Should Schilling Pitch Game 4?

[NetShrine]

What's your call - and why?

It's interesting - - if you're Brenly, you want to pitch him - - - because he did not kill himself in Game 1 and, if you do pitch him and he wins, you're either:

up 3-1 or completed a sweep
(depending on the outcome of Game 3).

But, if he should fail on three days rest, and lose, then you're either:

tied 2-2 or up 3-1 (depending on the outcome of Game 3).

Seems if he pitches, mostly good things can happen - - for sure, even if he bombs, the worst it will be is 2-2 or 3-1. Both still excellent position..............

but, if you don't start him, and you lose both Games 3 and 4 (which is the worst you can do), it's still only 2-2, and it then becomes a BEST 2 OUT OF 3 - and you have Schilling and Unit well rested for two of the games - - not to mention that two of the games are home (and those games will be the 4th time the Yankees will have to go West in a span of four weeks).

It will be very interesting to see the call and how it works out.

I'm thinking I'd rather have him on 4 days rest for Game 5 than on three for Game 4 and then three for Game 7, if you need him.

What do you think?

As much as I hate admitting it, since Curt went 7, not 9 innings, he may be able to pull off 6 innings on Wednesday. Roger isn't as overwhelming as last year and Duke, who Curt would oppose, has been even less so, since he loses his edge after 4 innings.

Some pitchers perform well on 3 days' rest but not all. It's possible that Curt could not be up to little rest and be taken out early. He may also prove unhittablew which would make me want to ship him back to Phoenix well before the game is over.

David Wells wanted to take Hernandez' turn in 98 WS but Torre nixed this, giving Orlando his scheduled start. If Brenly believes in his 4th starter, that may work. As to whether I'd do this if I were him, I'd just say it all rests on how well he performs on 3 days' rest.

[BuzzBuzzard]

I don't start him until Game 5.

[NetShrine]

Originally posted by BuzzBuzzard
I don't start him until Game 5.

For the same reason I stated - or another reason?

[BuzzBuzzard]

Same as you.

[NetShrine]

Originally posted by BuzzBuzzard
Same as you.

October 29, 2001, a day that will go down in infamy!

[Duque]

Well, the DBacks have yet to use Batista out of the bullpen, so I'd guess he's still slated for Game 4. But - if Brian Anderson gets shellacked early tomorrow night, Brenly could easily go to Batista, knowing that Schilling would be [relatively] well rested to start Game 4.

Since hitting seems a very strong Yankee problem this year, I get the feeling that as the games progress, the Yankees will start hitting. They waited until the final game 5 against Seattle to blast off, 12-3. The prior games they hadn't scored anywhere near as much.

Given that Joe knows how to remove pitchers when they're in trouble, unlike last night when Andy got hit on his right knee then gave up a 3 run dinger, these games can be won.

If Curt comes in on the 5th game and Randy in 6, given that the Yankees are able to squeak past Arizona in games 3 and/or 4, I feel that the Yankee hitting should have arrived by then. I'll say that the Yankees have managed to beat Pedro Martinez, Maddux, Smoltz and a host of other unhittable pitchers.

For Moose/Schilling II, I'm expecting Moose much more relaxed and just throwing his good stuff as he did in Boston and YS facing Boston in September. If he does this, Andy does this in game 6, it may wind down to Roger Clemens in game 7. If that's the case, I'd say his hamstring problems had better be cured around then or I'll scream at the top of my lungs.

[NetShrine]

Originally posted by Duque
if Brian Anderson gets shellacked early tomorrow night, Brenly could easily go to Batista, knowing that Schilling would be [relatively] well rested to start Game 4.

Good prediction - - highly likely to come true, IMHO.

[CubFan7125]

I start Shilling in game 4 for several reasons:

- If you wait for game 5 to start him, he can't come back & pitch a 7th game if necessary.

- Always go with your best, 70% of Shilling is better than Anderson, 19 game loser Albie Lopez or whatever else they can throw out there.

- Go for the jugular, if your up 2-1 why risk evening up the series. If it's 3-0, finish em' off.
Today's useless trivia:


Q - Who holds the record for most errors in an inning?
A - Bob Brenly with 4(Bob was playing 3rd that day). Actually he holds a tie for the record, but I kind of liked that stat.

[BuzzBuzzard]

Originally posted by CubFan7125
- If you wait for game 5 to start him, he can't come back & pitch a 7th game if necessary.

I hear you on this point and it is not without its merits, but what did you see that suggests there would be a game 7 if the D'Backs wait to start Schill until Game 5. I think it makes a Game 7 more likely to start Schill in Game 4, in which case you get him twice on short rest. No way I chance that. I'll take Schill and RJ on full rest in a best 2 out of 3 any day.

[NetShrine]

GREAT point/counter point CubFan/Buzz. You guys summed up both views perfectly. I'm going with Buzz - - I think you go for the win in 6 and worry about 7 if it happens.

[jpalexa]

Somebody clarify this number of "days rest" thing to me. With the travel day, wouldn't Schilling be on FOUR days rest for Game Four? Essentially, he'd be taking his turn in a four-man rotation.

Originally posted by jpalexa
Somebody clarify this number of "days rest" thing to me. With the travel day, wouldn't Schilling be on FOUR days rest for Game Four? Essentially, he'd be taking his turn in a four-man rotation.

Game 1 was Saturday, so let's see:

Sat., game day.
Sun., game 2, one day's rest.
Mon., travel day, two day's rest.
Tue., game 3., 3 day's rest.
Wed., game 4., Schilling pitches again.

3 day's rest, meaning three whole 24-hour periods of nothing but R&R, TLC and whatever other mess he could've gotten himself into that the Natl Enquirer would pay six figures to report on for the next 6 months. Clear as mud now?

BTW, if he pitches both 1 & 4, he'd effectively be in a 3-man rotation, since that's how many would be used as SP's.

Schilling is an old school hoss if any exist in today's game, and if anybody can do it, it's him. However, as a Cardinals fan, I've seen too many good, strong pitchers get absolutely SHELLED on three days' rest to think it's a very good idea to start Curt in game 4. Stottlemyre and Benes in the '96 NLCS should have taught La Russa a lesson, but he did it again last year with Kile, and all three recieved bad, bad beatings. It cost us two series. The D-Backs need their aces to win, and Schilling with full rest at home is a lot better bet than Schilling on short rest in Yankee Stadium. I think if you're Brenly, you have to take your chances with a couple of poor matchups with Anderson and Batista (although he's actually been better than Hernandez this year) and hope one of them picks off a game to take pressure off your aces. I actually like Arizona's chances with Batista vs. Hernandez, and I consider Curt's likelihood of being effective on 3 days rest to be about 50%. Add to that the chance that if he does get rocked, he might not be in his best mental state for a game 7 call, and it seems a very good idea to hold Curt off until game 5.