Picture this.
It was a one-run game in the seventh inning. The Reds had two on with two out and the pitcher due up. Pinch hitter? No...
Dusty Baker sent Aaron Harang to the plate. Harang is considered the ace of the pitching staff. He is a good-hearted, generous human being. He is also one of the worst hitting pitchers in the league.
Harang grounded into a force play and the inning was over.
One of the Reds strengths this year has been the bullpen. Take your pick of Arthur Rhodes, David Weathers, Nick Masset, or Daniel Ray Herrera. More often than not, they have all gotten the job done.
"He doesn't like to come out and we don't like to take him out, " Dusty Baker said.
It turns out that Harang gave up three runs in the bottom of the inning, helped by Arthur Rhodes walking a batter and David Weathers giving up a single and sacrifice fly.
Of course, if Baker had sent a pinch hitter to the plate, he would have hit a double in the gap that scored both runs. Rhodes would have pitched a scoreless seventh. Weathers would do the same in the eighth and then Francisco Cordero would have gotten another save.
I know all of this because I am an omniscient blogger. It is easy to pick apart the game once it is over.
You can't win 'em all. Just go get 'em tonight.
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