Dubious pitch selection
It’s very rare for manager Jim Tracy to publicly question pitch selection after a loss, but he did so Saturday. The Padres, who had been held to four hits and one run through six innings, scored four runs in the seventh against Jhoulys Chacin. He didn’t retire any of the four batters he faced in the inning, which began with a walk to Cameron Maybin.
To be sure, Maybin is a budding talent but still an inexperienced 24-year-old trying to settle into the majors with his third organization.
“I really didn’t understand the 3-2 slider to Maybin to start the seventh inning,” Tracy said, referring to the sixth pitch of that at-bat. “I really didn’t understand that with a six-run lead.”
Catcher Chris Iannetta took the blame for the pitch, although the final say rests with the pitcher.
“At 3-2 to Maybin, I should have never let him throw a breaking ball with a six-run lead,” Iannetta said. “I should have never let that happen. You’ve got to throw a fastball there and make him hit his way on.”
Ryan Ludwick followed with a first-pitch single. Chacin then walked Kyle Phillips on six pitches, throwing a 3-2 fastball, before making a fielding and throwing error on Eric Patterson’s tapper hit to the right of the mound that allowed two runs to score.
Well this explains alot. Definitely answered some of my questions. I was wondering what was said during the post game.
Thanks Jack!
Jim Tracy must be feeling the pressure a bit now. He was known in his first couple years for never questioning his players publicly. Now, in the last few days, we have him giving Stewart his “fish or cut bait” ultimatum, followed by another dig at Iannetta (his old whipping boy). Old Dodgers and Pirates fans say that this was Tracy’s reputation when he managed their clubs. Sad to see it reemerging now in a Rockies uniform. I guess the Jim Tracy is My Homeboy days are over.
so he should have covered up the stink with lies?
Way to blame your players for a loss when your managing of the bullpen in the 7th and 8th inning is truly what cost you the game. Or should I say lack of managing??? Betancourt starting the 8th and finishing the 8th was horrible managing when you have Reynolds warm in the pen to face some tough lefties(some tough lefties that just so happened to get hits).
Jim Tracy was never my homeboy, I can tell you that.
And why in the heck isn’t he questioning Tulo’s stupid baserunning mistake that cost the Rox a run? Chacin/Iannetta’s pitch call there only cost the Rox a run? To me it looks like they are equally important mistakes Mr. Jim Tracy!!!! If you are going to question one mistake, you better question them all. Love to see this out of our manager. Just love it.
My huge question is: WHY ON EARTH did Tracy leave Chacin in there in the 7th after the walk and the hit, or DEFINITELY after the second walk to load the bases with no outs. He’s sitting at around 100 pitches — Tracy HAS to go out there and get the ball and tell Chacin “Good job, now let’s let the bullpen save this win for you.”
Because Chacin was cruising along giving up just one run in 6 IP and threw less than 100 pitches. After the lead off walk, five more pitches (first pitch hit and the second walk) is not enough time for the pen to get up and warm up. Read my post in the other thread (Padres comeback) and you will see that we don’t have anybody that we can trust for the 7th inning (unless you trust Morales or Paulino).
What concerns me the most out of the pitching staff is the fact that Jiminez has been awful. I wonder if he is injured as his fastball last two years was 96.1, this year 92.7, so it is down. He’s always been at least 94.6. Slider is also down over 3 mph.