“Albert hadn’t had any hits. It was a tough call. We were trying to leave the ball away, get him to hit the ball on the ground and hopefully we’d be able to get it. We were playing with fire and we got burned.”
~ Jerry Manuel, on choosing to pitch to Pujols in the 13th inning
Frankly, I am not a huge fan of the Intentional Walk, because the probability never makes sense, especially with a guy like Matt Holliday batting behind him.
That said, it’s Pujols.
I think what kills me most in this quote is how Manuel assumes any pitcher on the Mets, other than Johan Santana, can dictate how Pujols will hit the ball.
I mean, I have seen the man hit, and he seems pretty much in control of what is happening at the plate… and so, if there is a reason to walk him, it’s that.
“Albert didn’t have any hits…”
So, what’s the point? He’s arguably the best hitter in baseball and can end ANY game with one swing of the bat.
A jackass can make any call ‘tough.’
Damned if you do- damned if you don’t.
didnt he already have 2 hits?
Yes, he had 2 hits before his last AB.
Jerry must have been watching a different game.
Yup, that’s the worst part of this quote, the guy simply was not watching the game. After one of those singles Holliday doubled him in too, so he scored a run off of one of his singles. Man Jerry, how can you seriously be that stupid…
Wait, did Jerry actually say:
“Albert didn’t have any hits”?
He was 3 for 7 last night.
Like Manuel said, Pujols was hitless for the game at that point. And anyone watching could clearly see he wasnt healthy either.
With Holliday behind him in the order and having already hit a homer I think it was the right decision.
And the Mets also had plenty of chances to win this game after they tied it, so…..
6th inning: Pujols single
9th inning: Pujols single
13th inning: Pujols single
Pujols: 3 for 7, 1 rbi
I said Manuel said it, not me.
Why did he lift Parnell? He had 1IP. He let Feliciano pitch 1-2/3IP but Parnell only 1IP.
Good question. It’s that kind of logic that leads to Feliciano leading the majors in appearances (57).
Especially since Feliciano was having the worst time of any of his relievers, he still had two guys in the pen who could pitch multiple innings and LaRussa only had his closer left… yeah…
Jerry is a moron. I won’t quibble with the fact of pitching to Pujols — just goes to show how excellent a protector Holliday is. The second we got to Pujols, I knew the game was over — no way were were getting out of that inning with our bullpen facing Pujols and Holliday without having a Cardinal score.
That said, I DO object to Manuel using a LOOGY like Feliciano to pitch to the best righty in the game. Stupid. Even Ollie Perez is a better option at that point. Stupid stupid stupid call.
Stupid.
Yes, Jerry IS a moron.
But the game was lost when the Mets had Wright and Beltran on with 1 out and didn’t score in the 9th. Hessman K’d and Francoeur flied out. Right there, I knew the Cards would win.
Anyone who say that Ollie Perez would have been a better option has only one agenda.. To bash Jerry for no rrason. To say Ollie Perez would have been a better option demponstrates the total lunacy of the bashing on this site. That is definitely the worst comment ever made.
I wouldn’t have used Ollie either. But trust me, there are PLEN-TEE of other very good reasons to bash Jerry.
That’s ridiculous. It’s baseball strategy, man. Feliciano is a LOOGY facing the BEST. RIGHTY. IN. THE. GAME.
We needed one out. If Perez can’t get us one out, why is he on our roster?? He got us out of a big pickle versus righties in the LAD series before giving up the decisive HR. Let’s use the $12M we’re wasting, right? Plus a fresh Perez is better than a Feliciano that’d already thrown 30 pitches. Everyone else on this board agrees not only was it dumb to pitch to Pujols but it was dumb to have a tired lefty do it.
Fresh lefty vs. right > tired lefty versus righty any day of the freaking week.
One last point, at least Perez can hit above 90 MPH with his pitches. There are numerous advantages to having Perez get 1 out versus a tired Feliciano.
I’d rather be a Manuel basher than a Manuel apologist. Or worse, an uninformed baseball fan.
Jerry is in fact dumb if he insists on using Feliciano as anything other than a LOOGY.. HELLO!!! Righties are pounding him to a tune of .333! He has a nice ERA but that hides his nasty 1.70 WHIP!
blame the hitters or HOJO
every met is swinging for the fences trying to be a hero late in games
put together a couple of singles and you win the game
stop swinging for the fences.
It’s really shocking to me how many times Jerry can’t remember key events in a game, ie, that Pujols had 2 hits entering the 13th.
Where is this guy’s head??
probably thinking about where he is going to live next.
I’m not sure my response would make it through moderation.
You know why Jerry Manuel says things like that? Jerry knows he won’t get fired … Idiocy runs up and down this entire Mets organization and support comments like that.
I have 0 problem with them pitching to Pujols, I was more upset with leaving Feliciano in who clearly had nothing left.
Pujols is the best hitter in the game, but the guy on deck is great as well…
If #5 knew how to slide, the mets would have won in the 9th inning and there wouldn’t be a discussion on whether or not Manuel should have pitched to Pujols.
Last night’s loss is on Wright.
Can’t believe that was his response. That guy is lost. I asked last week if that was your manager, wouldn’t you be demoralized? Well, now do you see what I meant?
I think any change would be for the better. Maybe players will think the fog lifted, it can only help.
re: another topic,
Am I the only one who wanted Slappy, with the bases loaded and game tied to take one more pitch in the 8th? The pitcher lost the plate, he gave him the 3-0 pitch, and then swings at the 3-1.
I wish Luis had taken his chances with a 3-2 pitch.