2 1/3 IP, 11 H, 14 R, 14 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, 1 WP, 1 HR, 77 pitches to get 7 outs.
That was Vin Mazzaro’s box score line after he came on in relief of Kyle Davies the other day against the Indians. Mazzaro took one for the team and stayed out there to give up 14 earned runs! That’s hard to do. How hard? He’s only the third pitcher since 1947 to give up 14 or more earned runs in a single outing. At some point when guys are putting the ball in play, one of the 7 guys behind the pitcher will happen across the ball and get a guy out before the offense piles up the runs. Right? Apparently not for Vin Mazzaro. Poor guy. I totally respect what he did however. The team first mentality it takes to give up that many runs and not have a complete meltdown in front of whatever fans remain in the ballpark is impressive. Mazzaro proved that he cares about winning by giving up 14 earned runs.Before you comment below about how I’m a babbling idiot who shouldn’t have his own blog, think about the work that Mazzaro saved for the other bullpen guys. Did he completely blow the Royals’ chance at winning on Monday? Absolutely. Did he save some pitches for guys the next few days? Yes. There’s more to a baseball season than a single game. Look, Mazzaro was in the game because of an injury to starter Kyle Davies and his job was to get through a few innings to save the team a few innings which will help them out later down the season. Mazzaro took his lumps, and he took alot of lumps, but he gave his team the best shot he could at winning (tommorrow). Think about it, Mazzaro had to know that if he let the Indians get 14 earned runs in under 3 innings, they probably wouldn’t get that many hits the next day.
I remember Greg Maddux gave up 7 runs in the first inning a few years back and he clearly just did not have it that day. Maddux wound up going 5 innings that day and saved some arms for later in the week and season. On those days when you just don’t have it (Mazzaro on Monday) as a team player, you still have to compete, try and keep pushing through until your manager comes to get you. I respect Mazzaro as he stayed out there and worked. He knows that manager Ned Yost wants what is best for the team, even if its conceding a game for a few down the road.
It’s up to you guys to figure out how much of what I wrote above was done in a tongue in cheek manner, and how much is truth.
Stat of the Day: Mariano Rivera has had 6 full seasons in which he gave up fewer than 14 earned runs (including the last 3) and in each of those seasons has faced more than 230 batters.
-Sean Morash
