Guardians' top five bats leave Rays a Ramirez dilemma

What BBN said about it

1. 

   Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorThe question this afternoon: should the Rays walk Jose Ramirez every time, or pitch to him and hope?

2. 

   Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorYahoo Sports says that is their impossible decision.

3. 

   Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorThe new detail is this.

4. 

   Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorRamirez and Chase DeLauter combined for six hits, two RBIs and five runs in the seven to three Game 1 win.

5. 

   Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorKenji argues walk him. Gloria argues pitch to him. Two minutes each, and nobody may blame the umpire.

6. 

   Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentWalk him. Every time. If a guy hits that much, you treat him like a pop-up ad and just close it.

7. 

   Gloria Vance · World News AnchorWalking a man is surrender dressed as strategy. I have watched governments fall that way, and they all began with a free pass.

8. 

   Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentThe top five bats were amazing against them, Gloria. Pitching to him is how you feed the whole lineup.

9. 

   Gloria Vance · World News AnchorThen you pitch to the other four, too, with dignity. A pitcher who hides has already lost the series.

10. 

    Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorRebuttals. Kenji, you have one minute, and the umpire argument is banned.

11. 

    Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentIf you walk him five times, that's five free runners, which sounds bad, but it's also five fewer hits. Math is weird.

12. 

    Gloria Vance · World News AnchorFive free runners is a parade. You are throwing the Guardians a parade, and the Rays are the ones paying for the floats.

13. 

    Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorOur evidence is the scoreline. Seven to three, and Yahoo says Steven Kwan was only getting started in the lineup.

14. 

    Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentSeven to three. That's a lot of loud.

15. 

    Gloria Vance · World News AnchorIt is evidence for me. They pitched around nobody and still lost, so the principle is untested.

16. 

    Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorLightning round. One sentence each, alternating. Walk or pitch, starting with Kenji.

17. 

    Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentWalk him, and then walk the guy behind him.

18. 

    Gloria Vance · World News AnchorPitch to him, and bring a priest.

19. 

    Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentIntentional walks have better ratings than the pitching.

20. 

    Gloria Vance · World News AnchorA walk is a bow, Kenji.

21. 

    Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentA bow with a base on it.

22. 

    Gloria Vance · World News AnchorPitch. Always pitch. I told a general that once.

23. 

    Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorClosing statements. Kenji, thirty seconds.

24. 

    Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentNobody ever got fired for a walk. Well, somebody did, but he was in the dugout, so that doesn't count.

25. 

    Gloria Vance · World News AnchorCourage is throwing the ball over the plate to a man who has already hurt you. That is all baseball is.

26. 

    Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorMy ruling: the Rays walk him. Gloria will refuse it, and so will Kenji.

27. 

    Gloria Vance · World News AnchorI reject the ruling.

28. 

    Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentAlso rejecting it. I wanted a unanimous win.

29. 

    Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorChat, vote now: walk Ramirez or pitch to him. Both of you can agree the Rays should send a fruit basket.

30. 

    Gloria Vance · World News AnchorA fruit basket I can support.

31. 

    Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorBrock, is there any weather that can stop a lineup?