Will no one rid me of this middlesome closer?

JV wrote:

Okay, I realize there's no such word as "middlesome" but I wanted to see if anyone picked up on the reference. 

Will no one rid us of this predictably inadequate closer?

I missed it.
Watching poor Franklin these days is like watching a cow try to skate across thin ice. He's ill-equipped for the task, and it's going to end badly.

Despite every thing I know about Tone, I was kind of hoping when the bullpen door opened, Sanchez would suddenly emerge. I know the kid has pitched all of two innings in the majors, but he would have at least given them a chance.
After that, I kind of hoped - despite every instinct about putting the winning run on base - Kemp would walk or get HBP and they could deal with the collection of refuse behind him.

"he's getting hammered."  Perhaps Tone sees him as a kindred spirit.

Damn.  Just when I show back up I get this self-imposed one-week ban.

JV wrote:

Will no one rid me of this middlesome closer?

it's funny because now, a few hours after watching the inevitable unfold, i was wondering if anyone else on this board remembers the SNL skit with "Ross Perot" the day after the Vice-Presidential debate in 1992?  If ever there was a time to take Ryan Franklin on a joyride, it is now.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/4123/saturday-night-live-joyride-with-perot

Last edited by Max (4/17/2011 8:13 pm)

and as long as i'm thinking about it, i kind of disagree with the decision to yank carpenter. 

for 8 years on this/these boards i've been complaining that la russa lacks instinct as to when to yank a pitcher, it's often too late and occassionally too soon.  anyone who has watched carp knows that he sometimes gets stronger as the game goes on.  carp struck out 4 of the final 6 batters he faced.  along with those he got two ground outs, and allowed a single to kemp (who's hitting everything) to round out innings 6 and 7.  you could see he was getting better, and turning into the carp that can close out games without giving the opposing team a chance.

next, why did they take him out?  to pinch hit jon jay, who has looked horrible at the plate, and who struck out on a pitch in the dirt.  vin sculley was dissecting him the whole series, incredulous that the guy hit .300 last year.  i like jay, particularly his defense, but he is in danger of getting sent back down to memphis, . . . or worse.

all-in-all, a bad move by la russa.

Last edited by Max (4/17/2011 9:02 pm)

forsberg_us wrote:

Today was another day blacked out on U-verse. Sounds like I didn't miss much.

The Cardinal twitter media (Leach & Goold) seem to think Boggs gets first crack at closer job if TLR makes a move.

So what's the issue? I mean really. This dispute has got to end.
It was a great game. Carpenter was terrific, and Billingsley was even better. And I suppose I have to give Miles some credit for catching Molina's duck snort in the top of the ninth. It was a great play that saved a run. But the way Franklin is going, you had a feeling that even if the Cardinals had put up two runs, he was going to give up three.
Franklin of course has always had to rely on his location. One or two inches either way and he's meat. But he's not just missing his spots by one or two inches, he's missing by half a foot. The two pitches Kemp hit over the fence in the series were batting practice pitches.
Was there anything in the paper about the 2-2 pitch Kemp took? It looked like it could have caught the outside corner, and Franklin certainly wanted it, but I really don't think it would have made a difference. Uribe or Loney, even as poorly as they're hitting, would have done some damage. That's how lousy Franklin is right now.

I agree artie, it's a difficult choice to make, but pulling Carpenter out of a 0-0 tie was a move I would have made as well.

I think every expert I've heard talk about Franklin has agreed that he should not be the closer, but preface that with the condition that there is something better to do the job on the roster. I begrudgingly agree with this. I think he's playing like shit, and I don't want him anywhere near the mound in a close game, but I'm not sure who I would rather give the ball to yet.

It's probably not very cool to make Jaime Garcia close when he's not starting is it?

Edit: Typo'd.

Last edited by alz (4/18/2011 9:01 am)

Anyone else see that Matt Holliday is hitting .441? Someone should tell Cowboy.

Twitter was pretty active last night about the closer situation.  Apparently there is a meeting today between Moz, TLR and Dunc to discuss the situation.  I'd be shocked if Sanchez was given first crack, just because of how TLR is with young pitchers.  Leach and Goold were both throwing Boggs' name out there as if he would receive first crack.  Bernie's article today suggests it's probably between Boggs and Batista.

forsberg_us wrote:

artie_fufkin wrote:

forsberg_us wrote:

Today was another day blacked out on U-verse. Sounds like I didn't miss much.

The Cardinal twitter media (Leach & Goold) seem to think Boggs gets first crack at closer job if TLR makes a move.

So what's the issue? I mean really. This dispute has got to end.

The dispute, at least as I understand it, stems from the fact that FSM was originally supposed to air about 130 games this season, with a few being covered nationally and about 25 being covered by KSDK (the local NBC affilliate, and the station that "featured" Jay Randolph last season).  For whatever reason, the plug was pulled on KSDK, and those 25 games were moved to FSM.  FSM apparently went to the local providers and wanted more money for the extra 25 games.  AT&T has taken the position that they paid for a season of FSM programming, including the Cardinals, and, to this point, have refused to pay the extra money.  So whenever one of those 25 games airs, we get some sort of secondary FSM programming.

That's unfortunate, but I'm glad the Cardinals dunked KSDK. I missed about half the Sunday games last year because neither carrier was licensed to EI. Fox carries about 20 teams exclusively these days, but were a few holdouts who still broadcast some Sunday games on "free" TV that I didn't get. I think the only one in the NL this year is San Diego.
See, it's all about how it affects me. Screw the million or so people who live in St. Louis.

Last edited by artie_fufkin (4/18/2011 10:11 am)

"I'd be shocked if Sanchez was given first crack, just because of how TLR is with young pitchers."

Me too. Just please, not Batista. He hasn't sucked, but he's just another version of Franklin. Who was the last closer the Cardinals had who actually challenged hitters? Henke? Smith? Worrell?