[The Wolf]

Originally Posted by chucksabr

Everything you say that applies to this side of the argument applies to the other side of the argument as well. If the standard for defining "push button" is that the strategy has to be applied in 100.0% of the situations—not 99.9%, but 100.0%—then almost nothing is "push-button".

Yes, there are isolated cases in which your SP is down 1-0 in the seventh, he's due up, and this manager at this point in time decides to let SP bat even though the team is in imminent danger of losing the game for lack of scoring runs. That does happen more than 0.0% of the time. But even the other side will concur that is not the usual decision that is made. It's not even common enough to be considered an unusual decision. This decision is literally a rarity, and would happen maybe single digit percent of the time. The other 90+%, that pitcher is coming out, and a pinch hitter is coming in*.

And I hear ya regarding the selection of which pinch hitter comes up, and any non-P on the bench is technically an option. But seriously, if you have to have a run just to keep yourself in the game, your only logical option is to push that button and get the best hitter available up to the plate, regardless of the strategic implications as the pertain to future

Drivel. Get some real coaching or playing experience.