Three run lead.  Hold 'em!  A series win agains the cubbies would be a sweet tiebreaker to have this season

There's no thread up, and the broadcast started here in Austin, so I thought I'd throw something up.  I've mostly been super excited about this world series, and I do love this matchup of young players that have been ignored by the national media all year. 

That being said, there is no player that I'd rather see get completely shelled in a big game than Brett Meyers.  Of course, it would have the added bonus of tying up the series, so that we increase our chances of gettng seven full games of quality baseball in this seven game series.

Albert came on and brings the noise.

Word is still out re: girls rocking them boyz.  3-3 tie.

2-3 Cardinals in the 8th.  Can they hold on?  Take my hand, and we'll make it, I swear.

I guess.

Sheets	Col. Wellsie
10-3, 2.88	8-4, 4.22

It only seems like yesterday when Ben Sheets was the big hero for the US Olympic team in 2000. Now he's the big stud starter looking for a big payday at the end of the season. I was hoping to see Colby get his chance to go to Beijing and make a statement. Ah well.

Much has been said about Wellemeyer's struggles as of late. But he's shown a bit of improvement in his last couple of starts (he at least went 6+ IP both times, which, as stated in the below main post, is an underappreciated factor in bullpen effectiveness), but his strikeout and walk rates still don't seem to have gotten back to what they were before his elbow went. In his win against the Padres, he had 3 BB to 2 K, while giving up five runs.

Hopefully he's relearning his control and his focus, because he's going to need everything he's got against Ben Sheets, who seems to be making a Cy bid in his walk year. No one on the Cardinals current roster has a very spectacular history against Sheets beyond Pujols (26 for 66, 4 HR 10 RBI, 1.66 OPS), and Brendan Ryan in limited at bats.

Hopefully they can stay within reach, get some chances against that somewhat weak bullpen, and avoid the sweep. I'm still mad that we didn't get a chance against Gagné last night (who was warming in the pen when the game ended).

So, that was a lovely game to pick for my lone trip to Busch Stadium this year.  CC Sabathia certainly looked incredible last night, painting his corners and changing speeds and just looking nasty.  I know that people will complain that the Cardinals didn't make him work enough, but I just don't buy that argument.  Sabathia was just throwing strikes, and throwing them hard, and throwing them on the corners.  Taking pitches against him wold have done little but generate a bunch of 1-2 counts.  Now, they generated a bunch of 1-2 counts anyway, but at least they did it trying to put the ball in play.  As it was, when Ryan got that hit in the sixth, it felt almost like a home run in the bottom of the ninth or something.

The thing that last night makes me truly question, however, is the wisdom of having Wellemeyer and Looper back to back in the rotation.  At least after Wellsie's injury, neither one of those guys really seems able to consistently go for six innings (though Wellemeyer has a two game 6.1 IP streak going, so I guess he can prove me wrong tonight).  La Russa kind of saved the bullpen for today by riding Izzy and Jíminez for two innings a piece, but that option won't always be available, and these five inning starts are murder on the bullpen.

If you don't believe me on this, I cite the following:  Look at the top five teams in the majors in IP from the rotation, it will be the Angels, Jays, White Sox, Red Sox, and A's.  Now, look at the top five in bullpen ERA.  The answer will be the Phils, Jays, Dodgers, White Sox, and A's.  Three out of the five of the first list are present on the second list.  Same thing happens if you look at the bottom five.  Some might say that it's park effects--starters in hitters parks get into trouble, and throw fewer innings, while relievers just get shelled in hitters parks.  But I'm not completely convinced, especially since the SkyDome isn't exactly pitcher-friendly. 

Anyway, I think what I am trying to say here is that I think the best trade we can make to shore up the bullpen is a trade for a starting pitcher.  We would remove Looper and his five inning starts from the rotation, which will filter down to the entire bullpen, allowing La Russa to reduce their workload and to establish clearer roles.  I have always thought that rotation stability was the key to La Russa's surprising bullpen finds.  Perhaps this season to find out whether or not this theory is accurate.

How long does this game have to go before it's declared a tie, with a decisive game seven of the world series to be played in Kaufmann Stadium/PNC Park?  Will Ludwick throw the 17th inning?

3-3, 15th inning, Scott Kazmir on the mound.

Does it seem like this game will never end? 6-6, 8th inning.

So, Adam Kennedy is the hero against Jonathon Papelbon.  Tied score in the tenth.