The Cardinals got one the hard way.
A win is a win is a win, but what looked to be another epic night of Cardinals pitching got derailed with a line-drive into the dugout. So let’s take a look at the good, bad and ugly of game #46.
GOOD:
1) Getting that W.
2) Getting that series W.
3) Allen Craig (3-4 2BBs). Dude has been gripping all season and we’ve probably claimed 4 times already that this is the game that brings back ‘The Wrench”… but still… maybe THIS is the one that does the trick.
4) Jason Motte coming back. He probably has had some low points over the course of the past year, but coming in to a standing ovation after a year plus away from baseball had to feel damn good. The play at the plate to get him out of his first inning had to feel even better.
BAD:
1) Mike Matheny’s love affair with Trevor Rosenthal. Can we get skip a patch or something where he can try and quit Rosie? After getting worked over in the press for pitching his closer 4 straight games, he was back in action on Wednesday night.
Yes, he probably would have got an inning anyway, since this game went extra frames. But Mike inserted Rosenthal in the 9th inning in a non-save situation… well… just because he hadn’t seen him in 2 days.
2) ‘Los.
He’s learning how to pitch, not just throw. Mike Wacha has kind of ruined ‘the learning curve’ for pitchers everywhere, but especially in St. Louis. Martinez has been beatable at times and the D-backs tagged him for 2 runs in the 8th to take a brief lead.
He’ll be OK. He’ll return to dominant ‘Los. But there will be bumps and tonight was one of them.
3) Wacha getting no-decision’d after six scoreless innings and having to come out after getting hit by a ball in the dugout. I mean, what can you say. That sucks.
UGLY:
1) That warning on Martinez by homeplate umpire Doug Eddings. Danny Mac said it best on the TV – warnings don’t do anything but alert both teams that there should be a beef. Oh, and start the chirping from the benches anytime a pitch is close.
I have to think Eddings wishes he had that one back.
2) Cardinals home run power. They’re down to 1 every 61 AB’s? That’s turrruble. And if Matt Adam’s fly ball didn’t barely clear the fence last night, it’d be even higher!
Photo: Zimbio
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