Rozner: Cubs' Montero saves Maddon from himself
Maybe Joe Maddon is jealous as he sees Andrew Miller become the Most Valuable Player in the postseason.
Maybe he's simply an optimist, believing Aroldis Chapman can do for him what Miller has done for Terry Francona in Cleveland.
Or maybe Maddon is just plain stubborn.
But the Cubs manager mismanaged another game Saturday night at Wrigley Field, just as he did in Game 3 of the NLDS, but Miguel Montero bailed him out this time and the Cubs survived Game 1 of the NLCS against the Dodgers in front of 42,376.
The Cubs strolled into Game 1 completely rested and with their best starter on the mound, having watched Los Angeles burn their best starter and reliever in Game 5 Thursday against Washington.
Inexplicably, the Dodgers captured a five-game postseason series with the bullpen throwing more innings than the starters, and they stayed on pace by getting only 4 innings from Kenta Maeda Saturday.
Assuming Kyle Hendricks is healthy, and he claims to be, the Cubs' rotation offers the Cubs a huge advantage. As far as manager worries go, and as Forrest Gump was wont to say, "One less thing."
"On the surface, you would think that it's an advantage," Maddon said before the game, searching for a way to make it sound less so. "I think it should be an advantage.
"But sometimes when you're in that scramble mode, some good things occur from that, too. I've been involved on both sides of it.
"But would I prefer this? Yes."
Maddon didn't sound convinced and he went about proving it Saturday night in Game 1 when Jon Lester was cruising through 6 innings on 77 pitches.
Maddon pulled Lester, sending up pinch hitter Jorge Soler to try to steal a run with two outs and a man on second in the bottom of the sixth.
That Soler failed isn't the point. Maddon yanked his best starter, who might have pitched 2 more innings in a very close game, thus saving the bullpen from unnecessary wear and tear and getting him directly to Chapman.
When Maddon pulled Jake Arrieta after 6 innings in Game 3 against the Giants, a decision that didn't work out well for Maddon, at least his starter was at 97 pitches.
Lester had swept through the heart of the Dodgers' order in the sixth on 10 pitches, but Maddon pulled him and began playing the matchup game, using four pitchers for seven batters.
Oddly enough, just as occurred in Game 3 of the Giants series, the Dodgers had two on with nobody out in the eighth and Chapman was warmed and ready.
But this time Maddon did not call for Chapman. He waited until an infield hit loaded the bases, and Chapman arrived having watched four pitchers collect three outs.
Chapman nearly got out of it, striking out a pair before Adrian Gonzalez hit one of those 100-mph fastballs right up the middle for a 2-run single and a tie game.
Montero's two-strike, two-out, grand slam in the bottom of the eighth, followed by a Dexter Fowler solo shot, saved the manager - and Cubs fans - from a frightening fate, but not the questions again as Maddon got a little too cute for his own good, already knowing Chapman is not a fan of pitching in the eighth inning.
"Because it didn't work out doesn't mean it was wrong," said Maddon, who insisted he wouldn't hesitate to use Chapman for 6 outs again. "It's my fault for putting him in such a tough position."
In spite of it all, the Cubs won a game they had to win given the circumstances coming in and the fact that Clayton Kershaw awaits, but the Dodgers have to be crushed after thinking late Saturday that they might be able to steal a game they assumed they had no chance to win.
The Cubs are in control after another difficult Game 1 victory and could make this a very short series with a win Sunday night.
But for the love of Willie Hernandez and all that's holy, the home team escaped with a late rally that didn't have to be.
And maybe - just maybe - Maddon will learn from it.
brozner@dailyherald.com
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