He had two chances to put the best player in the NL, who is on his own team, into the game to have him hit and he has Orlando Hudson and Aaron Rowand hit instead. Orlando Hudson and Aoran Rowand instead of Albert Pujols? WTF?!
2007-07-11 06:05:44 · 13 answers · asked by Jim 3 in Sports ➔ Baseball
And swingman, do you even watch baseball? Yes, Pujols is having a "down" year. But he's still batting .310 with 52 RBIs and 16 HRs. That is much better than Aaron Rowand. And Pujols is a good hitter in the clutch and is bound to heat up anytime. His career batting average is .330. That doesn't sound like just a power hitter to me.
2007-07-11 06:22:26 · update #1
He absolutely should have used Pujols instead of Rowand. For everyone who says that he needed to keep Pujols on the bench in case the game went extra innings and he needed someone to pinch hit for the pitcher... did you miss Aaron Rowand flying out to tend the game? They had to get to extra innings first, and the best way to do that was with Pujols.
Besides, bases loaded, two outs, Derrek Lee and his reasonable speed on second is going to score on most hits to the outfield, which would have won the game right there.
The only time bringing Pujols in would have been a bad move would be if he singled right to an outfielded and Lee was thrown out at the plate or stopped at third - and, worse case there, you have Pujols in the outfield, Dmitri Young playing 1B, and Lee out of the game. In the 10th, you have either the 5th or 6th spot in the batting order, with the new pitcher batting 2nd in place of Lee. I'd much rather have that than Aaron Rowand flying out to end the game.
Basically, one of the best hitters in baseball, who even in an off year is hitting .310, vs. a guy who is having a career year at the plate to hit .310 and is only on the team because he runs face-first into walls... I know who I'd rather have at bat.
2007-07-11 06:43:03 · answer #1 · answered by falcon_ss 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, to win the game, that probably would have been the best decision he could have made. But it's the all-star game. These guys have been playing hard and deserve to play in the game. He wanted them to have a chance to do what they can. Pujols has many all-star games to come, when Hudson and Rowand might not be there again. And besides, LaRussa knows the Cardinals aren't going to the WS this year, so he doesn't need to fight for home field advantage. I say, in the all-star game, just let them play. And to Swingman: Pujols is the best hitter in the game right now. He may be struggling a little bit (by his standards) but talent-wise, he's the best. You know he's the best because he's batting .310 and it's considered an "off" year.
2007-07-11 13:52:28 · answer #2 · answered by KJ 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yeah, I definetly woulda put in Pujols in Rowand's place. Rowand is more of a big defensive outfielder, not power hitter. Hudson has been pretty good this year and is hitting #3 in Arizona's lineup. I woulda ended the game though with a walk-off homerun by Albert Pujols!
2007-07-11 13:10:02 · answer #3 · answered by uncheels1710 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
did you just call albert pujols the best player in the NL??
over the last 5 years, yea id say so.
but this year, not a chance, thats y he was a reserve.
and once again, look at the situation. lets say pujols hits instead of rowand and they tie the game. it goes into the 10th. the NL now has no pitching left because larussa got all his guys in early, and pujols playing 2B!!! also, you have no bench players, so your pitcher has to hit if it comes to that!. pujols was the last player on that bench, and pujols is a pwer hitter. it woulda either been a HR or a K with him. i think rowand was the right call in that situation, considering larussa may have mismanaged earlier on.
lets see you manage an AS Game and see how you do
2007-07-11 13:10:53 · answer #4 · answered by TheSandMan 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
I don't know how many times I've seen Pujols hit a double in clutch situations. A homerun wasn't necessary and Pujols is posting a good BA and good RBI numbers this year, so putting him in would have been the right decision.
2007-07-11 13:30:02 · answer #5 · answered by mplsundin 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Of course you Monday morning quarterbacks wouldn't be saying a thing if Hudson or Rowand had gotten a hit. Just more "loser's lament". A real pity that the AL wins AGAIN! (LOL)
2007-07-11 13:19:30 · answer #6 · answered by renfield 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
yeah i definitely agree with you...it was a ridiculously stupid move. his reasoning (which i don't agree with) is that he wanted to save him for extra innings. sucks that he never got those extra innings...but i was cheering for the AL, so of course i wasn't bummed when he didn't put pujols in the game
2007-07-11 19:37:32 · answer #7 · answered by YanksFan223 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
How can you complain? Hudson drew a walk.
2007-07-11 13:15:04 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I agree, and I'm not a Cardinal fan, he should take his drunk *** home and retire!!!! And give the Grecian formula a rest, O.K. Tony??
2007-07-11 13:10:54 · answer #9 · answered by bucsfan 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Pujols didn't think much of it either.
2007-07-11 13:09:26 · answer #10 · answered by Truth is elusive 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