I love Bruce Bochy, think he'll probably belong in Cooperstown someday.
Tuesday night, though, he committed one of the classic blunders. No, he didn't get involved in a land war in Asia ...
or even go against a Sicilian with death on the line. Still, letting your starting pitcher bat in the eighth inning of a big game you're losing ... That's a blunder, through and through, for two really obvious reasons.
One, your starting pitcher, no matter how good, almost certainly isn't as good as your best relief pitcher (or pitchers). Not in the eighth inning, anyway. It's been demonstrated many times over that a pitcher in the eighth inning, having thrown 100-some pitches, is worse than when he started the game.
And two, your starting pitcher, no matter how well he hits, certainly isn't as good as any number of hitters on the bench. And yes, this even means you, San Francisco Giants and your weak bench.
Yes, Bumgarner had homered earlier in the game. Yes, he's hit four home runs this season. And yes, he's hit more grand slams this season than Derek Jeter's hit in his entire glorious career (sorry, had to get that in).
Madison Bumgarner's got a .203 career wOBA.
The Giants have a poor bench. I get it. But Bochy literally didn't use anybody Tuesday night. Which meant he literally didn't use Travis Ishikawa or Andrew Susac, both of whom project roughly as .300 wOBA hitters.
Bumgarner batted for himself in the eighth, and struck out. In the bottom of the inning, Bumgarner gave up a home run. Bochy got the two-fer, the Giants lost 4-2, and poof went their slim chance of catching the Dodgers. Their chance of hosting the Wild Card Game also took a blow.
Granted, the Giants were highly likely to lose the game, regardless of what Bochy did in the eighth inning. But even great managers have blind spots. Obviously.
