POSTSEASON 2014

The 2014 postseason has been outstanding.  Close and well played games with unlikely heroes.  Often the "little guy" performs well on the big stage and this year is no exception.  Some teams seem to be changing with the weather from the promise of potential to becoming very hard to beat.  The teams with the best records and fat payrolls have exited the scene.

The sooner the manager realizes the postseason is different and a greater sense of urgency is needed in decision making and in-game strategy, probably the more successful he'll be.  We've seen good teams with questionable managerial moves now sitting on the sidelines.  In a short series anything can and will happen.  You can't afford to make many mistakes and especially repeat those mistakes.  In the regular season, what didn't work today may work next week.  You don't have that luxury in the postseason.  When the tide is shifting a quick reaction is needed.

Brad Ausmus had a tough postseason.

Brad Ausmus got burned twice by Joba Chamberlain and Joakim Soria.  The first one was on them, the second one was on Brad Ausmus.  This was a bad move with disastrous results.

Jarrod Dyson of Kansas City stole second base but was called out by over sliding the bag.  It clearly looked like Jonathan Schoop nudged the foot off the base.  Ned Yost thought the call was correct and the tag was proper.  On this play, the least you could do is protest vehemently so the next time this happens you have a chance of getting a questionable call.  Kansas City is so hot, this didn't matter.  But you need to lay the groundwork for the future as the stolen base is a vital part of the Royals game.  A no move with good results.  However, Yost has done some good things by shortening the game depending more on his relievers.

Jarrod Dyson nudged off the bag?

It's more convenient for managers to follow a script or plan for a game.  Sometimes, in the postseason you have to throw in the kitchen sink to win a ball game, which is not the case in the regular season. If your team never has a lead in a close 3 game series, does it mean you'll never use your best reliever (closer) or you'll use him in high leverage situations even if it's not the last inning?  

Ned Yost riding the Kansas City wave

Some managers seem to be using a magic wand with a lot of positive moves while others can't seem to find their way out of a paper bag.  Teams with better personnel keep losing to teams with less talent.  

Buck Showalter  trying to stop the streaking Royals.

There is an element of luck in all of this.  Maybe it's better to be lucky than good. Perhaps the sabermetricians can identify and quantify the luck factor. The Kansas City Royals seem to have all of these elements wrapped up into a nice 6 game winning streak and are on the verge of tying the "Big Red Machine" of 1976 who went 7-0 in the postseason sweeping the Phillies and Yankees.  Buck Showalter of the Orioles is a very good manager. I get the impression he'll need lightning in a bottle or a magic lamp to stop these Royals. Kansas City is inspired and plays the game with enthusiasm and "gusto".  The best of the postseason is yet to come.