Retweet of the Day - October 25, 2013

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Michael Wacha has been the star of the post season. At a position in a game that benefits players with experience, particularly in October, the 22-year-old rookie has dazzled fans and broadcasters alike. Some just cannot get past the fact that a pitcher so young is pitching so well on the world's biggest stage.

Today's retweet, from katherine trahan (‏@kat_trahan2) takes note of the media bro-mance with Wacha and the fascination over his youth:

"Yall for everytime the commentators say wacha is only 22, drink. You'd be drunk."

This guy was tuned in last night.

Image from www.guaranteedmx.com

The Count is 1-1

These MLB players are getting more and more clever at skirting the PED tests. Steroids? HGH? Female fertility drugs? Deer antler spray? Nonsense. Rookie Michael Wacha and the young Cardinals pitchers have good, old-fashioned ice water in their veins.

ONCE IS A COINCIDENCE, TWICE IS A PATTERN, THREE TIMES IS A TREND

Through four starts in the 2013 postseason, 22-year-old Wacha has a 4-0 record and an ERA of 1.00. Wacha’s win last night at Fenway Park is just the latest in a long line of early-career postseason conquests. His playoff starts have come in high-pressure situations.

Last night, a Cardinals loss would have put his team down 0-2 in the best-of-seven series heading back to St. Louis. He pitched seven scoreless innings in the closeout Game 6 against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS and took a shutout into the 7^th inning in Game 2 of that series. Facing elimination at the Pittsburgh Pirates in Game 4 of the NLDS, Wacha pitched into the 8^th inning and only gave up one run.

Wacha has been as cool as they come. 1

REINFORCEMENTS

It’s impressive to have one rookie who can live up to the moment of a critical World Series game on the road. When a team has three, age 23 or younger, who can chew up all nine innings and win, the windows of opportunity to beat them are small, more like doggie doors. Not only did 22-year-old relief pitcher Carlos Martinez and 23-year-old closer Trevor Rosenthal finish what Wacha started, they allowed the other members of the bullpen to rest, available to be fresh in case of a tougher managerial chess match later in the series.    

Martinez = "Money" in Game 2. Catcher Yadier Molina, right, agrees. 2

BRING IN THE CLOWNS

As flawless as Red Sox starter Jon Lester was in Game 1 and as bafflingly brilliant as Wacha continued to be in Game 2, the difference maker was comedic ineptitude in the field by the losing team. The Cardinals were able to take the lead for good on double throwing errors in the 7^th inning by relief pitcher Craig Breslow and catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia. The ball ended up in the stands and the Cardinals ended up with a two run late inning lead. The Cardinals’ defensive butterflies in Game 1 put them out of the game almost as soon as it started.

One error is bad; Salty is about to make it much worse. The phrase "cut your losses" is cliche' for a reason.

GATEWAY TO A TITLE

Games 3, 4, and 5 will all be played at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. There is no guarantee that this series will go back to Boston. St. Louis not only gained confidence in Game 2, they took away Boston’s home field advantage. A playoff series doesn’t “really” start until the home team loses. It’s on!

4

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Pitcher Perfect Postseason

If there ever were a question about the shadow of the Steroid Era of baseball hovering over the game, this postseason has offered compelling evidence that juiced batters are done and hurlers are the heroes of October. This postseason have seemingly offered us a stellar pitching performance (or two) nightly. Major League Baseball, these last few weeks, looks like the game I grew up with: one in which the pitchers decided the games and the man with the stick capable of cracking the armor of the man on the mound emerged as a gamebreaker.

So far, there have been seven shutouts in the postseason. Three of those were 1-0 final scores. Beyond stat sheet standouts, what these “A-game” performances on the mound have given postseason baseball is what compels the casual sports fan to watch the games: suspense and drama.

American League Division Series – Game 2: Detroit Tigers at Oakland Athletics

Former MVP and Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander tossed seven scoreless innings, but the star of the night was rookie Sony Gray of the A’s. Gray threw eight scoreless innings on 111 pitches, giving his team the opportunity to win it with a walk off in the 9^th inning. A’s closer Grant Balfour got the win, but Gray got the glory.

