Major league managers manage not to lose

There is a saying that teams that play "not to lose" often do lose. Well, there is no better example of managing not to lose as to when starting pitchers are removed from the game by the manager. Next time there is a close game in the 6th to 9th innings watch when the manager goes and yanks the pitcher. A lot of times it has absolutely nothing to do with whether he is tired, or whether the relief pitcher is a better matchup. It simply has evrything to do with - I don't want this pitcher to get the loss.

What kind of thinking is this? I mean you play to win the game and shouldn't the thinking simply be "who gives me the best chance to win the game?"

Not in Major League Baseball. The primary thought often is remove the pitcher prior to him pitching to the go ahead run late in the game so a relief pitcher would earn the loss rather than him. Next time you're watching a game, predict this before it happens and look like a pro in front of your friends.