Why use Lutz?

[JohnU]

Our best pinch hitter for the last 2 years has been Xavier Paul.
So Dusty sends up Lutz to hit in the 7th.
Yeah, I guess we're lucky we don't have Willie Boom Boom Harris.

 

[JohnU]

Well, whatever chance we had ... let's let the No. 8 guy get 2 HR and 5 RBIs.
Yeah, that's the spirit.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

Dusty pinch hit switch hitter Izturis for switch hitter Robinson as his first move from the bench. When's the last time if ever you saw a manager do that?

 

[JohnU]

Lucky we have Zack Cozart for those late-inning poopups.

This offense is inert.

 

[JohnU]

Yeah, the Izturis move was a real ball-scratcher for me. It's not like the guy has some kind of hall of fame hitting history.

 

[eburg5000]

Dusty is always going to be Dusty. You have to remember, that the game was televised on ESPN. And Dusty likes to get his air time.

 

[Redsfan1507]

It's a double edged sword. When the team is struggling, everyone wants the manager to manage them straight. All managers are going to look better when they don't have to manage. The LF situation is a punt, because Ludwick was the Plan A, and as sketchy as that was, Plan B was thinner. I'll give Dusty some benefit of the doubt there...he's searching for a consistent answer,and there may not be one. Other aspects of the bench game-lineup schemes, situational hitting ( sensible attempts at advancing runners), base running and matchups, bullpen choices, etc. are questionable at best. The easiest way for Dusty to solve this is to have his team score 6 runs a game, which usually means going deep 3 times. I think the lineup scheme and threat of a steal ( or lack thereof) has something to do with that. Maybe he should work on that, Jacoby should get guys trying to hit those fastballs instead of taking them for strikes, and just stop expecting pitchers to throw shutouts every game.

 

[JohnU]

I think USING Lutz in left field is slightly different from the situation I posed initially -- which was why did we use him in a pinch hitting role instead of X-Paul?

Lutz and Paul are probably dead even overall in LF and maybe over a year, even in hitting skills. But Paul has shown to be a beast off the bench, as has Hannahan.

Instead, Lutz was used. What was that about ... a hunch? Do the numbers suggest the best decision or do the Reds just pretend stats don't matter?

 

[Redsfan1507]

I think it's simpler than that, Lutz has more power. Dusty is desperate for homers.

 

[JohnU]

Lutz did eventually get a hit, which was pretty important until Cozart came to bat.

 

[Redsfan1507]

Maybe we're asking too much...I mean, after Choo, Votto and Phillips, this lineup is a crapshoot. Bruce is a proven streaky 30 HR guy, but everyone else is a long shot to hit. Frazier is below .240, the catchers don't hit much, the SS is at the Mendoza line, and LF is shared by pinch hitters and double-A projects. It isn't a tough lineup to figure out, if you catch my drift. It's not like they're going to beat you on the base paths or with 7 hit innings or anything.

 

[JohnU]

There is only one reason for Derrick Robinson to be on first base, IMO.
Mostly, he spends that time diving back to first base on pickoff throws.

 

[WvuDieHard]

Dont blow your mind trying to figure out Dusteromus managerial strategy--you would have better luck in finding an inhabited planet west of Uranus. Dustmop doesnt make sense and has never made sense. He is a baffoon in a uniform that is clueless. Regardless of the moves he makes, what still is startling to me is the fact that there never seems to be any hitter improvement. I dont care what anybody says, if you are not hitting, there is an issue in your approach and it is the managers responsibility to fix it....period. At this point, I see the Reds about 6-10 games by the All Star break. This wont get better until somebody cleans their locker out.

 

[Redsfan1507]

I agree with this:

You can't do the same things and expect different results...well, you can if no one notices, I suppose, but you won't change anything. Dusty doesn't change much. His employer must not notice, or it isn't important enough to do anything about it, just now.

In response to that I prescribe to the following:

"It is, what it is"... meaning if you can't do anything about it, you either have to find a way to work around it, or accept it.