No one is going to confuse Kyle Schwarber for a good defensive outfielder and we all saw how he can become a liability, as he committed two errors on one play in Game 3 of the NLDS that led to a Washington Nationals lead over the Chicago Cubs. Yet, as much as Cubs fans were pissed off at Schwarber, there's no question that his bat still strikes fear in opposing managers.
Max Scherzer had a no-hitter through 6.1 innings on Monday, shutting the Cubs offense down despite not looking like his normal dominant self. Then, Ben Zobrist finally delivered the first hit, with a double to left-center field and that left Nationals manager Dusty Baker with a potentially series-defining decision. With a 1-0 lead in the seventh inning Scherzer, who didn't start until Game 3 because he was dealing with a hamstring issue, was nearing 100 pitches and had Schwarber at the plate. However, Scherzer didn't get to face him because after a brief discussion on the mound, Baker went to his bullpen and Cubs manager Joe Maddon went to his bench.
Baker decided he wanted lefty Sammy Solis against Albert Almora Jr. instead of Scherzer against Schwarber. Why? Well, despite the .211 average, Schwarber's power and previous postseason success is still feared.
Via CBS Chicago:
“We thought Max had had enough, especially coming off the injury,” Baker said. “Schwarber’s a dangerous man. I probably couldn’t live with myself if Schwarber had hit one out of the park on ya, which he’s famous to do that. So we thought we made the right decision." -Dusty Baker
The great thing about the Cubs is their depth because as much as Schwarber's known for his power, they have Almora, who's known for destroying left-handed pitching. On Monday, Almora did just that.
So yes, be mad that Schwarber didn't make a routine play, but don't question his value because fear can be very powerful.
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