Shaun Marcum to start Game 6 of the NLCS for the Milwaukee Brewers – MLB Playoffs
The Milwaukee Brewers have slated Shaun Marcum to start the seemingly decisive Game 6 of the National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers. The Cardinals have a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven game series. Edwin Jackson will start for the
Cardinals.
With no margin of error available for Marcum, the starter has to utilise all his resources and invests all his effort and energy to keep the team alive in the season. In the event of defeat in Game 6, the Brewers will be out of the playoffs.
What is troubling for everyone looking at the Brewers’ starter is his ERA in last six starts. He has an unimpressive 8.18 ERA that does not go well with the overall record of Marcum. His playoffs have been a disappointment for himself.
Nonetheless, the starter hardly seems under any stress.
"I'm not going to put pressure on myself 24 hours before the game starts or anything like that," Marcum said. "Just staying relaxed. My brother is coming in. My dad is here."
There is a reason why there does not appear to be any stress that accompanies the player. This is due to the fact that the team manager Ron Roenicke strongly believes in the ability of his starter to turn the tide in Game 6.
Despite the seemingly deteriorated performance witnessed in last few starts, the team manager thinks Marcum has not pitched as bad as the numbers show.
"I don't expect him to stay where he was the last few games," Roenicke said. "I still don't think that he's pitched as bad as what those numbers are."
In the last start, Game 2 of the ongoing best-of-seven series, Marcum had allowed no less than five earned runs in merely four innings, crumbling any hopes of the Brewers to stay relevant in the game. Nonetheless, Sunday’s start, despite all the fears, is
expected to be different from rest of the games.
The Brewers will be looking to Marcum to come out aggressively and try to dominate the game early in this must win situation for them.
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