Hillman should be ashamed

by RaulDuke on Jul 21, 2008 11:51 PM EDT

There's no excuse for what Trey did to Gobble last night. You don't leave a guy in there to twist in the wind and completely humiliate himself in front of a home crowd. He could have brought in a position player to pitch earlier or had Nunny warming up earlier. This is the kind of bush league move that will turn players on the manager in a heartbeat. I guarantee you that's one pissed off locker room and it's not because of the loss.

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gobble seems like he'd probably be a popular guy in the clubhouse...

and if im not mistaken, he may be the longest tenured royal

TPJ...you're dead to me

by billybeingbilly on Jul 21, 2008 11:55 PM EDT 0 recs

He is

just ahead of Dejesus

by raefzilla on Jul 22, 2008 1:48 AM EDT up 0 recs

I am of mixed feelings on this

Let me sleep on it and I’ll comment tomorrow.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Jul 21, 2008 11:55 PM EDT 0 recs

When the game is out of hand, sometimes a pitcher has to take one for the team so that the entire bullpen doesn't get burned up in the first game of the series

That’s not a “bush league move.” That’s baseball. Sometimes a pitcher has to do that.

I guarantee you that’s one pissed off locker room and it’s not because of the loss.

After that game, you think the locker room is pissed off because Hillman left Gobble in to give up a bunch of runs? You think that pisses off the whole team or even most of the team? Get real.

This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.

by NYRoyal on Jul 22, 2008 12:06 AM EDT 0 recs

Yes

I know it does.

by RaulDuke on Jul 22, 2008 12:10 AM EDT up 0 recs

Wait..What?

The game was over at that point. Our bullpen has had to pitch a lot the previous 3 games. Hillman asked Gobble to do a little more then he usually would to save the bullpen. It is not his fault that Gobble sucks. Sometimes a manager has to throw a guy under the bus to try and have guys fresh for tomorrows games. Gobble didn’t step up to the challenge and produce. If I’m made at anyone it’s DM for allowing Gobble to continue to get a MLB paycheck to play for Royals.

by Stook on Jul 22, 2008 12:18 AM EDT up 1 recs

More sports psychology

What you know or I “know” about the psychology of MLB players is next to nothing.

This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.

by NYRoyal on Jul 22, 2008 12:18 AM EDT up 0 recs

i dont think its a HUGE deal...

but its one of those things that’s not gonna help Hillmans standing in the clubhouse

TPJ...you're dead to me

by billybeingbilly on Jul 22, 2008 12:11 AM EDT up 0 recs

its fairly apparent to me that they're gonna rid themselves on Gobble...which will be a mistake...

but leaving gobble out there for 45 pitches and 10 runs just b/c you’re done with him is a joke

TPJ...you're dead to me

by billybeingbilly on Jul 22, 2008 12:12 AM EDT up 0 recs

Would you have rather that actually good pitchers get used up for garbage time mopup?

This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.

by NYRoyal on Jul 22, 2008 12:20 AM EDT up 0 recs

he was gonna use nunez and pena anyways so why you gotta leave gobble in for 11 guys to get on?

TPJ...you're dead to me

by billybeingbilly on Jul 22, 2008 1:27 AM EDT up 0 recs

No, I don't think he wanted to use Nunez or Pena

Gobble eventually necessitated that he be removed and replaced. Hillman tried to ride Gobble through the rest of the game, which is a sound baseball move in that situation to save better pitchers so they’d be fresh for games which are not yet out of reach.

This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.

by NYRoyal on Jul 22, 2008 1:40 AM EDT up 0 recs

Slight correction

He apparently wanted to have Nunez throw the 9th anyway; he’d started throwing lightly early in the 8th (and he’d stated pre-game that he wanted to get Nunez a couple of low-leverage appearances before returning him to the set-up role). Nunez could still have made that plan work by being effective in the 8th himself, but that didn’t work out so well either.

Sarcasm™. It's the new gravy.

by jonfmorse on Jul 22, 2008 3:07 AM EDT up 0 recs

our bullpen was gassed before yesterday as well...

why did he pull out banny 30 pitches earlier than normal? Not a problem there, but then we decide its a good idea leave gobble out there getting embarrassed for double his normal workload. im throwing my opinion into the ‘i hate gobble’ corner.

TPJ...you're dead to me

by billybeingbilly on Jul 22, 2008 1:32 AM EDT up 0 recs

This kind of thing happens every season to some players

Usually it is a starter. The bullpen is gassed and the manager tells the SP that he has to go 7 innings regardless and the manager leaves him out there for whatever happens over those innings. It’s just part of baseball. Sometimes pitchers have to take one for the team.

This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.

by NYRoyal on Jul 22, 2008 12:19 AM EDT up 0 recs

It's not like gobble was getting hit hard.

