So part of Servais efforts to change up the step back was on display last night, although the results, another loss, were pretty much the same we've seen for the last month and a half.
The M's decided to go with a one-inning opener. Corey Gearrin would start, Wade LeBlanc would finish. Good idea and it kind of worked, LeBlanc was masterful going 8 innings of one-run, three hit ball, Gearrin, however, turned out to be a disaster, giving up three runs in the first, pitching as bad as he did earlier in the season.
I'm sure one of the analytics jockeys can answer this one, but it seems as though the M's have not only given up a lot of first-inning runs, but often in amounts of three or more. If that's demoralizing to a fan like me, I can only imagine the grim impact it has to the team. And, following up on my theme from yesterday, I can't think of anything more likely to cause players to press than being down by three runs before you've ever come to bat.
The question, of course, is why Gearrin was used. True, he hadn't given up an earned run in three weeks, but I've had doubts about him all season. He just didn't have it last night and the game was over before it got started.
Even more puzzling was Moore's throw from short to home for a fielder's choice. Where did Narvaez go? The runner on third was headed home, Omar was off to back up first base. Why? No error charged. It was just an FC. But it was just more what Servais correctly dubbed the night before "bad baseball." I like Narvaez, but he made a mistake I've never seen a catcher make before.
Even more puzzling was Moore's throw from short to home for a fielder's choice. Where did Narvaez go? The runner on third was headed home, Omar was off to back up first base. Why? No error charged. It was just an FC. But it was just more what Servais correctly dubbed the night before "bad baseball." I like Narvaez, but he made a mistake I've never seen a catcher make before.
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