Ken Rosenthal / FOXSports.com Posted: 10 hours ago Justice prevailed, don't you think? A team that loses its manager and center fielder to ejections merits no sympathy. A team that melts down when the pressure is most intense gets what it deserves. The Cardinals' Tony La Russa is a Hall of Fame manager, but there's a side of him that is unbecoming, a point where his hypercompetitive personality becomes counterproductive, a moment seemingly every season when his tightly wound team snaps. It happened again Sunday in Game 4 of the NLCS. Plate umpire Phil Cuzzi was brutal, his strike zone a floating casino. But that doesn't excuse the Cardinals' deplorable conduct, which actually started when La Russa publicly challenged umpire Wally Bell to call a tight strike zone on Astros right-hander Roger Clemens the day before. If you believe in the baseball gods — and you might as well, seeing as how there is no logical explanation for half of what happens in the sport — then you believe that the right team won Sunday, with the Astros holding on for an electrifying 2-1 victory and a 3-1lead in the NLCS. You believe that it was only fitting when the Astros' Willy Taveras sprinted up Tal's Hill in deep center field to grab a shot by pinch-hitter John Rodriguez, who had replaced the ejected Jim Edmonds, for the final out of the eighth inning. Rodriguez, after entering the game on a 3-2 count and fouling off two pitches, felt certain he had driven the ball over Taveras' head for an extra-base hit that likely would have tied the score. Finally, you believe that it was only proper that the Cardinals suffered a final heartbreak when Astros reserve second baseman Eric Bruntlett and shortstop Adam Everett turned a seemingly impossible, game-ending 4-6-3 double play on a slow roller by John Mabry. The Cardinals had started the inning with runners on first and third and none out. If Everett's throw hadn't beaten Mabry, Larry Walker would have scored from third with the tying run. The Cardinals are admirable in so many ways, grinding victory after victory during the regular season, playing at an impeccably high level even when short-handed. Perhaps they should take a cue from their fans, who are perhaps the most polite in the majors. When cornered, the Cardinals freak. Sunday was merely an extension of Game 4 of last year's World Series, when the Cardinals, on the verge of getting swept, repeatedly argued with plate umpire Chuck Meriwether about his strike zone. Cuzzi's zone was inconsistent for both teams Sunday, confounding scouts from the Angels and White Sox who were sitting behind the plate, not to mention everyone else at Minute Maid Park. But were any Astros ejected? No. The Cardinals, though, refuse to accept their shortcomings when they've got a chance to blame others. La Russa declined comment about his ejection, but when asked about Edmonds, he referred to "certain latitudes" that MLB supposedly allows during the postseason, when tensions are higher. Edmonds, naturally, denied exceeding those latitudes. He said he merely asked Cuzzi why a high, inside pitch to him was called a strike — and claimed that Cuzzi responded, "Don't you come back and f------ argue with me." Cuzzi did not give his version of the exchange; Major League Baseball declined to make him and the rest of the umpiring crew available for comment. A MLB spokesperson said that La Russa and Edmonds were thrown out for arguing balls and strikes, which is automatic cause for ejection, requiring no further explanation. Then again, perhaps MLB simply wanted to avoid a repeat of the Doug Eddings news conference after Game 2 of the ALCS, in which Eddings came off like some kind of Bill Clinton in blue. "I don't think we lost control at all," Edmonds said. "Tony thought the situation called for him to argue. I just asked why it was a strike when it hadn't been a strike all day. I didn't get the response I thought I deserved. ... "I thought we're supposed to be able to argue, to go back-and-forth, to be professional. That's all I was trying to do. Get up there so he could hear me and I could hear him. I wasn't trying to make a scene, be loud or show him up. I just wanted to ask him a question." Well, Edmonds admitted to telling Cuzzi that he "can do a better job," a provocative comment, considering that his manager had been ejected a half-inning before. La Russa's outburst also was ill-timed; he stomped around the field for several minutes, arguing with Cuzzi, then crew chief Tim McClelland — all with the bases loaded and one out in a tie game, and Cardinals reliever Jason Marquis waiting to face Astros cleanup hitter Morgan Ensberg. When play resumed, Ensberg hit a sacrifice fly, giving the Astros the lead. The Cardinals, true to their nature, fought hard to the end, but now they must win three straight games against the Astros' Andy Pettitte, Roy Oswalt and Roger Clemens to reach their second consecutive World Series. Enough chirping about the umpires and other perceived demons. The
I keep hearing about how classy their fans are from the media and even our players but today, I had a different perspective. I work in downtown and our building put up huge banners on the catwalks between buildings saying "Go Astros" or something. I show up today and see that someone has spray painted "Cards" over "Astros" in red. I have no idea how they reached something so high without a cherry picker as there is no ledge anywhere near it. But my point is, their fans don't seem so classy to me anymore. If anyone drives into downtown and takes the Jefferson exit, you can see it and know what I'm talking about.
haha, but to be fair, if someone had spraypainted the same thing in st louis we'd think it was awesome. maybe i just think its funny bc were the ones up 3-1.
