Okay, Francis Beltran has an issue with walking people of late. It’s not a good thing, but it’s a perfectly predictable thing from a young kid with overpowering stuff – sometimes it’s going to overpower you.
BUT, it’s not a shock to anyone paying the slightest attention to the Cubs that he’s going to walk people if you put him in, and probably the first guy. It’s part of his name now: “Francis Beltran, who’s struggled with his control of late”
So, Rusch gets into trouble, not getting anyone out of the first three he faces in the sixth. It’s a five run game, Rusch having just allowed one, and you’ve got a man on first and second and no out. Here are your options:
Leave Rusch In (nah)
LHP Kent Mercker
RHP Kyle Farnsworth
RHP LaTroy Hawkins
LHP Mike Remlinger
RHP Todd Wellemeyer
RHP Francis Beltran
RHP Mark Prior hahahaha :(
Kyle, Hawk and Remy, you probably want to either save till the 8th, or hopefully get some innings from the rest of your guys so you don’t use ’em at all. So they’re out of play.
Dusty likes to use Mercker in the 7th, and this being the 6th, which is not the 7th, he’s not going to use him here. So you’ve got Beltran and Todd.
Here is Wellemeyer’s ML Game Log after being brought back off a rehab assigment (IOW: assigned to AAA till we decided we needed him)
07/17 no action
07/18 no action
07/19 no action
You may say “Hey, that’s how Dusty treats the rooks! Don’t be surprised.” And you’re right. EXCEPT: Todd was brought up (and current thecubsfan.com fav Brendan Harris was sent down) for the sole express purpose of being able to eat innings if Rusch or Prior checked out early today. THE SOLE EXPRESS PURPOSE. That’s it! That’s the list!
Two on, no out. 5 run game. Guy who was brought up for this reason and this reason alone vs Guy who walks the first person he sees. I think you know how this goes.
WALK (bases loaded)
WALK (one run in – 4 run game)
INFIELD SINGLE (one run in – 3 run game, and welcome back ‘slick fielding’ Alex Gonzalez)
To his credit, Dusty does decide the 7th innning needs to come a little early. Mercker in
SF (2 runs in)
K
FO-9
From a six run lead to a two run lead.
I know Puljos is going to get his HRs and you’re just happy if you have no one on when they occur, but when So Taguchi – SO TAGUCHI! – hits a tying homerun, bringing the Cards all the way back from 7-1 to a 8-8 tie, well…
It kinda makes you wish the season was less than 162 games long.
Taguchi might be the most underrated player in ANY SPORT EVER!!! He lays down bunts like the son of God, is solid in the outfield and even hits a homeron once or twice a season, when we really need him to. His contract expires this year, and I really think the Cards should hold onto him.
Taguchi is hitting .267/.299/.386. That translates to “Ryu Taguchi is a better hitter than So Taguchi.”
If you want to try “Albert Puljos is a totally unrated hitter”, I might go with you there.
Taguchi’s stats are misleading, as he’s laid down the sac bunt probably 99.9% of his at-bats. You can only beat them out so often.