I think we should go with Munro in game one, if Williams is on the mound for St. Louis. Woody certainly isn't unhitable, so hopefully the offense will put up a lot of runs. I just don't like the odds of running Backe out there on short rest, in his first ROAD playoff game...he doesn't have great stamina as it is from what we've seen. We also didn't use Lidge in game 5 of the Atlanta series, so he should be good for 2 innings if Munro gives us five and the bullpen can hold them off for two. Like I said, we really are going to need the offense to put up a lot of runs in game 1, I think. The game two starter should be determined on the outcome of game 1...if we lose, I think you've got to throw Clemens out there for game 2. He's a gamer, if there's one guy who can do it he can.
i guess it doesn't matter if munro is actually starting game 1 now but backe on 3 days rest with that kids ridiculous energy level is probably not all that different then 4 day rest for most pitchers. i honestly think pitching him game 1 or game 2 wouldn't really make a difference in his stuff, but well i'm no expert.
clemens on 3 days rest is fine but i don't think we can risk it 2 times in a row. it's fact now that the guy was just drained and as much as we have to ride our 2 aces the playoffs are also sometimes about the unknowns stepping it up and making a name for themselves. give clemens and oswalt their normal rest then if you need them on short rest after that, use them. backe(who has done it twice now already) and munro will have to give their all. game 1 - munro game 2 - backe game 3 - clemens game 4 - oswalt game 5 - backe game 6 - clemens game 7 - oswalt
Backe's still a young guy and i think he can recover from it a lot better than the older pitchers. I am sure Garner is going to keep a watch on him and not let him get into too much trouble and then go to our bullpen. The aces are the ones we need to really have some rest to make sure they are just fine for their games.
Whether it is Backe or Munro in game I could careless. All I want to see is 10 runs on the board. We have to score early and often. We should at least score in the first inning. Williams will not get out in the first without giving up some runs. Runs, runs and more runs is what the doctor ordered in the first two games at least.
Here's mine: Wednesday: Showers in the morning becoming less numerous in the afternoon. High around 65F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Wednesday night: Cloudy with showers. Low around 45F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Thursday: Showers. Highs in the mid 50s and lows in the upper 30s. Fri - Clemens Sat - Oswalt Sun - Backe Mon - Munro Tue - Clemens (3 days rest) Wed - Oswalt (3 days rest) Thur - Backe (3 days rest)
That would have been so sweet. Man, if Roger retires again after this year, but miller and pettite get back healthy and have seasons like they're suppose too, a oswalt, pettitte, miller, backe rotation would still be a heck of a dangerous one in the post season. But if Roger decides to gut it out one more year The rotation can just be ridicoulously sick.
To answer the question earlier. Hernandez was left off the roster for the Braves series. Rosters are submitted before each series so he can be added for the Cardinals series if need be.
It is best to give Clemens and Oswalt their rest, look how long they lasted their last two starts. Granted they pitched well in their 5 innings each, but if we could get 8 innings out of each of them their next start, that would be a big boost.
I winced everytime I saw Pettite in the Dug-out, wearing his jacket and blowing bubbles instead of out on the mound slingin' the good breakin' stuff....hurts
