MLB Wed, Oct 5, 2005
Astros loaded on the mound going into playoffs
Associated Press
ATLANTA -- Roy Oswalt has two straight 20-win seasons.
With the Houston Astros, those credentials are good enough to get him a start in Game 3 of the NL division series.
``If I had one other guy to add to this rotation, it would be Cy Young,`` manager Phil Garner said. ``It would be hard to get him here now, I guess. But, nonetheless, I feel pretty good about it.``
Indeed, the Astros are absolutely loaded on the mound. Andy Pettitte (17-9), who will pitch Wednesday`s opener in the best-of-five series against the Atlanta Braves, was second in the league with an ERA of 2.39.
The leader? Teammate Roger Clemens (13-8, 1.87), the future Hall of Famer who will start on Thursday.
Oswalt (20-12, 2.94) won`t go until Saturday, when the series shifts to Texas, despite the NL`s seventh-best ERA and another 20-win season.
``Anytime you have a short series, if you have good pitching, you have got to feel comfortable about it,`` Garner said. ``We`ve had good pitching. There`s absolutely no question about it.``
The Braves have had that sort of pitching going into past postseasons, but they look a little shakier this year. Beyond closer Kyle Farnsworth, the bullpen is a mess. Dan Kolb, a former all-star who started the season as the closer, didn`t even make the 25-man roster.
As for the starting rotation, John Smoltz would have been a logical choice to start Game 1, but he`s been bothered by a stiff shoulder. So, the winningest pitcher in postseason history will be held back until Game 2.
Tim Hudson (14-9) will start the opener against Pettitte.
After Tuesday`s workout, Smoltz slipped out of the Braves` clubhouse through a side door, hoping to avoid reporters camped out by his locker. He walked all the way to the parking lot before finally stopping by his car.
``Everybody`s putting me in a coffin,`` Smoltz said. ``All I`ve got is a stiff shoulder. It`s not that big a deal.``
Manager Bobby Cox waited until the Braves were traveling home from their final regular-season game before revealing his plans to those involved. He called it a precautionary move, giving the team some flexibility in case Smoltz`s shoulder acts up again.
``John is not 100 percent. But if he`s 95 percent, that`s good enough,`` Cox said. ``He is feeling good. He`s thrown a lot in between this time (since his last start). He doesn`t really ache or anything like that. It`s just a matter of locating his fastball a little bit better.``
The wear and tear of pitching a team-high 229 2-3 innings apparently got to Smoltz late in the season. He pushed back one start a couple of days, then sat out the last nine days of the regular season to rest for the playoffs.
Even though Smoltz (14-7) felt better during a bullpen session on Sunday, Cox wanted some assurance that his opening-day pitcher could come back on three days` rest for Game 4, if the Braves faced a must-win situation.
Hudson was a pretty good backup choice, having pitched in four division series for Oakland.
``I`m not exactly chopped liver,`` he said. ``I don`t feel like their settling for me going in the first game. It really doesn`t matter who goes first and who goes second.``
While Hudson`s postseason resume - 1-2 with a 3.44 ERA in six starts - hardly matches up to Smoltz`s numbers, the Braves have plenty of confidence in the 30-year-old right-hander.
``To me, it`s just another bullet in our belt,`` second baseman Marcus Giles said. ``We have just as much confidence in Huddy as we do in John. Huddy has pitched in a lot of big games. I don`t look at this as a bad situation.
``And if we get Game 1 under our belt,`` Giles added, ``look who we`ve got going in Game 2.``
Atlanta captured its 14th straight division title while in the midst of a youth movement. Eight rookies made the postseason roster, led by 21-year-old phenom Jeff Francoeur.
The Braves believe all those kids might help them overcome their history of postseason failure. Since the streak of division crowns began in 1991, they`ve managed only one World Series championship. The last three seasons ended with opening-round losses in Game 5 at Turner Field.
In fact, it was Houston that knocked out the Braves a year ago.
