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Should Manuel start Cliff Lee for Game 4, possibly 7?
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by Frank Liao | October 30, 2009 at 12:03 pm
152 views | 2 Recommendations | 1 comment
Charlie Manuel announced his Game 4 and Game 5 starters during today's World Series press conference.
Game 4: Joe Blanton
Game 5: Cliff Lee
I think this is a huge mistake by Manuel. He doesn't want to go with Lee for Game 4 because Lee has never pitched on three days rest in his career. Granted, you never want to ask a pitcher to do something that he has never done in his career. However, you have to make an exception here because this is the World Series. The Phillies' only chance at winning this whole thing is if they ride Lee for 3 wins, which they can only do if he pitches 1, 4, and 7.
I have serious doubts about Hamels' start in game 3. I don't think the Phillies will win tomorrow, and if Blanton blows Game 4, the Phillies will be down 3-1 entering into Lee's game 5 start.
The only way this move makes sense if if Hamels miraculously wins Game 3 and puts the Phillies up 2-1 series lead over the Yanks. Otherwise, it makes no sense to hold back your best pitcher for Game 4 just to give him one extra day of rest.
“I don’t think he’s ready for it on three days’ rest,” Phillies Manager Charlie Manuel said Friday. “I think you’re taking a chance on really pushing him.”
so in saving Lee for Game 5, he essentially trades two even matchups for one advantage (Game 5) and two disadvantages (Games 4 and 7). Maybe I'm missing some obscure aspect of game theory, but this decision obviously makes sense only if Manuel is convinced that Lee simply can't outpitch Sabathia on short rest.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (1)
at 09:12 on October 31st, 2009
I think that the Phillies have a good chance in winning today, and that Blanton as pitcher for tomorrow is all right. Lee was so dominant as pitcher in Game 1 that one would want a fully rested Cliff Lee for another full outing...probably Game 5. Meanwhile, good luck to Cole Hamels today, and just put in a reliever if he doesn't have his stuff!