Tigers    0

A’s          1

FINAL – Series tied 1-1

It was a Sonny night in Oakland. 1

American League Division Series – Game 5: Detroit Tigers at Oakland Athletics

After dodging multiple bullets and delivering clutch hits in Game 4, the Tigers sent the series back to Oakland for a fifth and final game. The stage was set for Verlander-Gray Part II. Like most sequels, it was worth seeing, but couldn’t match up to the original. Sonny Gray was peppered and removed after five innings after giving up three runs. Justin Verlander was magnificent again, hanging eight zeroes on the scoreboard before closing pitcher Joaquin Benoit stretched the Tigers over the finish line in the 9^th inning. 

Tigers    3

A’s          0

FINAL – Tigers win the series 3 games to 2.

The master schooled the rook in the end. 2

American League Championship Series – Game 1: Detroit Tigers at Boston Red Sox

Anibal Sanchez got dirty in his first postseason start, getting hammered for six runs, including three homers, and being removed in the fifth inning of Game 3 of the ALDS. Sanchez redeemed himself, tossing six hitless, scoreless innings. Detroit’s pitching staff would combine to toss 8-1/3 scoreless innings before losing the combined no-hitter in the bottom of the 9^th inning. Regardless, the Red Sox, the best hitting team in baseball, may as well have had rubber hoses instead of bats, being shut out at home in Game 1.

Tigers    1

Red Sox 0

FINAL

National League Championship Series – Game 2: Los Angeles Dodgers at St. Louis Cardinals

After outlasting the Dodgers the night before in a 13 inning marathon, 3-2, the Cardinals had to get up and do it all over again just 15 hours later. Probable National League Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers took the mound against rookie wunderkind Michael Wacha. Kershaw was excellent, striking out five batters and giving up one run and two hits in six innings. Wacha was bulletproof, carrying a shutout into the seventh inning before the Cardinals’ bullpen finished the job. The Dodgers only gave up four runs in 22 innings of play; the Cardinals gave up less.

Dodgers   0

Cardinals 1

FINAL – Cardinals lead the series 2 games to none.

Wacha vs Kershaw? Wacha, Wacha, Wacha! 4

National League Championship Series – Game 2: Los Angeles Dodgers at St. Louis Cardinals

With the season effectively hanging in the balance, rookie Hyun-Jin Ryu of the Dodgers turned in the finest performance at the most critical time in his fledgling career. Ryu pitched four hitless innings to start the game and finished giving up only three hits in seven scoreless innings. They needed the stellar effort as Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright also lasted seven innings and only surrendered two runs. The Dodgers’ pen finished the job to breathe life back into the Dodgers in this series.

Cardinals 0

Dodgers   3

FINAL – Cardinals lead the series 2 games to 1.

Ryu had no room for error, so he didn't make any. 3

American League Championship Series – Game 3: Boston Red Sox at Detroit Tigers

Not to be outdone by their National League counterparts, the Red Sox and Tigers served up another classic pitcher’s duel. Justin Verlander put up ridiculous numbers again but did give up his first earned run in about a month, serving up a tater to Mike Napoli of the Red Sox in the 7^th inning. Verlander went eight innings only surrendering a single run to Boston.

Red Sox starter John Lackey, who had some hard knocks in the postseason while with the Los Angeles Angels, continued his October Redemption Tour with the Red Sox. He took a shutout into the seventh inning before the relievers finished the job. The Sox shut out the Tigers and regained the home field advantage in the series.

Red Sox 1

Tigers    0

FINAL

John Lackey's ex-wife, Krista Clark...was probably not in the building to see that masterpiece. 5

Pitching Wins Championships

The adage that great pitching trumps great hitting has been illustrated repeatedly in this postseason. The aforementioned were just the highlights. Twelve playoff games had five or fewer total runs scored. Only one League Championship Series game has had more than five total runs scored. The team with the ball has controlled its fate in the playoffs, the way it should be.

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The Daily Hat Trick is sponsored by Sports N Stuff. For great deals on jerseys, shirts, cologne, and other guy stuff, visit http://www.sportsnstuff.biz/.

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