Relievers render valuable service to the St. Louis Cardinals – MLB Playoffs
The St. Louis Cardinals will continue using the relievers in the remaining games of the National League Championship Series as the starters take on the Milwaukee Brewers’ offence.
Part of the reason to keep this strategy unchanged is the ability of the Cardinals’ relievers to efficiently hold off the Brewers’ offence. All the same, while pitching, they have accomplished being economical as well.
In the presence of Chris Carpenter, Jaime Garcia, Edwin Jackson, Zack Greinke, Kyle Lohse, the relief pitchers have also done a commendable job to help the Cardinals notch up not only the National League Division Series, but also providing a timely assistance
in the NLCS.
Entering into Game 6 of the NLCS, the Cardinals relievers have thrown just over 21 innings, tossing 318 pitches whereby each pitcher has had an average of throwing 14.7 pitches against each batter.
"Everybody has been playing together, doing their part and we're keeping it together," said long reliever Lance Lynn, who has compiled just over four innings in four appearances.
That which is also interesting to look at is the fact that compared to the relievers each Cardinals’ starter has thrown an average of 18 pitches per batter. There is very little difference from the 14.7 of the relievers. This implies that both the starters
and relievers are almost doing the same job simultaneously.
"I think we're not throwing too much in between [games]," lefty specialist Marc Rzepczynski said. "Tony [La Russa] is doing a great job limiting our innings."
It does not end here. The St. Louis Cardinals’ relievers, unlike their starting counterparts, have secured 1.66 ERA in deep contrast to the starters whose ERA stands at 6.04. Be that as it may, the Cardinals’ relievers have had a stunning 66 percent record
of having strike-outs compared to 62 percent of the starters. So there is a clear edge that the relievers seem to enjoy over the Cardinals’ starters.
In the presence of Fernando Salas and Lance Lynn, the Cardinals have done the seemingly improbable so far. If they continue on their winning ways, the Cardinals are set to win the NLCS to make their way into the World Series.
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