NLCS: Giants defeat Cards in 5. Proof that good does not always prevail over evil.

[ronmahony]

Oh man I haven't watched much baseball in a while,  when the first baseman got up to bat for the Giants abd they calked Brandon Belt, I was saying surely not, iso I looked it up, him and my son played on the same team together 13 and 14 year old. I helped coach them, tge three coaches had kept pretty much the same together for years. I was proud my son got picked fir their team, they had a great bunch of boys. Even wound up representing Texas in the Dixie world series. Don't get me wrong I was just minor helper, Brandons dad was one if the main ones. This tickles me, I have always wondered about Brandon, he was a great pitcher back then.

[dacskc]

Should be a great series to watch.

[FelixJonesorDMAC?]

Oh man I haven't watched much baseball in a while,  when the first baseman got up to bat for the Giants abd they calked Brandon Belt, I was saying surely not, iso I looked it up, him and my son played on the same team together 13 and 14 year old. I helped coach them, tge three coaches had kept pretty much the same together for years. I was proud my son got picked fir their team, they had a great bunch of boys. Even wound up representing Texas in the Dixie world series. Don't get me wrong I was just minor helper, Brandons dad was one if the main ones. This tickles me, I have always wondered about Brandon, he was a great pitcher back then.

I'm pulling for the giants.  You may be drunk, but I'm pulling or ya.

[FelixJonesorDMAC?]

Well at least we beat the Dodgers. Good season.

I agree, we matched up way better with Cardinals than Dogturds.

[jbell96]

This quote from Matheny perfectly explains why I want Randy Orton to hit him with an RKO.

In regards to Rosey not pitching the 9th: "We can't bring him in, in a tie-game situation. We're on the road." That is the dumbest crap I've ever heard. He gives you the best option to keep the game tied, but hey, let's bring in a kid that hasn't pitched in 3 weeks & was struggling when he did.

That said, congrats to the Giants, great organization with great fans. The difference in this series was game management, Bochy worked Matheny like a speed bag, and the Giants ability to capitalize on the Cardinals mistakes, and the Cardinals inability to take advantage of easy scoring opportunities.

I think the Giants win in 5. Royals being off for a few days will probably cool them off, see 2007 Rockies as a perfect example.

[popcornhog]

This quote from Matheny perfectly explains why I want Randy Orton to hit him with an RKO.

In regards to Rosey not pitching the 9th: "We can't bring him in, in a tie-game situation. We're on the road." That is the dumbest crap I've ever heard. He gives you the best option to keep the game tied, but hey, let's bring in a kid that hasn't pitched in 3 weeks & was struggling when he did.

That said, congrats to the Giants, great organization with great fans. The difference in this series was game management, Bochy worked Matheny like a speed bag, and the Giants ability to capitalize on the Cardinals mistakes, and the Cardinals inability to take advantage of easy scoring opportunities.

I think the Giants win in 5. Royals being off for a few days will probably cool them off, see 2007 Rockies as a perfect example.

Re: Rosie -- darned if you do/darned if you don't.

As soon as Wacha took the mound, I knew Matgeny would get blasted if it didn't pan out, but Trevor had struggled immensely lately and the staff has watched Wacha progress during the last few weeks -- obviously they thought he had it. There were a couple of other moves that I questioned a lot more than that one.

I think Matheny is a good manager though, overall.

[jbell96]

Re: Rosie -- darned if you do/darned if you don't.

As soon as Wacha took the mound, I knew Matgeny would get blasted if it didn't pan out, but Trevor had struggled immensely lately and the staff has watched Wacha progress during the last few weeks -- obviously they thought he had it. There were a couple of other moves that I questioned a lot more than that one.

I think Matheny is a good manager though, overall.

Mike, is that you? (Just kidding)

Nobody would have ripped him for using Rosenthal in the 9th last night, even if he'd blown it, because he's the closer & it's not against the law to use your closer in a tie game you have to win to survive. Giants used their closer in the 9th of a tie game, but their manager is light years better than Matheny, and has two world series rings to prove it.

Using Wacha in a situation like last night was not fair to the kid. He hadn't pitched in 3 weeks. Looking good in a side session means jack when compared to the 9th inning of a tied playoff elimination game. If he was going to use Wacha, game 4 when Shelby blew up would have been a better situation to get him in.

Matheny is a decent manager, but he's got to learn to think outside the box when using his pitching staff.

[clutch]

Mike, is that you? (Just kidding)

Nobody would have ripped him for using Rosenthal in the 9th last night, even if he'd blown it, because he's the closer & it's not against the law to use your closer in a tie game you have to win to survive. Giants used their closer in the 9th of a tie game, but their manager is light years better than Matheny, and has two world series rings to prove it.

