We Shouldn't Worry About Bill Constable

[lordtoffee]

One of the biggest surprises of the Cartwright Cup was how Bill Constable was roughed up by the Talons in Game 3 of their series. Constable couldn't make it out of the 2nd, and during the break between series the BBA world has been wondering if there are any concerns. There shouldn't be any concerns.

First off, every postseason game is important and there is a tendency to be prisoners of the moment. We often see this where one play is magnified, and while Constable didn't have a great day, he is judged at the ace level that his background and time in the BBA rightly suggests that he is. If Constable was the 4th starter on Mexico City, the expectations aren't going to be as high. With an ace, you have to trust him, and Constable will get the ball at least twice in this series on full rest, with a possible relief appearance if needed.

Secondly, the key to that game for the Aztecs was that their bullpen was able to come through and buy enough time for the offense to win a slugfest. The Talons were arguably the best run producers this season, and Sean has always been good at getting hitters to develop. With an 8-1 lead, it wouldn't have been a big surprise if the Talons would win that game in a laugher. But credit goes to Ordonez, Avery, and Johnson for getting to the later innings and keeping the Talons stuck at 8 runs. With the Talons struggling to pitch all year, those 3 pitchers were able to make sure that the deficit would be manageable, and the Aztecs were able to rally back to turn the momentum of the series back to them.

Thirdly, Constable will be on extra rest even if he gets the ball for Game 1. Thanks to the Aztecs getting the sweep, they will have the chance to get their rotation set up in order, and Constable in theory could pitch 3 times, albeit one of those will be on short rest. If the Aztecs win all three of those games, then they just need to win someone's start in their rotation on days when Constable doesn't pitch. The Aztecs are the favorites to win the series, and Constable is my pick to win Series MVP.

[Rubaboo]

Love this, thanks for doing it. It would be a great story, especially since Constable pitched for the Popes last season. It's the kind of storyline that makes me wish I was a more inspired writer.