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The Phillies' hitters (2012), though:
(vs R) (vs L)
Pierre .342/.380, .191/156
Browning is a lefty.
The decision was likely not predicated on Carpenter's pinch-hitting prowess. It was decided that the lefty Browning would face the Philles' left-handed brigade of hitters due up.
It didn't work out, but I'd have a hard time not bringing in a lefty to face that string of hitters as well.
Juan Pierre with the game-winning hit in the 11th vs Browning
When you bring in a lefty to pitch to a lefty, with a 3-run lead, and he walks the lefty, you don't leave him in there to walk the next lefty, too. You put him on the bus to Memphis or designate him for assigment. This was the fourth time this year that Rzepczynski walked the first batter he was brought in to face. Which pretty much defeats the purpose of bringing him in for that particular batter.
Well, anotner mismanaged gane. One run game, Matheny double-switches Holliday's bat out of the game, so when the bullpen blows the save (which they regularly do), Holliday's 81 RBIs won't be there. Luckily, Motte also gave up a second homer, so Holliday would not be needed.
In the bottom of the ninth, two outs left, he has hitters coming up bating .234 and .231. On the bench are players who play the same positions and bat from the same side, who are batting .314 and .312. But he lets the .234 and .231 hitters bat for themselves, who together have a total of 4 HR and 24 RBIs. Of course, both fly gently to the outfield, and they grind one day closer to the merciful end of a shameful season.
In the past 33 games, the Cardinals bullpen has exactly one save with less than a 3-run lead. Three in the last 53 games. Ten saves all year in games won by 1- or 2-run margins. Their last loss before tonight was a blown 3-run lead.
The Cardinals have too many players who do not belong in the Major Leagues at all. Their depth chart is too shallow of utility players with MLB experience.
That's what I said two months ago. Tonight, it came back to bite them. No backup catcher with MLB experience, and they lose on a passed ball and a wild pitch. Keep those two pitches out in front, and they'd win 1-0.
Remember last night, when they let a .230 hitter bat for himself with a .312 hitter on the bench in the ninth? Well, tonight in the 7th, they have runners n 2nd and 3rd with none out, and the same .230 hitter fails to deliver. Then with 2 out in the ninth, again, the same .230 hitter fails to deliver.
The sad truth is, however, that if they finish 6 games out of the division lead, and you go back and randomly pick six 1-run games they should have won, you will find that they lost all six for totally different, unrelated reasons. There isn't one single, vulcanizable puncture on the team. There is systemic dryrot running through the organization, that finds a new way to leak air every night.
And I can't think of one game that they won, that they should have lost. It's always the other way around.
Further to my earlier point about back up players and experience. The New York Yankees have acquired Andruw Jones, Raul Ibanez, Eric Chavez, Jayson Nix, Casey McGehee and Dewayne Wise for bench strength, and are paying them a TOTAL of $7.4 million, which is a little more than double the minimum rookie salary of people like Tony Cruz and Shawn Robinson. Any team could have signed them, the Yankees did, and that lineup alone would probably play nearly .500 ball by themselves.
The sad truth is, however, that if they finish 6 games out of the division lead, and you go back and randomly pick six 1-run games they should have won, you will find that they lost all six for totally different, unrelated reasons. There isn't one single, vulcanizable puncture on the team. There is something systemic running through the organization, that finds a new way to beat them every night.
And I can't think of one game that they won, that they should have lost. It's always the other way around.
The Miami Marlins were leading 6 - 1 entering the 8th inning. The Cardinals' Win Expectancy was about 2%. They scored a lone run decreasing the WE to 1%.
Miami went scoreless in the bottom of the 8th. Cardinals' WE = 1%
Top of the 9th the Cardinals score 4 runs to tie.
Bottom of the 9th, Miami goes scoreless again.
Top of the 10th. Cardinals score 2 runs to give themselves a 91% WE.
Bottom of the 10th. Miami scores 1 run and has runners at 1st and 2nd. Jose Reyes bats and lines out to CF.
I'm just curious what you think the Cardinals' record in 1-run games should be. You know that other teams are trying to win as well, correct?
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