Two questionable moves?

[Squid]

I went to the day game today (OK, since it's nearly 4 a.m., yesterday), Thursday.

I have two questions, which seem to relate to SABR, but you be the judge.

1. What the HELL was Jeter, batting second, a hot hitter lately, doing sac-bunting a runner over from first to second, in the FIRST inning, with all those good hitters coming up behind him? NOTE: A review of the Game Thread shows that a couple of people had the same question at the time.

2. In the bottom of the 6th, with the score tied 2-2, with one out and the bases LOADED, with VERY weak-hitting backup catcher John Flaherty up, WHY didn't we pinch-hit the hot switch-hitter Jorge Posada? He'd already had six defensive innings off. I know that ideally you'd give him the whole game off, day game after a night game, but SHEESH, this was a chance to break the game open. Instead, surprise, surprise, Flaherty grounded into a 5-2-3 DP to end the inning.

Yeah, we won. That's not the point. Can anyone justify these two moves?

Loyally but oppositionally,
--Squid

[Squid]

OK, I just saw this at the end of the Game Thread:

"For the record, Torre did NOT give Jeter the bunt sign...Torre said Jeter bunted on his own and was trying to lay one down the 3rd base line for a hit, but the pitch came up and in, so he pushed it towards first."

I guess that explains the Jeter bunt, though the scorer gave him a sac.

What about the Flaherty/Posada thing, though? I had lotsa support in the Tier when I started yelling about it at the time.

[AngelAstro]

My guess is that when Torre gives someone the day off, they really have the day off. The same thing happened back in Chicago when Giambi should have been pinch hitting for Sierra or Lee.

Also, Torre loves having a backup catcher just in case of injury.

[JeffWeaverFan]

Originally posted by AngelAstro
My guess is that when Torre gives someone the day off, they really have the day off. The same thing happened back in Chicago when Giambi should have been pinch hitting for Sierra or Lee.

Also, Torre loves having a backup catcher just in case of injury.
Well, in Chicago it was in the 9th inning and we were down by a run. That was a bit of a different scenario and Torre was an idiot to not pinch hit Giambi there.

I actually missed yesterdays game so it is tough for me to comment on it but I guess he just wanted to give Posada more of a rest. Plus, Posada didn't show us much when he pinch hit in the game on Tuesday I believe it was.

[salajander]

It's become more and more apparent to me that Torre is just a poor, run-of-the-mill, by-the-book, in-game tactical manager. It sounds like his clubhouse management is gerat, but some of the moves he makes in games are beyond questionable.