``That youthful ignorance can be a good thing,`` Hudson said. ``These guys don`t know about winning 14 in a row. They`re 1-for-1. This is their first chance to win a World Series.``
Astros loaded on the mound going into playoffs
Associated Press
ATLANTA -- Roy Oswalt has two straight 20-win seasons.
With the Houston Astros, those credentials are good enough to get him a start in Game 3 of the NL division series.
``If I had one other guy to add to this rotation, it would be Cy Young,`` manager Phil Garner said. ``It would be hard to get him here now, I guess. But, nonetheless, I feel pretty good about it.``
Indeed, the Astros are absolutely loaded on the mound. Andy Pettitte (17-9), who will pitch Wednesday`s opener in the best-of-five series against the Atlanta Braves, was second in the league with an ERA of 2.39.
The leader? Teammate Roger Clemens (13-8, 1.87), the future Hall of Famer who will start on Thursday.
Oswalt (20-12, 2.94) won`t go until Saturday, when the series shifts to Texas, despite the NL`s seventh-best ERA and another 20-win season.
``Anytime you have a short series, if you have good pitching, you have got to feel comfortable about it,`` Garner said. ``We`ve had good pitching. There`s absolutely no question about it.``
The Braves have had that sort of pitching going into past postseasons, but they look a little shakier this year. Beyond closer Kyle Farnsworth, the bullpen is a mess. Dan Kolb, a former all-star who started the season as the closer, didn`t even make the 25-man roster.
As for the starting rotation, John Smoltz would have been a logical choice to start Game 1, but he`s been bothered by a stiff shoulder. So, the winningest pitcher in postseason history will be held back until Game 2.
Tim Hudson (14-9) will start the opener against Pettitte.
After Tuesday`s workout, Smoltz slipped out of the Braves` clubhouse through a side door, hoping to avoid reporters camped out by his locker. He walked all the way to the parking lot before finally stopping by his car.
``Everybody`s putting me in a coffin,`` Smoltz said. ``All I`ve got is a stiff shoulder. It`s not that big a deal.``
Manager Bobby Cox waited until the Braves were traveling home from their final regular-season game before revealing his plans to those involved. He called it a precautionary move, giving the team some flexibility in case Smoltz`s shoulder acts up again.
``John is not 100 percent. But if he`s 95 percent, that`s good enough,`` Cox said. ``He is feeling good. He`s thrown a lot in between this time (since his last start). He doesn`t really ache or anything like that. It`s just a matter of locating his fastball a little bit better.``
The wear and tear of pitching a team-high 229 2-3 innings apparently got to Smoltz late in the season. He pushed back one start a couple of days, then sat out the last nine days of the regular season to rest for the playoffs.
Even though Smoltz (14-7) felt better during a bullpen session on Sunday, Cox wanted some assurance that his opening-day pitcher could come back on three days` rest for Game 4, if the Braves faced a must-win situation.
Hudson was a pretty good backup choice, having pitched in four division series for Oakland.
``I`m not exactly chopped liver,`` he said. ``I don`t feel like their settling for me going in the first game. It really doesn`t matter who goes first and who goes second.``
While Hudson`s postseason resume - 1-2 with a 3.44 ERA in six starts - hardly matches up to Smoltz`s numbers, the Braves have plenty of confidence in the 30-year-old right-hander.
``To me, it`s just another bullet in our belt,`` second baseman Marcus Giles said. ``We have just as much confidence in Huddy as we do in John. Huddy has pitched in a lot of big games. I don`t look at this as a bad situation.
``And if we get Game 1 under our belt,`` Giles added, ``look who we`ve got going in Game 2.``
Atlanta captured its 14th straight division title while in the midst of a youth movement. Eight rookies made the postseason roster, led by 21-year-old phenom Jeff Francoeur.
The Braves believe all those kids might help them overcome their history of postseason failure. Since the streak of division crowns began in 1991, they`ve managed only one World Series championship. The last three seasons ended with opening-round losses in Game 5 at Turner Field.
In fact, it was Houston that knocked out the Braves a year ago.
``That youthful ignorance can be a good thing,`` Hudson said. ``These guys don`t know about winning 14 in a row. They`re 1-for-1. This is their first chance to win a World Series.``