[Bulldog]

I didnt watch the game but I saw Izzy lost another one today...
Not quite in the Lidge/Turnbow/Carmona category yet... but deninitely on his way...
Im just saying, they better fix their closer situation before the playoffs or else they will have no chance...
Of course they do have a proven closer in Jorge Sosa

[bigboydan]

they are now considering using looper as the closer, or so some reports are saying tonight i read.

alot of peopl question izzy's arm right now, some people are saying he has a dead arm, althuogh I don't believe that to be the case at all.

[InSpades]

Cards pen has fallen apart.

[Illusion]

He leads the NL in blown saves. The Cardinals need to do something fast.

[onlooker]

He leads the NL in blown saves. The Cardinals need to do something fast.

Thats surprising, considering Turnbow throws in the National League.

[Willie Bee]

He leads the NL in blown saves. The Cardinals need to do something fast.

Ryan Howard leads his team with 155 strikeouts. Should the Phillies think about batting him lower in the lineup or giving him some time off as well?

Earlier this year when Isringhausen hit a tough stretch, there was another thread here calling him a bum and saying St. Louis should get a new closer. Then he got his act together and all the pooh-poohers disappeared during the summer. Now Isringhausen hits another tough stretch and everyone is back to telling LaRussa and Duncan how to do their jobs.

Maybe he is hurt or needs some rest. But calling for him to be completely removed from the role is ridiculous. It's like all those folks who were saying A-Rod should be benched a week ago when he had something like seven or eight strikeouts in a 10-11 AB stretch

[clonecat]

Whatever they do, they shouldn't put Looser back in the closer role. Last year, as soon as he stepped on the mound, sparks started and then he would throw gas on the fire and the whole thing would explode.

The Cardinals are fortunate that the Astros haven't been able to score runs this year. With Clemens starts alone, if they could have scored 3 or 4 runs a game, it would have them even with the Cards at the moment.

[bigboydan]

the latest talk as of this morning is they might just use the bullpen by committee in tonights game. more or less for the fact that Looper sucks against lefties.

izzy has a hip problem, so i doubt we see him in a closing situation anytime soon.

[Illusion]

Ryan Howard leads his team with 155 strikeouts. Should the Phillies think about batting him lower in the lineup or giving him some time off as well?

Earlier this year when Isringhausen hit a tough stretch, there was another thread here calling him a bum and saying St. Louis should get a new closer. Then he got his act together and all the pooh-poohers disappeared during the summer. Now Isringhausen hits another tough stretch and everyone is back to telling LaRussa and Duncan how to do their jobs.

Maybe he is hurt or needs some rest. But calling for him to be completely removed from the role is ridiculous. It's like all those folks who were saying A-Rod should be benched a week ago when he had something like seven or eight strikeouts in a 10-11 AB stretch

Are Howards strikeouts costing the Phillies games? Izzy has cost the Cardinals 10+ games this season. I guess it doesn't matter since the Reds have faded, but would you have the same opinion if the Reds were in first because of Izzy's inability to close a game?

[Willie Bee]

Yeah, I'd have to say that anyone striking out has the potential to cost their team a win.

Isringhausen has 10 blown saves and 33 converted saves. So that's roughly 23% of his save opportunities that he's blown. Howard is striking out more than 26% of the time he goes to the plate (I counted 590 plate appearances with 156 Ks through games yesterday). If Howard gets a hit or advances a baserunner each of those strikeouts, how many more wins could the Phils have?