For a manager that prides himself on putting his players in a position to win, St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa did just the opposite on Friday night. It cost Adam Wainwright his 20th victory of the season and certainly some Cy Young Award votes.
Coming off a 130-pitch outing in his last start and breezing through the mandatory five innings with a six-run lead, Wainwright’s first-ever 20-win season seemed assured.
Just the day before in a similar situation, La Russa took Chris Carpenter out after five innings with a nine-run lead in Cincinnati. The bullpen finished the final four innings to preserve Carp’s 17th win.
For reasons only La Russa knows, he kept Wainwright in for the sixth despite the 6-0 score. My guess is that he wanted Wainwright to put an exclamation point on his Cy Young candidacy in his final regular season start.
Back-to-back doubles with two out put visiting Milwaukee on the board, yet after ducking primary Brewers power threat Prince Fielder with an intentional-unintentional walk, Wainwright reached back to fan Mike Cameron to escape with only one run in.
Again, for reasons only La Russa knows, he had Wainwright bat in the bottom of the sixth and return to the mound for the seventh inning despite the 6-1 score. It was obvious his starter had struggled in the previous frame, but he asked Wainwright, already the NL leader in innings pitched, to get three more outs. He would get none.
After yielding a pair of singles, Wainwright exited the game in favor of reliever Kyle McClellan. Still all smiles, Wainwright took a curtain call from the cheering Cardinals faithful.
From there, it got downright ugly. Before McClellan was done, Wainwright’s smile was gone along with his 20th win and so was the Cardinals’ entire five-run lead.
After a walk and a strikeout, the first inherited run scored on a wild pitch. The second came home on a single, adding two runs to Wainwright’s ERA. Though he was getting pitches up and fooling no one, McClellan was left in the game. The third consecutive Milwaukee single plated the first run charged to McClellan to cut the Cardinals lead to two.
For reasons only La Russa knows, he kept McClellan in the game for more punishment. A double by number three hitter Ryan Braun plated two more, erasing the Cardinals lead and throwing Wainwright’s 20th win right out the window.
Only then did McClellan depart with two on and the score tied. After Trever Miller secured the second out, Jason Motte wild-pitched the lead run home. Amazingly, the Cardinals were suddenly down 7-6. Busch Stadium was transformed into a morgue.
The wheels fell completely off as five more Milwaukee runs came home, making the final score 12-6. Twelve unanswered runs for the Brewers in the Cardinals’ house, doubling up the score and untucking their jerseys, is inexcusable.
It would be easy to chastise McClellan for the rough outing, as five of his six batters faced reached base and four of them scored. Yet does anyone doubt that he was trying his hardest?
Just as La Russa and pitching coach Dave Duncan rode Wainwright too long, they compounded the problem by repeating their error with the floundering McClellan. With an expanded roster, there were plenty of fresh arms available.
During his earlier years in St. Louis, I was often critical of La Russa for keeping his starters in too long in appearing to chase individual goals, usually starters’ wins. In all fairness, I have not seen it very often in the last few seasons – until Friday, that is.
Now, everyone on the entire Cardinals team must feel terrible at the worst possible time as the club is just five days away from game one of the NLDS.
Wainwright lost his 20th and maybe his Cy Young Award. McClellan had his worst outing of the season and a blown save. Motte, Dennys Reyes, Mitchell Boggs and even the defense picked up the bad karma.
La Russa is a legitimate contender for the 2009 Manager of the Year Award for good reason, demonstrated over 159 games. Unfortunately, game number 160 meant more than many of the previous ones and this time, he pushed all the wrong buttons.
As a result, what should have been a night of celebration turned into a horror show.
Once Wainy and #20 were gone, can anyone explain why Yadi was still in there. He could hardly get up and move after those that got by.
Another questionable decision on a night full of them.
Brian, truth be know, Tony was treating the pressure like a playoff game. This kids have no experience. They got some. The good part is John Smoltz will volunteer to go to the pen, which is what we need. On his initiative, which is important. Rick plays for Colby tomorrow. He needs to injury somebody soon if he is going to keep Freese.
In all fairness, the untucking by a team that hasn’t played to well should fire things up. If they can’t get it up tomorrow………… the playoffs will be short. We could end up going to Colorado. That would be pleasant.
