Bruce Bochy Botches Another

Juggling fantasy sports and real life can be hard. Juggling fantasy sport and real life while major league managers screw you over is harder than just juggling fantasy sports and real life.

Without enough time to look into the details of the numbers behind Jonathan Sanchez vs the Colorado Rockies, along with the recent run of relative success, I decided to rolled with the young San Francisco Giant lefty.

Oops.

The result (4 2/3 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 5 BB, 4 K) wasn't the worst start ever, but it was completely worthless, with regards to my team's main concern: wins.

After watching Sanchez struggle with his command (including a hit batter) through four-plus and the pitch-count nearing the century mark, it's understandable that Bruce Douglas Bochy must had been compelled to call upon Brandon Medders in the 5th with runners at the corners and two outs. But bringing in the righty Medders with lefty Giambi coming up? Hmmm.

Yes, of course, instead of getting an out, Medders was peppered around for three straight hits after walking Giambi, and only got bailed out when Ryan Spilborghs was tagged out when he wrongly assumed that the throw from left field would not be cut off by Pablo Sandoval.

After the game, Bochy said that Sanchez "was done." At times we criticize managers for leaving their young arms in for too many pitch counts, but this is a time when we criticize the manager for making a stupid move.

Not only has Sanchez not allowed a left-handed hit off him in 17 ab-bats this year, Bochy also had lefties Jeremy Affeldt and Dan Runzler available in the bullpen. But Bochy was dead set on botching it, going with the right hander who couldn't get a single out.

Admittedly, Sanchez escaped some serious jams in the previous start against the Phillies, so I'm not taking this one too hard, and I shouldn't have expected the Giants to sweep the Rockies, but I would have rather seen Sanchez give up the runs in the 5th instead of Medders on a foolish mistake by Bochy.

In other news, Justin Verlander nearly went the distance (as his manager, Jim Leyland, yet again tried to give his ace an attempt at a pointless complete game - which nearly backfired on him) . . . on my bench, against the Los Angeles Angels, the same club that batted him around for 4 earned runs with 9 base runners just over a week ago. Oopsx2.

Sanchez reverting to the thrower with lack of control is a trend that needs to be considered carefully going forward while Verlander turning his season around is a welcomed sight.