I’m not sure what to call the last meeting of the Cardinals and the Brewers in the NLCS. Calling it baseball is a stretch. Batting practice is closer but doesn’t get at the essence: the Brewers played defense like Chuckles the Clown, and pitched like the umpire was holding a sign that said: “No inside pitches allowed.” The Cardinals shuffled so many pitchers in that I was sure they used a few of them twice.
Whatever happened to good starting pitching? I guess it went home when the Phillies were eliminated despite having the best starters in the game. Instead, in both league championship series, the bullpens took center stage and carried the winners forward.
What this means for the World Series is unclear. The Rangers and the Cardinals both have starters who can shut down hitters and go deep into games. They just didn’t do it in the LCS. Whether we will see a Game 1 that ends 2 to 1 or 10 to 8 is why we watch the games. But with both lineups dripping with sluggers, don’t bet against 10 to 8.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Here Come the Rangers
The city of Detroit can do without more heartbreak. Last night when the Tigers lost to the Rangers and were sent packing, there was none. Had the game been close, maybe. But this was an old fashioned pounding. The Tigers got clobbered. No shame, no heartbreak in that.
Really, there was no one to root against in this series. Certainly not Jim Leyland, the Tigers manager and the anti-Tony LaRussa. LaRussa makes a simple game complicated; Leyland makes a complicated game simple. He makes courageous decisions and sticks to them. He trusts his players and they know it. I’ve liked Jim Leyland since he managed the Pirates 20 years ago and the TV camera used to catch him sneaking a cigarette in the dugout.
And certainly not Brandon Inge, the longest tenured Tiger who struggled this season, was assigned to the Mud Hens, the AAA affiliate and, remarkably, accepted the assignment and worked his way back. You could see both determination and joy in his face as he played third base, made some plays and even popped a home run.
But the Rangers have their appeal as well. Despite being a long time Astros fan, and much to the chagrin of my sons, I like the Rangers too. When the Stros foolishly let Nolan Ryan go, the Rangers happily paid him what he was worth and he rewarded them with several no-hitters. I’ve liked them ever since. So Michael Young’s five RBI’s and Nelson Cruz’ power surge and fabulous throw are okay by me. Maybe this year they’ll go all the way.
Really, there was no one to root against in this series. Certainly not Jim Leyland, the Tigers manager and the anti-Tony LaRussa. LaRussa makes a simple game complicated; Leyland makes a complicated game simple. He makes courageous decisions and sticks to them. He trusts his players and they know it. I’ve liked Jim Leyland since he managed the Pirates 20 years ago and the TV camera used to catch him sneaking a cigarette in the dugout.
And certainly not Brandon Inge, the longest tenured Tiger who struggled this season, was assigned to the Mud Hens, the AAA affiliate and, remarkably, accepted the assignment and worked his way back. You could see both determination and joy in his face as he played third base, made some plays and even popped a home run.
But the Rangers have their appeal as well. Despite being a long time Astros fan, and much to the chagrin of my sons, I like the Rangers too. When the Stros foolishly let Nolan Ryan go, the Rangers happily paid him what he was worth and he rewarded them with several no-hitters. I’ve liked them ever since. So Michael Young’s five RBI’s and Nelson Cruz’ power surge and fabulous throw are okay by me. Maybe this year they’ll go all the way.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Cardinals v. Brewers: A Study in Contrasts
I shouldn’t be doing this, rooting for the Cardinals, that is. A rich team, with a winning tradition, and a mad-scientist manager playing against a team that hasn’t won in almost thirty years. But I am and I’m not apologizing for it.
The Brewers have turned into a caricature of a baseball team. Lead by a lunatic center fielder who was discarded by both the Pirates and the Nationals, they’ve turned into a chest pounding, look-at-me bad joke. In the pressure of the NLCS, their defense has fallen apart, their offense has been inconsistent and their pitching ordinary.
The Cardinals shouldn’t, by any measure, be playing in October. They lost Adam Wainwright, one of their best pitchers, before the season even started. They struggled to score runs, Matt Holiday was in and out with illnesses and injuries and King Albert didn’t have his usual extraordinary season. They relied instead on Lance Berkman, who surprised everyone with an excellent offensive year in the twilight of his career. All Berkman did was hit over .300 with 31 homers and 94 RBIs after the Yankees and Astros gave up on him.
The Cardinals also added by subtracting. They unloaded Colby Rasmus, their every day center fielder who insisted on using dear old Dad as his hitting coach and added starting pitcher Edwin Jackson. Rasmus, presumably with his father’s help, batted .225 for Toronto. Jackson, since early September has won every game he’s pitched.
And so we head to Milwaukee for Game 6, with the Cardinals leading 3 games to 2. Tony LaRussa shuffling pitchers in and out with surgical precision and the Brewers beating their chests.
The Brewers have turned into a caricature of a baseball team. Lead by a lunatic center fielder who was discarded by both the Pirates and the Nationals, they’ve turned into a chest pounding, look-at-me bad joke. In the pressure of the NLCS, their defense has fallen apart, their offense has been inconsistent and their pitching ordinary.
The Cardinals shouldn’t, by any measure, be playing in October. They lost Adam Wainwright, one of their best pitchers, before the season even started. They struggled to score runs, Matt Holiday was in and out with illnesses and injuries and King Albert didn’t have his usual extraordinary season. They relied instead on Lance Berkman, who surprised everyone with an excellent offensive year in the twilight of his career. All Berkman did was hit over .300 with 31 homers and 94 RBIs after the Yankees and Astros gave up on him.
The Cardinals also added by subtracting. They unloaded Colby Rasmus, their every day center fielder who insisted on using dear old Dad as his hitting coach and added starting pitcher Edwin Jackson. Rasmus, presumably with his father’s help, batted .225 for Toronto. Jackson, since early September has won every game he’s pitched.
And so we head to Milwaukee for Game 6, with the Cardinals leading 3 games to 2. Tony LaRussa shuffling pitchers in and out with surgical precision and the Brewers beating their chests.
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