These Managers in Major League Baseball…SMH!!!

Many fans and observers have complained for years about how long Major League Baseball (MLB) games take to play.  Wednesday's nine-inning game between the Boston Red Sox and the Detroit Tigers lasted 3 hours, 51 minutes.  It's understandable that it took more than 3 hours, given that 16 runs were scored.  But 3:51??  That's too long.

And now you've got managers like L.A. Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts taking out ace pitcher Clayton Kershaw (pictured above) after 80 pitches in 7 innings.  Kershaw was throwing a PERFECT GAME!!!  Ridiculous!!!!  Something is wrong here.

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And let's not forget about Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch taking out Matt Manning after six innings while throwing a one-hitter at 68 pitches earlier this week.  Even more ridiculous!!!

And don't get me started on the mother of all mistakes.  Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash taking out ace starter Blake Snell after 5 2/3 innings in Game 6 of the 2020 World Series.  Snell was throwing a two-hitter and only threw 73 pitches when Cash took him out.  The Dodgers rallied to win that game and clinched the World Series title.  That is a fireable offense, IMO.

Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, is screwing up baseball more than these managers are.

Today's managers seem to beholden to what is called SABR-metrics.  SABR is the Society for American Baseball Research.  It was created in the early 1970's and it emphasizes alternative statistics in baseball.

It just seems that these managers are so scared that their starting pitchers are going to get hurt if they throw more than 5-6 innings, they just take them out and put the bullpen in the game.  Here's the problem with that.  Most bullpen guys aren't as good as the starting pitcher.  Even after 6 innings pitched.  And what happens is that the bullpen either loses the game, or the game gets closer that it should be.  It's just insane what's going on now.

And it's hurting the game.  When you make multiple pitching changes in an inning because your stinky bullpen can't get anybody out, you are lengthening the game.  And that's not good.

And one more thing, I'm in the minority on Tigers manager A.J. Hinch.  I know that people are falling all over themselves praising this guy.  And yes, he's a major upgrade over Ron Gardenhire and Brad Ausmus (the last two Tigers managers).  But the way he manages these pitchers, and the way he talks to the media (and by extension, the fans) is really alarming to me.

I'm afraid he's going to be the reason that the Tigers either don't make the playoffs or win the World Series because of idiotic moves with his pitching staff.  I have never forgiven Jim Leyland for the 2009 choke against Minnesota for the AL Central title and for taking out Max Scherzer after 7 innings of Game 2 of the ALCS against Boston.

And they way Hinch talks to the media is like "Why are you asking me that question?  I'm  smarter than everybody else in this room. don't ask me a stupid question like that!"  He's not as bad as Brad Ausmus was with the media.  But Hinch's arrogance just oozes out of him.  At least that's my perception, anyway.

What do you guys think?  Let us know!!