Why is pitch count more important than the performance a pitcher is giving? Didn't you sign the guy to those big bucks to help you win games? It seems like there is always this worrying about the pitcher's health and that outweighs his performance on game day.
How, in the world, did the powers-that-be in let that happen?
You start focussing in on pitch count and you're liable to get into that pitcher's head. In other words, his unconscious. And in psychoanalysis terms that's not a good thing to do. The dictionary.com definition of this is: the part of the mind containing psychic material that is only rarely accessible to awareness but that has a pronounced influence on behavior.
Counting an athlete's pitches and critiquing on how you believe him to be so much more effective at a particular number... it's all over but the fat lady singing. Whatever happened to effectiveness? Some players take a little longer to get the feel for what they are doing, don't interrupt them with some silly pitch count.
Sometimes things aren't as complicated as we make them.
Why would you want to replace a guy who is doing the job? In Juan Marichal's day, pitch count was something a bored scorekeeper did. And maybe the fan out in the cheap seats.
On June 12, 2008, Johan Santana pitched 7 innings of shutout baseball that included 10 strikeouts. And yet the Mets' Powers that Be decided to put the game into the hands of the bullpen. Effectiveness had absolutely nothing to do with this maneuver. This was a pitch count decision. And to replace someone who was signed to avoid the need for bullpen help, especially after the bullpen has been so heinous, makes me wonder why?
Why not judge a pitcher by performance rather than pitch count?
Well, Billy Wagner, whose nickname-this week- could easily be Gagsner, let another game slip away. And as for those of you, fans, wondering why Willie Randolph is getting the blame, let me ask you this, whose idea was it to replace Santana?
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On this day in baseball, June 12, 2008, Ray Durham collected his 2,000th hit in the big leagues, as the Giants went on to win 10-7. Brian Don't Worry Baby Wilson collected his 19th save of the season with yet another stellar performance as the Giants' closer.
On June 12, 1959, San Francisco Giant lefty, Mike McCormick pitched a 5-inning no-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies. Richie Ashburn rapped a single in the top of the 6th inning but the hit didn't count because the game was called due to rain.
Kevin Marquez (thanks to the Fresno Bee for This Day in Baseball stuff)
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