The Deciding Factor

I am a bat boy for the single-A affiliate of the LA Angels, the Cedar Rapids Kernels, who have made the playoffs and are now in the second round. I was watching the games, either for the dugout or the stands, and realized that there was one thing winning all the games.

It wasn't batting. Most of the games were won by one run. Some were high scoring others were low. Players that had hit well during the year were still hitting well. So batting wasn't causing teams to win or lose.

But pitching wasn't it either. Pitchers were throwing just about the same as normal and pitchers on both teams were throwing at about the same level. Closers could still close and starters could still start. So pitching wasn't the problem either.

If the 2 most important things in baseball weren't the problem, then what was it? What was holding every team back was knowing when to change pitchers. It began with the Kernels win over Peoria. the Kernels were down by one in the bottom of the ninth inning. The game had been exciting up to that point due to a good amount of scoring that had taken place making it 8 to 7, but nothing I ever see will compare to the ending of this epic game. Peoria brought in their best closer and was prepared for an easy one, two, three sit down so they could win and play the next game to try and win the best two out of three series. Their pitcher only got two down, however, before he walked our first batter. This was just the beginning though and he proceeded to walk the bases loaded. During this time, the Peoria pitching coach had completely warmed up another pitcher but the head Peoria coach thought that the closer could get the final out. The closer then proceeded to walk the tying run in. The pitcher in the bullpen walked all the way down to the dugout and tried to tell the coach to put him but the coach refused. And that was it because the next pitch hit the Kernels' batter in the ankle, walking him and causing the Kernels to win all because Peoria wanted to let the closer to get the final out.

The same thing happened in the second round, except it was the Kernels' turn. In the fifth inning, the Kernels' starter had yet to give up a run to the Burlington Bees. He pitch well and got the first two outs, but then he started to walk people. He walked two batters who ended up on third and second before he gave up his first hit. The runners scored and it didn't end there. He proceeded to give up another run and two hits before the reliever was put in and ended it in three pitches. The Kernels lost that game three to two and only scored in the first.

I think progress has been made and it is shown in the way that the second game against Burlington came out. The Kernels' pitcher had pitched seven innings and he had only given up 1 hit. He got two outs and then let two more hits go by in the eighth. It was then that we brought in our reliever who finished the inning without any trouble.

I believe that in this years playoffs the team that learns when a pitcher can and can't handle a situation will win and the Kernels are headed on that track. It won't be easy, but I believe that this could be the year that the Kernels finally win it all because they know what to do about the deciding factor.