St. Louis – Tony La Russa is not only the Cardinals’ manager, he’s also a lawyer, one of only four men in major-league history to pull off that double play. So it should come as no surprise that he handles most questions with thoughtful reflection. So it was Wednesday when he was asked if baseball should institute instant-replay review into the postseason.
“Generally, I think it’s unnecessary,” he said. “The umpires get most of the calls right. And we don’t play the umpires, and whether they make a call that you disagree with, whether you are right or wrong, you turn the page and go on.”
La Russa did say that, perhaps, replay could be used in the final three innings, but overall, he said, he treats blown calls as just another part of the game.
“If it goes wrong, it’s like a bad hop or the wind blowing in,” he said.
– Patrick Saunders
Oldies but goodies
The Cardinals’ starting outfield is a little long in the tooth. Left fielder Reggie Sanders is 37, center fielder Jim Edmonds is 35 and right fielder Larry Walker is 38. But the trio is a key element in the Cardinals’ quest for their first World Series title since 1982. So far, they’ve been very good. In Game 1, Sanders hit a grand slam, Edmonds hit a solo homer and Walker made a wonderful running catch in deep right-center. “Those guys, even though they’ve got some age, they are all fiercely competitive,” La Russa said.
– Patrick Saunders
Rematch of the aces
Six years later, John Smoltz and Roger Clemens are ready for an October rematch.
Smoltz will be the starter for Atlanta in Game 2 of the NL division series against Houston. Smoltz, a closer in recent seasons who returned to the rotation this year, will be making his first postseason start since Game 4 of the 1999 World Series against the New York Yankees.
He lost that game 4-1 to Clemens, his opponent again tonight.
Smoltz has not pitched since making his last start of the regular season Sept. 23. He then rested his stiff shoulder but says the unusually long gap between starts should not be a problem.
“My control shouldn’t be an issue,” he said. “I’ve been down this road so many times before. Adrenaline is going to be incredible at this time. … The issue’s going to be will I be able to come out from the start and contain that adrenaline.”
Clemens said he has recovered from a hamstring injury that forced him to miss a start late in the season.
– The Associated Press
