***Official World Series Thread***: Diamondbacks vs. Yankees - your pick? (1 Viewer)

[John Thomas]

Yankees win the series due to Bob Brenley.
What in the heck is this guy smoking? When I heard about his decision to pitch Schilling, I thought that if the DBacks didn't win tonight that the Yankees would win the series. This is one of the biggest managerial blunders in baseball; concede games 3 and 4. Big deal. Let your two aces rest, keep your normal rotation; go with what got you there...I tell ya, if Arizona ends up losing, I would think that Brenley loses his job.
Sorry, but I still can't get over the monumental error in management he made. I know, it's easy to second guess him after the fact but like I said, when I heard about his decision...well, he's an idiot.

But, I don't want to take anything away from the Yanks - they hung in there and finally got some hits, albeit off of the DBacks known weak bullpen. Great game.
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[Mitty]

Yankees win the series due to Bob Brenley...Sorry, but I still can't get over the monumental error in management he made.

I totally disagree with you on that one. Brenly made a mistake, but it wasn't in letting Schilling pitch game 4. Schilling was terrific again tonight and his efforts were more than enough to give the D-backs a strangle hold on the series. No, Brenly's mistake was in letting himself think forward to game 7 before game 4 was in the bag. And there is no way in hell Brenly gets fired if they lose the series. After all, HE didn't toss a fat one to Tino Martinez.
Not to mention that ALL championships are won and lost based on managerial decisions as much as play on the field, so I don't think "Yankees win the series due to Bob Brenley." is any sort of epiphany. After all, had he gone to the bullpen and gotten Swindell to pitch to Tino, we're probably looking at a 3-1 series lead for Arizona. There are a million "what ifs?" and managers ALWAYS have to be the ones making (or not making) the tough decisions.
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[John Thomas]

Thank you for giving me a vehicle to explain why his decision was a terrible mistake.
Agreed - Schilling did a great job in game 4. However, there's no doubt that if he'd gone with the original rotation that when Schilling did get around to his turn, he pitches a complete game and negating the variable that is known as the Arizona bullpen. Schilling wearing down during his theoretical game 5 start is still better at 70% than their bullpen. On top of that, he should know that if his combination of pitching doesn't win the game for him, that his decisions may affect Batista's mentality heading into game 5. Instead of being up 2-1, Batista is called upon to pitch the hump game @ NY, tied 2-2. He's an above average pitcher but young and inexperienced.
...and Brenley may've well have "toss(ed) a fat one to Tino Martinez" - his poor decision to call upon Schilling with 3 days rest means that he can't call on him until game 7 (and who knows how he'll be then). Reiterating, if I were in his shoes, I'd have played normal rotation - maybe this means the Yanks win by more runs, maybe not. With Brian Anderson pitching a surprise the night before, perhaps Batista surprised with a win. Then, with the prospect of Schilling and Johnson looming (rested, mind you) - it doesn't look too good for da Yanks.
As far as all championships being won or lost on managerial decisions, I'm not too sure the folks in Boston would agree with you on that one.

However, Brenley did make a poor decision on which hinged the tide of the World Series. Think of it this way - Brenley gambles bringing Schilling in, hoping to go up 3-1. I could agree moreso making this call if the roles were reversed and Arizona had their backs against the wall. The gamble pays off, great - you're up 3-1 but you're still pitching Batista the night after (from reports I hear at this time); the gamble DOESN'T pay off - you give the Yankees a flicker of hope since they beat your ace (who wasn't 100%, but..) and are tied in the series. Terrible, terrible managment.
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[Patrick Sun]

When heard of Brenley's decision to start Schilling in Game 4 I was against it, even knowing that it would allow the D-Backs to pitch him in a theoretical game 7. I wouldn't fire Brenley because I'd fire the GM for saddling the team with such poor relief pitchers.
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[Patrick Sun]

Oh, and don't forget how many runners the D-Backs left on base in the early innings. Plus, if Tony Womack slides into home plate head first, and angles his body away from home plate, Posada would never have tagged him out with the ball.
Frankly, this game sort of reminded me of the Braves playing the Yankees.

