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04/29/2004 Archived Entry: "Phillies Journal - 2004"
Phillies Journal - 2004
by Max Blue
http://maxblue3.tripod.com/darkblue
GLOPCOM and GWOGCOM
Games lost on poor coaching or managing. Games won on good coaching or managing. I know. It’s nuts. Liddy says so. And here’s what Herb Rogoff thinks:
“The problem I have with your new statistics is that it would be based on highly subjective conjecture and analysis and I don't like to base opinions on that alone.”
When pressed, Herb backs up his opinion with cold logic:
“Coaches and managers know outfield arms and players better than us, which also includes the teams they're playing and the fields they're on, so I almost always defer to their judgement. Which doesn't mean I haven't seen coaches and managers do things that I thought were outrageous (look up Willie Randolph when he was coaching third base for NY).
And what about those players who swing at pitches that are way off the plate with a 3-2 count, the bases loaded and the game at stake. Or pitchers who walk in the winning run with the bases loaded. Or, to carry it to an extreme, outfielders who lose a game because they lose a fly ball in the sun. Would you create a statistic for those as well. We have enough statistics in baseball as is and don't think we need more.
I really think we can't judge these things so harshly and have to be aware of the fact that there are so many factors that come into play.”
Herb knows what he is talking about.
So here goes anyway. Let’s start positive. The first award is a GWOGCOM. Top of the ninth. Game tied 3-3. David Bell leads off with a double to left and goes to third on a sac bunt by Rollins. Enter the manager. Bowa wants speed. He replaces Bell with pinch runner Marlon Byrd who scores the go-ahead run on Rickey Ledee’s grounder to second beating the throw home by the width of a toothpick. Phils score two more and Wagner mops up another save. Give this one to Bowa –GWOGCOM.
RYAN MADSON
Ryan Madson came on late.
Blanked the Redbirds from five through eight.
Thome and Burrell, the big guys,
Between them shared five RBIs.
First big league win for the rookie was great.
Wednesday April 28, 2004. Busch Stadium, St. Louis.
Philadelphia – 6, St. Louis – 3.
