Our bullpen isn't good. It doesn't suck. Give some credit to the Cardinals hitters. They aren't hitting groved pitches out of the park. They are hitting seeing eye grounders or putting very good swings on good pitches. Maybe they hit off of Lidge too, who knows. I'm not saying Garner deserves a free pass by any means. Not putting in Lidge in the 8th is a screw up. You can't lose a close game like that without your best pitcher on the field. But taking out Munro or Backe when he did wasn't really a choice. It's a lose, lose situation at that point. Backe said afterwards he was gassed. Munro was not looking very good at that point (and clearly rattled I'd say). Pujols, Edmonds, Walker, and Rolen made good swings when they needed too. Give them credit for exploiting our weakness while we weren't exploiting theirs.
Miceli's stats: Wins - 6 Losses - 6 ERA - 3.59 Games - 74 Saves - 2 Save Opportunities - 8 Innings - 77.2 Hits - 74 Runs - 34 Earned Runs -31 HR - 10 BB - 27 Strikeouts - 83 OK stats for the season, but I notice the 10 HRs he gave up (among relievers on the team, he was 2nd on the team in giving up HRs - Gallo is 1st, but hasn't pitched much in the playoffs). Playoff Stats: 4 games, 0-2, 8.31 ERA, 3 HRs. Springer, Harville, and Qualls weren't so great, but each of them have given up only 1. When Miceli pitched to Rolen and Pujols, I knew right away something wrong was going to happen. Garner needs to bench Miceli.
Miceli's stats in September, post injury when he established himself as the set up man to Lidge: 13 games 1-0 0.84 ERA 10.2 IP 15 Ks 10 hits 3 BBs 0 HRs
I knew when Wheelers spot came up to bat, that they would pinch hit, if Garner would have let him bat, he would have hearing about that too. We will win the next two, I want to come to work monday morning in a good mood not all pissed off.
You keep changing your criteria. So essentially, every player's history is erased when the playoffs start? Too bad that every manager who has ever managed in this playoffs disagrees with this.
Look codell, Miceli has been bad luck. He gives up Furcal's HR. He then gives up back to back to Pujols and Rolen. This bullpen except for Wheeler and Lidge has sucked. Your criteria is on a career basis. I'm talking about now. Why are you doing it on a career basis? A manager looking at someone throwing beachballs wouldn't be looking on an overall basis and say "On an overall basis, he's still ok."
One of the funniest posts I've ever seen. Thanks for making me laugh about the Astros when I'm so bummed out about 'em. All I can think of is those 2 inufiating home runs given up by Miceli. The annoying thing to me is, if and WHEN the Astros win the next 2 games the series will be 2-2. Quite possibly even 3-2 Astros after Backe pitches. It's frustrating to know that if they win those 3, the series should be over then in Houston. After Rog and Roy pitch, it should be least 3-1 Astros, but noooo, Garner is trying to make the series as tough as possible with his management of the pitching staff.
Astros 7 Cardinals 4 The "Killer B's" have to build up enough of a lead with Clemens on the mound to absorb whatever damage "the Killer Chad's" allow in the late innings. If we can't hand the ball directly from Clemens to Lidge, we're basically done.
I'm not taking nWo34Life's side here, but Russ Springer's career postseason ERA is 1.29. That doesn't mean I trust him with the game on the line. Also, to be fair, 5.0 of the 10.2 IP of Miceli's September stats are against Milwaukee and Pittsburgh.
and Jay Powell was the winning pitcher in game 7 of the 1997 Florida Marlins World Series Championship. woo hoo.
What have you done for me lately? You could have pitched 3 no hitters last year, but if you lose 2 playoff games this year, you are about as good as Bullinger.
Just to let you know i am going to try out for the Astros Bullpen next year....anyone can apparently make it and i have a mean 70 MPH fast ball with a 30 mph Change up....try hitting that.... Astros Win All three to take it back to St. Louis We have had our backs against the wall all season and we have prevailed. maybe we need that pressure to push us over the top and if that is the case so be it. Everyone lets just get happy and start rooting for our team. We didn't think we would get the wild card - WE DID We thought it was over in Atlanta - GUess what Furcal is in Jail and we are in the NLCS We are down 2-0 to the Cardinals - SO WHAT it will soon be 4-2 Astros winning. LETS GO STROS.