Well, he was. But he also walked four people. If he had thrown strikes, the inning would of been over for a lot sooner. He’s getting paid a major league salary, and if he can’t get three outs without giving up 10 runs – well, maybe he shouldn’t be on the major league roster. It’s not like Hillman sent him out for the ninth inning also, hell he brought Nunez in to get the last out.

winning records follow good bullpens

by slayor on Jul 22, 2008 12:22 AM EDT 0 recs

he was pretty unlucky with the singles too

by royalsreview on Jul 22, 2008 1:27 AM EDT up 0 recs

Thats rediculous

I bet no one in the locker room cares that Hillman left him in long. I bet they are sad for Gobble who CAN’T DO HIS JOB. That isn’t Hillman’s fault. Bob McClure came out once to make sure Gobble was not injured and probably told him that they need him to finish the job for the team. Being the man that he is, I’m sure Gobble said, “Sure coach, I’ll get em.” It didn’t work out.

So here is what some of you would’ve rather done…..Get Nunez warmed up as fast as possible, so he is at further risk of injury in his 1st game back from the DL. Bring him in very quickly so he can possibly save a couple of runs and Gobble’s pride. These are professional baseball players and they are men, Gobble can handle it and there is no reason to risk players health for his pride.

by I need more Esteban on Jul 22, 2008 8:55 AM EDT 4 recs

+1

If Hillman had taken Gobble out early and put Nunez in, and Leo got hurt, we’d all be bitching about how Hillman wasted Nunez in a game that was over.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Jul 22, 2008 9:42 AM EDT up 0 recs

Couldn't disagree with you more

Hillman did the wise thing by trying to use his mop-up man to save his bullpen for the rest of the week. He was coming off a series where his starters lasted a grand total of 12.1 innings over 3 days, and then another 5 innings on the 4th day.

Sure, we all feel really bad for Jimmy Gobble, who has been a useful pitcher during most of his tenure with the team, and has always been a quiet, good-natured guy, by all accounts. That doesn’t have anything to do with asking him to take some bullets for the good of the TEAM.

Personally, I’m proud of Gobble for taking his medicine like a man. You heard or read no complaints about his treatment, right? That’s because he realizes it was his fault for being unable to get outs, and also because he realizes he helped the team’s chances of winning for the next several days.

by loyal2sdad on Jul 22, 2008 1:29 PM EDT 0 recs

+1 on Gobble's handling of the situation

great quotes from him. JoPo’s postgame on his blog was also good.

We’d all prefer him being a better pitcher, or being used as a LOOGY. But at least he didn’t pout or make excuses. HIs being able to “take it” may not make up for the shelling, but it makes it easier to swallow.

OMG Banny. FWIW I am only crdtng u w/3 runs allwd bc of DDJ OMFG

by devil_fingers on Jul 22, 2008 2:00 PM EDT up 0 recs

Looking back at Gobble’s last few games…. 10 BB’s, 4.0 IP, 2 K, 2 HBP, WP, 10 H’s, 13 R. It’s been said that runs normally are equal to the BBs. Proves true in this case. He’s lucky he hasn’t given up 15 runs.

The fact of the matter is Hillman didn’t have much in the pen lastnight. If Jimmy Gobble wants to be a MLB player, he has to figure out how to mop up innings. I felt for the guy. He was giving it his all. To protect a guy with lefty-lefty matchups when you have two guys available isn’t feasible. Jimmy also has 3 scoreless 2 innings stints this season so I don’t think it was out of the picture for Hillman to think he could get that from Jimmy last night. One of those being the last game he pitched in that we won. @ Florida, vs. Minn, and vs. StL.

Say what you want about Trey leaving him in but BB’s are the root to high ERAs. To many walks and no control over the last few weeks equals innings like that.

by 306008 on Jul 22, 2008 3:31 PM EDT 0 recs

Maybe RaulDuke is...

...Jimmy Gobble’s Dad? Just kidding, because I’d be upset to if he was my son and the manager didn’t protect his stats as opposed to thinking about the team. – TL

by timlacy on Jul 23, 2008 12:54 PM EDT 0 recs

Not Jimmy's Dad

...just a lifelong Royals fan. And I’m not the least bit concerned about Jimmy’s stats. It’s no secret he hasn’t pitched well enough to merit a spot this year. I just felt after 5 or 6 runs, that Hillman needed to get him out of there just to save him the embarrassment. Pena could have pitched earlier. Nunny could have been up earlier. Hell, throw Olivo out there. He wasn’t doing anything that night.

I never want to see a Royal get embarrassed…no matter how bad he may be. I expect the same from the manager.

by RaulDuke on Jul 23, 2008 8:49 PM EDT up 0 recs