So, that settles it -- the Washington Post's Adam Kilgore finally got Davey Johnson to address the second guessing, and the upshot is that there is no second guessing Davey Johnson. Sorry, Drew Storen. Davey Johnson isn't willing to consider that he maybe made a mistake or two there in Game 5. Edwin Jackson? Davey doesn't give a rat's ass what you think. Not intentionally walking Kozma with Motte on deck? Davey doesn't give a rat's ass what you think.
"Let me tell you something. Any manager in baseball, they will tell you, if you can get to your closer with a lead, you’ve done good. I don’t give a rat’s [butt] what anybody else thinks. If it’s a one-run lead, a two-run lead, you did it. ...One thing, in all the years I’ve been managing, if I think about all the options I have in every minute of that game, I never second-guess myself. Anytime you get to your set-up guy and your closer, you get a lead with your closer in there, you’re good to go."
(Davey Johnson, via Nationals Journal, 10/16/2012)
Way to take one for your closer, Davey! See you in 2013...
It doesn't matter what Davey thinks because you go back and watch the 4th inning and the 5th inning and Gio should've been pulled after the 1st batter in the 5th or maybe his day should've been over after the 4th with a 6-1 lead and 8 relievers in the bullpen and that EJax "extra innings guy".
Didn't we live something similar on July 20th with that 9-0 lead but whats different is this was the "do or die" game.
If watching the replay of the 5th doesn't tell you anything, those bragging quotes from the Cardinals players talking about Gio's odd demeanor on the mound and them smelling "blood" should because that's when they felt they were back in the game.
Guess what, after the 5th and all those walks and the wild pitch, they were back in the game at 6-3.
Gio also turned over the lineup again. Are you telling me Mattheus or Garcia couldn't do a better job? Well, we will never know.
EJax as a relief pitcher? The guy can barely get out of 1st innings with that 1st inning ERA of 6.97. Uh, that stinks. Who would have a reliever who has a 6.97 ERA. Sure it could've been worse like the 5 runs he gave up in the 1st inning on Sept 28th to those same Cardinals
That's fine Davey, we don't give a Rats Ass either. That game didn't mean sh%%
Posted by: Gonat | October 17, 2012 at 08:12 AM
Sounds like a defensive feeble old man to me.
Posted by: El Rey | October 17, 2012 at 03:29 PM
Its just classic Davey. Don't get me wrong, he's a great manager and I'd like to see him back next year, but anyone remember how it ended at his other stops (esp. in Baltimore where he was canned on the same day he was named AL manager of the year)? Run-ins with management. He's always been head strong with a touch of that "Im the smartest guy in the room and I'll make sure you know it" mentality. He's actually mellowed out quite a bit. I thinks that's why he likes Harper so much - reminds him of his younger self.
Posted by: DMan | October 17, 2012 at 05:33 PM