Former Toronto Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston believes he would have gone with his gut feeling and wouldn’t have pulled starting pitcher Jose Berrios during the fourth inning against the Minnesota Twins in Game 2 of the American League Wild Card Series.
Berrios, who had thrown 47 pitches and given up three hits, had walked Royce Lewis to start the fourth when manager John Schneider pulled him for reliever Yusei Kikuchi. The Twins scored twice in the inning and it was all the offence they needed as they shut out the Blue Jays 2-0 to eliminate Toronto from the post-season.
Gaston appeared on the Blair and Barker show Thursday and was asked his thoughts about the controversial move.
“It’s nothing against John, I just don’t know how they came to that thought that that’s how it’s going to happen,” Gaston said. “I guess, third time (through the order) there’s going to be some problems but until those problems happen, I probably would have left him out there. That’s just me.
“Nowadays they don’t work like that, they’re smarter than I am. Sometimes everything doesn’t work out like it should. … Who knows if the next guy coming in has the same feeling that day, if he feels good or he might be a little bit nervous, who knows. But at the time, he was pitching well. I’d go by my guts and I would have left him in there myself but that’s just me.”
Gaston managed the Blue Jays for 12 seasons and guided them to their first two — and so far only — World Series championship victories in 1992 and 1993. He was named last week as one of the eight managers, executives and umpires on this year’s contemporary baseball era ballot for the Hall of Fame.
The 79-year-old Gaston discussed how getting to know his players, and knowing when they’re honest about how they’re feeling, played a part in his decisions.
“This day and time, I think why not tell them before the game this is where it’s going to go, you know? And go from there,” Gaston said. “If you get us to four innings, you’ve got so many pitches, and if it’s the third time in the lineup, this is what’s going to happen. I think things work a little bit better that way and I’m not sure, maybe they do tell these guys that, I’m not sure about that.”
Gaston admitted he’s “pretty sure” those conversations would have been difficult to have back in the day simply because it wasn’t common to have those kinds of talks.
“Anything I would say, if you can get me to seven or six (innings), that’ll be great. … I wouldn’t have even said that before the game, that would be my thinking but I’d be prepared if I have my guys in the bullpen ready to go, but I don’t think we had those conversations,” Gaston said. “I know we didn’t have those conversations back then.
“The toughest conversation I would have would be trying to get Jack Morris out of the game. After throwing 140 pitches he still wouldn’t want to come out of the game.”
from Sportsnet.ca https://ift.tt/9NLlgRb
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