[ATLCard]

I think that's right, and why I am perplexed.  Shaw probably does believe that the more experienced "good Chryst" is necessary to beat UW/WSU/ND and maybe he has been managing the season for that.  However "bad Chryst" has us at 6-2 (and absolutely should be at 5-3) where we have seen enough of Costello at this point to expect that we would be 7-1 if he had been starting.  So the trade-off has turned out to be an extra loss (and extreme luck not to have 2 extra losses) to maybe have a better chance at the brutal games down the homestretch.

But unfortunately watching "bad Chryst" at OSU in the 8th game of the season (13th start) you have to expect that 'bad Chryst' is a part of Chryst and will show up again.  If Shaw has made his final decision that Chryst is the starter for the season no matter what, I actually think it would be better for Chryst's confidence at this point if the decision was "Chryst is my leader and team captain, he is the starter this year.  However I have an ace reliever who has shown his stuff and if my starter is having a bad night I'm going to go to the bullpen".  Chryst's confidence would probably be better with that setup and getting pulled in the second quarter of what turned out to be a winning blowout Thursday, than what actually happened.

I suspect that in light of the OSU game even Shaw understands in his heart that it would have been better to switch to Costello earlier in the season, but he will never admit that.

[ATLCard]

I think that's right, and why I am perplexed.  Shaw probably does believe that the more experienced "good Chryst" is necessary to beat UW/WSU/ND and maybe he has been managing the season for that.  However "bad Chryst" has us at 6-2 (and absolutely should be at 5-3) where we have seen enough of Costello at this point to expect that we would be 7-1 if he had been starting.  So the trade-off has turned out to be an extra loss (and extreme luck not to have 2 extra losses) to maybe have a better chance at the brutal games down the homestretch.

But unfortunately watching "bad Chryst" at OSU in the 8th game of the season (13th start) you have to expect that 'bad Chryst' is a part of Chryst and will show up again.  If Shaw has made his final decision that Chryst is the starter for the season no matter what, I actually think it would be better for Chryst's confidence at this point if the decision was "Chryst is my leader and team captain, he is the starter this year.  However I have an ace reliever who has shown his stuff and if my starter is having a bad night I'm going to go to the bullpen".  Chryst's confidence would probably be better with that setup and getting pulled in the second quarter of what turned out to be a winning blowout Thursday, than what actually happened.

I suspect that in light of the OSU game even Shaw understands in his heart that it would have been better to switch to Costello earlier in the season, but he will never admit that.