NLCS: St. Louis Cardinals vs. New York Mets

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Ladies and gentleman, I think we can say that Billy Wagner cannot pitch in these type of situations. He's just not clutch

 

...

 

or maybe it's because it's not a save situation

 

...

 

or was he pitching to the score?

 

....

 

it was probably just [insert wild, old school baseball cliche here]

[NYU 0]

Guys, Billy Wagner is awful. Just like I said after Game 2. For fuck's sake, he's So Taguchi. Not Joe DiMaggio.

 

John Maine was amazing though. What a clutch performance.

It doesn't matter that they won, does it? Let's hope Wagner pitches two scoreless innings in a tied game tomorrow night, only to see the Cards win it in extras off someone like *draws random name from hat* Roberto Hernandez. They'll have lost the series, but at least Wagner will have been clutch, essentially making it a wash.

 

Are you kidding? No, seriously. If it wasn't for Lo Duca's hit in the 7th, this series would probably be over.

 

Wagner proved my point even further tonight about his ability in clutch games -- and your eyes are STILL closed.

[devo 0]

I really hate to buy into the stereotype, but Wagner just should not pitch in non-save situations. The Mets have a good enough bullpen that they don't have to go to him every time they have a lead in the ninth.

 

Well, in any case, the hard part's over. I'm a tad concerned about tomorrow's starter still being up in the air, but at least both teams have the threat of elimination breathing down their necks now. I can only hope that the trend of mediocre Cardinals pitchers having tremendous starts doesn't continue tomorrow.

 

Let's go Mets!

[NYU 0]

I can't say enough about Maine's performance tonight. I thought he did an excellent job -- one of the best games I've ever seen him pitch. And, in retrospect, Lo Duca's hit was just so so important. The Mets played smart baseball tonight, and they were rewarded for it.

 

I'm more than a little nervous about Randolph using Perez on short rest for Game 7 tomorrow night. If it works out, I'll give him all the credit in the world. I really think they should stick with Darren Oliver but hopefully they'll keep Perez on a very short leash.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

It's interesting that someone would praise Lo Duca and damn Wagner's performance in the same post without even mentioning that it was Lo Duca's pitch calling that damn near cost them the game in the 9th. Funny how some people see what they want to see.

[NYU 0]

...what?!

 

1) First off, I praised Lo Duca's hitting tonight. Which has nothing to do with his pitching.

 

2) Lo Duca didn't have trouble getting his fastball up to normal speed tonight. He didn't pitch the ball. It was Wagner who had this problem. And it was Wagner who had trouble placing his pitches, particularly against Taguchi. Not Lo Duca.

[naiwf 0]

Props to Maine, Reyes, Mota and Lo Duca. Wagner was the drizzling shits again, and I'd rather see Heilman go 2 if need be. Wagner cannot be trusted in a Game 7.

 

Darren Oliver was listed as the starter on ESPN hours ago and that works for me. I don't really know how tomorrow's game goes but I just hope that the Mets get an early lead so TLR can kill his bullpen and double switch himself out of options. It's amazing that there will be a game 7 in this series when the Cards have played 1 really good game so far.

[Gert T 0]

Game 3 and Game 5 is one game?

 

Maine did awesome tonight, as a Cards fan I was disgusted to see him get out of the first inning, its like you knew "damnit if the Mets score first, they are probably going to win tonight, Maine will settle down. Carpenter pitched well too tonight, just too bad he had to leave the game to be PH, but I understand the move down two runs.

 

For Mets fans, it has to be optimistic to see Edmonds and Rolen reprising their role in the 2004 World Series (1-18 combined I believe). I hate to bash people on the team that I like, but these guys aren't even making productive outs.

 

Game 7 should be fun tomorrow night.

[Guest Felonies!]

What are the odds we get to hear "Meet the Mets" if they win the pennant tonight?

[iggymcfly 0]

Does anyone else think it's crazy that Oliver Perez is pitching tomorrow? I mean I could have seen Trachsel or Oliver, but pitching a guy with an ERA north of 6.00 on three days rest just seems stupid to me.

[Slayer 0]

Shit, I'm gonna miss Game 7 tonight due to the Zappa concert.

[The Man in Blak 0]

Does anyone else think it's crazy that Oliver Perez is pitching tomorrow? I mean I could have seen Trachsel or Oliver, but pitching a guy with an ERA north of 6.00 on three days rest just seems stupid to me.

 

It's risky, but I don't think it's necessarily crazy, per se. Perez is the proverbial roll of the dice - he could come out and throw seven shutout innings with nine strikeouts and five hits, or he could come out and give up seven runs in three and a third; the catch here is that Randolph has the capability, with Oliver in reserve, to employ a quick hook on Perez if things start to turn sour. With all hands on deck, I could easily see Perez going two or three innings, giving up two runs, and then handing off to Darren Oliver to bridge to middle relief.

 

As far as Game 6 goes, the worst thing about Wagner's performance is the fact that he was even out there in the first place. Not because he has some unbelievable knack for blowing non-save situations, but because Heilman had thrown all of twelve pitches in the eighth and could have easily gone into the ninth, in my opinion. Wagner threw 20+ pitches in the ninth and, perhaps more importantly, gave Cardinal hitters an extended look at his stuff, should Randolph actually decide to bring him into a tight situation in Game 7.

[Guest Felonies!]

