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jim wrote:

StL wrote:Although I know that everything starts with simpl wins are losses, I wasnt even thinking about that when I made my comment.


As far was what all Im talking about, it doesnt really matter.

Well then ... on there.

I don't like to speak for others, but mike and I know each other and talk alot about baseball together so I'll take that liberty. I think the two of us have similar opinions of LaRussa: great manager, one of the best in the game today, wins in spite of some poor in game decision making, belongs in Cooperstown when he is finished.

For the record: +1

Looking at the box score, did TLR really let Boggs bat in the top of the 9th, and then pull Rasmus for a pinch hitter (who's about to be sent to Memphis) with the Cardinals up 4-2?

greenback44 wrote:Looking at the box score, did TLR really let Boggs bat in the top of the 9th, and then pull Rasmus for a pinch hitter (who's about to be sent to Memphis) with the Cardinals up 4-2?

Yes. He also let Skip lead the inning off against the left hander.

InvincibleCakeEater wrote:

greenback44 wrote:Looking at the box score, did TLR really let Boggs bat in the top of the 9th, and then pull Rasmus for a pinch hitter (who's about to be sent to Memphis) with the Cardinals up 4-2?

Yes. He also let Skip lead the inning off against the left hander.

Coming into tonight, Skip was hitting .368 against lefties (to clarify, that's his BA, not his OPS, against LHP in 2010). That's 20 at-bats, and stupid of course, but it's not an official head scratcher.

Looks like Rasmus doesn't have much in the way of La Russa Bucks. But maybe La Russa learned something on the one flyball to shallow center.

greenback44 wrote: Looks like Rasmus doesn't have much in the way of La Russa Bucks. But maybe La Russa learned something on the one flyball to shallow center.

He learned that Mather is a gritty gamer that will go all out for the win.

I was at a track meet following the game on my phone, and just laughed when I saw the unsuccessful bunt attempt by Boggs. Then the Rasmus thing ... I figured this was one of those "signature" games.

Motte Bunting and then takes him out to start th 8th inning?

Freese Bunting with 2 on on no outs in the last iof the 8th inning?

fanforever wrote:Motte Bunting and then takes him out to start th 8th inning?

Freese Bunting with 2 on on no outs in the last iof the 8th inning?

I questioned both of these myself, but at least the 2nd one listed worked out for TLR.

Short bench and he figured he could not burn a bench player with Motte I guess in a bunt situation. Freese bunting ... I understand it. The difference between +2 and +3 in the 9th is pretty big, and making sure you get the guy to 3rd with 1 out is justifiable.

This is a subtle headscratcher, but it really encompasses what I call a general lack of consistency that I just can't get my head around. If a football coach had 3 timeouts to burn before the half, and called timeout and then took a knee, called another timeout and then took another knee ... that's the kind of inconsistency that I mean. Obviously it's not to that level, but there are just sequences of incongruous moves that I can't get my head around. Case in point, yesterday.

10:00 am on the Tony LaRussa show a caller asks about that marathon game and whether he considered a suicide, and he mentions in the response that he did not consider it at all with Ludwick because that's not his game. Next hitter calls about Luddy hitting 2, and he goes on to give his reasons (all perfectly sensible to me) and then says that if he didn't have a Pujols he would have a guy that could move a runner etc... at 2, but he said that's not Luddy and asking him to do that would be unfair. He talked about this so much that when watching Luddy take BP my son asked me why Luddy was even spending time bunting the first few.

Of course, like clockwork, Luddy comes up yesterday and is asked to lay one down. What the hell? It's just completely inconsistent with your thought patterns, your lineup construction, everything. I don't get it. And then Rasmus comes up in the 9th in a bunt situation and we don't bunt? Rasmus might beat it out, might cause them to hurry a throw and have something unplanned and good happen ... but nothing. And then he K's, and there we are.

So incongruous, I just can't get my head around it.