Roger Ebert's got nothing on TLR

Love how the managers and media are working together on this one. Here's the situation: Tony La Russa enters the press room at Busch Stadium to talk about the World Series. You can't really ask the St. Louis manager about Chris Carpenter pitching a potential Game 7 -- which is a good story -- because the Cards first need to win Game 6. What to do? Talk "Moneyball."

"Good acting. I mean, I was offended because of what the book represented and how a lot of those guys were portrayed," La Russa told reporter before Game 6. "I knew a few of those guys as scouts. It strains the credibility a little bit. (The A's) win 20 in a row, qualify for the playoffs, go two up on the Yankees, and there wasn't anything in the movie except a brief about Miguel (Tejada) and Eric (Chavez), three starters, Billy Koch. It was about a couple of trades and turning Scott (Hatteberg) into a first baseman. That club was carried by those guys that were signed and developed the old-fashioned way. That part wasn't enjoyable. It's a nice story but it is not accurate enough."

Carpenter will start World Series Game 7*

THE WARRIOR is preparing for another start. I have confirmed that Chris Carpenter will pitch on short rest and take the mound for Game 7 if the Cardinals are able to extend the series. The New Hampshire native first teased reporters today during a workout at Busch Stadium, saying, "I think everybody is available for the rest of the year, don’t you? Whatever (manager Tony La Russa) needs me to do.”

It's now definitely a plan. He will start on three days of rest if St. Louis gets there.

How great is Ron Washington? Each time the Texas manager answers a question in a press conference, it makes you realize why his players love going to battle for him. On Wednesday, he was asked, "Since Tony La Russa is a hanging out with Bill Parcells, Rick Carlisle and Bobby Knight, who do you get to hang out with?"

Wash: "I get to hang out with (coaches) Mike Maddux, Jackie Moore, Gary Pettis, Dave Anderson, (Scott) Coolbaugh, and my team. That's it."

When asked about "Moneyball," Washington managed to give credit to the A's front office and simultaneously poke fun of the movie. I love this:

"To me, it was a great movie about a general manager that was hamstrung as far as dollars go, and he had to find players and put them together under a formula that he thought would work ...You know, I realize they didn't mention (All-Stars) Eric Chávez, Miguel Tejada, (Barry) Zito, (Tim) Hudson, (Mark) Mulder, but that wasn't what it was about."

Tremendous!

Question for TLR: What are you thinking?

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.

Step to the plate, Albert

Albert Pujols made a crucial error in Game 2, but he made more news by dodging the media after the game. Earth to Albert: It's the World Series. Don't hide in the kitchen after a tough loss, forcing the media to grab sound bites from others.


You're a so-called leader. You've been paid $105 million by the Cardinals. Stand at your locker and answer some questions because that's part of your job. Tony La Russa tried to cover for Pujols today in Arlington, but, really, it all sounded quite lame.


"It's get-away day, we leaving earlier because we had an early workout. They wanted to pack for their families. If anybody had said, we need to talk to Albert, he would have stayed," La Russa said. "I heard the criticism, and it offends me because I know our attitude as an organization is 180 degrees different from the way it's being portrayed. Nobody asked for those guys, and they got out of there."


Pujols didn't own up during workout day in Arlington.


"You want me to wait 40 minutes for you guys? I was in the (kitchen)  getting something to eat," he said. "What about the night before when I spoke for an hour and a half? That's not fair ... Nobody approached me for 40 minutes, and I was on my way home."


Pujols went on to say his responsibility is to God and his family. That's weak, Albert.