Cards Can Win Game 7 IF...

TonyMar · Oct 18, 2006

LaRussa keeps Rolen-ROD on the bench.

Scott "NON-CLUTCH" Rolen is now 5 for 43 since the 2004 Series.

His first inning AB crushed the team and changed the game...

LaRussa needs to put Spiezio at 3rd base tomorrow night...and use Wilson in LF.

AROD now has someone worse than he is in October...

Scott Rolen-ROD.

Hell leave that cry baby at the hotel tomorrow night.

Kojak · Oct 18, 2006

My lineup if I was Larussa tomorrow night:

Eckstein ss
Rolen 3b (Yes I would play him and move him in front of Pujols as it would ensure him getting some pitches)
Pujols 1b
Encarnacion Rf
Edmonds CF
Taguchi LF (I would not start Spezio as don't expect Perez and Oliver to make it longer than 5 or 6 and want to insert him in the clutch situation.)
Belliard 2b
Molina C
Suppan P

I would have everyone available tomorrow night to pitch including Carpenter as he only threw 76 pitches.

TonyMar · Oct 18, 2006

Kojak...

We are going to have to agree to disagree here...

Rolen-ROD is killing this team...

It is not even close.

He has divided the clubhouse with his crybaby tantrums...

He cannot hit at all right now...unless the pitcher throws him a mistake.

Wagner served him a 1-2 cookie...made a mistake.

LaRussa needs to bench him...hopefully he can use him as a defensive replacement late when the Cards are winning...

This is going to be real interesting...because I do not believe Tony will continue to back him...Rolen is killing this team.

SayHeyKid · Oct 19, 2006

It all depends on Oliver Perez. That guy is a loose cannon. He could either get drilled, or pitch a perfect game. I would bench Rolen though. He has just been flat out awful.

Kojak · Oct 19, 2006

I am a simple believer in that you go with your best players and I still feel Rolen is the better player. Tony should give him one last chance to prove himself. If he fails, then it is time to enter the Arod sweepstakes using Rolen. I think it would cause more problems than already exists if you bench him and having him mope around. As an All Star,gold glover, and team leader, he deserves the last chance.

Bet-It-All · Oct 19, 2006

I would start Chris Ducan over Juan he has done nothing.

Kojak · Oct 19, 2006

I think we all agree that Cardinals need more offense and specifically timely hitting. As a coach, I would play my defensive team over my offensive team. In these high pressure games it comes down to mistakes made more often than it does anything else. The fact is So Taguchi needs to be in the lineup and he is hot and clutch right now. Second, Rolen may not be helping with bat but he saves a ton of runs. If you look at real reason we lost game tonight was a defensive gaffe and throw my Molina on pitchout. If he makes the throw he normally makes, game stay at 2-0 and Cards tie it in the ninth. Game 4 when Mets won, the major mistakes were once again defensive on error by Belliard and the popup that 3 guys allowed to drop after the error when all 3 were camped out there. Game 1 was won on a mistake pitch no error. I have no confidence in Game 7 with Chris Duncan playing the of after what I saw in San Diego series. Spezio is also shaky though no mistakes yet. To me, Preston Wilson or Taguchi has to start.

runandhide21 · Oct 19, 2006

Kojak I agree and disagree with you

Agree- Taguchi starts but bats 2nd...no question...

Disagree- Rolen sits...I think hes killed us more than saved us and we have to get the run support tomorrow and spezio will do that 100 times better than rolen...encarnacion vs wilson is a toss up if u ask me...