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10-15-2006, 10:11 AM
La Russa's moves help underdog Cardinals take NLCS lead
La Russa's moves help underdog Cardinals take NLCS lead
By R.B. FALLSTROM, AP Sports Writer
October 15, 2006
ST. LOUIS (AP) -- League championship series play has seldom been Tony La Russa's time to shine.
Suddenly, the Cardinals' manager is pushing all the right buttons.
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La Russa is 1-5 in NLCS appearances with St. Louis since 1996 and has gotten a reputation for amping up the tension in the clubhouse during the postseason. But his deft maneuvering has helped give his underdog team a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series heading into Game 4 on Sunday night.
General manager Walt Jocketty said a succession of injuries to core players prepared La Russa for this. Mark Mulder and Jason Isringhausen are out for the season and Jim Edmonds and David Eckstein have missed significant time.
"I think this is one of the best years Tony has had," Jocketty said. "I think because it's on the national spotlight now people are seeing more. He's done a remarkable job of putting guys in the right place at the right time to be successful."
In a five-inning span -- the last three innings of Game 2's comeback and the Cardinals' scintillating start in Game 3 on Saturday night -- St. Louis outscored the New York Mets 10-0. That stretch has altered the course of the series, with the help of several moves by La Russa.
Scott Rolen was benched in Game 2, and his replacement, Scott Spiezio, had a huge day with a game-tying two-run triple and an RBI double in a come-from-behind 9-6 victory. In Game 3, La Russa found a way to soothe his disgruntled star third baseman and keep Spiezio's hot bat in the lineup, putting Spiezio in left field and benching slumping Juan Encarnacion.
La Russa said it's all about depth.
"That's the neat thing about our club," La Russa said. "Guys like So Taguchi, Encarnacion, Chris Duncan you would like to have play, and they didn't play because we have enough good players."
Spiezio hit a two-run triple in the first inning and Rolen, who sat in Game 2 because of a 1-for-14 postseason showing perhaps affected by a sore left shoulder, contributed offensively with a single and a walk. Rolen had perhaps the defensive play of the game when he made a barehanded running grab of Paul Lo Duca's chopper in the sixth and threw to first in time for the final out.
Spiezio was glad he didn't have to make that play, and a few others.
"When I was playing third, I had one ball hit to me," Spiezio said. "Then Rolen comes in there and makes, jeez, four or five unbelievable plays.
"Rolen, he's unbelievable to watch. Offensively, too, he had some great at-bats."
La Russa ignored the conventional wisdom that recommends starting left-handed hitters against a right-handed pitchers, and sided with Preston Wilson's big numbers against Mets starter Steve Trachsel over rookie Chris Duncan.
Wilson is a career .400 hitter against Trachsel with three homers and five RBIs in 20 at-bats, and his shot up the middle knocked out the pitcher in the second inning. The ball caromed off Trachsel's right thigh and into left field for a single.
Wilson also had a fine day in right field, making a perfect throw to nail Jose Valentin trying for a double in the fifth and retreating to the track to haul in Jose Reyes' drive in the sixth.
"He's known for doing that," Wilson said. "I think my numbers were pretty good against Trachsel coming into it and Spiezios been getting big hits for us, so I think it was a good thing to have us both out there.
"I'm glad it worked out."
Lastly, La Russa made sure Jeff Suppan started Game 3 at home, where he was 7-2 with a 3.18 ERA. Suppan had to wait two extra days, one because a rainout and another when staff ace Chris Carpenter was moved up ahead of him.
"I just go out there when he tells me to pitch," Suppan said. "I don't feel any different at home or on the road. It's just one of those things that's worked out."
Suppan was sharp, with eight innings of three-hit ball despite the disruption in his routine, making sure a 5-0 lead in the second inning hold up. The outing was one out short of his season best, plus he hit the second home run of his career leading off the second.
Both long balls have come off Trachsel, the other on Sept. 10, 2005, at old Busch Stadium. Suppan has no clue why.
