Craig Counsell has done more than a few puzzling moves in this NLCS. At the age of 48, the young manager of the Milwaukee Brewers attempted to re-invent the game yesterday with a dumb move. Start Wade Miley, have him pitch to one batter and then switch and the Dodgers will be stuck with the wrong lineup in there. Well Miley walked the first batter and Counsell then taxed Brandon Woodruff, who performed admirably in his 5 1/3 but he’s never pitched that this season. He last threw five innings in May.
Now the Brewers are down in the series 3-2, and Miley will return for Game 6, and that was the plan and it could be a part of a failed plan before it’s all said and done.
There are other things I can nitpick with. A. lack of a bunt, but the bullpen that got the Brewers where they are could be taxed. We’ll soon find out.
Did You Stay Up for the Red Sox Big Win?
The game ended after 1 AM. I know, the advertising is paid for, and MLB makes plenty of money. Sure, but who was actually watching the game at that point? The game lasted 4:33. That’s a bad formula and a bad look for the sport long-term. On Tuesday night, two NBA drew better with males 18-49. 76ers-Celtics and Thunder-Warriors versus both baseball games. This has been the theme in baseball all season and the commissioner hasn’t talked about how he can fix this? Clearly, games being sped up might work in the regular season but with the advertising rate being higher in the playoffs, games are dragging on again.
Cheaters Do Prosper
We were taught the opposite growing up but ever since I was a young man I’ve been seeing the opposite. In the 50’s teams were stealing signs with a telescope or buzzer. Ok, why? If you can steal signs from the dugout, with your eyes, that’s smart. The rest is terrible. You’re playing a kid’s game and you’re resorting to cheating to get that “edge”?
The latest allegations involving the Astros just adds to my opening line. Will MLB ever get to the bottom of it? And if they do, will the Indians feel better about it? No, the answer is no. My solution is to make sure all cell phones are locked up before the game starts in players and managers lockers and stadium security should do the same with team employees in the photographer well or on the field or near the dugout or bullpen. This would cut down on a lot of this baloney that has gone on. As far as taking pictures of the opposing dugout, why is this necessary? Since MLB asked the Astros to stop, they’re 0-3, is that a coincidence?
