Short version, Delgado is less likely to hit into a ground ball and Rauch is less likely to surrender a GB (both are relative to the average MLB Player).

First you extend the game, THEN you worry about not having a backup catcher on the bench the rest of the game.

Fire Willie!

Go Mets!

Consider this, since the start of last season Jon Rauch has been inducing ground balls at a very low rate. Roughly 32.5%, league average is around 43.6%. This year, granted it is a VERY small sample, Rauch has been surrendering Line Drives at almost DOUBLE the rate of an avg. ML pitcher (almost 40%).

Maybe if the manager of the Mets did some homework before an important 4 game series, he might have a better handle on the opposing closer’s tendencies!

Since the start of last season, Delgado has been less likely than your average ML player to hit a grounder. Also, since the shift was on (at least that’s what I gathered from others’ accounts of the 9th yesterday, if that’s not the case then obviously this point is moot) Beltran could have taken a bigger than normal lead, which makes the notion of running on contact even more ridiculous.

I would play the percentages and expect Delgado to K or hit a fly ball. Also, don’t forget that you had “hit machine” Moises Alou sitting on the bench to pitch hit for Castro in case Delgado had failed.

I think you have to against “the book” and a “no brainer” decision and stay out of a double play there. You still had one more HUGE bullet to use, Alou, why pin everything on Delgado, a player that has shown that he is on the decline.

That’s why it was another blunder from “auto-pilot” Willie!

He is so fast that any ball that gets out of the infield will score the tying run.

Also Beltran is such a skilled baserunner that I would not want to force him to run. I would rather he uses his excellent skills to read the play properly and score if he feels he can make it.

Just another Willie blunder.