Why Bobby Cox and his Braves can't win in October?

[Uifz]

First, I would like to point Bobby Cox, period, hands down is one of the greatest managers of all time. However, there is a reason why he has only won one world series.
First, I would like to ask How do you take Tim Hudson out in this game 4 when your on verge of elimination. Sure the bases are loaded, but bringing in Farnsworth in now, is way too early. And as we all know, The Braves bullpen, the average age is below 25, which lack of experience is huge.

Secondly, How can you put in a rookie in an elimination game when the opposing team puts in a player by the name of: Mr. Clemens, only on the list of one of the best all time greatest pitchers in the history of the game. Now, I know it was the 18th, but please. What about putting in Smoltz, if he was hurt? Fine, what about Horaico, what about putting Jorge back in from last night's game, he was a middle reliever in Tampa. But, why oh why would you dare to put in a rookie in this situation.

I said it before this game. The only way were going to lose, is if a rookie pitches in this game.....

[Rod_Carew29]

Re: Why Bobby Cox and his Braves can't win @ Uifz

You raise some great points...you would think he woulda went to someone else other than Devine....Devine did well in spite of giving up the homer...it will be interesting to see what Cox has to say about his pitcher selections

First, I would like to point Bobby Cox, period, hands down is one of the greatest managers of all time. However, there is a reason why he has only won one world series.
First, I would like to ask How do you take Tim Hudson out in this game 4 when your on verge of elimination. Sure the bases are loaded, but bringing in Farnsworth in now, is way too early. And as we all know, The Braves bullpen, the average age is below 25, which lack of experience is huge.

Secondly, How can you put in a rookie in an elimination game when the opposing team puts in a player by the name of: Mr. Clemens, only on the list of one of the best all time greatest pitchers in the history of the game. Now, I know it was the 18th, but please. What about putting in Smoltz, if he was hurt? Fine, what about Horaico, what about putting Jorge back in from last night's game, he was a middle reliever in Tampa. But, why oh why would you dare to put in a rookie in this situation.

I said it before this game. The only way were going to lose, is if a rookie pitches in this game.....

[Animagic]

Re: Why Bobby Cox and his Braves can't win in October?

I've always thought it was because we would clinch early and be so relaxed until the playoffs started... but now they clinched a little later and they still weren't hot...

I don't know.... today I'm so depressed it's hard to think about it...

[Fiddy]

Re: Why Bobby Cox and his Braves can't win in October?

cox rolled the dice all year with rookies and IMO they did one heck of a job. so why not roll the dice in the post season?

(as a mets fan i'm glad they lost )

[ycbs]

Re: Why Bobby Cox and his Braves can't win in October?

Once again, just like so many times in the past 14 years, the bullpen was easily the weak link on the team. Kolb was more than a HUGE bust. Schuerholz can't be right all the time, I guess. They really need to upgrade the bullpen in the offseason. You shouldn't have to expect Smoltz, Hudson, Sosa, and company to pitch a complete game for you to have a good shot at a win.

With Smoltz as the closer the past few years, the problem hasn't been so bad, but now it's just like it was before he became the closer: a crapshoot. Maybe Devine and some of the other young guys can become a very reliable bullpen in the future, but I'm going to be disappointed if I see Kolb in a Braves uniform next spring. They could've won 100 games this year if it wasn't for this guy!

I really feel bad for the rest of the team. The position players and starting pitchers (new and old alike) had another great year and deserve better than what the bullpen has done.

[fishepa]

Re: Why Bobby Cox and his Braves can't win in October?

Moving to the actual pro baseball forum...

[Braindo67]

Re: Why Bobby Cox and his Braves can't win in October?

First, I would like to point Bobby Cox, period, hands down is one of the greatest managers of all time. However, there is a reason why he has only won one world series.
First, I would like to ask How do you take Tim Hudson out in this game 4 when your on verge of elimination. Sure the bases are loaded, but bringing in Farnsworth in now, is way too early. And as we all know, The Braves bullpen, the average age is below 25, which lack of experience is huge.

Secondly, How can you put in a rookie in an elimination game when the opposing team puts in a player by the name of: Mr. Clemens, only on the list of one of the best all time greatest pitchers in the history of the game. Now, I know it was the 18th, but please. What about putting in Smoltz, if he was hurt? Fine, what about Horaico, what about putting Jorge back in from last night's game, he was a middle reliever in Tampa. But, why oh why would you dare to put in a rookie in this situation.

I said it before this game. The only way were going to lose, is if a rookie pitches in this game.....

First of all, Hudson was pitching on 3 days rest and was obviously gassed. Farnsworth had been your most reliable pitcher coming out of the bullpen and used to be a guy that went more than one inning in the past. Smoltz? He was so banged up from game two that he wasn't even going to pitch in a game five. Rameriz would have started game five so he didn't want him throwing. Plus, Rameriz is not good in a relief role. They had already tried that earlier in the season with no success. THERE WAS NO ONE LEFT! They put the guy on the post season roster for a reason.
They wouldn't have even been in the playoffs if not for Cox.

[SPTO]

Re: Why Bobby Cox and his Braves can't win in October?

Cox has been a great manager and this isn't the same kind of Braves choke as there were a lot of young blood on the club. I'm pretty sure that if the Braves augment farmhands along with Free Agents that they have at least one world series left in Bobby Cox's managerial run in ATL.

As someone said the bullpen has always been the weakness of the Braves but one could also raise the point that Cox has always been bad at managing the bullpen even in his Toronto days.

[TheMatrix31]

Re: Why Bobby Cox and his Braves can't win in October?

If I knew why we lose in October every year, I'd be on the phone with Schuerholz and Cox right this second trying to work it out.

[SlimKibbles]

Re: Why Bobby Cox and his Braves can't win in October?

Personally, I think Devine is going to be a stud. Maybe a little too green to be thrown into a situation like that this year though. Cox is a great manager. Not sure why the Braves lose in October. Like Matrix, if I knew...well, maybe I wouldn't tell Schuerholz. Not much of a Braves fan. More neutral.