I had to listen to Al and Dave for that whole shebang. agony………. but they always deliver the management garbage. Tonight it was Glaus moves DeRosa out………and Cinci firing their pitching coach was an opening being made for Dave………… you do realize Brian that those comments come right from Mo’s office. Both huge monetary advances. Watching Colorado bat against LA is like a clinic. The Cardinals can’t swing save for Holiday. Pujols did show some humility tonight though.
I came to this page tonight, enraged and placing McClellan in the same bin of inept bunglers as Motte and Wellemeyer. I leave this page tonight, educated and wishing all the rest of the less knowledgeable fans like myself could also see what you gentlemen have shown me. Unfortunately, the National League Manager of the Year will get away with the murder of Adam’s 20th win and the theft of his Cy Young award and poor McClellan will be crucified and placed in the same odious category as Buckner o’ the Bosox. Damn it! And just when Carp got our hitting engine to fire on all cylinders!
Bang on Brian! Chalk that blown save and loss totally up to the manager. That had to be TLR’s worst managerial performance all year and I certainly hope he had the gonads to own up to his ineptitude in the post-game presser. I had to turn the game off, I was so enraged because apparently Tony can’t hear you yelling at him through household appliances. To see the final score was just sickening. Normally TLR is a great manager, but then there are the days he out-manages himself. This actually wasn’t one of them however. He just didn’t manage this game at all. No excuse for what you did to Waino tonight Tony, none whatsoever. Adam was terrific up until, like Brian observed, you should have taken him out of the game. The only thing missing from McClellan’s wildly pathetic show was Crash Davis behind the plate. Kyle’s confidence must be completely shot now, but we know you’ll go right back to him in the playoffs and watch him get hammered again. Larussa couldn’t possibly have screwed things up any worse then he did tonight. He managed to turn what should have been a celebration into a wake.
Our best reliever tonight was Brad Thompson and thank you Brad, at least one person in the bullpen showed up for work tonight.
By the way, if that was Glaus’ idea of an audition for the post-season; well I sure hope he enjoys watching David Freese take advantage of the opportunity he’s now been given.
Kudos to you Brian for not sugarcoating the obvious.
CFS57 said:
“…Unfortunately, the National League Manager of the Year will get away with…”
What does Jim Tracy have to do with this?
Lets remember that blame is shared by others, those whose job it is to perform when their name is called. Niether Wainy nor Kyle (may his name be cursed) was asked to do anything that he should not have been expected to do. Given that Tony was looking to Kyle to fill a key spot out of the pen in post-season, it was valid to see how he would handle intense pressure to perform in a highly charged situation. Once in trouble, it was important to see how he would react, pull out or spiral ever downward ending in a thud and ball of firey wreckage. So a criticle lesson was learned, at the first sign of trouble, yank him.
On the issue of coming up with money to sign Matt, Albert, etc., the dave and Tony show costs a lot. How much would be saved going with Jose and mr. x next year.
Probably not enough. They might be able to save $4-plus million, as TLR and Duncan make in the ballpark of $5.5-6 million between them. Every little bit could help, but that is only about two weeks of Albert + Holliday’s services under new contracts. The price of poker is clearly going up.
Tony got Dave a hefty raise Brian. Along with a few gentlemanly agreements. Closer to 7 mill.
How do you figure, WC? TLR’s current deal is $8.5 million for two years. Reports had Duncan around $1M per year. To get to seven, you’d have $4.5 +$2.5. That seems too high.
I think I heard 2.6……….+ the 4. There was tension. Thats why Mo took a 2010 team option.
Thats the tell. Mo wasn’t figuring either to be back. If T/D got leverage some how, Mo was buffered from an another extortion attempt on Dave’s contract. Don’t forget, this was all seen as maintenance of the Lohse contract because Carp and Joel hadn’t even shown at that time.
I’m not getting the game out west. Let me guess…….gotta establish the fastball 1s inning. After the damage is done comes the emergency breaking pitches…….. the rest of the game a trauma, just like I like.
BB, if indeed that was the case and I kind of suspect that was Tony’s motivation, then needless to say it was REAL bad timing on his part.
Ankiel had 3 Ks today. TLR suggests his right shoulder is impaired and this sounds plausible. Rick is Chris Duncan useless at the plate right now.
There is one minor problem and one larger one.
The minor problem: it would look odd to DL a guy for the playoffs after playing him since June.
The bigger problem — Holliday and Ankiel share the same agent, the Super Agent.
