{"id":11151,"date":"2015-08-07T10:02:03","date_gmt":"2015-08-07T14:02:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nationalsarmrace.com\/?p=11151"},"modified":"2015-08-07T10:02:03","modified_gmt":"2015-08-07T14:02:03","slug":"ross-over-fister-best-pitching-move-williams-has-made-all-year-and-a-bit-of-ranting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nationalsarmrace.com\/?p=11151","title":{"rendered":"Ross over Fister; best pitching move Williams has made all year (and a bit of ranting)"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Ross<\/a>

Ross deservedly keeps his rotation spot. Photo Getty Images via federalbaseball.com<\/p><\/div>\n

After his second questionable starting pitcher yank in as many nights, 2014 Manager of the Year Matt Williams<\/strong> made perhaps his best pitching change of the season.\u00a0 Instead of favoring his veteran Doug Fister<\/strong> like everyone thought he would based on past experiences with player management, he went with a rookie and announced (as first reported<\/a> by Mark Zuckerman<\/strong> last night) that Joe Ross<\/strong> would keep his rotation spot, sending Fister to the bullpen.<\/p>\n

First; some stuff I’ve wanted to get off my chest on Williams’ handling of the pitching staff as of late:<\/p>\n

There’s already been enough kvetching about his yanking Gio Gonzalez<\/strong> the previous night; though my readers cannot see this “proof,” as soon as the pitching change occurred I texted a friend saying (in effect) this was going to backfire.\u00a0 Pulling Gonzalez made zero sense: If you’re going to yank your starter so quickly in the 6th, why let him frigging *bat* in the bottom of the 5th??\u00a0 Gonzalez was only on 95 pitches; professional, veteran starters can throw at least 105-110 pitches before showing any wear, and studies show that you’re not really in “danger” of causing subsequent regression until you hit 120.\u00a0 And the most egregious issue: Gonzalez was set to face not 1-2-3 but 6-7-8 in the Arizona order.\u00a0 To this observer, it was classic over-thinking\/over-managing that resulted in a blown lead, a blown game and an embarrassing 9th where a position player had to throw for just the second time in the Nats tenure in Washington.<\/p>\n

So, what did 2014 Manager of the Year Matt Williams<\/strong> learn from the 8\/5\/15 experience??\u00a0 Absolutely nothing.\u00a0 Ross was on even fewer pitches last night (89)<\/a>, was absolutely handling the weakened Arizona lineup (they sat two of their best\u00a0 hitters to give them a day off), and Ross was set to face … wait for it … 6-7-8 in the order.\u00a0 Yet another “shut down” reliever comes in and gives up a ton of runs … and it looked like yet another game would be lost.\u00a0 Only the heroics of Matt Thornton<\/strong> (waiver claim) and eventually in the 8th Clint Robinson<\/strong>‘s 3-run homer (minor league free agent) saved the game for this under performing $160M payroll “win now” team.<\/p>\n

Starters are starters because, by and large, THEY ARE BETTER PITCHERS THAN RELIEVERS.\u00a0 If relievers were better, they’d be frigging starters!\u00a0 Williams needs to STOP yanking effective starting pitchers unless it makes sense.\u00a0 This dates back to his most egregious yank, that of Jordan Zimmermann<\/strong> last year in the NLDS.<\/p>\n

Anyway.\u00a0 Back to the Fister\/Ross decision.\u00a0 Here’s my quick thoughts:<\/p>\n