The Cardinals seem to have any number of conspiracy theories when it comes to why they can’t win in other teams ballparks.
Back in August, LaRussa claimed the Milwaukee Brewers were using an LED ribbon board to give their hitters more light with which to see the ball when they were batting at Miller Park, creating an unfair advantage for the home team. In Game 5 of the World Series though, it wasn’t an LED ribbon board that was giving LaRussa fits.
No, it was the bullpen phone.
It is perhaps one of the most bizarre storylines in World Series history. LaRussa claims that the bullpen phone in the Rangers’ home ballpark lead to a miscommunication between himself and bullpen coach Derek Lilliquist that cost the Cardinals a chance to win the game.
Supposedly when LaRussa called down to Lilliquist in the 8th inning of Monday’s game, he told him to get left-hander Marc Rzepczynski and Jason Motte up in the bullpen so that Motte was ready to face the dangerous Mike Napoli. Something must have gotten lost in translation though because only Rzepczynski got up to throw. A second call to get Motte up in the ‘pen was interpreted as a call to get Lance Lynn up instead.
The end result was one of the more bizarre innings in postseason history. Motte wasn’t ready in time to face Napoli because he wasn’t warming up, leaving the lefthander they call “Scrabble” to fend for himself against one of the hottest hitters this postseason. Napoli of course made LaRussa pay for the miscommunication by knocking a two run go-ahead double that would prove to be the difference. Following a Mitch Moreland strikeout, Lynn would get into the game though despite the fact that, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Lynn wasn’t supposed to even be warming up that night.
Per Joe Strauss of the Post-Dispatch:
“Had I sat down with Lilliquist beforehand and said there was no way Lance Lynn was going in the game, if Tony mistakenly would have said Lynn, Lilliquist would have questioned it,” Duncan said. “In this case, I didn’t do the thing that I preach a lot: never assume anything. I assumed Lilliquist knew that.”
Lilliquist said Monday that he had no knowledge of Lynn’s status.
“Long story short: once the thing started, you go and make a pitching change and you’ve got the wrong guy coming out there. That’s not fun,” La Russa said. “Geez, that was embarrassing. But it wasn’t the thing that I thought about the most when that game is over. Only getting two runs was probably the biggest thing.”
Lynn would go on to issue an intentional walk before being replaced by Motte in a bizarre scene that left just about everyone who was watching the game shaking their heads.
Having read all of the above, I’m left with one question. Are these the St. Louis Cardinals playing in the World Series or the Bad News Bears playing in a league championship game?
One of LaRussa’s myriad excuses for the miscommunication was that the amount of noise permeating throughout the ballpark made it difficult for Lilliquist to hear him. But if that’s the case, why haven’t we heard about this before? The Ballpark at Arlington wasn’t hosting it’s first playoff game on Monday night — hell it wasn’t even hosting it’s first World Series game. No opposing team has ever had the kinds of problems that LaRussa and company faced in the 8th inning of Monday night’s game despite the fact that those fans have been just as loud if not louder before.
Another argument is that managers can’t see the bullpens from the dugout, which is fair, but if that’s the case shouldn’t more precautions be put into place to make sure things like this don’t happen? It’s 2011, not 1911. Bullpen communication isn’t limited to a couple tin cans and some string or morse code. There are plenty of mass communication devices available that can ensure that coaches are on the same page with their manager. If the view or the crowd noise was a concern, LaRussa and company could have had walkie-talkies or even their cell phones to communicate strategy via text message. Sure it’s unconventional but it’s another way to ensure everyone is on the same page or, at the very least, reading the same book.
Duncan’s quote is perhaps even more disturbing for Cardinals fans. Why was pitching coach Dave Duncan keeping Lynn’s status a secret from the bullpen coach? If Lynn was unavailable to pitch, shouldn’t everyone involved with the handling of pitchers be aware of this? It’s not as though LaRussa and Duncan are known for being anything but thorough. Before a crucial game in the World Series, the manager and his coaches should have been on the same wavelength when it comes to a tool as vital to the team’s success as their bullpen.
One thing is for sure heading into tonight’s Game 6 — the bullpen phones will be tested and every last detail reiterated to the point of memorization so that the Cardinals aren’t blaming malfunctioning technology or miscommunication between coaches in the event that the Rangers clinch their first World Series title in franchise history on their turf.