Bill DeWitt got his messages out through Joe Strauss today. Bill took a victory bow and said how he wants Holliday and Albert to stay in St Louis for the rest of their playing days. Good messages, but not easy to achieve.
Meanwhile Boras has been talking up Ankiel’s market value. Given how wretched Rick is hitting, this is not easy to do. Boras is doing his job.
Can DeWitt afford to sideline Ankiel for the playoffs and disappoint Holliday’s agent, when we want Holliday to be one of our franchise players for years to come?
Fans are going to have to hope Rick can slap a couple of singles in the playoffs and find some way to be better than he was today.
Talk about “REAL bad timing”, what about lifting Ryan (3-for-3) in the eighth, when we are down by a run; knowing that he will be batting in the ninth when we would need him most? Nay, what about lifting Ludwick (who produced 2 runs) and leaving Ankiel in (with 3 whiffs)? I am trying in vain to reconcile that “double shift with a twist” with the notion that Tony is committed to winning. Can somebody help me?
As soon as I had posted (at 6:32 pm), I noticed that JumboShrimp had also posted (at 6:28 pm) and answered my question, with regard to Ankiel. I can now understand the reason that Ankiel was left in the game (hoping not to piss off Boras and keep our hopes alive, of re-signing Holliday). The remaining question is why Ryan was lifted (probably, the most consequential of the two moves Tony made in the 8th).
57, TKR knows Ludwick and Ryan can play. TLR is trying to find out about other people, in terms of roster decisions for the playoffs.
For cryin’ out loud, JumboShrimp, at the cost of another game?
Here are some of Tony’s problems……
Molina is banged up. On Friday there was one passed ball and 5 wild pitches. We do not last long with that kind of situation. So Yadier is number 1 problem.
Rasmus is a rookie and he can be pitched to, but he plays strong D and has a quick bat. He should be in CF against RHPs. This is not a problem.
DeRosa seems like a problem. He needs an operation and has been mediocre at the plate. He stays on the roster, but it was incredibly bad luck to lose Glaus, Freese, Mather, and then see DeRosa be injured, all in one season.
Glaus is a headache. He probably cannot be trusted in the field. He may not be good enough at the plate. He could be DL’d. When well, he is good in the playoffs. Hard to say what TLR will do with him. Freese has been swinging the bat. Its hard to imagine this team going into post-season without Freese and with DeRosa, Glaus, Thurston, and K Greene as the 3B depth chart.
Ankiel’s right shoulder has rendered him awful. He can sit on the bench. K Greene and Thurston are fit and could collect pinch-hits.
My opinion is that Glaus and Freese ought to be platooned at 3rd, that DeRosa needs to be a strong Pinch Hitter and that both Kahlil and Thurston need to go. The ultimate of all Tony’s problems, in my opinion, is that folks come to the park and pay to see their Cardinals win. Taking Ryan and Ludwick out did not serve the cause of winning. Was the game, indeed, sacrificed upon the altar of hemming and hawing about a post season which may not last for more than 3 games?
TLR pinch-hit for Ryan in the 7th, because he wanted to get Rasmus an at bat or two, in this game. Rasmus should get a lot of playing time in the playoffs, so TLR wants him to get some at bats, even while TLR gives 4 to Rick in hopes he can get a hit and boost his confidence. Ryan was leading off in the 7th. If Lugo had been leading off in the 7th, TLR would have pinch-hit for him. It had nothing to do with Ryan and only had to do with getting Rasmus into the game, to try to keep him sharp. We will need him to contribute next week.
Another problem is Franklin has not been sharp. TLR gave him an inning today and he gave up two walks and two singles, but escaped. There is not much TLR can do about Franklin’s slump, save use Smoltz as a closer after Franklin fails a time or two in the playoffs.
Was today’s game sacrificed? No, because Rasmus might have collected a hit.
There are two seasons. The regular season and the post-season. While frustrating to lose home games on the eve of the playoffs, nobody is going to remember the final regular season games of the 09 season for years to come. Some people will probably remember the post-season games. TLR is using his bench, getting multiple guys into games to evaluate them and to keep them sharp.
I see your point, JumboShrimp, but I’m still feeling frustrated and demoralized. I live near Milwaukee and have to listen to the locals rave about their damned “Brew Crew” ruining our party. I suppose that I would feel somewhat better if our finale with them could approximate our finale with the Reds…
Just tell the locals that the Cards have a hard time getting up for playing an also ran like the Brewers. We are looking ahead to the post-season, while for the Brewers, this is their World Series.
