Why did Roenicke start Kotsay?

In what is by far the worst decision Brewers Manager, Ron Roenicke, has made this post-season, Mark Kotsay got the start in center field last night.  It is no secret that I have never wanted Kotsay on this team.  If you care for my opinion, I think that his best years are about 4 years behind him.  To think that Nyjer Morgan and Carlos Gomez sat on the bench last night and watched, makes me want to punch something…anything.

My hatred for this decision reached an all time high as I watched him face plant in center field trying to catch a ball that, I believe,  Gomez or Morgan would have caught.  That “miscue” lead to runs that essentially doomed the Brewers, as they feel to the Cardinals 4-3.

Why does Ron Roenicke still love Mark Kotsay so much?

A few months ago I wrote an article outlining my theories as to why Roenicke insists on playing Kotsay.  Here is the link to the article if you want the full details, but here are the basic theories: 

Theory #1 : The Back to the Future films are based on the lives of Kotsay and Roenicke

Theory #2 : They are both werewolves

Theory #3: Ron Roenicke is a Terminator

Theory #4: The “Angels in the Outfield” Theory

I had to make these up, because there is no logical explanation for this love affair.  What has Kotsay done this season to show that he deserved to be playing center field IN THE NLCS!?!?!?!?!?  Nothing.  Not one damn thing.

Just because a guy is a veteran, does not mean that he should be starting a game when he is your 3rd best option.  Yes, Nyjer Morgan misplayed some balls on Monday night, but I am still very confident that he would have made that catch in the first inning.

Now I realize that he hit a home run last night, but if my math is correct that still leaves him at -1 run for the NLCS.  His flailing attempt to catch that fly ball in the 1st inning cost us at least 2 runs.  Oh, wait…then there was his amazing base running decision in the 1st inning that cost us another run.  If I include that play, then he is at -2 runs for the game.

Ron Roenicke is a rookie manager, so sometimes you have to let things go.  But when you make it to the playoffs, you have to make better decisions than this.  In my opinion, this call cost the Brewers Game 3.

Many of you will disagree with me and probably give me a lot of crap for this article.  I am ready to face the music.  There is no way that anyone, not even Jesus himself, could convince me that this was the right decision.

Mark Kotsay is not physically capable of handling center field.  If Torii Hunter is too old to stay in center, then how is it mathematically possible that Kotsay can be out there.  Roenicke used to coach Hunter, and we all know that he was one of the greatest center fielders to play the game, but it is a young mans position.  Kotsay could not hold a candle to Hunter in their prime, so what would lead Roenicke to believe….

I am done beating this dead horse.  To be honest, I am too tired and angry to write about this any more.  Feel free to disagree with me and rip me apart if you must.

Last night’s game could have been a road win for this team.  That win could have swung momentum over to us in a big way, but instead we face a must win game today with a pitcher who only made it through 3 innings his last time out.  If the Brewers lose this series, you can bet that I will refer to “The Kotsay Game” a lot during the off-season.

Even thought this article seems negative, it is not.  I still think this series can be ours.  We have to win tonight though, have to.

Go Brewers!!!