MLB Cardinals have done it again

[Reality]

http://forums.phillyarena.com/index.php?topic=4736.0

This time with pitcher John Smoltz.
2-5 8.33 ERA with Boston.
1-0 0.82 era with Cards in two starts.  Both Card wins.

Dave Duncan?
Something in the water?
Corn fed Missouri boys?
Card training staff?

Kyle Lohse did revert as ziggy said he would.  So its not 100% miracleville.  Still they got one great year out of Lohse.

[Wolverine]

A big part of Smoltz's early success is that his two starts have come against the Padres and Nationals.

But as the story goes, in Boston, he was tipping his pitches.  Of course, the lineups in the AL are a little better, too.

[rickortreat]

Forget that. Cole Hammels pitched a complete game last night allowing 2 hits. This means the Phillies now have the best Pitching rotation since the Braves glory days. Even worse news for the rest of the league is that Hammels and Happ are very young, meaning they can be around for a long time.

Both LA teams and the Giants are very good. As are the Yankees and Boston. But the margin for error against the Phillies just got a lot smaller. No easy nights in a playoff series, they actually have 6 pitchers who could each pitch a game including Moyer.

Phillies appear to be the clear favorite now, in the NL. I think the AL may be a little better, but the Phils weren't bothered by that last season. IS a baseball dynasty being established in Philadelphia?

[westkoast]

A big part of Smoltz's early success is that his two starts have come against the Padres and Nationals.

But as the story goes, in Boston, he was tipping his pitches.  Of course, the lineups in the AL are a little better, too.

He was?  WOW.  Didn't know that.

[Reality]

A big part of Smoltz's early success is that his two starts have come against the Padres and Nationals.

But as the story goes, in Boston, he was tipping his pitches.  Of course, the lineups in the AL are a little better, too.

And there you have it.  (If so).  Why did St Louis - Duncan figured out Schmoltz tipped but multimillion dollar orgainzation Red Sox not?

In the most recent 4-3 Smoltz loss to the Brewers, i thought it was quite stupid of Larussa to leave him in after the Brews 1st two batters got hits in the 6th.
LaRussa the *pen meister* who usually overuses the pen.  Get Schmoltz out, keep his confidense and "aura" alive.  Even then i can't believe they let Trevor Hoffman off the hook.  Pujols at that!

[Wolverine]

Yeah, Duncan said he was tipping his pitches in Beantown.

One thing Duncan does (that other pitching coaches do not) is have his four other starting pitchers present when the fifth throws his 'pen session.  Carpenter (and others - possibly Duncan himself) noticed Smoltz tipping certain pitches.

And I agree with you Reality.  Very few managers use their bullpen (or overuse it, depending on your viewpoint) more than La Russa.  But I think he trusts Smoltz at this point.  He simply made a mistake on the two-run bomb.  Bad pitch, bad location.