To quote a kneecapped Nancy Kerrigan, "Why? Why?" What was Tony La Russa thinking in World Series Game 5 while making all those boneheaded moves, leading to a 4-2 Texas win?
The 9th inning alone was nuts. Allen Craig was thrown out trying to steal second base, sucking the life out of St. Louis with Albert Pujols at the plate. Yes, it was a hit-and-run and La Russa was trying to open up a hole at second base, but that's not a risk worth taking with Pujols hitting. Pujols struck out on a high-and-outside pitch, and Mike Napoli gunned down Craig by a mile. Craig was caught stealing twice in a World Series game for the first time since Billy Martin in 1955.
The bullpen debacle: I'm a big fan of Marc Rzepczynski. Big fan. But "Zep" needed to be on the bench watching Jason Motte pitch against red-hot Napoli, who ended up ripping a two-run double. La Russa later said there was some miscommunication when he called the bullpen and asked for Motte to warm up.
"I called twice. I called back for Motte, and we got the wrong guy," La Russa said in postgame.
What? In this day and age of human rain delays, if La Russa wanted Motte, he could've gotten Motte. Don't blame it on the phone line or bullpen coach.
Also, why was Craig sac-bunting in the third inning? Pujols simply was intentionally walked (one of three times), and The Machine never really had a chance to hit all night.
The 9th inning alone was nuts. Allen Craig was thrown out trying to steal second base, sucking the life out of St. Louis with Albert Pujols at the plate. Yes, it was a hit-and-run and La Russa was trying to open up a hole at second base, but that's not a risk worth taking with Pujols hitting. Pujols struck out on a high-and-outside pitch, and Mike Napoli gunned down Craig by a mile. Craig was caught stealing twice in a World Series game for the first time since Billy Martin in 1955.
The bullpen debacle: I'm a big fan of Marc Rzepczynski. Big fan. But "Zep" needed to be on the bench watching Jason Motte pitch against red-hot Napoli, who ended up ripping a two-run double. La Russa later said there was some miscommunication when he called the bullpen and asked for Motte to warm up.
"I called twice. I called back for Motte, and we got the wrong guy," La Russa said in postgame.
What? In this day and age of human rain delays, if La Russa wanted Motte, he could've gotten Motte. Don't blame it on the phone line or bullpen coach.
Also, why was Craig sac-bunting in the third inning? Pujols simply was intentionally walked (one of three times), and The Machine never really had a chance to hit all night.
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