So did you ever take a second to ponder why they call the the leader of a Major League Baseball team a manager, and not just a head coach? Well, it's because they manage. They are supposed to manage the game and talent in a way that will produce a favorable outcome for their team. Without a good manager, good talent is easily wasted, and with a great manager, sub-par talent is sometimes well utilized to an extent that produces unexpected results. Why don't other sports have managers? In football you have a head coach, but then you also have coordinators for offense, defense, special teams, quarterbacks, linebackers, etc. In basketball you have a head coach and he or she designs plays, coordinates substitutions, and calls timeouts; but the execution of the game is in the hands of the players. In hockey, it's a similar situation to basketball - line changes, play calling, and timeouts are all coaching responsibilities, but execution resides with the players. Looking back to baseball, you have many coaches, but one manager. The manager sets a lineup and pitching rotation that change daily based on matchups, he can stop the game at anytime he wants to adjust the circumstances of the game, and every decision he makes does not just effect one game, but potentially the next four...especially in the playoffs. Ultimately baseball players have the power to execute a play, but a manager has the power to execute a game, season, or championship run. The bottom line is that a big league manager makes or breaks a team's season.
Okay, okay, so what's the point? The point is that Joe Girardi is on the verge of managing the New York Yankees into the end of their season...and not they way that Yankees fans expect it to end. In my playoff predictions, I got virtually every single thing wrong, but now Girardi is giving me a chance to be right about one thing - his poor managing will be the demise of they Yankees Championship run. How so? He is starting A.J. Burnett tonight, and leaving one of the most successful postseason starters in history, Andy Pettitte, on the bench.
It doesn't matter that Pettitte is on 3-days rest, this is what he came to the Yankees for, to pitch big games in the playoffs. I don't care what Burnett's numbers are at home this year, or how he has better "stuff" then Pettitte. Pettitte is not a great postseason pitcher because of the amount of wins he has, rather it is because of the type of wins that he has - HUGE wins, wins that bail the Yankees out of a tight spot. He is notorious for winning after a Yankees loss in the playoffs. The last time the Yanks were in the Series [2003] they lost Game 1 of the ALDS, ALCS, and the World Series. Andy Pettitte started, and won Game 2 in all three series.
Okay, there's the backround - fast-forward to present day, Thursday, October 29th. The Yanks are down 1-0 to the Phillies, after C.C. Sabathia, their high-priced ace came up short in Game 1. They are going with Burnett because that was the "plan" and he has good numbers at home, but who cares!? He's going against Pedro, in danger of heading to Philly down 2-0! I'm sorry A.J. but your very thin playoff resume does not give you much of a chance in such a big game.
Now let's get back to the concept of managing. Starting Burnett tonight will be felt in more than just one game. Lets say the Yankees lose tonight, head to Philly down 2-0, win Game 3 behind Pettitte, and C.C. gets bested by Cliff Lee again in Game 4. Now in a season deciding game on the road, Joe Girardi will have to put the Yankees season in the hands of Burnett, unless Chad Gaudin will get the ball (yea right). Now let's look at it the smart way, the Yankees win Game 2 behind Pettitte, then Burnett has a better chance against a struggling Hamels in Game 3 and the Yankees could be up 2-1. Or even if Burnett loses on the road, like everyone is afraid of, and C.C. loses Game 4, putting the Yanks down 3-1, guess who can save the Yanks in Game 5 and bring the Series back to the Bronx - Andy. Freaking. Pettitte. Really, this isn't rocket science, but Girardi can't seem to put the pieces together. As a manager, you need to set yourself up so that in the event your back is against the wall, you can put your best team on the field. And let's face it, the Yankees best team isn't on the field unless #46 is on the mound with his hat pulled down over his head, and his glove covering his face.
Now, baseball is a game of crazy occurrences, and Burnett could very well win tonight. But I'll be honest, in my humble opinion, that with Pedro pitching in the Bronx and the Phillies craving a 2-0 lead...he won't.
It doesn't matter that Pettitte is on 3-days rest, this is what he came to the Yankees for, to pitch big games in the playoffs. I don't care what Burnett's numbers are at home this year, or how he has better "stuff" then Pettitte. Pettitte is not a great postseason pitcher because of the amount of wins he has, rather it is because of the type of wins that he has - HUGE wins, wins that bail the Yankees out of a tight spot. He is notorious for winning after a Yankees loss in the playoffs. The last time the Yanks were in the Series [2003] they lost Game 1 of the ALDS, ALCS, and the World Series. Andy Pettitte started, and won Game 2 in all three series.
Okay, there's the backround - fast-forward to present day, Thursday, October 29th. The Yanks are down 1-0 to the Phillies, after C.C. Sabathia, their high-priced ace came up short in Game 1. They are going with Burnett because that was the "plan" and he has good numbers at home, but who cares!? He's going against Pedro, in danger of heading to Philly down 2-0! I'm sorry A.J. but your very thin playoff resume does not give you much of a chance in such a big game.
Now let's get back to the concept of managing. Starting Burnett tonight will be felt in more than just one game. Lets say the Yankees lose tonight, head to Philly down 2-0, win Game 3 behind Pettitte, and C.C. gets bested by Cliff Lee again in Game 4. Now in a season deciding game on the road, Joe Girardi will have to put the Yankees season in the hands of Burnett, unless Chad Gaudin will get the ball (yea right). Now let's look at it the smart way, the Yankees win Game 2 behind Pettitte, then Burnett has a better chance against a struggling Hamels in Game 3 and the Yankees could be up 2-1. Or even if Burnett loses on the road, like everyone is afraid of, and C.C. loses Game 4, putting the Yanks down 3-1, guess who can save the Yanks in Game 5 and bring the Series back to the Bronx - Andy. Freaking. Pettitte. Really, this isn't rocket science, but Girardi can't seem to put the pieces together. As a manager, you need to set yourself up so that in the event your back is against the wall, you can put your best team on the field. And let's face it, the Yankees best team isn't on the field unless #46 is on the mound with his hat pulled down over his head, and his glove covering his face.
Now, baseball is a game of crazy occurrences, and Burnett could very well win tonight. But I'll be honest, in my humble opinion, that with Pedro pitching in the Bronx and the Phillies craving a 2-0 lead...he won't.
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