Quote Originally Posted by Will James View Post
Indeed. An that inning was a much higher leverage situation with Puig leading off than the 9th would have been. So even if he could only pitch one, it shoul have been the 8th. Dusty Baker spent many a night holding Chapman for the precious 9th in a save situation that he ended up losing before that inning even got there.
So, I guess it would have been better to blow the game in the ninth with the same guys that blew the lead in the 6th, 7th, or 8th? I guess it is more exciting that way because it leads to more walk-off wins. And how do you know in game that you aren't going to have an even higher leverage situation in the 9th? Crystal ball? Base it off of your fans freaking out on a message board?

Not to mention the long term damage of forcing Chapman to get up and get down in the bullpen and throwing meaningless pitches in the pen.

Either way you cut it, the Reds obviously need to get better relief pitchers. That has nothing to do with a manager wanting a guy to get a save.