Suppan is awesome on the road. Roger pitches 8 innings giving up 1 run, but our bats only come up with 1 themselves. Lidge comes in to hold them in the ninth, but we lose in extra innings after pinch hitting for Lidge and putting in anyone else from our bullpen. Pugs
Game 3's (after the home team wins game 2) are always a traditional beat-down by the opposing team, no matter what sport you're playing. The fact that this is the most lopsided pitching matchup we'll have in the entire series only makes it more likely. The Astros... much like many here... are angry, and ready to take it out on STL. (of course, STL was actually better on the road... but none of that matters till game 4... game 3 is ours).
I am feeling rather confident about the whole series. I think the pitching match ups worked out to our advantage. Roger and Roy going this weekend and Backe (who pitches much better at home) on Monday. I really think that we can go back to STL up 3-2. Guess who pitches games 6 & 7...
Everyone in the bullpen not named Wheeler and Lidge is gunned down getting off the plane. Garner is forced fill out the remaining roster spots with the batboy, mascot, whichever fan is sitting in seat 302a, and an inanimate carbon rod. Clemens goes 7 and gives up 2. The inanimate carbon rod pitches out of a bases loaded jam in the 8th and Lidge shuts them down in order in the 9th. Astros win 5-2.
Where has Dan Wheeler been? Crimminies, should have let him bat if garner wasn't going to bring in lidge last night. Rocket goes seven and leaves up 3-2, wheeler takes it to lidge in the 9th. Stros 3-2 in the least scoring game of the series.
I'm going to repost this again: Garner really needs to think about retooling that bullpen. 1) Bench Miceli and Harville. 2) Have the starter go 5-6 innings. 3) Bring Wheeler in to do the 7th and 8th 4) And then have Lidge close the 9th. Simple and it's effective. Astros 6 Cards 2 Lidge is going to shut them down in the 9th. Bags is going to break out of this crappy slump.
What if the starter doesn't have his stuff? Wheeler's also an unknown. He's never proven to have anything beyond mediocre stuff. Miceli's had a decent year this year with a 3.50 era or so. You can't rely on two relievers and two relievers only, especially in this day and age.
He's a known in the past two games. ERA: 0.00. Miceli freaking sucks. We're talking about the playoffs here. Regular season gets you to the playoffs, but if you don't perform under pressure, what are you good for?
You don't decide to make a relative unknown your only bullpen pitcher outside of your closer, especially in the playoffs. It just doesn't work that way. Not to mention, Miceli doesn't suck. He sucked last night (even if I think that the two HRs were more because of the hitters than the pitcher), but that doesn't mean he hasn't been an effective reliever the rest of the season.
We are gonna have to, you can't put guys out there who have 10+ era's. I'm sorry. But Garner has to make this adjustment. IF he doesn't, you are throwing the series away. It's like Sending Kenny Smith in to play against Derrek Harper. You let him try, but if he's getting eaten up, you take him out and try something else. Wheeler is hot. The rest of the bullpen is not.
Wheeler has nasty stuff, the only knocks were that he is young and that he has control issues at times. Right now, he is way better than any other option. DD
Say what you want about Wheeler, but you don't ever go with one reliever outside of your closer. It's just not done, and for good reason.
OK We all know our BULLPEN sucks big NUTTZ (beside Lidge) I'm not worry about Sat/Sun games because I think Clemens/Oswalts can go thru 7innings & we bring n Lidge. But for Monday's game with Backe If he leaves early in the 5-6inning cant we bring in MUNRO? for 2inning on short rest since we dont plan to start him the rest of the series anyway. Munro looks alot better than ANY OF OUR SORRY ASS PEN!!!!! Backe/Munro/Lidge game 5
