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Cox Pulls Interesting Move

Christopher Solberg, Editor
4/9/2008

Last Thursday (April 3rd) the Atlanta Braves’ Manager, Bobby Cox, pulled a move that I’ve never even heard of before.  It is described well by SI.com’s Tom Verducci in his article very well:

“RHP Chris Resop starts the top of the 10th inning on the mound for the Braves. He walks Nyger Morgan, gives up a sacrifice bunt and then walks Jason Bay. On ball four of the Bay walk, Corky Miller allows a passed ball moving Morgan to third. With only one out, Bobby Cox brings in lefty Royce Ring to strike out Adam LaRoche, which he does, but rather than taking out Resop, Cox moves him to left field. After the LaRoche strike out, Cox pulls Ring and brings Resop back in from left field to pitch to Xavier Nady.”

This, of course, was a desperate move in extra innings as the team was starting to run out of pitchers and had more bench players to use.  However, the move didn’t work fully as Resop promptly gave up a single to Nady for the winning run.

But it did raise a point: Why the heck not?

If it’s late in the game and a manager wants to put in a lefty specialist for one batter, but keep his hard throwing, right handed setup man in the game for the next batter, why not?  These days players are stuck into a single role too much, relief pitchers should learn to play a half-way respectable outfield defense to allow this to happen more often.

Actually, as you look through all the background reports on many of the pitching prospects coming up through the minors, you notice that many of them are converted infielders or outfielders that couldn’t hit.  So it’s not much of a stretch defensively for these players.

Also, many times the pitcher’s spot is due up in the order after the inning and the manager will be conducting a double-switch, so why not perform this move if you are going to switch out the fielder after the inning anyway?

Even though it didn’t work because the Braves’ bullpen has been pretty ugly to start the season, it’s just another reason why Cox will be heading to the Hall of Fame.

 

 

 

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