It makes no sense. So WHY did it happen? There have been so many stories posted about this with different viewpoints. No matter what the reasoning is behind it, it just shouldn't have happened. It's just another Aaron Boone screw up. Why that decision in that scenario would even play out is just a huge baseball blunder. Baboonie says he takes the blame for it HERE but that just isn't good enough.
Call it a miscommunication all you want, but that strategy with Matt Blake and Cole in the tunnel was a disaster. Were there no scenarios discussed at all? Baseball is a game of strategy, but it sounds like the strategy was completely omitted. It sounds like it was just a "don't pitch to Rafael Devers" conversation gone wrong. Intentional walks certainly have their place in baseball.... just not there.
So has Gerrit Cole lost his nerve? He's always been a big game pitcher and embraced it.... until Saturday. I've always believed that Cole puts a lot of thought and analysis into his starts. He's calculated against batters, has a plan and knows their strengths and weaknesses. He also knew that Devers had his number, his .333BA and nine home runs painted an ugly picture. Cole knew Devers was going to be a thorn in his side. He needed to calculate accordingly on Saturday, and he failed. Cole said he thought he bought into the plan early on, and then Baboonie said Cole did overthink it.
Cole the big game pitcher wasn't on that mound when Devers came to the plate. He wanted no part of Devers, he was focused on Devers stats against him. The current Cy Young pitcher was missing in action, that's the only explanation I have there. You don't become one by backing down from opponents. You have to show some swagger and guts. That's not what we saw on Saturday, because you don't intentionally walk a guy in the fourth inning with one out and nobody on. That's when you ATTACK the strike zone and go balls to the wall.
So what has happened to Cole? Is he still an ace? I'm not going to lie.... I see him differently now. He backed down against Devers and the lowly Red Sox. The team on the outside looking in for post season berth. Even if Devers would've homered off him, it would've only been one run instead of seven over two innings of work. He lost it. The question is, did he lose it just once.... or has he lost it for good?
I want to forget Saturday. Maybe not as much as Cole....but that was bad. That wasn't an ace on the mound Saturday. I just hope he comes back because we need him now more than ever.
--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
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