Dusty Baker is a Fan of Mismatches
Dave mentioned this tidbit yesterday, but I figured I would expand on it.
The first game of spring training usually serves as a dress rehearsal. The starters – those who are not partaking in the World Baseball Classic or injured – wave to the home crowd, play an inning or two in the field – just long enough to get a plate appearance — then call it a day. This leads to lineups that resemble the team’s Triple-A squad. Naturally, this leads to some rather lopsided match-ups if the other team has a legitimate starting pitcher on the mound.
But how about three in one game?
That’s what Dusty Baker threw the American League champions yesterday. The Rays christening of their new spring home didn’t quite go to plan. Joe Maddon followed the aforementioned tradition, running out such wunderkinds as Jon Weber, Ray Olmedo, Chris Richard, and Elliot Johnson. Heck, the Rays even started former Houston Astros’ starter Carlos Hernandez. So imagine the results when the Cincinnati Reds started Edinson Volquez, brought Jonny Cueto in to relieve Volquez, then handed the game to Homer Bailey.
Unsurprisingly, the trio would plow through a ragtag lineup, totaling seven innings of two-hit ball while walking two and striking eight out. Aaron Fultz and Jared Burton would close the game out, holding the Rays to four hits, six baserunners, and zero runs.
At least one thing went well for the Rays as Carl Crawford, the longtime face of the franchise, recorded the first hit in Charlotte Sports Park.
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Surprised he didn’t just ask Volquez to throw a complete game
This just made me spit out my coffee, cartoon-style.
This was an all-time great comment. I think that it should maybe be enshrined somewhere in Cooperstown, as it was truly Hall of Fame worthy.
The funniest thing about this comment is that for a split second, my brain went, “Yeah, that would’ve been a very Dusty Baker thing to do.” Then I realized that it’s spring training. And oh did I laughify.
On a related note, the Reds are due for a great offensive year, having replaced Adam Dunn (who clogs up the bases) with Willy Taveras.
mojowo – that’s $5 for FJM-baiting.
Since when has Homer Bailey been a legitimate starting pitcher?
When compared to minor leaguers, for a while now
And, by the way, there’s a reason that Baker trotted out two legitimate SPs in his first game–he wasn’t being a total ass. Both Cueto and Volquez are pitching for DR in the WBC and so will miss a good deal of spring training.
So clearly the logical thing to do is to push their pitch counts up even higher.
You do want to stretch them out a little bit before they take on an SP role, it might be even worse for them to just thrust themselves into a situation where they’re expected to pitch 7 innings at full speed.
I remember last year he had Volquez throw 126 pitches in a 9-0 game, it really makes me sick.
“Dominicans have rubber arms”- Dusty Baker after this game.
Dusty is one ignorant racist……
Victor is my early morning hero.