# MLB: The Playoffs **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** baseball-mlb\ **Created:** [September 30, 2011, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185 "2011-09-30T18:45:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 31
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/601 "2011-10-25T03:44:47Z")
Another well pitched tight game. ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/602 "2011-10-25T03:50:04Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > Another well pitched tight game. Yeah, 22 men left on base and 3 combined errors speak well of the pitchers’ abilities of getting men out. ETA: Not to mention 13 combined walks and a HBP. Kind of an ugly game all around. Moreso for the Cards (obviously). ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/603 "2011-10-25T04:03:43Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > Another well pitched tight game. Before I saw who posted this, I assumed that it was someone parodying your own mantra.😉 ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/604 "2011-10-25T04:07:58Z")
Definitely an exciting game. But if that is “well pitched”, does good pitching have any meaning other than low scoring? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/605 "2011-10-25T04:30:13Z")
No. Larussa had a terrible, terrible game. They say managers don’t win games, they just avoid losing them; well, he lost this one. His team didn’t help but constantly letting the crappy Ranger pitching off the hook, but holy moly. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/606 "2011-10-25T05:17:20Z")
> [@Garfield226](#): > > Yeah, 22 men left on base and 3 combined errors speak well of the pitchers’ abilities of getting men out. > > ETA: Not to mention 13 combined walks and a HBP. Kind of an ugly game all around. Moreso for the Cards (obviously). Yes pitchers are responsible for errors , I guess. The fact is you do not give a pro team 4 outs without paying for it. There were obviously lots of opportunities for the great hitters to score lots and lots of runs. I suppose pitchers had nothing to do with them not scoring. I have so much to learn. ---
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/607 "2011-10-25T05:45:53Z")
If you believe LaRussa’s choices in the late innings weren’t bizarre enough, after the game he said the reason he had to burn Lynn to issue an IBB was [the bullpen wasn’t paying attention.](http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Transcript-Tony-La-Russa-s-exhausting-bullpen-f?urn=mlb-wp25292) Really? ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/608 "2011-10-25T05:53:03Z")
That had to be one of the most bizarre things I’ve ever read / heard. How can you have the same mistake happen together, in such quick succession? ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/609 "2011-10-25T06:11:44Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > Yes pitchers are responsible for errors , I guess. Well, two of the three, in this game. Did you even watch it? ---
**Author:** ![Tully\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7ab992/32.png) [@Tully\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tully_Mars)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/610 "2011-10-25T11:30:49Z")
Some observations: That was an ugly, sloppy, but exciting game. Both teams are tired and it showed badly last night. A rainout Wednesday night would not be the worst thing that could happen. Early in the game, I thought the home plate umpire was giving Carpenter an unfair advantage with a wide (especially inside), low strike zone. After a few innings, I realized he was probably giving Wilson the same advantage, Wilson just couldn’t hit the spots. Felize just doesn’t want to make it simple and easy, does he? ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/611 "2011-10-25T12:11:18Z")
No, he never does. Two nights ago, Game 4, was a perfect example. Although in 4 and 5 both he’s pounded his thigh in frustration, so it’s not _entirely_ by design. ---
**Author:** ![Tully\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7ab992/32.png) [@Tully\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tully_Mars)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/612 "2011-10-25T12:12:08Z")
> [@installLSC](#): > > If you believe LaRussa’s choices in the late innings weren’t bizarre enough, after the game he said the reason he had to burn Lynn to issue an IBB was [the bullpen wasn’t paying attention.](http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Transcript-Tony-La-Russa-s-exhausting-bullpen-f?urn=mlb-wp25292) Really? I just now read that. That is hilarious. It’s a good thing for the Cardinals that the remaining games are in St. Louis. If not and if that story became widely known, every time the bullpen coach reached for the phone, the noise level in the ball park would go up a few dB. Crowd noise, heh. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/613 "2011-10-25T12:16:44Z")
When was Carpenter yelling at Napoli? Was that at inning’s end when he drew his arm back like an archer? Young was questioned about it postgame but I wasn’t aware of any issue until then. ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/614 "2011-10-25T12:18:59Z")
How can anyone mix up Rzepczynski and Motte? ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/615 "2011-10-25T12:33:09Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > What the holy hell is La Russa doing running guys with Pujols hitting? He’s thrown away two outs and two rallies. I only saw highlights with the sound off this morning, but it looked like he called for stealing second in the ninth inning _down by two runs_?!? Does that make sense in any world at all? The only possible gain is avoiding a double play, but you’ve got to be close to 100% sure that the batter will hit a double-play ball for that to make sense. In which case you should be pinch-hitting for the batter you don’t trust, not wasting an out with a steal. I’m sure the wisdom of the board can come up with a worse managing decision made in the World Series, sometime, but if I did see it right, this has to be close. (And that’s not even getting into the bunts in early innings…has he been doing this all series?) ---
**Author:** ![Uncle\_Jocko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uncle_jocko/32/2932_2.png) [@Uncle\_Jocko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncle_Jocko)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/616 "2011-10-25T13:17:48Z")
It wasn’t a straight steal - it was a hit and run. Pujols had to either get the bat on the ball or take that pitch a foot outside for ball four. A swing and a miss pretty much guarantees the strike-him-out throw-him-out double play, and that’s what we got. What a frustrating game for a Cardinals fan. They should have had about six runs by the seventh inning, which makes all the bullpen foofarah moot. Seems to me the St. Louis batters had a terrible approach, and were constantly behind in the count and swinging defensively with two strikes. All game long! That’s one reason why Pujols took that terrible swing at ball four and killed whatever chance the Cards had in the ninth. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/617 "2011-10-25T13:40:10Z")
That game was sort of a microcosm of all of the “bad” Cardinals games this year. Bad managing (4 outs given away - 2 sac bunts and two ill-advised H&Rs), bad bullpen management, complete lack of timely hitting, and brutal double plays. Oh, and the game lost by the bullpen. Just awful. Still, I guess the bright side is that if you told me in late August that the Cardinals would win the World Series if they won two games in a row at home, I’d take it. Here’s hoping the hit luck turns, the stupid decisions stop, and we at least get a Game 7. ETA: Actually, 5. There were apparently 3 sac bunts - my brain must have blocked one of them out. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/618 "2011-10-25T14:31:21Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > That game was sort of a microcosm of all of the “bad” Cardinals games this year. Yeah, it was, wasn’t it? Exactly why they were in the position they were in in late August. We’ll see if the September magic returns. I find that I am rooting for them, sort of. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/619 "2011-10-25T15:10:35Z")
> [@installLSC](#): > > … he said the reason he had to burn Lynn to issue an IBB was [the bullpen wasn’t paying attention.](http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Transcript-Tony-La-Russa-s-exhausting-bullpen-f?urn=mlb-wp25292) Truly bizarre. > [@](#): > > La Russa: I said “Get Motte up” and they heard “Lynn.” We’re supposed to believe that when, over a bad phone connection, the Manager asks for a pitcher who was previously declared out of consideration, the bullpen doesn’t say something along the lines of “Lynn? You really want the guy you said wouldn’t play tonight?” ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/620 "2011-10-25T15:58:20Z")
Who does he blame for using Boggs in game three? That decision was at least as bad. When I saw Boggs’ stats before he started pitching, I thought “isn’t this a guy you only use if you’ve given up on the game?” The Cardinals were lucky to be in that game after Jackson walking six or seven guys, and they missed a lot of opportunities last night but still could have won. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185.md?page=30) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185.md?page=32)