Before I get to today’s gifts, let me quote what Mark Buehrle said after the walk-off balk yesterday: “I didn’t even see what happened, but it’s kind of the White Sox way. We’ve got to take it any way we can.” Even Buehrle admits that getting cheap, gift wins is “kind of the White Sox way.”
Now, to tonight’s game. Royals lead 5-3 in the top of the 9th, and have runners at second and third with one out. In this situation, you don’t need 10 runs, just 1. Sale, a lefty, was pitching, and the Royals had a lefty batter up, followed by a righty, and then another lefty. Sale is very tough for lefties to hit. It was obvious that he had a very good chance of striking out the lefties. The K.C. manager should have squeezed regardless, but especially in this situation. If you don’t squeeze, the first lefty probably strikes out, you walk the righty, and probably retire the second lefty. Also, if you don’t score, the momentum switches, and the Sox have a much higher probability of scoring in the bottom of the ninth. The K.C. manager, who obviously doesn’t have a clue, doesn’t squeeze, the first lefty waves at pitches and strikes out, they walk the righty, and the second lefty waves at pitches and strikes out. Of course the Sox bring the winning run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth, getting 2 hits, but the Royals do get out of it. Why don’t people make a big deal out of idiotic moves by managers? Even if the squeeze failed, they weren’t going to score without squeezing.