Kevin Cash took out Blake Snell after throwing just over 70 pitches
Cash isn’t afraid to go to his bullpen, but he might’ve pulled the trigger a tad too early in Game 6 of the World Series. It’s an all too common predicament in today’s game, as starting pitchers are being relied upon less than ever to go deep into ballgames. Despite Snell throwing 73 pitches and giving up just two hits on the night, Cash removed arguably his best starting pitcher after giving up a base hit to the No. 9 hitter in the Dodgers lineup.
With the top of the order coming up, Cash didn’t want to risk a potentially beleaguered Snell falling apart against the likes of Mookie Betts and Corey Seager. As it turns out, Cash couldn’t have been more wrong, and the Rays lead was squandered in a matter of minutes.
THEY JUST PULLED SNELL AND HE IS NOT HAPPY pic.twitter.com/bJGYN1ynwG
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) October 28, 2020
MLB Twitter came after Cash for his boneheaded decision
Cash will have to answer for his tough call, which could very well cost the Rays their season. Baseball is a game of inches, and every step Cash took towards the mound was another foot away from victory and the chance to force a Game 7.
WHAT THE FUCK IS KEVIN CASH DOING
— Jared Carrabis (@Jared_Carrabis) October 28, 2020
Blake Snell should have fought Kevin Cash right then and there
— Eric Hubbs (@BarstoolHubbs) October 28, 2020
Kevin Cash, after pulling Blake Snell after 73 pitches and watching the bullpen give up the lead #WorldSeries pic.twitter.com/opaRTlauiV
— NOTSportsCenter (@NOTSportsCenter) October 28, 2020
Kevin Cash,more like head in ass
— PFT Commenter (@PFTCommenter) October 28, 2020
Why in the Hell would Kevin Cash take Snell out of this game at that point, just because he gave up 1 hit??? Why? Why? Why? I mean...I want the @Dodgers to win a WS finally, but damn
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) October 28, 2020
Fire Kevin Cash. Burn the analytics department to the ground. Wow.
— Jared Carrabis (@Jared_Carrabis) October 28, 2020
That's it.
— Schlasser (@UrinatingTree) October 28, 2020
That decision to pull Snell should get Kevin Cash fired.
That not only had disastrous repercussions, but might be the worst move a manager has made since Grady Little kept Pedro in the ALCS in 2003.
Absolutely inexcusable.
Blake Snell IS NOT HAPPY being yanked with one out in the 6th after giving up a single to center. I do not blame him. He has DOMINATED the Dodgers. Knee-jerk overreaction by Kevin Cash in a 1-0 Game 6. Bad idea to go to the bullpen this early.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) October 28, 2020
the baseball analytics movement has been set back 20 years by kevin cash’s managing that didn’t really follow any analytics
— Jeremy Frank (@MLBRandomStats) October 28, 2020
It’s easy to overthink Cash’s decision, but blaming such a thought on analytics as a whole is a bit of a stretch. Sure, Cash taking Snell out on such short notice was a mistake. He should’ve given him one more batter at least given his resume of success thus far in Game 6.
Still, MLB analytics has advanced the game further than we ever thought possible. The Rays are a testament of that, even if it got the best of them in this case. In the end, Cash and Snell will have to answer for this decision postgame, and it might not be pretty.