Phillies Nation

17 Responses to “Manuel Missed Mark With Taguchi’s Bunt”

1. nick Says:
   October 10th, 2008 at 11:14 am

   this was a bone head move by Manuel… no reason Taguchi should have been in there to BUNT.

   another head scratcher was pitching to Manny w a base open in the first inning. Why not take the bat out of his hands, walk him and set up the double play. STUPID.

   We escaped any harm there but hopefully they (he) learned something and a poor decision doesn’t end up costing us big, later on.

2. mike Says:
   October 10th, 2008 at 11:15 am

   I totally agree with you, I was at the game and Dobbs was on deck and was then pulled back for Taguchi, no reason to do either move, Especially bunt Taguchi, like you said Hamels could easily have done that. Another Blunderous move that seemingly worked on in Manuel’s favor was keeping Madson in the 8th to pitch to Loney, Madson clearly got the job done, but Romero was warming up, isn’t that his role on the team, to get out power hitting lefties. Thankfully these all worked out in our favor and we’re up 1-0, lets get another win today!

3. Gavin Says:
   October 10th, 2008 at 11:38 am

   Off subject……Being a former catcher I can tell you how hard it is to block pitches, let along 90 mph sliders that hit off the back corner of the plate….let alone on a K 3 and the bottom of the 9th in the NLCS. If Chooch goes 0 for his next 500 I keep him behind the dish. That was freakin awesome.

4. Jeffrey Says:
   October 10th, 2008 at 11:40 am

   Fifty bucks says Taguchi doesn’t touch a bat for the rest of this series unless it’s the 13th inning or so. FAIL.

5. Todd Says:
   October 10th, 2008 at 11:41 am

   Actually, I agree with it… no outs, move the runner over with the top of the lineup coming up. It’s a one run game, try to make it 2. Also, in terms of Dobbs… yeah, he’s been the best PH in baseball… so why not hold onto that bullet if the game goes into extra innings? Comparing the situations, I want Dobbs available in a tie game or if they fell behind in extas. Runner on 2nd with 1 out, looking for an insurance run makes sense to me.

6. Gavin Says:
   October 10th, 2008 at 11:42 am

   I like going at manny in the 1st and in the 8th of Game 1. It sends the message that we dont care who you are we can get you out. Now….I think you pitch around him when you can. The idea that they will come at him will stay in his mind for the rest of the series.

7. Don M Says:
   October 10th, 2008 at 11:42 am

   But if you brought in Romero to pitch to Loney… and it didn’t work out.. then you’d need to in Durbin, who has been very shakey lately, after being overused this year. Durbin and Romero have both been GREAT all year, but they got used so often that their arms must be shot… so leaving Madson in worked well.

   The only thing I can think about not having Dobbs hit is that you knew at some point Burrell was coming out of the game.. and if it got to a point with Broxton picthing.. wouldn’t you rather have Dobbs taking the at-bat instead of Stairs or Jenkins??

   So, yea Tachuchi didn’t get it down, but with your team up a run, and the slow-footed Ruiz on base ( I think).. it wasn’t the greatest time to use Dobbs because its not like a hit scores a run there anyway.. Pitching to Manny was big because it shows that they aren’t afraid of him (maybe they should be.. but…)

8. Matt Says:
   October 10th, 2008 at 11:43 am

   I disagree with you. This is playoff baseball and so far the Phillies have scored the majority of their runs via the longball. Situational baseball and timely hitting is a must in low scoring games due to quality pitching. If Taguchi would have gotten the bunt down, he’s a professional there is no excuse for not executing, who knows maybe the Phils have an insurance run. Baseball managers have a tough job. Half the fans and experts agree with their strategical moves and half disagree. Of the half that agree, half of them change their minds if unsuccessful.

   Keep it going Phils!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

9. Don M Says:
   October 10th, 2008 at 11:49 am

   wait so you do or don’t think they should have used Dobbs there? or not tried to get Taguchi to lay a bunt down?

   Its like game#1 when Hamels came out for Lidge… if Hamels stays in a blows it, Manuel sucks.. if Lidge comes in a blows it, Manuel sucks.. and even when Lidge got the job done, people still complained.

   a WIN is a WIN, is a WIN..

   There is no right-or-wrong answer because it worked in the end and they won.. but I think saving Dobbs for a more important situation (if it ever came up) was the smart move

10. Isaiah Says:
    October 10th, 2008 at 12:10 pm

    Mike, man, Madson was in because his change wrecks lefties. A change-up is most effective against guys from the other side. For the reason Kendrick cant put away lefties, Ryan can, he has the narsty change. Ya gotta keep the Bridge to Lidge in there. I say pitch him every eighth you can Chuck.

11. Matt Says:
    October 10th, 2008 at 12:10 pm

    My comments were directed towards Tim’s opinion on the failed bunt attempt. I’d like to add that I thoroughly enjoy this site. The preview of games and breakdown of matchups is something I look forward to on a daily basis.

12. Buffalophilsfan Says:
    October 10th, 2008 at 12:13 pm

    So is SOOOOOOOO bad and has no confidence at all. I agree not to use Dobbs in that spot .. to save him for possible extra innings with the game tied or us behind. But what about Bruntlett. He was coming into the game anyway for defense. I trust him to bunt a lot more than SO SO BAD. Then just make the double switch at the top of the 9th with Lidge coming into the game. Use two players instead of 3?

    This brings me back to the point So has no right being on this roster. There will come a time in this series when we could use Golston to pinch run, but So So Bad is taking his roster spot. Other argued So is a professional hitter and can come with a key at bat rather than Golston. Well, he looked pretty key up there last night. Let’s hope it does not come back to bite us in the ass later on then make the change to Golston for the WS.

13. Ben Says:
    October 10th, 2008 at 12:20 pm

    taguchi should have gotten the bunt down. if he does he is faster than hamels (even from the right batters box) and so i think he was hoping his speed might come into play.

    i think he was saving dobbs for a later at bat, as said above. i think its a tough call either way, but since we had the lead i thought it made sense.

    finally with pitching to manny in the first i thought it was the right move. the bad move was grooving a fastball middle in. we can’t just give in to manny everytime. i would have pitched around him, but not given him any strikes unless he chases (like he did on the first pitch).

14. Don M Says:
    October 10th, 2008 at 12:22 pm

    Golson is 0-6 in his breif career…. with 4 K’s … the thinking is that Taguchi at least gives you a puncher’s chance to make contact at the plate.

    No, he didn’t get the bunt down last night… and Im not sure why they didn’t use Bruntlett there since he came in that inning in LF anyway, right??

    But Golson adds only speed, but his lack of ability to even make a productive out is what will keep him off of this roster.. not that Taguchi is that much better, but he gives you A) a better chance at the plate, and B) playoff experience… two things that Golson doesn’t have at all

15. Bonezy Says:
    October 10th, 2008 at 1:01 pm

    This is a little off the subject, but how cool would it be if they did a broadcast of this series with Harry Kalas doing the Phils at bats and Vin Skully doing the Dodgers At bats?

16. mikemike Says:
    October 10th, 2008 at 1:39 pm

    Taguchi as bad as he has been is a veteran with playoff experience. You have to take him in this situation over Golson.

17. Joephilly Says:
    October 10th, 2008 at 2:18 pm

    Lay off charlie..yeah dobbs shouldve been up…but we wouldnt be here without manuel

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