So, I got this idea a while back to really zero in on David Bell and how he runs things with the Reds. Wasn’t like some big research project, just me, watching the games, you know? I’d see folks online going back and forth about his decisions, and I figured, let me just watch for myself, see what I pick up on.
I started making it a point to catch as many innings as I could. Didn’t have a fancy spreadsheet or anything, just kept a little notepad next to me on the couch. My main thing was watching his pitching changes. Seemed like a big talking point, right?
Watching the Moves
Okay, so I’d sit there, maybe the 6th or 7th inning, starter’s pitch count getting up there. I’d try to guess when he’d make the call to the bullpen. Sometimes I was right, sometimes he’d leave the guy in longer than I thought, or pull him earlier. It was interesting just to track it.
- Pitching changes: When? Who came in? Against which batter?
- Lineup stuff: Noticed how he’d stack lefties or righties sometimes.
- Pinch hitters: Tried to see the logic behind who he sent up late in games.
Honestly, after a few weeks of doing this, it wasn’t like I uncovered some secret formula. It just felt like… well, managing a baseball team. Some moves worked out great, you’d think, “Okay, nice one, Davey.” Other times, the reliever he brought in would immediately give up a bomb, and you’d groan along with everyone else.
What I really saw was a lot of sticking to the plan. Felt like many decisions were probably mapped out beforehand, based on matchups or numbers the team has. Less gut feeling, maybe? That was my impression anyway, just from watching on TV.
Didn’t drastically change my world view or anything. But spending that time just focusing on the manager’s choices, instead of just the hits and errors, gave me a different angle on watching the game. You see the patterns, you see the tendencies. It was just a little personal project, trying to understand the ‘why’ behind some of the moves you see every night with the Reds under Bell.