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[Joel Mack]

Brenly made a poor decision, but it wasn't starting Schilling in game 4. It was taking him out after the 7th inning. ESPN sums up my feelings pretty well:
"Brenly admitted that by taking Schilling out in the eighth, he was partly thinking ahead toward Game 7 and wanted to keep the right-hander strong in case he was needed. Well, there's nothing like thinking three games ahead in the World Series. Perhaps if Schilling's pitch count gets too high in Game 7, Brenly can yank him so he'll be nice and rested for the Cactus League opener."
I think if the Yanks win tonight, they win the series, despite having to go back to the BOB to do it...
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[Marvin]

Aside from reversing the order of the home/away games, the similarities to the 1996 NY-Atlanta series continue to hold. I guess Clemens was this year's David Cone and Tino Martinez was this year's Jim Leyritz.
Look for NY to win 1-0 tonite. Remember... you read it here first. (And I can always edit this post later on.)

 

[RicP]

I don't think that the descision to start Schilling was as big as some are making it out to be. I mean the guy pitched a gem, again. AZ was up 3-1 in the bottom of the 9th, you can't fault either Schilling or Brenly for Kim's two big fat fastballs.
That being said, I probably would have pitched Batista last night instead of Schilling, if only to have both of my aces on full rest for games 5 & 6.
The descision will be questioned only if the Yankees win tonight, otherwise there's no difference between that, or AZ winning last night with Schilling and then losing tonight with Batista, they'd still be going home up 3-2.
If the Yanks win, and Mussina pitches a great game tonight -- not a given because he got tagged pretty well in game 1 -- then AZ needs 2 essentially perfect games from Johnson & Schilling again. They did it in games 1 & 2, but can they do it again, under the pressure of being down 3-2, and with schilling on consecutive 3-days rest starts.
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[MickeS]

This was the first baseball game I ever watched in its entirety, and it was GREAT! What an exciting game. The few bits and pieces of games I've watched before have always been really dull to me (a bunch of guys standing around spitting, for the most part) but maybe I'll have to re-evealuate my opinions about baseball...
Anyway, a somewhat related question... when the Yankees hit their 3-3 homerun, all of a sudden there were signs like "We're back" and "It's a miracle!" showing in the audience. Now, who goes to a baseball games with signs like that? Are these people hoping that the Yankees will almost lose, so they can hold up their signs? Makes no sense to me... anywhooo...
/Mike

 

[Trey Fletcher]

Watched the game at my In-laws house last night. During the drive home I thought I was going to

One out away from going up 3-1 in the World Series, and a game tying two run home run goes over the fence. The only thing worse was being in Pasadena for the Rose Bowl, and watching Ohio State go down the field and snatch a National Title from my Sun Devils. With momentum in the Yanks dugout, and Batista on the hill, Game 5 should go to the Yanks tonight. The Dbacks need the support at BOB, and Johnson's arm to force a game 7. Actually, what they really need, is to get runners in scoring position across the f#$^&*g plate when there are less the two f$#%&@g outs! (Bobby Knight mode off)
Dejected but determined in AZ. TF

 

[Brian Lawrence]

Why in the Christ Hell did they take Schilling out when the guy was still dominating? The D-Backs bullpen sucks! I watched my weak hitting Braves turn into murderer's row agianst these guys the one time they where given any extensive use in a game of the NLCS.
You know the D-Backs have no faith in their bullpen, when Kim is tossing beach balls down the fat of the plate and they don't even have someone warming up in the pen.

 

[John Thomas]

The whole question is can NY get to the AZ bullpen...when you pitch anyone, even your best (and IMHO the best, this year) pitcher will be tired. That increases the chances greatly that you're going to have to pull him and throw in some questionable reliever. From the vibes I'm getting, it seems the NY fans don't think it's just Brenley. As far as a team, AZ has outplayed NY. The poor management from Brenley has allowed NY back into this.
First, he gives the nod to Batista to warm up in game #3, around the 6th inning. He then decides not to go with him, making him useless for game 4 and forcing his hand with Schilling there. Starting anyone with 3 days rest, as the statistics show, is a terrible decision. However, thick-headed Bob does this - Schilling ends up doing well but genius-boy decides to pull him after 7. Of course, this is just his pitching decisions. I'm afraid if I went into analysis of his decisions on fielding positions and batting strategy, I'd be here for an hour or so.
The big gamble didn't pay off; I'd imagine if Bob Brenley were betting on a craps game, he'd bet $100 on each roll in hopes to win $1.
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[Patrick_S]

