With 1 out in the bottom of the 9th inning of the Mariners-Red Sox game Tuesday, Seattle Manager John McLaren elected to have Jeremy Reed pinch hit for Yuniesky Betancourt. Reed is 3-for-15 on the season, while Yuni is batting .285 (3rd best on the M's). Reed ended up advancing the runner to third base and Jose Lopez hit a game-winning single, but I still do not understand the rationale for this move. Yuniesky has been one of the more consistent hitters in the Mariner's lineup, yet McLaren seems to have no faith in him in a clutch situation.
As rumors circulated about McLaren getting fired over the past week due to his clubs disappointing start, I believed most of the blame was squarely on the underperformance of the players. But moves like these make me wonder how responsible McLaren's coaching might be for the Mariners' woes.
Keywords: Betancourt, fire, Lopez, Marineres, McLaren, pinch hit, Yuniesky