Jumbo said:
“Its hard to imagine this team going into post-season without Freese and with DeRosa, Glaus, Thurston, and K Greene as the 3B depth chart.”
Jumbo, you are talking about Khalil Greene, right? The guy who has three at-bats over the last ten games? Glaus has more ABs than that the last two days.
And with K Greene on your roster, then who is off? With Pujols, Ryan, Lugo and Skip, your dream team has nine infielders. I guess you think they are going with only ten pitchers?
(Jumbo, nothing personal. It is a long-standing pet peeve of mine that people want an unreasonable number of players included on rosters without considering the ramifications, as if they were 30-man rosters instead of 25.)
Jumbo, 57, since you are mulling Tony’s problems, one of the main ones is he’s a jackass, at least lately. That being said, he hasn’t had much of a team to work with the last couple days. We have seen the team suck at every aspect of the game of baseball in a two day period.
There has been lots of talk from BD, Mo, Tony and some players about how awesome the fans have been stepping up and supporting the team. Would have been nice if the team had stepped up and got home field for the fans.
BB, in 2006, we went on the road for three series and won them all. Home field is nice to have, but you have to win, home or away.
Its a time of the year when the stakes are increasing and many fans can ratchet it up a notch too.
IRT, Brians #7, its unclear to me what you think that I said. Pujols, Skip, Lugo, Ryan, DeRosa, Glaus, Thurston, and Khalil are 8. With 2 catchers, 4 OFs, 11 pitchers, its 25. (I tried to offer an unbecoming contrast between a healthy Freese versus the motely gang of 4 who can play 3B).
TLR may be giving Glaus a last minute audition, cince Troy was unable to play earlier. I would be a little surprised if Troy made the playoff roster, we shall see. Troy could be DL’d, allowing Freese, who can play in the field and hit. A healthy Freese seems more useful than Glaus (the pinch-hitter).
Is Freese eligible to make the team by bumping a healthy Khalil? If not, Freese would have to bump Glaus.
I misunderstood your post, Jumbo, as it appeared to me you were including all of them.
As I tried to explain before on another thread, Freese could bump any eligible player deemed by the club to be injured. For example, it could be K Greene, Thompson, Wellemeyer, etc. Their reported injury could be most minor in nature. Perhaps sores from sitting on the bench.
No arguement Jumbo, my last post was a little harsh. I’ll be there today ready to forgive and forget. If Albert hits one up where I sit we can all breathe easier.
DeWtt reappears…………and we have a spate of revisionist histories shaping up. So much to do, and still the GM is doing detailed interviews, giving a real accounting of what happened in the legendary trades………………… “we decided we needed another middle infielder”, was my favorite……………. The reason this happens is because these blogs are widely read.
What do you think Albert was mining for out there in second base land BB?
Westy, I think if one had gone down the line Tony would have said he put a shift on. Albert knows who has his back. Two hat tips, wow.
So in the ninth, crunch time, its Hoffman vs Wellemeyer (not fair), a minor league 3rd baseman catching (who only allowed one steal of third compared to two allowed by the minor league catcher), and the brick hands defense. At least we had the DL guy and the mendoza line K king in the wings to intimidate them. I was hoping to see Kahlil on deck swinging three bats. 7H 7R 11LOB What does that tell us.
P.S. It might have been a sell out but there was not 43,000 in attendance.
Wellemeyer strikes again… and again! How dare the boys screw-up Tony’s resolve to lose the final game of the season? Wellemeyer had lost it in his usual fashion (he was ostensibly put into the game in order to see if he was worthy of post season play, right?), but no, our guys were not playing from the same sheet of music and just had to send the game into extra innings. Undaunted, our Manager’s wizardry dictated that he should send his star loser back out again and, this time, make damned sure that we lost!
Several guys likely made their final Cardinals appearances today, Wellemeyer among them.
57, we had already secured playing LA, so there would be no ‘resolve’ to lose. Indifference maybe, but I think it was just too many agendas other than winning. Brian mentioned one. Pags has been a trooper in the minors and is a legacy who may be about done, gotta get him a hit in the bigs. Albert had his record, which outweighed sound defensive positioning. Yadi needed a chance to get a hand, even though we’ll get at least one more home game, worth burning a bat off the bench I guess. You get the picture. Its looking a lot like a swan song.
