Jesus. He walked Berkman. Two strikes, and LaRussa had Isringhausen walk him. Maybe it wouldn't have made any difference. Maybe if Kline was healthy the Cards could've taken him down and brought Izzy in fresh to face Kent. Who knows?
Gotta give it up for the Astros. They've had an amazing run these last couple months and are now poised to make their first trip to the Series. That road goes through St. Louis, of course, but the Birds' bats haven't shown me anything these last three games. Without them, the weakness of the Cards' starting pitching is that much more apparent (Williams' one-hitter tonight aside).
Looking back on it, I have to blame The Wife. I didn't want to watch the game, seeing as how I've been bad luck to my team in both games I've attended and these last two I've watched on TV. But nooooo, she wanted to see it. Thanks, honey. Your punishment is living with my bitching for the next six months if St. Louis doesn't make it.
Oh, and fuck you, Fox. Those of us with satellite dishes in Houston weren't allowed to watch the last six innings of Boston's amazing win over New York to force Game 6. The scroll said we could switch to FX, but it seems Houston and St. Louis satellite subscribers were given the NLCS game on both stations. All they could tell me at KRIV (the Houston affiliate) was that there was "something between the network and the satellite providers," though Time Warner cable subscribers got to see both games.
Bleah.
For those who've asked: yes, I will root for Houston if they make the World Series. I'm a National League boy, and will be only too happy to cheer against the Yankees, should they end up representing the AL. Nothing against Boston, except we got thrown out of the Black Rose pub on our honeymoon, and I didn't think it was possible to get tossed from a bar in Beantown.
That was an awesome game. What a player Backe has become. Also incredible is Lidge, pitching shutout baseball for the third consecutive night.
Now let the endless agonizing about game 6 pitching begin. Clemens on short rest has not impressed.
Hang in - it's not over yet and you can still come back.
And if it's any consolation, only the best can be thrown out of the Black Rose. (Something we have in common.)
Sounds this morning like Garner's going with Munro for Game 6. If St. Louis gets through him, you'll see Clemens in Game 7, with Oswalt availble in the bullpen.
Sounds this morning like Garner's going with Munro for Game 6. If St. Louis gets through him, you'll see Clemens in Game 7, with Oswalt availble in the bullpen.
That is the news that I've been absolutely dreading. If that pans out, the Cardinals are toast, I fear, and BP's postseason odds Monte Carlo simulations:
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/statistics/postseasonodds.html
tend to confirm that.
I'm in "expect the worst and maybe, with luck, you'll be pleasantly surprised" mode, but that's a defense mechanism to prevent me from being depressed through at least Opening Day next season. I'm predicting the Astros to win in 7, and terrified that they'll win in 6 (the Bad Matt Morris shows up to start, gets shelled for ten runs in his first third of an innning, and we just can't quite make up the deficit). I'll be ecstatic if this is the "Dewey defeats Truman" prediction of my career, however.
The Silver Lining: the Sox and the Yankees are apparently are using up their pitching like a idiot driving his Hummer coast to coast will use up gas. No matter who wins the NLCS, they'll be in excellent position to feast on some tired pitchers.
hang in there, Pete.