This will be the last post of late Monday night/early Tuesday morning. This involves the quotes from Game 2 of the National League Championship Series which ended up being a St. Louis blowout of Milwaukee by a 12-2 score.
Certainly the opposite of the extra inning thriller in Arlington, TX that ended with a walk-off Grand Slam homer giving Texas the 7-3 win in 11 innings over Detroit in the American League Championship Series.
So let’s provide the quotage and I’ll go to sleep.
Notes from MLB Postseason on TBS – October 10, 2011
The National League Championship Series will continue on TBS on Wednesday, October 12 at 7:30 p.m. ET with TBS MLB on Deck followed by Game 3 of the NLCS featuring St. Louis Cardinals @ Milwaukee Brewers (8 p.m. ET). The night will conclude with the post-game show Inside MLB.
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TBS MLB on Deck
Matt Winer (host) and Dennis Eckersley, Cal Ripken and David Wells (analysts)Eckersley on how to get Brewers left fielder Ryan Braunout: “Change his eye level and (do) all the things that are easier said than done. By the time you do it, its ball four and he hasn’t swung at anything.”
Ripken: “He is so disciplined and he does not extend the strike zone.”
Ripken on why Jerry Hairston is in the Brewers’ lineup every game: “The reason he is in there every single day is because of his bat. He’s been getting some clutch hits, some big hits, some runs and he’s just playing really, really well. He was a great pick-up. He and Nyjer (Morgan) give energy to that club.”
Wells: “(Hairston) plays every position you put him at like he’s been there a long, long time.”Ripken on Brewers outfielder Nyjer Morgan: “He knows the strike zone really well and has a nice, short little swing. He can push it down the left field line and can also turn on (the ball). He sets up really well against power pitching because of that short swing.”
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St. Louis Cardinals (12) @ Milwaukee Brewers (3) – Series tied 1-1
Announcers: Brian Anderson (play-by-play) Ron Darling and John Smoltz (analysts) with Craig Sager reportingDarling on Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujol’s first inning home run: “He made this ballpark look tiny.”
Darling on the Brewers’ starting pitchers: “(The) Brewers have had a lot of success with all of their starting pitchers this year. (They are) Very dependable and guys who put up a lot of innings. But so far in the Postseason, (Yovanni) Gallardo has been the only one that’s been effective as a starter.”
Smoltz on the Texas Rangers: “Texas has done an amazing job. They are the most balanced team in the playoffs. They can throw a lot of dynamic arms out of the bullpen and they’ve got some guys they can mix-and-match in the rotation. I think they are the deepest (team).”
TBS’ Brian Anderson, Ron Darling and John Smoltz interviewed Cardinals’ manager Tony La Russa during the game
La Russa on having a good feeling about Albert Pujols going into Game 2: “That’s the easiest call you can make. He’s going to get you sooner or later and it’s usually sooner.”Smoltz on the dangers of violent post-home run celebrations: “You don’t want to be a pitcher and try to high-five some of these guys. You’re knocking your forearm out of the game.”
Smoltz on the Brewers figuring out how to get Pujols out: “As good as Albert is, you can get him out down (in the strikezone), you can’t get him out up. That’s the adjustment that the Brewers are going to have to make as they move on in this series.”
Smoltz on the Cardinals’ deep lineup and decision to challenge Pujols in Game 2: “You’re basically picking your poison (with the lineup) and the Brewers have picked their poison wrong with Albert Pujols twice (in Game 2). For the Cardinals, that’s the reason why they’re here. The hitting depth that they have is apparent and the pitchers are taking notice.”
Smoltz on starting pitchers who aren’t at the top of the rotation: “You have to feel for some of these starters who are not named (Chris) Carpenter or (Yovani) Gallardo. They don’t really possess a lot of swing-and-miss stuff. They have to study videos and say, ‘I’ve got to stay away from here, I’ve got to stay away from there and I’ve got to be a little more perfect.’
Smoltz on the Brewers dealing with a blowout loss in Game 2: “This is one of those games that if you’re going to lose, this is an easier one to forget. Everything went right for St. Louis and nothing went right for (the Brewers).”
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Inside MLB
Matt Winer (host) and Dennis Eckersley, Cal Ripken and David Wells (analysts)Eckersley on the impact of the Cardinals scoring early in Game 2 of the NLCS: “This was like a football game tonight. (The Cardinals) quieted the crowd, dropped a 7-spot (touchdown) and did not stop. They gave (the Brewers) a sniff in the fifth inning and Tony (La Russa) went to the bullpen to quiet that. That’s exactly what happened tonight.”
Ripken on Cardinals manager Tony La Russa working the match-ups early in the game: “Tony (La Russa) started the match-up game in the fifth inning tonight…but that’s playoff baseball. The match-ups start a little bit early.”
Wells on the liberal use of the bullpens in the Postseason: “It’s amazing that the starters aren’t going longer than four innings. There are only a couple of guys that have done it. These guys have to get better because as much as they’re using their bullpens right now, if these next (starting pitchers) don’t go deep in the game, (the relievers) are going to be spent.”
Eckersley on the Rangers bullpen shutting down the Tigers: “You’re talking about two games (in the ALCS with) 12 2/3 scoreless innings…it does not get any better than that from a bullpen. I know they have a good bullpen but this is ridiculous.”
Ripken on Rangers’ rightfielder Nelson Cruz, who had a walk-off grand slam in Game 2: “He’s a streaky hitter and got hot at the right time last year. When he’s (hot) he can put the whole team on his shoulders.”
TBS reporter Craig Sager interviewed Cardinals’ first baseman Albert Pujols following the game
Pujols on being patient at the plate: “It’s part of the game. Sometimes as a player you want to do too much and you’re a competitor and in the Postseason, you’re trying to help your team to win. I think sometimes you learn from that. I’ve been in this situation before and I’ve been in the Postseason so much in my career and I’m blessed to have those (opportunities). Sometimes you’re going to chase a pitch and sometimes you’re going to get some good swings like I did tonight. That’s the way it goes. You just learn.”Eckersley on the Brewers needing more production from their starting pitching: “Something’s gotta give. You can’t win this thing with (Yovani) Gallardo and that’s it. He’ll pitch Game 3 and he might pitch Game 7 (if necessary) but in between is three more starts from guys that have been getting lit up…they just have not pitched well at all.”
That will wrap up the posts for tonight
