taking out johan in the ninth
 

good move at 95 pitches? bad? discuss.

Re: taking out johan in the ninth
 

When the guy you're bringing in is Joe Nathan it can never be that bad a move to take a guy out.

Re: taking out johan in the ninth
 

This was the best game I have ever been to in my life. The atmosphere was electric, players on both teams were laying out to make ridiculous catches and the pitching was nasty.

At the time, I didn't like the move to take Johan out, but in retrospect.....the White Sox had Iguchi, Everett, Konerko and Rowand coming up....all righties (everett a switch) who have the ability to hit the ball out over the short porch in right. Konerko hit a big HR against Johan just last week.

However, against Nathan they basically had no chance.

The weak-hitting Perez pinch-hit for Iguchi, hmmmm Nathan v. Perez or Santana v. Iguchi? I prefer the former.

Everett has power from both sides, so no advantage there, he was able to draw a walk.

Konerko/Rowand...they were simply overmatched. Neither one came close to hitting a pitch.

There is a reason Nathan is our closer....we trust him in must-win games, which this most certainly was.

Re: taking out johan in the ninth
 

I personally think it's terrible. Throughout the year he has been pitching up to 120 pitches. It's fine to pitch him as long as he gets rest and is not pitching on a tired arm.

Since the ASB, he has gone 93, 94, 114, 94, 110, 119 pitches. I don't understand why Gardenhire wants him to go a complete game last time around against the Chisox in a 5-0 game, where I probably would have taken him out after 8 innings (at around 110), but takes him out when he's shutting out the Chisox on only 95 pitches on a 3 hitter. He had retired 15 of the last 16 batters and was on a roll.

We know Santana has his stuff today, and Nathan could bring anything. I keep him in there.

Re: taking out johan in the ninth
 

i dont think its bad.

although it depends on how satana had been in the 7th and 8th, and the matchups, and how much nathan had been used......

Re: taking out johan in the ninth
 

Santana is pitching better against R (.212) than L (.272) this year. Also, Iguchi and Konerko are hitting better against R this year.

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There is a reason Nathan is our closer....we trust him in must-win games, which this most certainly was.

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If Benitez was your closer, would you trust him?

I don't know, Nathan is pretty good, and for almost any other pitcher I would pick him to go in. But this is Santana.

Finish the job, Johan.

Re: taking out johan in the ninth
 

[ QUOTE ]
When the guy you're bringing in is Joe Nathan it can never be that bad a move to take a guy out.

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It's not like Nathan is a K-Rod or a Rivera. He almost blew the All-Star game this year.

Re: taking out johan in the ninth
 

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He had retired 15 of the last 16 batters and was on a roll.


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The last batter in the 8th crushed a ball to the wall in DEAD center. Only a Torii Hunter-like catch by Lew Ford saved him from a 2B or possible HR. It looks like they are saving that catch for WebGems, so I'm not sure if it would have been out or not. Santana only gave up 3 hits, but he wasn't as dominating as he can be, they did hit some balls hard.

The decision to leave him in has very little to do with pitch counts. It has to do with the fact that a lot of dangerous righties are due up in a 1 run game including one that has 32 HR and hit one last week off Johan.

Pitch counts are overrated.

Re: taking out johan in the ninth
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
When the guy you're bringing in is Joe Nathan it can never be that bad a move to take a guy out.

[/ QUOTE ]

It's not like Nathan is a K-Rod or a Rivera. He almost blew the All-Star game this year.

[/ QUOTE ]

True. He's better than "K-Rod".

Re: taking out johan in the ninth
 

OK you might be right. I wasn't at the game so I can't comment too strongly but initially when I saw they were pulling him I was thinking wtf is Gardenhire doing?

I feel like he just nurses Santana way too often. I'm interested to see what Gleeman has to say.