Ned's insistence on having set roles for Davis/Holland got us here. Holland was pitching his 3rd straight game tonight when he blew the save. He NEVER should have pitched Tuesday when we were up 7-1. Why did he? Because he hadn't pitched yet after the All Star Break and Ned needed to get him some work. Why hadn't he pitched? We hadn't had a 8th/9th inning lead. Why hadn't we had a lead? Because Friday in the biggest moment in the game, with the entire pen rested, he went with Downs. Scott effing Downs. And the Sox pinch hit Gomes and hit a homerun and we lost.
If Ned uses Wade in the pressure moments of the game Friday, instead of him being 8th inning ONLY, Holland gets a save Friday night, doesn't need to get in the game just to get in the game on Tuesday, isn't going on his 3rd straight game tonight, doesn't blow the save, and we're out of here an hour ago.
The way Ned uses Wade is not even close to the most effective way of using him. He needs to be the guy who comes in with messy innings to get out of jams. Instead we've made him a clean inning 8th inning guy, using Crow/Downs in big pressure moments.
Eff Ned.
