Bruce Bochy did everything he could to lose it for the San Francisco Giants last night.  The Giants  would not be denied however, pulling out a 5-4 nail-biter in the opening game of their rivalry series with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Sure, I realize that a win is a win, but lets dissect a few of Bochy's curious calls last night.

First, Bochy decides to pitch Barry Zito into the 7th inning, despite the fact that Zito has the most starts without a complete game in the Major Leagues.  Now I admit, Zito was pitching well, but when the guy is closing in on 100 pitches, and he's been a bit shakey the past two innings, it may have been a gamble to send him to the mound in the 7th.  Regardless, I understand Bochy leaving him in.

Next, after Zito gives up a walk to Lorretta, a balk, then gets behind to Blake, he gives up a two run bomb.  Okay, that happens.  He pitched a good game, time to go get him, right?  No.  Bochy leaves Zito in the game, despite signs that he's lost his edge on the mound.  Zito gives up a single to Juan Pierre, who later would come around to score.  Just like that, the Giants had relinquished their entire 3 run lead.

Another miscue by Bochy was failing to have two relievers ready to come into the game when Zito finally was taken out.  Bochy had Merkin Valdez up in the bullpen, and nobody else.  This might have been understandable if Valdez had shown himself to be an ultra reliable option for the Giants.  However, Valdez has been scarcely used this season, and he's had control problems his whole career.  Add the fact that he's got only one "reliable" pitch, and it becomes clear that there's a chance the Giants may need to go with someone else if Valdez doesn't show well to the first couple of hitters.  Sure enough, Valdez came in, threw a high 90's fastball, and missed 7 times in a row with his breaking ball.

After seeing Zito's 80 mph stuff, I agree that Valdez might be a good option to relieve him.  However, when you've already given up most of your lead, and you're facing one of the best hitting teams in baseball, you've got to protect the lead you still have.  I want two guys up in my bullpen, so that if Valdez doesn't look good, I can bring in someone else.

Apparently, Bochy didn't see it that way.  Valdez promptly allowed Juan Pierre to score from first base by walking batters and throwing a steady diet of fastballs.  Even a 98 mph fastball becomes hittable when a guy sees it five or six times in an at-bat.  After Valdez allowed the Dodgers to tie the game at 3, Botchy finally got someone else up in the Giant's bullpen.  Far too late to prevent the Dodgers from taking the lead, which they did on Manny Ramirez's single.

In another suspect move, Bochy saw fit to take Aaron Rowand out of the game in a double switch, bringing in Andres Torres to replace him and Valdez to relieve Zito.  I understand the double switch, but why remove one of your best hitters in a tight game where every run counts?  Rowand was 1-3 with a triple and a run scored, and had hit the ball hard all night.  Either bat Valdez in the 9th spot, and pinch hit for him in the bottom of the inning, or double-switch for someone else.  In a tight game, the Giants need to keep their best bats in the line-up, and Rowand is a far better bat than Andres Torres.

Then, just as I was about to start throwing heavy objects at my flat screen TV, I saw that Merkin Valdez was out to pitch the 8th inning for the Giants.  How does the Giant's mastermind manager justify that decision?  The team had just given up 4 runs to the Dodgers, two of which were surrendered after Valdez entered the game.  He'd clearly demonstrated that his breaking ball was unreliable, and was not hitting the strike zone.  The Dodgers had hit his fastball successfully.  It was time to take a new approach.  The fact that Valdez didn't give up any runs in the 8th does not matter, Bochy took an unnecessary risk by leaving him in the game.

Now, I'm all for a manager looking at the season like a marathon, and not like a sprint.  I understand him wanting to avoid wasting a pitcher by replacing Zito in the 7th, only to pinch hit for that guy in the bottom of the inning.  I understand he wanted to rest his bullpen after they were taxed the day before against Arizona.

But I also understand that Bochy's number one priority should be winning.  If he had to use an extra pitcher to give his team a better chance to win, thats something any manager must do.  Particularly against a bitter rival like Los Angeles, who just swept San Francisco in their last meeting.

It seems to me that Bochy had made up his mind before the game that he would use Valdez to relieve Zito, hoping to disrupt Dodger hitters by the dramatic change in speed from Barry to Merkin.  He also had decided to rest his bullpen, concerned he had worked them too hard the day before.  Unfortunately Bochy's "plans" didn't pan out, and his failure to adjust with the circumstances of the game almost cost the Giants a win.  Luckily, the team wouldn't be denied, despite Bochy's many errors in judgment.

ECJ