Falter can't be labeled a failure in my opinion since it had been three-weeks since he had last pitched. Eflin, Thor and Falter could be the three arms used in a "bullpen game"
It is probably a legit question about whether Falter or someone like Coonrod would be more helpful at the back end of the bullpen. Rust will be a problem for both. I might be tempted to have Thor go a bit longer too if he is the opener for game 4.
Well, they were clearly keeping Falter as a back-up plan if he was needed to start (and then he finally was). Now I think the question is more would they consider replacing Hand with Coonrod, and using Falter to actually get a key LHB out in the late middle innings (or late in a bullpen game).
It's remarkable to me how the 1983 and 1993 World Serieses were seemingly polar opposites of each other. 1983 was a matchup of strong pitching for both sides with only the deciding Game 5 being something of a one-sided affair. Neither team was particularly prolific offensively but, unfortunately, the Phillies bats were the more quiet ones. 1993, on the other hand, was a slugfest which Game 5 being the only well-pitched game. Otherwise, neither team got particularly good pitching though the Phillies pitching, unfortunately, was worse.
I would, if the board would do that cleanly, but it won't. I can move a block of posts, if no unrelated posts have intervened in the target thread. But when there's other "traffic," things get very muddled; one of the few things I miss from our prior software is that we can't just cleanly make these adjustments.
I think what you've done (locking game threads) is probably a good solution to that in general! Maybe always within 12 hours of the game ending, or at the moment the next game starts (approximately)? I realize there are still lingering granular things to talk about potentially but we could easily still be discussin the magic of Ranger, for instance, in this thread.
Yeah, I struggle with this - because there are game-related discussions that might continue, and I really don't want to squelch that.
If I were here more constantly, I could probably pick times when the conversation has died down (most of us do tend to sleep at night!), and thus not interrupt live discussions. It's been a hectic few days, though - there was one instance where I peeked in (iPad at the dinner table, while hosting family gathering) and thought, "I should redirect that." It was five or six hours later when I actually got back to the board, and posts that went up in the meantime made that effectively impossible.
Last evening... My spouse is getting ready for a solo exhibition of her artwork - about 50 pieces, at an assisted living venue in Gwynned. We spent the evening gathering work, preparing an inventory, checking tagging, packaging, some framing and wiring, etc. Real life. Today she's teaching a couple classes, so I have some downtime! Tomorrow morning we deliver. I would encourage you all to go see her work, but... It's an assisted living facility, and they still have some COVID restrictions, so it's not clear that visitors (other than those visiting residents) would be able to get in.
Gelb reporting Nola will be Game 1 starter. Gotta think they are hoping that more rest for Wheeler (he'd also get five days between Games 2 and 6) will allow for longer outings too.
I reckon to win a long series against a good team, the bottom of the order needs to show. Segura has to some extent and a few other guys have had at least one good game, but overall the day care has not been a factor (along with Castellanos).
Wheeler also got hit in the leg pretty hard in game #5 on Sunday. An extra day to recover from whatever kind of bruise he got isn’t a bad thing.
Nola had one less postseason start (and cumulative stress) also. Better to go with Nola first since they each only get 2 starts in the Series.
I guess the one downside is if a starter were used to close in Game 7 you'd probably want Wheeler throwing heat for 1 inning instead of Nola needing to have a good feel for his curve - but hopefully it does not come to that. And the entire bullpen will get the rest day before game 6, so nobody would have to pitch 3 days in a row (the reason Eflin did NOT pitch in the last game).
Nola pitches much better at home. Bring the game one starter means he will start game five at home. If he started game two, both would be in Houston.
Yeah but that was a meaningless game for the Astros. Still a great performance (and all his other starts were on the road down the stretch and in the WC round too, seeing as how all the games were).
If we really get to Game 7 and they are hurting for innings (a short Suarez start/an overworked bullpen/extras) I could see Nola pitching as many as two innings and Wheeler one.