The Chronicles of Ned-Dick

Let me take this opportunity to bitch about a team that is 21 games over .500, and reiterate that the only way to convince me they make the playoffs with Ned Yost as their manager, is when they actually make it.  Late in yesterdays game, Ned put in a double-switch when he brought in a pitcher.  No problem with that, would've done the same in a tie game.  If memory serves, either Braun or Fielder had hit to end the inning.  At the time, Yost had three guys left on his bench, 2B Ray Durham, OF Laynce Nix, and C Mike Rivera.  Managers don't bring backup catchers into close games ever, so it made alot of sense not to bring in Rivera.  So do you bring in Nix for one of the outfielders or Durham for Weeks?  The only OF that made sense from a double-switch standpoint was Bruan since his spot in the order had just been up, giving the pitcher a full two innings or so to pitch before his spot would come up.  Weeks wouldn't have been bad either, because at that point in the game, if the pitcher gets into any difficulty at all, he will be yanked, so you still probably give the pitcher two innings, unless we score some runs.  From an offensive standpoint he had to choose between replacing probably the worst offensive player on the team, and easily the worst leadoff man in the history of baseball (Weeks), or the best player on your team, and potentially in the entire NL (Braun).  From a replacement standpoint, you choose between a career .300 hitter in Durham or a shitty offensive player in Nix.  Of course, Yost takes out the best player on our team in a tie game in a pennant race.  The only conceivable explanation was a)lingering injury to Bruan (which is bullshit because he had just played two full games and had a homer and 4RBI the night before or b) Bruan was 0-5 (which is bullshit because Braun does it all the time, but might hit a HR in the sixth at bat).  You never take out your best position player unless there is no other choice, and here there clearly was.  The bottom line is that Yost completely fucked it up, but nobody will notice because they won (again) despite him.