Using Wacha in a situation like last night was not fair to the kid. He hadn't pitched in 3 weeks. Looking good in a side session means jack when compared to the 9th inning of a tied playoff elimination game. If he was going to use Wacha, game 4 when Shelby blew up would have been a better situation to get him in.

Matheny is a decent manager, but he's got to learn to think outside the box when using his pitching staff.

I disagree. I think he would have been ripped either way. How many times have we heard "what's it going to take for Matheny to learn" when it comes to Rosenthal? The only way Matheny was getting out of that game without question was for his players to execute and win the game. Unfortunately for him, he's developed a questionable reputation when it comes to pitching changes now and he will be questioned constantly no matter what he does.

[Dr. Starcs]

No dog in the fight, but Matheny did literally what every other manager would do in the situation on the road. That is save your closer.

[jrulz83]

I disagree. I think he would have been ripped either way. How many times have we heard "what's it going to take for Matheny to learn" when it comes to Rosenthal? The only way Matheny was getting out of that game without question was for his players to execute and win the game. Unfortunately for him, he's developed a questionable reputation when it comes to pitching changes now and he will be questioned constantly no matter what he does.

[popcornhog]

Mike, is that you? (Just kidding)

Nobody would have ripped him for using Rosenthal in the 9th last night, even if he'd blown it, because he's the closer & it's not against the law to use your closer in a tie game you have to win to survive. Giants used their closer in the 9th of a tie game, but their manager is light years better than Matheny, and has two world series rings to prove it.

Using Wacha in a situation like last night was not fair to the kid. He hadn't pitched in 3 weeks. Looking good in a side session means jack when compared to the 9th inning of a tied playoff elimination game. If he was going to use Wacha, game 4 when Shelby blew up would have been a better situation to get him in.

Matheny is a decent manager, but he's got to learn to think outside the box when using his pitching staff.

It obviously didn't pan out, so he was wrong. But Wacha has the post season experience. If they thought he was physically able, I wasn't worried about the mental part.

The reason we didn't see Rosie wasn't that it was a tie game. We didn't see Rosie because he's been struggling.

[dacskc]

This was a great series... much closer than the 4-1 record shows.
Next year Cards... Even years it's our turn 

+1 Congrats on a great season!

[jbell96]

It obviously didn't pan out, so he was wrong. But Wacha has the post season experience. If they thought he was physically able, I wasn't worried about the mental part.

The reason we didn't see Rosie wasn't that it was a tie game. We didn't see Rosie because he's been struggling.

I'm sorry, but Wacha isn't 100% right now. He can't throw his change up for a strike, so hitters can just sit on the heat.

So by your logic, Rosey wouldn't have come in if it had been a save situation because he'd been struggling? Matheny himself said he "couldn't" bring him in because it wasn't a save situation. (Which is probably one of the dumbest things he's ever said) Fans would not have been mad had Rosey came in and lost it in the 9th. He had been off for a few days and was fresh.

Rosey was a better option, than a guy that hadn't pitched competitively in 3 weeks, so if you can't see that then I don't know what to tell you.

[popcornhog]

I'm sorry, but Wacha isn't 100% right now. He can't throw his change up for a strike, so hitters can just sit on the heat.

So by your logic, Rosey wouldn't have come in if it had been a save situation because he'd been struggling? Matheny himself said he "couldn't" bring him in because it wasn't a save situation. (Which is probably one of the dumbest things he's ever said) Fans would not have been mad had Rosey came in and lost it in the 9th. He had been off for a few days and was fresh.

Rosey was a better option, than a guy that hadn't pitched competitively in 3 weeks, so if you can't see that then I don't know what to tell you.

I'm not saying that it was the right call. I actually agree with everything you've said.

But Matheny has seen him progress over the past few weeks. You and I have not.

I'm taking issue more with the fact that you said maybe he had it in practice but not in a big spot. My point was that I wasn't worried about his mental state. If he has looked good of late, I have no problem with the call. If he has looked horrible of late, then it was a stupid call.

Also, I guess I didn't realize that Matheny had said specifically that he "couldn't" put Trev in that situation. I agree that that is dumb rationale in an elimination game. I assumed it had more to do with his struggles of late.

[dacskc]

I'm gonna start crossing my fingers now that Yadi, Waino, and Wacha are all healthy come next season, and that Rosenthal's "sophomore slump" doesn't extend into 2015. I'm not sure that we honestly need to tweak the roster that much. The parts are all there, it's just a matter of health (and the matter between the ears). If everyone performs to their ability, the Cards will be fine next year. Something always happens though, picking up a couple of bats (what we think are good bats anyway) doesn't always pan out. They're just as susceptible as our current players are to the ups and downs of baseball. (unless we can get our hands on somebody like Trout who's immune to it, lol, and that's unlikely)