Game 7, Joe Maddon and the Reinvention of Baseball

Let us all celebrate the great game of baseball as represented last night in the concluding game of the 2016 World Series. It was truly a game for the ages with so many of the outstanding aspects baseball on full display. But as we do so, let us not mistake the Cubs victory for a vindication of its 'genius' manager. Be clear that this historic victory was accomplished in spite of Joe Maddon; not because of him. The overuse of Chapman throughout the Series became evident in this final game as the closer was thoroughly extended to his physical limits while showing heroic courage to get through the 9th inning thereby allowing his team to eventually prevail. Earlier in that same inning, his manager once again asserted himself unnecessarily when he called for a safety squeeze bunt by the power hitting Baez on a 3-2 count, 1 out, and a runner on third. Predictably, the slugger missed the attempt, struck out, and retreated to the dugout shaking his head as the scoring chance was squandered. I'm wondering if Baez had been called upon to bunt at all during the course of the year, let alone in this most crucial juncture of the biggest game in the recent history of the franchise.....a classic example of a manager overreaching to the detriment of his ball club. Baez was much more likely to put the ball in play with a hard ground ball or a sacrifice fly than with a one-time-only chance at a successful bunt. Maddon seems to fashion himself as a self-styled genius of a game that often requires only that the manager step aside and let the game flow unimpeded. In brief, Joe Maddon needs to learn that the great game of baseball does not need reinvention.