That's a strange take. I haven't heard anyone actually defend the action against Edmonds. The ump made an absolutely horrendous call and should've just realized that and let Edmonds say his peace. Really sucks to win that way.
I think Edumbs said the "f-word" and that gets you tossed. I also don't think you can argue balls and strikes at all.
the official statement from MLB was just that. you can't argue balls and strikes...it's grounds for getting tossed automatically. and when you throw in the "f" word...well...you're gone.
I haven't watched too many games this year, relatively, but I've watched every playoff game, and I have a question: why do Bobby Cox and Tony LaRussa act like such pu**ies? Geez, Cox was coming on to the field every inning, and LaRussa actually says to the national media that he hopes the umpire calls it fair when Clemens is pitching. What, are they that insecure about their team that they feel they have to get an edge that way? Seems to me that these managers, who have won far more playoff games than Garner, are being much bigger babies by far. Just an observation.
that's been LaRussa's way forever. that's what he's known for. and it's one of the reasons why so few people like the guy. most respect him...but few like him. i don't like his style, period. he comes off as an ass and he over-manages like crazy. but he's won lots and lots of ballgames.
Of course MLB is going to say that - they don't want people thinking the games aren't fair for both sides. Stl. fans would be saying the same thing if it had happened to Houston, and this BBS would be outraged. Guys argue balls and strikes all the time, and they don't get tossed out. That pitch wasn't even close; and then to throw the guy out after you cost him first base - I just can't feel good about an injustice like that.
I say screw 'em. We spent the whole regular season looking up at them, by as much as 15 games or so after our crappy start... and all the media could dwell on was what a juggernaut they were and who would be the unlucky cannon fodder to face them in the playoffs as they squaredanced their way to the Series. Now the bastards are getting chopped off at the knees and Pu-Hole and Nostrils Edmonds and the Genius can't handle it. And it's obvious they have a suspect bullpen after all. They gagged last year against the Red Sox and they're doing it now. To my thinking, they're no more clutch than the Braves.
i agree with you. i thought it was a horrible call. and i thought kicking edmonds out of the game in that situation was ridiculous. but i'm still feeling fine about the series! honestly, the strike zone sucked for everyone yesterday. the strike zone in game 1 for isringhausen was ridiculous. i wasn't surprised at all when LaRussa got thrown out, and frankly I think he planned on it.
Because it works. Players respect their manager sticking up for them. There was big thing about this in some of the leadup to the Braves making the playoffs. A lot of ex-players - even ones that left on bad terms - said the reason Bobby Cox gets so much out of his players and why not one ex-player ever has said anything bad about him is that he'll defend you on and off the field. Essentially, the managers try to do it so the players can just focus on the game instead of whining themselves (obviously it didn't work yesterday!). Same reason basketball coaches whine and complain too - ultimately, it works.
My only contention with the article is this. Eddings didn't dance around the issue with a slick perspective that leaves most satisfied with the response without truly answering the question directly--I don't see how he can be construed as “Clinton-esk”. However Eddings did stubbornly refuse to acknowledge what was an obvious series of mistakes and remained adamant about his lost cause. There are much better president models to make such an umpire-president analogy. BTW, yes La Russa should have been tossed, no, Edmunds should not of. I hate it when refs/umps think they are bigger than the game, especially in high-intensity playoff situations. Remember Drexler-Steve Jaffe incident where the latter was capital a-hole in the wrong situation to be one and whose NBA career should have been over instantly? (I think it was Jaffe, if not I apologize)
To throw Edmunds out with full count and two outs in 1 run playoff game was lame. The ump made a bad decision even if it was technically allowable for him to do so. Yes Edmunds made a bad decision to argue the call as well, but tossing a player for that in that kind of situation is unprecedented. The Umps are there to keep the game fair. I am very happy that we won, and tossing Edwards may or may not have changed that outcome, but it was the wrong decision by the ump.
Edmunds's ejection depends on what he said or the frequency he said it......not in the fact that the underlying principles in his argument were correct. Even though it sucks when it happens to your team. Bad calls happen. I wish professional sports leagues would be open about punishments/investigations into misconduct by officials.
Jim Edmonds shouldn't have lost his mind with a 3-2 count in a pressure situation. Edmonds was yapping at the ump all night long, and dropped a couple naughty words on the ump after that pitch. The ump was poor - but Edmonds was worse for losing his cool in an important situation, and he deserved to be tossed.
