Starting Pitching, Anyone?

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.