Remember this time well BB. Cardinal front office put on a blitz of interpretive propaganda. If they are out in the first round I have no doubt that Tony is through. If you could remember what seemed probable in March and April, bingo, your right back to square 1, Holiday was just a dream.
I really think I’ve made my point about Albert. Just for observational purposes, notice the effect his struggles have on all players. He is injuring himself with indecision. Tony has been using more hit and runs, just to influence pitch selection. Look for that on Wednesday. I don’t know how he could use Ankiel in a playoff game. He has augured.
Tony’s arguement: Ankiel has post-season experience.
Well, thank god that’s over. Now here we go racing into the playoffs with our brakes jammed on. Does anyone have a clue what to expect???
We have to hope Molina’s knee is ok.
We should pitch well.
I hope we do not lose too many games before TLR gives Freese a start at 3B against a lefty. Lefties give us problems.
Hitting the ball to LF would seem good. Manny is no ace with the leather.
I read this morning in a P-D article that the Cardinals have no players limited by injury heading into the DS. Unless that changes by Wednesday morning, Freese is on the outs. That may explain why it looks like they are now going with 12 pitchers. Khalil was the only other eligible option and he was sent home.
Does anyone know if Freese was at the workout today, and if he caught the charter.
The only two I know were excluded were Khalil and Kinney. If we assume Boggs is in instead of Freese, the taxi squad could be Freese, Pags, T Greene, Thompson and Wellemeyer.
TLR said something annoying about how Freese will benefit from sitting in the dugout and watching DeRosa, Glaus, Thurston, et al. TLR went to a lot of trouble to talk up how much he loves Freese, which means Freese will probably not make the roster. Its misdirection and cover.
There seems a difference between Daddy Duncan and TLR. Dunc will choose the pitchers who will give the team the best chance, he could care less about seniority. In 2006, Duncan could have gone with experienced Looper as the closer, after Izzy was injured, but went with the rook, Wainwright. He also used rooks Kinney and Johnson. Duncan will ride the hot arm. This did not work with rookie Ankiel in 2000, but you have to take chances. Dunc makes thoughtful gambles to try to win.
On the postion player side, TLR is favors defense, stays with vets, and hopes for the best. He will micro-manage the lineup, bat pitchers 8th etc., to seem bold, but will go with DeRosa, knowing the guy needs an operation and is impaired. If Duncan made out the lineup, Freese would play 3B and DeRosa on the DL.
Jumbo, your recall of history is a bit faulty. Looper was tried as closer after Izzy went down in 2006 and got hammered. Wainwright was Plan C.
I’m curious to see how much the Jim Tomey’s presents effects Tony. He is almost forced to save Miller just for that situation. Do Reys and Miller have numbers against Tomey , Brian? I think Torrey waits till Tony commits Franklin. I don’t particularly care for that match up off the top of my head..
Looper was a closer with Marlins and Mets. If TLR were pitching coach, Looper would have been the closer after Izzy, hammered or not.
TLR claims credit for trading Haren to the As for Mulder. Says Dunc was opposed. TLR loves those vets. Likewise, happy to trade Wallace to the As in 09. Billie Beane can count on TLR wanting a veteran. Its probably why the As went after Holliday from the Rockies. If they did not have a winning team, they knew they could 3 players from the Cards and get made whole.
If Wainwright was plan C in 2006, Freese seems Plan C now, after Glaus and DeRosa.
However, I understand Tony’s reasoning. Most seasons end with a loss. Do you want a rookie on the field, when you lose? No, that would reflect very poorly on the manager. But if DeRosa or Glaus, million dollar guys, are at 3B and you lose, it reflects on them.
TLR has survived in the majors for a long time. Somebody has to take the blame. DeRosa and/or Glaus are custom made to be Fall Guys.
During September, DeRosa had an OPS under 600. If he can exceed that during the playoffs, it will be a pleasant surprise.
Your theory’s on Beane are way wrong Jumbo. Read up on their owner. Holidays weak showing almost cost them. Everyone out here knew the play, but when Holiday started hitting it was a little painful. Their stadium development tanked in spite of the big time sales pitch, with big time players.
WC, your question inspired today’s entry… Thanks for the idea…