Turnbow: one batter guy

by nmc on Sep 26, 2007 10:16 PM CDT Comment 13 comments

I'm trying to contain my rage, but as I was on the elliptical machine watching yet another Turnbow meltdown, it came to me...

Turnbow is nothing more than a one batter guy. Notice I don't mention "out" ... just one batter. All too often I've seen him come into the game and pitch OK, but as soon as one little thing goes wrong (tonight the walk), he completely loses it. I think his issue is all mental, and I don't believe there is anything he or the team can do to remedy it ... so, one batter guy.

I present how the team should use Turnbow from this point out (if they use him at all): have him pitch to one guy. He gets an out? Alright, tempt fate and leave him in. He gets ... a walk, a bloop hit, a solid hit, a HBP, a catcher's interference, Ned scratches a bug bite, the ump asks him to remove an earing ... ANYTHING ... get him out of there.

Got it?

God, this team is frustrating.

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without a doubt

he's a wreck

by keephopealive on Sep 26, 2007 10:21 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

which is why Ned kills me

Beaning Pujols was asinine. The Cards had mailed in the season, why give them any reason to get charged up? And why give our mental wreck of a bullpen any reason to get rattled? Yes, the relievers are the one's who choked, and maybe it sounds a little like Cub fans blaming their loss on Bartman. But why does the Bartman-type incident have to come from our own coach?

Attanasio has to be rethinking Ned. Besides being disgraceful, he's shown he can't handle the pressure. Three ejections in the past week, plus all the hemming and hawing yesterday. Al Mcguire had a sense of when throwing a fit was going to inspire... Ned just doesn't have it.

by keephopealive on Sep 26, 2007 10:26 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

stupid bonehead move hitting pujols

especially cause i would rather have mcclung out there (with the bases clear).

by Jamie in LA on Sep 26, 2007 11:38 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Why wait until the 8th to hit him?

When he could've done it in the 5th with 1st-base open.

Hey Ned! Ever heard of small ball? Or are your balls too small?

by CATALYST on Sep 27, 2007 8:12 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

1st Base was open in the 8th too.

by Ted Simmons Speed Camp on Sep 27, 2007 11:51 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yet Another TurnBLOW Appearance

I agree, hitting Pujols was a jackass move. The Cubs were about to lose, and we are down one, what's the point? And then Turnbow comes in and instead of throwing a desperately needed strike, he throws a wild pitch over the heads of everyone. Incredible.

by zsattler on Sep 27, 2007 7:27 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I really don't see the connection between

the decision to hit Pujols and Turnbow's meltdown. There's been a lot of talk about it getting the Cardinals charged up, but they were already up 3-2, and TBow got the first out when he came in. He melted down when he gave up the single and walked the next batter. Pujols getting hit had nothing to do with it. If you disagree with the decision to bean Pujols, that's fine. But I don't see how you can blame either TBow's meltdown or the loss on that decision. It's not like it was a tie game at the time, or that it was a 1 run loss.

by Ted Simmons Speed Camp on Sep 27, 2007 7:40 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

turnbow is worse with runners on, right?

so why give pujols first base. i think it had plenty to do with the meltdown. also, it was just bad karma. really stupid move momentum-wise. when i saw a shot of albert fired up in the dugout after scoring; i couldnt blame him. hitting him intentionally in that situation was bush league and pure stupid.

by Jamie in LA on Sep 27, 2007 2:02 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'd completely accept that argument

if T-Bow came in and started walking people and throwing wild pitches right off the bat, but he came in and struck the first guy out, then gave up a bloop hit, and got the next guy to two strikes before he lost it. Not only that, but the argument that T-Bow gets rattled with runners on is an argument not to bring T-Bow in, not an argument to not hit Pujols.

That said, I don't doubt it fired them up, but you don't need to be fired up to get a run on a bases loaded walk. I don't really blame anyone for criticizing the decision to throw at Pujols last night. I personally thought it was an understandable decision given the fact that your #4 and #5 hitters, 2/3 of your most productive offensive players all season, had been hit intentionally in consecutive nights and on both occasions the umps had issued warning which limited the ability to protect your players by retaliating, something that I think is a legitimate part of the game if you think your guy has been hit intentionally (as long as you put the ball in his leg or back and stay away from anything higher than just above the waist). I'll agree that the smarter play, if you thought retaliation was necessary, was to plunk somebody early on in retaliation for the hit on Hart. Easy to say in hindsight, since they hadn't thrown at Fielder yet, but it would have been the smarter move. No one would have gotten ejected or suspended from our side under those circumstances.

The other thing about your outlook I have a problem with is that few people on this site are calling Larussa bush league for his decision to bean Hart and Fielder in successive nights. I know your frustrated and I know most of us don't like Yost in the first place, but if it was bush league and stupid to bean Pujols, then it was bush league and stupid to bean Hart and Fielder in successive games.

by Ted Simmons Speed Camp on Sep 27, 2007 5:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree about Larussa

Clearly, the Cards were in the wrong and the Brewers were justified on some level for retaliating. But the fact that we're in a pennant race and they aren't is the big difference. Larussa was a jerk. Ned was just stupid.

by keephopealive on Sep 27, 2007 8:39 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah well,

you got me there.

by Ted Simmons Speed Camp on Sep 27, 2007 9:27 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Put him out on the street

After last night, Turnbow should be out on the street looking for a job. This is total crap! A major league pitcher CANNOT walk a guy hitting .188 on 4 pitches! Say nothing of walking the guy before him! I'm sick of hearing the excuses, and having Ned and Melvin defend this guy. He might have just cost us the division. The only consolation is that if the Crew doesn't make the playoffs, at least I won't have to watch this rube embarrass the team on the national stage of the playoffs.

by Brewski5150 on Sep 27, 2007 10:42 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Not Turbo's fault

I agree that Turnbow stunk last night after the first batter. I would not bring him in again the rest of the year. That being said, I can't get too annoyed at him for the loss last night.

First, how many men did the Crew leave on base, last count I saw was 9. They left the bases loaded in the first and second, and two men on in the 3rd and 4th. There's no way the game should have been that close going into the 8th. They should have been up by 3 or 4.

Second, what the heck was Ned thinking hitting Pujols. Yes, yes, they hit Prince on purpose, but so what, get 'em back next year. When you are down by a run, it is pretty much the height of stupidity to intentionally put a man on with the clean-up hitter on deck. I have found it really hard to believe that Ned is managing to win every game in the last few weeks and the hitting Albert decision doesn't help.

by The Tick on Sep 27, 2007 1:32 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

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