Shit, I'm gonna miss Game 7 tonight due to the Zappa concert.

That's like saying "shit, I'm gonna miss my Hungry Man because I'm going out for steak. With blowjobs."

[CanadianChris 0]

It's not going to matter who the Mets throw out there, because they're banging Suppan for 6-7 runs tonight. I couldn't live in a world where Jeff Suppan was NLCS MVP.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

I still can't figure out why Oliver Perez and Darren Oliver are considered better options than Aaron Heilman.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

It's not going to matter who the Mets throw out there, because they're banging Suppan for 6-7 runs tonight. I couldn't live in a world where Jeff Suppan was NLCS MVP.

Someone pointed out to be that no one knows how Suppan will handle the pressure. Suppan won game four of the 2004 NLDS and game 7 of the 2004 NLCS. He'd done it before.

 

I still can't figure out why Oliver Perez and Darren Oliver are considered better options than Aaron Heilman.

Because Heilman hasn't made a start since last year, and he's 5-13 with a 5.93 career ERA when he does start.

 

I would make a bold move. Start Oliver Perez for one, maybe two innings. Then switch to Steve Trachsel. At that point LaRussa would either have to stick with less than favorable matchups, or burn his bench early. If he does burn his bench, you can go back to Darren Oliver, another lefty.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Because Heilman hasn't made a start since last year, and he's 5-13 with a 5.93 career ERA when he does start.

 

That's a red herring al, and you know it. It was 2003 when he was last getting regular work as a starter (his age 24 season). If you look at his peripheral numbers the past two years, he's almost become a completely different pitcher. I can't imagine that all of that was due to a switch to the bullpen. He seems to have #3/#4 starter stuff to me. Sure he hasn't started since the middle of last season, but that's no reason to discout his ability if put in that position.

 

Back to the Wagner front, I think there's more going on than a lack of "clutch" ability. Nobody was touching that fastball last night (even if he was only hitting 93), but they kept pounding the slider. Why did they keep going back to it? Is there a chance they were trying to show something different in case he was needed in game 7? Also, is there something to be said for lack of work that Wagner has been getting in the postseason? Could that be affecting the command of his breaking pitches?

[Guest NYankees]

I still can't figure out why Oliver Perez and Darren Oliver are considered better options than Aaron Heilman.

 

Because Heilman isn't conditioned to start a game and last over 5 innings. He cant pitch 2 innings at a time all year and then be expected to go out and start a game and keep his team in it for 6 innings. That would be like you running a quarter of a mile all year and then going out tonight and being able to run 3 miles non stop in 30 minutes time.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

I think I've been misunderstood. My question isn't so much regarding Heilman starting tonight, but why they have put themselves in the position to start drek like Perez and Oliver when they have a great in-house option right there. He should have been in the rotation a long time ago.

[TheShooter 0]

Looks like oddsmakers have Mets as the favorites tonight. Hard to believe considering the pitching matchups.

 

Well, I guess the fact that the Cards offense is about as fearsome as the Padres', and Puljos sucks dick could have something to do with it, but still...

[Guest NYankees]

Looks like oddsmakers have Mets as the favorites tonight. Hard to believe considering the pitching matchups.

 

Well, I guess the fact that the Cards offense is about as fearsome as the Padres', and Puljos sucks dick could have something to do with it, but still...

 

 

The Mets are favorites due to history. Teams that are down 3-2 and win game 6 at home wins 99 percent of the time the 7th game at home.

[Slayer 0]

Shit, I'm gonna miss Game 7 tonight due to the Zappa concert.

That's like saying "shit, I'm gonna miss my Hungry Man because I'm going out for steak. With blowjobs."

Or like saying "shit, Czech's gonna miss (event) due to the Zappa con..."

 

Wait, nevermind

[snuffbox 0]

Good thing the Mets aren't going with old Steve Trachsel tonight.

[CanadianChris 0]

I would make a bold move. Start Oliver Perez for one, maybe two innings. Then switch to Steve Trachsel. At that point LaRussa would either have to stick with less than favorable matchups, or burn his bench early. If he does burn his bench, you can go back to Darren Oliver, another lefty.

I had the exact same thought when I heard Perez was starting. It's Game 7, you may as well throw everyone out there. You also have the advantage of no one getting very tired. Of course, that didn't seem to matter with Trachsel in Game 3, but whatever.

 

Al, did you see Rob Neyer's article today about how Perez is the worst starting pitcher for a Game 7 in history? Suppan was right at the bottom of the list as well.

[Guest Felonies!]

Man, I should be missing something for Zappa, but I don't want to drive to the Twin Cities.

[NYU 0]

Al, did you see Rob Neyer's article today about how Perez is the worst starting pitcher for a Game 7 in history? Suppan was right at the bottom of the list as well.

 

That article looked interesting. Unfortunately, there's no chance I'm willing to become an ESPN Insider to read it.

[devo 0]

Bah. I was hoping the Mets wouldn't follow the hanky-waving trend.

[randomguy 0]

Nice fielding there Delgado. Perez looks really sharp though.

 

OMG GREEN DROPPED THE BALL!!!

 

No it was his hat falling off.

[devo 0]

Yeesh, I've never seen that before. I didn't know the rule was you get the base if you're hit with a ball that hits the ground first.

[randomguy 0]

I've never seen that either. How does a ball bounce up and hit somebody in the face? Must have hit a weird lump in the dirt or something.