Backs Literally Against the Proverbial Wall

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Here's the deal from last night.  You can blame anyone you want to blame.  There are only a couple of players who are not culpable in this nightmare.  Adam Wainwright of course is a stallion.  Mark DeRosa has come to play with money on the line.  Julio Lugo should have played both games.  He's shaky in the field but the dude can hit and if you haven't noticed the boys need hitting.  Trevor Miller is fine.  In fact, the bullpen leads me to the real problem here.  Tony is playing it like the '02 NLCS when he shortened the pen too far and cost the club a shot at the series. 

Look, you can't play it tight...the club will sense it like a grizzly can smell the fear.  I won't even get into the reasons that Wainwright should have started game one.  Randy and I have elaborated at length in the Fastlane on 101 ESPN. 

Anyway, the 9th last night should have gone like this...Miller pitches to Either (just like Tony played it)...and just like Tony, I bring in Franklin to face Manny...and that's it for Franklin!

He's out!  Now you go to Reyes.  Loney has only faced him twice.  He's one for two against him.  And so long as he doesn't hit a homer it doesn't matter what he does because now you go to HOF'er John Smoltz to finish the game win or lose.  Why have 12 pitchers and not use them?  Why be the master of the matchup and then not matchup? Why have a hall of famer on your staff and not use him?

"I need him for game four."

What?!  You gotta win something before you get to game four!  I like the luxury of having Smoltz to start but, you don't have that luxury. 

I can hear you now,"We haven't used hime that way all year!" 

Well, who's fault is that?

I have said it before and I'll say it again now, to Tony..."Are you going to pull those pistols or whistle Dixie?"