glass "half empty" saw to it that once bitten was all that he'd allow. You know, fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me...It's a good rule to follow unless you think it's okay to roll the dice with your career and the player you so deem as necessary for the job even though he hasn't executed against the hitter in the batter's box.

Think about it, a batter has a certain swagger to begin with, now throw in the knowledge that he has ownage, in his mind, on the pitcher and you have a monster. By putting your pitcher in against this hitter YOU are creating a monster in the hitter and serious doubt in your pitcher. Not a good combination if you look forward to winning some games with the help of this pitcher.

Bruce Bochy, this BONEHEAD award is all yours! And to Vinnie Chulk, an upright middle-finger salute is all you get.

Kevin Marquez