Twitter panics over Kevin Cash pulling another Rays starter in the middle of a shutout
Rays fans are getting twitchy over Kevin Cash’s decision to once again pull a starter early.
You could forgive Tampa Bay Rays fans to be a bit jumpy on Saturday night.
They were ahead 3-0 in the ALCS over the Houston Astros only to give away their advantage by losing the next three games, necessitating a decisive Game 7.
How’d they find themselves in this position? Some would blame manager Kevin Cash for not giving Blake Snell a longer leash when he was pitching a shutout in Game 6.
Well, Cash is going all-in on the strategy again on Saturday night, pulling Charlie Morton in the middle of a shutout.
Kevin Cash’s pitching decisions for the Rays are driving fans crazy
Morton pitched 5.2 innings with just two hits, no runs and six strikeouts. He’d only thrown 66 pitches. That didn’t stop Cash from taking him off the mound in the most important game of Tampa Bays’ season so far.
Wow, Kevin Cash is going to Nick Anderson to face Michael Brantley.
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) October 18, 2020
Charlie Morton was shredding the Astros. Kevin Cash pulls his starter early again. If this doesn't work out for the Rays ...
— Brian T. Smith (@ChronBrianSmith) October 18, 2020
Second game in a row Rays remove a top-flight starter with a shutout going. And this time he’s been dominant and has a low pitch count. Hard to see how this makes sense.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) October 18, 2020
Charlie Morton is the 5th pitcher since ER became official in both leagues in 1913 to have 5 consecutive postseason starts allowing 1 ER or fewer.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 18, 2020
Only Curt Schilling (6) had a longer such streak. pic.twitter.com/ESlXIYCvMd
If anyone had any question about whether Kevin Cash was scarred at all by the way last night's pitching change worked out, he just gave you his answer.
— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) October 18, 2020
He took out a man working on a 2-hit shutout in the 6th inning. Wow.
Nobody:
— Jake Montgomery (@JakeMontgomery_) October 18, 2020
Kevin Cash: pic.twitter.com/8E7Er106bN
The longest outing by a Rays pitcher this season is 7 innings (multiple times).
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 18, 2020
Charlie Morton leaves in line to become the first pitcher in MLB postseason history to earn the win in 3 career Game 7s. pic.twitter.com/rwMWN1jGZA
Some name-calling may have ensued.
Kevin Cash is a moron. Absolute. Moron.
— AJ Hoffman (@AJIsTheReal) October 18, 2020
There was legitimate analysis over the Ray’s reliance on their scripts.
It might work out, so far it has, but from where I stand, Kevin Cash is a failure of a manager, turn over control to your pitching coaches. This is Kapler’s problem — you can’t always play the numbers, sometimes you have to play the moment. https://t.co/Caf4F1DZsP
— Ryan M. Spaeder (@theaceofspaeder) October 18, 2020
The interesting part is how clearly pitching decisions vary from coach to coach.
Even current pros like Phillies outfielder Andrew McCutchen weighed in.
I would have kept Morton in the game
— Andrew McCutchen (@TheCUTCH22) October 18, 2020
Houston fans loved it.
Kevin Cash deserves to lose this game. Hope it happens
— Wesley (@wasteph_wes) October 18, 2020
We’ll see if they get the last laugh or if it’s Cash who gets to strut into the World Series with his bullpen closing out the series.
The winner of Saturday’s game will go onto the World Series to face either the Dodgers or Braves.
Next. Things To Watch For Dodgers-Braves Game 7. dark