“If fighting is sure to result in victory, then you must fight, even though the ruler forbid it; if fighting will not result in victory, then you must not fight even at the ruler’s bidding.” – Sun Tzu, The Art of War

Saturday night, Manager Matt Quatraro had a decision to make. It was the bottom of the eighth inning. His Royals were losing 3-2; they had not ever held a lead in the game. The team hadn’t had a day off since August 14th, more than a week before. In the month of August, their starting pitchers – once the indefatigable stalwarts of the roster – hadn’t been able to go deep into games at all, going at least six innings only four times. The previous night he had been forced to use Bailey Falter in the eighth inning of a tie game because that night’s starter hadn’t been able to fi

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