lidge only needed 8 pitches... for a minute there i thought they were going to actually bring backe out to pitch. i guess they just needed his bat because they used up all their hitters over 14 innings...
You would have to assume that Backe would have received the exact same pitch selection had there been a runner on 3rd. Chances are they would have pitched differently with a runner o n 3rd. In addition, you would have had to assume that Ausmus would have gotten the bunt down successfully to say that Backe would have hit a SF.
Regardless... I'd take my chances. Brad is a pretty decent bunter... I'd expect him to have an easier time laying down a good bunt then attempting to get a hit (which generates quite a few GIDP's... making it an even bigger gamble). And if its 2nd and 3rd with 1 out... I probably attempt a squeeze play if they decide to pitch to Backe. I know nothing is guaranteed... but the percentages say that you're much more likely to score with men at 2nd and 3rd with 1 out, vs. 1st and 2nd with 1 out. Ah well... its all moot now (but it would have been HUGE had Bruntlett not gotten that hit).
After the way this road trip started with Pujols hitting a walk off HR in extras and eventually get swept by the Cards, I'll take a 7-4 road trip any day! Go figure, The Two teams we're after now in the standings are Philly and New York....don't you guys love how the schedule seems to work out the way it does?
Awesome win ... I sat through every pitch of that game and it would have been very disheartening to get an L ... I imagine its going to be a fun plane trip home for the Good Guys
