Pray for some Black Magic

by rspencer on Aug 17, 2007 1:00 AM PDT

Who knows what lurks in the mind of Mike Scoscia?

Wow. Santana against Beckett in the Heart of Darkness. What can Mike be thinking, putting an excitable head case in the worst possible situation for him, thereby seeming wilfully to ensure a loss? I'm the lousiest baseball analyst on HH, so I can only guess.

Perhaps his main goal is to set up the best possible situation for the Angels in the other game. I mean, I'd be happy if we came out of tomorrow with a split. If he switched pitchers, the chances of losing both seem significantly greater.

Moreover, I don't see who else on the 40-man roster he could put in for a spot start besides Santana. Am I missing someone obvious? No one in the pen is stretched out much beyond two innings, and I don't see any other available starters on the 40-man roster.

So unless I'm missing something obvious, I think the only thing to do is pray for some Black Magic. We know that Ervin does have an inner Panther. He has won a much bigger game for us in a much more harrowing situation, in the '05 ALDS at New York.

Maybe it's that inner Panther that Mike is hoping to awaken. Maybe Mike is attempting a Lasorda-esque Hail Mary play here. Perhaps by putting his faith in Ervin at this narrow pass for the team, he's hoping Ervin will rise to the occasion.

Or maybe he's just mad at him.

Poll

How will Ervin do tomorrow?

Well enough to win

7 votes

Well enough to justify bringing him back up

5 votes

Better than last time

16 votes

Déjà vu all over again

14 votes

42 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

Theoretically . . .

Darren Oliver and Chris Bootcheck could both start tomorrow instead of Ervin Santana.

Realistically, they both pitched on Wednesday so who knows what to make of it. Oliver threw 24 pitches (15 strikes) while Bootcheck threw 21 pitches (12 strikes). We could, hypothetically, throw out Oliver or Bootcheck to try and get us five innings while tossing the other one out there after him to salvage the final four -- should it be a blowout. It'd limit the bullpen innings while giving us a decent chance at a win.

Then again, Santana might not be the worst choice. He is improving down in Triple-A. His 3.2-to-1 strikeout to walk ratio has improved from his 2.1-to-1 strikeout to walk ratio in the majors this season. He played three games at a high altitude stadium, thus why his stats look bad. Would I like him to revert back to 2006 form? Of course. If he has an April 16th flashback, I'll be upset. I'll settle for a June 15th start right about now. Problem is, this won't be the Dodgers that he's facing. And his 0-2 record along with a 12.38 ERA and 2.38 WHIP in Boston during his career leaves me little hope at a victory in this game. But, that's why they play the games.

As for the poll question, he'll just do better than last time. It won't be much better. This will be his ninth game pitched this season in the majors without Jose Molina behind the plate and the first since he was traded. As far as I am concerned, that can only be a good thing. In those nine starts when Molina wasn't the catcher and Napoli was behind the plate for Santana, Ervin went 2-5 with a 5.43 ERA and 1.64 WHIP. He also lost to Boston without Molina there, giving up 5 ER in four innings. It'll either be hit or miss with him. For our sake, let's hope it's miss -- when the Red Sox are swinging.

"A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on." - Sir Winston Churchill

by WeaverMania on Aug 17, 2007 1:12 AM PDT reply actions

VooDoo Baby VooDoo

by eyespy on Aug 17, 2007 1:45 AM PDT reply actions

Santana

As my sister always says about Santana now:

"Im on yur mound, losin yur day gamez"

by anaheimisnotla on Aug 17, 2007 6:28 AM PDT reply actions

This is a challenge to Ervin...

Scioscia and the rest of the Angels, I am sure, want to see Ervin succeed. This is an important game and could be an attempt to inject confidence in the young man.

My guess of what Mike will say to Santana:
"Ervin, this is a big game for us, give us your best shot."

This is the kind of game that can either make you manager of the year or breed lots of internet bulletin board grumpiness.

Quit yer whinin' and START CHEERING!

by Downing Rules on Aug 17, 2007 8:27 AM PDT reply actions

i don't like the chances of...

BLACK magic for a couple reasons. boston is the most racist sports town in america this is not good for the BLACK portion of black magic and magic johnson is hated in boston because he took it to the celtics all those years.

by thejd on Aug 17, 2007 9:20 AM PDT reply actions

We (Lakers) exorcised those demons in 1985!

Winning the title on the parquet.

Quit yer whinin' and START CHEERING!

by Downing Rules on Aug 17, 2007 9:48 AM PDT up reply actions

These were his numbers that day:

May 23 CHW 4-0 shutout 9IP, 5 Hits, 1BB, 7 strike outs.

This, after he got rocked in hist first start at Cleveland.

by SactoFan on Aug 17, 2007 2:35 PM PDT reply actions

Coincidentally, his first game...

he gave up a cycle to the first four batters.

John Lackey in today's "first game" also gave up a cycle (just not to the first four batters).

Sounds like the witch doctors in La Romana, DR are hard at work on this one!!

BTW, I WAS THERE AT his 2nd start. Nice CG SO. It was one of my favorite games I have ever seen, and I have seen a few dandy's. That's why I have always had a big man-crush on Ervin.

Quit yer whinin' and START CHEERING!

by Downing Rules on Aug 17, 2007 4:11 PM PDT up reply actions