Cole call for Game 5 not an easy one

By Mark Madden
http://www.timesonline.com/sports/
October 7, 2013

At the end of “Major League,” Cleveland Indians manager Lou Brown picks veteran Eddie Harris to start the one-game playoff against the New York Yankees, not rookie “Wild Thing” Rick Vaughn. Brown wanted experience.

The Indians won. Vaughn got the win in relief.

Brown was in a no-lose situation. On film, the good guys never taste defeat. Hollywood changed the ending of “The Natural,” one of the great American novels, so the audience wouldn’t be disappointed. In the book, Roy Hobbs strikes out.

Game 5 at St. Louis won’t be a movie. Clint Hurdle isn’t writing a script.

But the Pirates manager made the right decision when he announced that rookie pitcher Gerrit Cole would start the deciding game of the NLDS.

It’s the obvious call. But not an easy one.

Burnett got wasted in Game 1 at St. Louis, allowing six hits and seven runs in just two innings. The Cardinals hit .545 against Burnett that day.

Burnett got crushed all season at St. Louis. He pitched 13.1 regular-season innings at Busch Stadium, allowing 19 hits and 12 runs.

After the Cardinals filleted Burnett in Game 1, Cole turned the NLDS around. He allowed two hits and one run in six innings to win Game 2. That was Cole’s first career outing at St. Louis. He will pitch Game 5 on normal rest.

Cole looks strong, Burnett weak. But the decision doubtless killed Hurdle.

Burnett is the guts of the Pirates. No one has done more to change the culture and attitude of a team that had 20 straight losing seasons. Burnett’s value goes far beyond his stats. Far beyond the 10-11 record he posted during the season.

Despite an occasional blowup between the two, Burnett made Hurdle’s job easier. Hurdle has to feel a sense of loyalty to Burnett that goes beyond respect.

Burnett is fiery. He’s undoubtedly seething even if, deep down, he knows Hurdle is right. Burnett is a free agent at season’s end. Will getting skipped affect his decision to return? Will it affect future performance if the Pirates advance?

Cole is just a rookie. He’s got to take what he’s given and like it.

But all those concerns are on the periphery. All that matters is winning Game 5. It took the Pirates 20 years to get here. Returning next year is hardly guaranteed. Topping .500 in 2014 is no lock. Hurdle has to maximize.

You don’t make a critical decision based on what fans want. But public opinion definitely favors Cole for reasons more knee-jerk than analytic. If Hurdle started Burnett and Burnett pitched poorly in a Game 5 loss, it wouldn’t cost Hurdle his job. But Pirates fans wouldn’t forgive, or forget.

Cole hardly guarantees victory. It’s a tossup, 50/50. Perhaps Cole will wilt in the unforgiving glare of Game 5. It’s just his 21st big-league start.

But St. Louis has been so unkind to Burnett. He pitched at Busch Stadium once last season: 2.2 innings, 12 runs. It’s hard to imagine Burnett doing well there.

Win or lose – and no matter what happens after – Hurdle got it right.

Bats may be a bigger issue than arms. Consider yesterday’s Game 4: “One hit? That’s all we got? One damned hit?”

St. Louis pitcher Michael Wacha didn’t seem very intimidated by PNC Park. Maybe Johnny Cueto just dropped the ball. Crowd reaction doesn’t affect results. That’s a romantic notion, but the spectators don’t matter.

Speaking of “Major League,” Josh Harrison slid 10 feet too early when he was thrown out stealing. He looked like Willie Mays Hayes in spring training.

Mark Madden hosts a radio show 3-6 p.m. weekdays on WXDX-FM (105.9).

 (Photo Credit: David Hague)