With Melhuse out of the game for a pinch-runner and Hatteberg DHing, Macha was playing with fire. If Kendall had gone down, Hatteberg coming in to replace him as the 3rd catcher would have forfeited our DH spot, so the pitcher would have had to bat. Macha could've juggled it NL style for a bit and pinch-hit Ginter at least one time for the pitcher, but it could've gotten a little silly.
Probably the best way to avoid this happening would be not to have Melhuse pinch hit at all in that situation. I know he came through, but it seemed terribly risky to me. Clutcharo has demonstrated 9th inning excellence time after time, and I think he earned the right to bat in that situation. I felt the air suck out of the Coliseum, October 2003-style, when Clutcharo was called back. Luckily it paid off for Macha, and this is obviously what he was envisioning that night in October, but it did not strike me as wise.
Meanwhile, it was a great win, and we can look forward to Kirk "The Dutch Oven" Saarloos dominating the team with the worst most classless clueless fans in baseball tonight.




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