Longoria needs to be benched

The rays just looked overmatched tonight period. Toooo many mental, physical erros through out series, umpires have made some horrible plate calls as well as field. Longoria is just swinging out of his zone, they all just seem fooled or pushing too hard.

Longo is not the only Ray not hitting the ball. He is an important part of this team and he just needs to relax and do what he does best. Pena too!!!!

So for a guy who in 122 games to hit

.272 with 27 HR and 85 RBI

and for a guy in the ALDS hit

.267 with 2 HR and 3 RBI

and for a guy in the ALCS hit

.259 with 4 HR and 8 RBI

he is NOW overmatched?

The Rays are hitting .200 as a team with Upton and Iwamura the only two Rays with a good average.

There have been some questionable calls definately but they have ran into some great pitching.

Baseball is about longevity and not panicing. Why in the world would you put someone on the bench who has proven over a full season he can get it done?

A couple of weeks ago we had a discussion on the Cubs and Soriano. Once again why bench a guy who has proven over the length of the season he is a stud (yes I know some of the discussion revolved around if Soriano should be leadoff or not).

What message do you send the rest of the team if you bench one of your better players during the heat of the world series? You tell them you are panicing and not sure if you can win or not.

Stick with the ones who got you there.

Longoria just struck out again.

Baseball is about longevity and not panicing. Why in the world would you put someone on the bench who has proven over a full season he can get it done?

Because this isn't the regular season and there isn't a meatball pitcher in the world series like there is in the regular season to feast on to find himself. Also, Tampa's gonna run out of games since the series is 7 games, not 162.

quote:

Originally posted by zombywoof:
Longoria just struck out again.

Baseball is about longevity and not panicing. Why in the world would you put someone on the bench who has proven over a full season he can get it done?

Because this isn't the regular season and there isn't a meatball pitcher in the world series like there is in the regular season to feast on to find himself. Also, Tampa's gonna run out of games since the series is 7 games, not 162.

Ok so who do you put in there? Nobody on there team really stands out as a better choice - that is why they didn't beat him out during the regular season.

If you do bench him what about Pena and Crawford? Do you bench them because they aren't doing so hot either.

When was the last time in either a division series, league championship series or world series did a manager sit one of his proven best players because they struggled?

When did it work out if they did bench one of their proven players?

According to your philosophy Charlie Manual should have sat Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Pedro Feliz and Jimmy Rollins because they were all struggling going into tonight. Look at what they have done tonight.

Why don't they bench Pat Burrell? He is struggling although he hit 33 HR this regular season and .333 in the NLCS.

Stick with the ones who got you there (Ryan Howard just hit a homerun as I type this that went through a fan in right centerfield - you could see the hole it left and the fan was still smiling ear to ear).

Coach2709,

I am not advocating benching anyone. But regardless of what the hitters did up to this point, what would you call it ? you said they have ran into good pitching, then they are being overmatched at this time. doesnt mean they are not good players. The team is young and inexperienced at playoff time, they are a very good ball club obviosly wouldnt have got where they are, but tonight they were overmatched, look at the score.

quote:

Originally posted by fanofgame:
Coach2709,

I am not advocating benching anyone. But regardless of what the hitters did up to this point, what would you call it ? you said they have ran into good pitching, then they are being overmatched at this time. doesnt mean they are not good players. The team is young and inexperienced at playoff time, they are a very good ball club obviosly wouldnt have got where they are, but tonight they were overmatched, look at the score.

fanofgame I see where you are coming from and my point isn't really that he/they are or aren't overmatched. My point is you don't bench the guys who got you there. At any point they could bust out and get going (Ryan Howard is case in point). Whether they are overmatched or facing the pressure of being in the postseason the first time they have still faced great pitching quite a few times this season. They have proven they can get the job done against good pitchers.

As a manager do you really want to tell your team, management, fans and the world that you didn't give your best players the chance to win it? Do you want to tell them when the pressure was on you paniced and went with the subs?

This isn't a knock on subs because you have to have them. There will be plenty of times they will probably win you games during the season. But they are subs for a reason - they aren't as good as the starters.

Besides it is the whole team who is struggling and not just Longoria. It might be a slump, overmatched, pressure or they are closing their eyes when they swing but regardless you stick with your best players to get through it. And if they don't then you just faced a better team in a 7 game series. Somebody has to win.

I agree. I wouldnt bench them either. I actually really like longoria. It happens to all good hitters. But they say he likes the ball up a little and he keeps swinging at down and away pitches. I think hes pushing to hard. all good hitters do it when they go in a funk. lets hope tomorrow night he busts out of it.All the hiiters seems off. Pena is not himself either, its the world series and i think the phillies just have a more experienced staff and they seem to be getting hot at the right time. I am rooting for rays , always have been.