"I swung, it ran into my bat, I don't know what that is," Suppan said.
La Russa's moves help underdog Cardinals take NLCS lead
By R.B. FALLSTROM, AP Sports Writer
October 15, 2006
ST. LOUIS (AP) -- League championship series play has seldom been Tony La Russa's time to shine.
Suddenly, the Cardinals' manager is pushing all the right buttons.
ADVERTISEMENT
La Russa is 1-5 in NLCS appearances with St. Louis since 1996 and has gotten a reputation for amping up the tension in the clubhouse during the postseason. But his deft maneuvering has helped give his underdog team a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series heading into Game 4 on Sunday night.
General manager Walt Jocketty said a succession of injuries to core players prepared La Russa for this. Mark Mulder and Jason Isringhausen are out for the season and Jim Edmonds and David Eckstein have missed significant time.
"I think this is one of the best years Tony has had," Jocketty said. "I think because it's on the national spotlight now people are seeing more. He's done a remarkable job of putting guys in the right place at the right time to be successful."
In a five-inning span -- the last three innings of Game 2's comeback and the Cardinals' scintillating start in Game 3 on Saturday night -- St. Louis outscored the New York Mets 10-0. That stretch has altered the course of the series, with the help of several moves by La Russa.
Scott Rolen was benched in Game 2, and his replacement, Scott Spiezio, had a huge day with a game-tying two-run triple and an RBI double in a come-from-behind 9-6 victory. In Game 3, La Russa found a way to soothe his disgruntled star third baseman and keep Spiezio's hot bat in the lineup, putting Spiezio in left field and benching slumping Juan Encarnacion.
La Russa said it's all about depth.
"That's the neat thing about our club," La Russa said. "Guys like So Taguchi, Encarnacion, Chris Duncan you would like to have play, and they didn't play because we have enough good players."
Spiezio hit a two-run triple in the first inning and Rolen, who sat in Game 2 because of a 1-for-14 postseason showing perhaps affected by a sore left shoulder, contributed offensively with a single and a walk. Rolen had perhaps the defensive play of the game when he made a barehanded running grab of Paul Lo Duca's chopper in the sixth and threw to first in time for the final out.
Spiezio was glad he didn't have to make that play, and a few others.
"When I was playing third, I had one ball hit to me," Spiezio said. "Then Rolen comes in there and makes, jeez, four or five unbelievable plays.
"Rolen, he's unbelievable to watch. Offensively, too, he had some great at-bats."
La Russa ignored the conventional wisdom that recommends starting left-handed hitters against a right-handed pitchers, and sided with Preston Wilson's big numbers against Mets starter Steve Trachsel over rookie Chris Duncan.
Wilson is a career .400 hitter against Trachsel with three homers and five RBIs in 20 at-bats, and his shot up the middle knocked out the pitcher in the second inning. The ball caromed off Trachsel's right thigh and into left field for a single.
Wilson also had a fine day in right field, making a perfect throw to nail Jose Valentin trying for a double in the fifth and retreating to the track to haul in Jose Reyes' drive in the sixth.
"He's known for doing that," Wilson said. "I think my numbers were pretty good against Trachsel coming into it and Spiezios been getting big hits for us, so I think it was a good thing to have us both out there.
"I'm glad it worked out."
Lastly, La Russa made sure Jeff Suppan started Game 3 at home, where he was 7-2 with a 3.18 ERA. Suppan had to wait two extra days, one because a rainout and another when staff ace Chris Carpenter was moved up ahead of him.
"I just go out there when he tells me to pitch," Suppan said. "I don't feel any different at home or on the road. It's just one of those things that's worked out."
Suppan was sharp, with eight innings of three-hit ball despite the disruption in his routine, making sure a 5-0 lead in the second inning hold up. The outing was one out short of his season best, plus he hit the second home run of his career leading off the second.
Both long balls have come off Trachsel, the other on Sept. 10, 2005, at old Busch Stadium. Suppan has no clue why.
"I swung, it ran into my bat, I don't know what that is," Suppan said.