In the seventh inning of the Brewers Sunday afternoon win over the San Diego Padres, a subtle move was made on the basepaths.
With the Brewers leading 9-6, Brewers third baseman, Andrew Monasterio stole second base after a leadoff single. You may not have thought much of the move, but it was certainly calculated.
In the World of baseball, a save situation is when a relief pitcher takes the ball in the 9th inning with a lead of three runs or less. At the time of Monasterio’s stolen base, the Brewers were protecting a three-run lead.
Craig Counsell wasn’t interested in Sunday’s game featuring a save situation. With a three-game series against the Cubs beginning Monday night, Counsell strongly preferred to leave all-star closer Devin Williams – who closed out Saturday’s win – in the bullpen.
Two batters following his stolen base, Monasterio scored on a double by William Contreras giving the Brewers a 10-6 lead.
Counsell got his wish.
The net result of Sunday’s win is a four-game advantage over the Cubs for the NL Central division lead and the luxury of entering the series against the Cubs with three fresh high-leverage relievers.
Sometimes Managers are forced to win today and worry about tomorrow later on. Counsell recognized the opportunity to play the long game on Sunday, and it paid off.
