Quote:
Originally Posted by David Watts
Said player starting a rally that leads to said team winning the game. Just had a team score 11 runs in the 9th last night. This is 1970 and bullpens aren't exactly stacked full of studs. It's not a game breaker for me in anyway, as I can see why a team would do it. I also know teams do it in real life. I think my threshold is a little higher than most though. I also didn't realize position players can only get hurt when at bat. I mean if it was 7-0 after Clemente's team batted in the top of the 8th, why did his manager send him out to RF for the bottom of the 8th?
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Your last point about sending him out to play the field in the bottom of the 8th is valid. It makes just as much sense to remove him then as it does to pinch hit for him in the 9th.
The the big comeback you're hoping for is rare and for most managers it makes sense to protect a star player, especially since that star player can't manufacture that comeback all by himself. The percentage chance of that comeback probably drops very minimally with his removal from the lineup when you realize the eight other players also have to contribute in significant ways for a seven-run rally to happen in the last inning. Heck, that spot in the lineup (whether it's the star player or his replacement) could strike out twice in the inning and if the other eight players come through, you could still win the game.