St. Louis Cardinals decide to play Matt Holliday in NLCS Game 7 – NLCS News
As the National League Championship Series entered its decisive phase, with both the San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals faced with the prospect of elimination from or advancement to the World Series, the Cardinals decided on Monday, October 22, to bring Matt Holliday back in the line-up.
He was pulled off only a day ago in Game 6 when he had complaints of lower back tightness. To avoid any adverse outcome of the problem, the Cardinals had decided to give him a day of rest. As to how Monday’s game goes for him is something to be seen.
It is worthwhile to mention here that the manager Mike Matheny had said yesterday that the club decided to sit the player even though he was intending to play. That was actually attributed to Cardinals’ cautious approach of avoiding any risk.
"I talked to him most of the day going back and forth, and we feel completely comfortable that he's going to be in there and do something to help us win," manager Mike Matheny said during prior to the commencement of the game. "Now, if we did need to make an adjustment, we all know that Matt Carpenter is there and ready to go, but right now everything is pointing toward Matt Holliday is ready."
It came to fore that despite the clouds of uncertainty that hovered over the status of the player for Monday’s game, he was cleared after the key tests that he underwent. In effect, he has got a green signal to play.
Despite the tests, the Cardinals preferred not having any batting practice for the player. While Monday’s finale will have a lot of key factors to determine the fate of the game, offence has a rather bigger role to play.
The past season, it was the Cardinals’ offensive blitz that magically worked and ultimately contributed to the team’s triumph in both the National League Championship Series and the World Series.
It will have to be seen in Game 7 whether or not Holliday contributes as skilfully and prolifically as he has always done throughout his career.
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