MLB Playoffs

Jeeeeeeesus Chris Myers.

What a coward.

 

Middle reliever doesn't mean "middle-innings reliever." Middle relievers are the guys who pitch between the starter and the closer -- the guys in the middle. At least, that's the impression I was always under. After all, under your definition, someone who pitches the seventh would not be a middle reliever.

 

Something else to think about here:

Because it was an NL game, there was no DH. The pitcher's spot was due up in the bottom of the 9th. So if you bring in Wagner, you're only going to get him for that one inning. And if you still don't score in the bottom of the 9th, you're now going into extra innings without either of your top two relievers.

Heilman's got to be able to go a second inning there, especially since he was facing freakin Yadier Molina. If he can't get a .220 hitter out....

 

That is something I didn't take into account. Forgot the pitcher's spot was due up. Personally, I still would have brought in Wagner because I don't like the chance of not getting Wagner in the game, but it's not as cut-and-dried as I initially argued.

 

Cards had bottom of the order coming up.... puhhhhhlease!

 

I viewed the Boone game as Torre treating a game 7 with the sense of urgency he should have had earlier in the series against Florida. Weaver was no Heilman nor Mendoza, Nelson, Stanton or anyone else who you had any reason could perform for you. You can't save your closer for the save situation that you are making sure will never come about. He tried to steal an inning, and he paid for it. That's a gamble you can't take in a WS game, they're too valuable.

 

Guy, rightly or wrongly, saving one's closer in tied road games is standard managerial operating procedure in the 21st century. It's not a case where you can point a finger at Joe, but at all managers. In 2006, it's one reason why Mike Timlin got so many early-season losses, while Papelbon and his couldn't-be-seen-with-an-electron-microscope ERA sat in the bullpen watching.

 

Many things that are standard operating procedure in the 21st century are unwise, especially in high stakes games.

 

Not that I really miss him or anything, but what did Fox do with Luis Gonzalez, or did they realize he added nothing to the broadcast?

 

From Jon Heyman at SI.com today on the Wagner/Heilman decision:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/jon_heyman/10/23/scoop.monday/1.html

It's also almost universally acknowledged around baseball that Randolph had no choice but to employ someone other than Billy Wagner in the key ninth inning, and that Aaron Heilman was one of the best two candidates (though Randolph had shown more faith in Guillermo Mota previously) to deal with the righty-swinging bottom of the Cardinals order. Wagner just wasn't the same guy in that series.

 

Just another opinion.

I still think Heilman was the better choice in that situation given Wagner's history in tie games and his mediocrity in this postseason.
I also thought the idea of Floyd looing for a 3-run homer or somebdy else to bunt was a 50-50 choice.
Niether choice worked. That's baseball. No big deal.

 

Just watching this game on DVR, given how hot-headed Kenny Rogers always seems to be, why wouldn't he make it a point to ask the ump to inspect Rogers' hand there? If nothing else, maybe that gets in Rogers' head, which wouldn't be the worst thing in the world given how dominant he's been this postseason.