02-26-2024, 07:24 PM
Managing in the playoffs is such a different approach. Around (and before) 2016 managers were really starting to make their bullpens a bigger part of the game, especially in the playoffs. And I think Maddon just became super risk-averse in the playoffs, especially the deeper the team got. And I'm sure he saw Chapman as a weapon that he could utilize freely without any pushback on overuse.
A perfect example of this is in game 6 of the WS. Cubs are up 7-2 in the 7th inning. Montgomery leaves the game with 2 outs and 2 runners on. OK, fine. Bring Chapman in to kill the threat, I guess. He gets the Cubs out of it and it's still 7-2. Then he brings him out for the 8th inning. Pitches a clean inning. THEN BRINGS HIM BACK OUT AGAIN IN THE 9th! AND THE CUBS SCORED 2 MORE RUNS IN THE TOP OF THE 9TH! IT WAS 9-2! What?! Why would you bring him out for the 9th there? He also pitched 2.2 innings in game 5, an inning in game 3, and 1.1 innings in game 2. He was clearly running on fumes in game 7 and you have to imagine if he didn't throw a completely unnecessary inning the night before, he'd have been a little more fresh.
All that said, we won.
A perfect example of this is in game 6 of the WS. Cubs are up 7-2 in the 7th inning. Montgomery leaves the game with 2 outs and 2 runners on. OK, fine. Bring Chapman in to kill the threat, I guess. He gets the Cubs out of it and it's still 7-2. Then he brings him out for the 8th inning. Pitches a clean inning. THEN BRINGS HIM BACK OUT AGAIN IN THE 9th! AND THE CUBS SCORED 2 MORE RUNS IN THE TOP OF THE 9TH! IT WAS 9-2! What?! Why would you bring him out for the 9th there? He also pitched 2.2 innings in game 5, an inning in game 3, and 1.1 innings in game 2. He was clearly running on fumes in game 7 and you have to imagine if he didn't throw a completely unnecessary inning the night before, he'd have been a little more fresh.
All that said, we won.