 |
| Mitchell Boggs should have been used in the seventh inning on Tuesday. He gave the Cardinals the best chance to win. - Photo courtesy of Getty Images |
Tuesday's culprits included Miguel Batista, who started the inning by allowing five earned runs while recording just two outs. Trevor Miller came in and was not much better, hitting a batter and walking another before leaving without recording an out. Jason Motte then came in and battled valiently before surrendering a bases loaded walk to score yet another.
Cardinals manager Tony La Russa once again turned to the "core" of his bullpen with a four run lead, giving Batista the ball. Give La Russa credit for being consistent. It is similar to the decision he made when shipped Mitchell Boggs to Memphis earlier this season. Boggs was available on Tuesday, but La Russa once again went with the veteran. So yes, La Russa is consistent. But consistent does not mean correct.
La Russa sent Mitchell Boggs to Memphis earlier this season even though Boggs had been better than Batista and Ryan Franklin all season long.
Boggs likely will be demoted once again on Wednesday to make room for starter Kyle McClellan. So why not give Boggs the ball to start the seventh inning with a 6-2 lead to see if he has learned anything in Memphis?
The treatment and usage of Mitchell Boggs is beyond baffling. In fact, it defies logic. It is more foreign than Chinese food. It stinks of hypocrisy and unfortunately I feel that the decision making regarding Boggs will cost the Cardinals more games later this season.
Boggs is the fourth best reliever on this team. Period. Yet he gets shipped out to Memphis to work on becoming a starter in order to protect the starting rotation in case of injury?
Pardon me if I am wrong, but hasn't the bullpen been the weakest link this season in St. Louis? Shouldn't the organization be using Boggs to support the ailing bullpen that is full of ineffective veterans and over-worked rookies?
Before Boggs was sent to Memphis, he had appeared in 18 games for the Cardinals, posting a 0-2 record with a 3.66 ERA while closing three games when the Cardinals were in desperate need of finding a closer. Certainly not eye-popping stats, but Boggs was certainly more consistent than Batista or Franklin and for that matter, more consistent than even left-handed relievers Miller or Brian Tallet.
So it is obvious that Boggs was sent to Memphis for a bogus reason. The Cardinals claim the decision was made to support the bullpen and for obvious future financial reason. I think it is purely political and sending him back to Memphis again would be another insult to every Cardinals fan.
Lets not forget that Boggs was good during his time in Memphis as well. He pitched great out of the rotation and made the transition easily, making four starts for Memphis and posting a 2.45 ERA with a 1.16 WHIP.
What has Mitchell Boggs done wrong? Is he too big? Does he throw to hard? Doe he have too much talent?
Boggs did get in the game on Tuesday night and posted a perfect eight inning. He just got in the game an inning too late.
And now, despite not allowing a run in two appearances since being recalled, Boggs will likely be shipped back to Memphis while fans continue to watch the ineptitude that is the Cardinals bullpen.
Sources:
Comments
Post a Comment