Tough loss

With the offense only scoring 2 runs, the odds the M's won the game weren't very good. But Hargrove is getting ripped today for his comments on Mateo.

Let's look at what we knew before the game started.

1) Pineiro sucks. With an ERA of almost 6, he's one of the worst starting pitchers in the AL.
2) Mateo was being used WAY too much, in too many high leverage situations.

Both of these things were evident well before the first pitch.

When Pineiro made it through the first 5 innings without giving up a run, Hargrove should have been absolutely giddy. Here you have your worst starter, on the road, against Texas, and are ahead 2-0. It was the best possible situation you could have hoped to be in.

A normal manager at this point knows he is living on borrowed time with Pineiro, so to speak. While Pineiro hadn't given up a run, danger signs were everywhere. Balls were being smoked all over the yard, they just happened to be right at someone. If not for a bit of luck, might have already gotten lit up- he just managed to get out an inning with runners on 1st and 2nd and only one out.

What I'm trying to say is Hargrove should have been ready to yank Pineiro at the first sign of trouble. The fact he trotted Piniero out again, in the 7th. THAT should have been reason to relieve him of his duties, right there on the field.

The fact he doesn't realize Mateo is a flyball pitcher is bad. The fact he "trusted" Pineiro to pitch well in the 7th is in some ways even more terrible.

Let's not focus on just Mateo last night. Hargrove had a bad, bad game yesterday.