Ribbie Reporter -- Using your bullpen effectively

Why do Trey Hillman and so many other managers misuse their bullpens?

Like many other baseball fans, I've long been puzzled by the fact that most managers only use their closers to pitch the 9th inning when there is a save situation. Few managers ask closers for a four, five or six out save. Does it make sense to anyone else around here that you should use your best reliever at the game's most pivotal points? Anyone?

This brings us to Sunday's Royals vs. Rangers game. KC led 5-3 heading into the 8th. Setup man Ron Mahay -- who got the last out in the 7th -- comes out to face the Rangers in the bottom of the 8th. He yields a lead off double and then 1st Baseman Mike Jacobs (one of the world fielders in the league, according to John Dewan's Fielding Bible) makes an error. Men on first and third. Tying run is now on board. Since KC's other set-up man -- Juan Cruz -- had already pitched in the 7th, the Royals were running low on top relievers. This is when I would have summoned Soria for a six out save. Royals Manager Trey Hillman instead turned to Jamey Wright, one of our middle relievers. Wright got two quick outs before yielding a run-scoring single. Now it's 5-4. Again, why not bring in your CLOSER WHO WAS AN ALL-STAR LAST YEAR? But no. Wright was left in to pitch and yielded two more singles, tying the game at 5.

On to the Bottom of the 9th. Tie game. Hillman can use: a) Wright, b) closer Joakim Soria, or c) bum Kyle Farnsworth. Wright was hit in the 8th. Farnsworth has already blown two games for the Royals and has a 16.20 ERA. He is already my least favorite Royals player since Jason Grimsley, and we're not even past mid-April yet. Hillman choose C, of course. Michael Young led off the 9th with a homer, of course. The Royals lost, of course. And a 5-3 lead with 6 outs to go became a 6-5 loss all without one of the league's best relievers ever getting into the action! I will no go walk barefoot across burning coals and broken glass.