quote: First, he gives the nod to Batista to warm up in game #3, around the 6th inning. He then decides not to go with him, making him useless for game 4 and forcing his hand with Schilling there. [/quote]
First of all Batista was not warming up to come into game 3. He was doing his normal between starts work out. In fact Orel Hershiser commented on a local radio show on Wednesday that he know right away that once Batista was working out on Tuesday that it had already been determined that Schilling was going to start on Wednesday.
As far as your harping about Schilling pitching on three days rest, as others have already pointed out Schilling pitched an excellent game so your continual comments about how it was a terrible decision are way off base.
Just for your edification, Hershiser also talked about how if a pitcher knows he is going to go on three days rest he changes his routine to accommodate the change. Look up Orel's stats from the year they defeated Oakland in the WS and you'll see that he pitched several games on three days rest and did just fine. The reason why? He knew he was going to do it and changed his routine accordingly.
Yes you could argue some of the other decisions like pulling Schilling or leaving Kim in for another inning but your constant harping about pitching Schilling are groundless.
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[Edited last by Patrick_S on November 01, 2001 at 04:31 PM]
[Edited last by Patrick_S on November 01, 2001 at 05:13 PM]

 

[Allen Hirsch]

The Yankees have now won 11 STRAIGHT post-season 1-run games. Unbelievable luck (and the best "money" closer in baseball).
The difference in this series? Rivera vs. Kim.
Brenley tried to have Kim do a Rivera (multiple innings) last night because he has so little faith in the rest of his 'pen - and it cost him.
It's a tough call - you want your ace available, not your 3rd- or 4th-best SP going in game 7. But, if you have confidence that Schilling and Johnson WILL each win twice - you don't even need a game 7. That was Brenley's dilemma - and he'll be second-guessed a LONG time for his choice, I have no doubt.
(Bigger Brenley mistake, in my book: playing for 1 run EVERY time Counsell came up with Womack on base, Hell, El Duque was on the ropes every time, and they gave away an inning of outs, sacrificing. That strategy is OK, IF you have the dominant closer, or Schilling capable of going 9 IP - if not, it seems counterproductive to me. Why not let Counsell swing away at least a time or two, then let Womack steal, if necessary?)

 

[Dana Fillhart]

HOLY ******* ****!

HOLY...*******...****!!

BROSIUS...IS...THA...MAN!!!!

I can't fucking BELIEVE it! TWO NIGHTS IN A ROW...down to their last out...and they TIE THE GAME AGAIN!!!!
GO YANKS!!!!
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(Edited for the sake of Rob Willey's virgin ears :bg
[Edited last by Dana Fillhart on November 02, 2001 at 08:43 AM]

 

[Evan Case]

Kim ain't too good, is he?
(Bad) memories of the Wild Thing.
Evan
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[Edited last by Evan Case on November 01, 2001 at 10:50 PM]

 

[MikeM]

Little known fact:
Byung-Hyun Kim actually translates to "Scott Norwood" in English.

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[Seth Paxton]

Brosius eats fastballs for lunch, it's his strength. And being one swing away from tying it up, I'm not that surprised that a former WS MVP could do what he has already done. Plus, he had just faced Kim twice the night before.
Also, I didn't think Kim's stuff looked as sharp tonight.
I would have left Batista in, even though he had been struggling the last inning and a half. The Yanks were biting on his stuff anyway.
What ifs and maybes, great for couch potatoes.
The bottom line is you still have to be the guy to get that hit in that situation, and plenty of great players have wilted under the pressure.
As much as I love the Yanks and believe in them, this team has amazed even me, despite what I've seen from them before. This has to be one of the greatest teams ever. This is Red Sox/Reds, Buckner error, Kirk Gibson all-time baseball history kinda stuff happening right before our eyes. Kids born this year won't be able to believe what we saw live 20 years from now.
BTW, I think Schilling will be fine in game 7 and don't think Brenley made a mistake either night.
Kim had 4 K's and the bloop hit. It wasn't like he was struggling last night. And tonight, Batista was really getting loose with his breaking stuff and was relying heavily on the fastball to get the strikes. The Yanks might have kept helping him, but then again they might not have.
Look, the Yanks don't have a Gonzalez and the D'backs don't have a Rivera.
Besides, right now Rivera is in a jam just like Kim got in. Did Torre screw up?
[Edited last by Seth Paxton on November 01, 2001 at 11:10 PM]

 

[Dana Fillhart]

Nah, Torre didn't screw up...Mariano just got a little careless. Thanks to a GREAT play by Soriano, he was able to recover nicely and get out of a bases-loaded jam.
Now, at the bottom of the 11th and 2 outs...looks like Sterling Hitchcock is gonna come in if Spencer gets the 3rd out...
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[Edited last by Dana Fillhart on November 01, 2001 at 11:20 PM]

 

[Dana Fillhart]

Yankees win!
Tha-a-a-a-a-a-a-a....Yankees WIN!!!!!

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