GAME #133, TUESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2018, MIAMI MARLINS AT BOSTON RED SOX

[SeaBeachFred]

Cora's mismanagement of this ballclub over the past two weeks has resulted in the current state of affairs.  He rests position players too much so for my tastes but burns out bullpen pitchers.  The current state of affairs in the pen is because Cora has over worked Hembree and Barnes. Fred is right he has not kept Kimbrel fresh.  They may have the best record in baseball but the seeds of Cora's inexperience are beginning to show.  They will obviously make the playoffs but I am increasingly doubtful they will make it to the world series.  The fear of a 1978 collapse is also in the back of my mind.

You know Elk, we seem to be able to get a good look at what is hurting our club right now, but why can't Cora see that?  It seems so simple to keep your closer sharp for when he is needed but Alex seems totally oblivious to that idea and his constant resting of players has hurt as much as helped.  I have noticed every time he gives Betts a breather he comes back cold.  Hell even Dave Roberts, who is being second guessed out of his shoes by the press and critics out here in Los Angeles, has insisted that his closer Kenley Jansen must be kept sharp by pitching an inning in games that are off the charts.  Yet Cora is out to lunch on this.  My question is are managers so inferior today compared to the past because they are being hindered by new era metrics or simply aren't astute enough to see the forest from the trees.  Hell sometimes I wonder if Cora can even see the forest and the trees.  He is costing us games of late.

[ipot]

A lot of validity to the comments about Cora messing things up.  Our bullpen isn't fantastic by any means but even Barnes and Hembree aren't as bad as they were last night.  Kimbrel can't find the K zone any more.  It's worrisome.  Yes, Kimbrel needs to play more appearances and we'll need to rest Barnes and Hembree from the load. 

But, as someone said, who do you got to take up some of the load: Pomeranz, Workman, Thornburg and Eovaldi?  Scary propositions.  Brasier looks good so far,

At the trade deadline: a good record, a monster offense, and darn good starting pitching clouded the need for picking up a real good 7th or 8th inning reliever.

[elktonnick]

Cora's mismanagement of this ballclub over the past two weeks has resulted in the current state of affairs.  He rests position players too much so for my tastes but burns out bullpen pitchers.  The current state of affairs in the pen is because Cora has over worked Hembree and Barnes. Fred is right he has not kept Kimbrel fresh.  They may have the best record in baseball but the seeds of Cora's inexperience are beginning to show.  They will obviously make the playoffs but I am increasingly doubtful they will make it to the world series.  The fear of a 1978 collapse is also in the back of my mind.

You know Elk, we seem to be able to get a good look at what is hurting our club right now, but why can't Cora see that?  It seems so simple to keep your closer sharp for when he is needed but Alex seems totally oblivious to that idea and his constant resting of players has hurt as much as helped.  I have noticed every time he gives Betts a breather he comes back cold.  Hell even Dave Roberts, who is being second guessed out of his shoes by the press and critics out here in Los Angeles, has insisted that his closer Kenley Jansen must be kept sharp by pitching an inning in games that are off the charts.  Yet Cora is out to lunch on this.  My question is are managers so inferior today compared to the past because they are being hindered by new era metrics or simply aren't astute enough to see the forest from the trees.  Hell sometimes I wonder if Cora can even see the forest and the trees.  He is costing us games of late.

Excellent article in today's Wall St Journal (of all places) about the Braves and Cardinals managers who both came up through the ranks and earned their managerial strips the old fashioned way.