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The Big Three

	AP

Did Tony La Russa manage with enough desperation in Game 4? It's hard to criticize a team that lost because the Astros hit yet another rinky dink homer into the Crawford Boxes (they are awfully good at that, aren't they?) and defensive replacement Willy Taveras ran up a hill to chase down a 430-foot blast by a guy who inherited a 3-2 count (John Rodriguez). But dropping Game 4 means the Cardinals are down 3-1 and facing the mother of all uphill battles, with Andy Pettitte, Roy Oswalt and Roger Clemens slated to go in Games 5, 6* and 7* on full rest. (* If necessary.)

I'm already on record as saying La Russa should have had ace Chris Carpenter set to go on short rest for Sunday's game, and why did the manager who invented late-inning situational relief keep Jason Marquis in there long enough in the seventh to give up the game-deciding run?

It's hard to comprehend how daunting the task ahead is for the Cardinals. In fact, if they were to pull off this comeback, it might constitute the greatest rally from a 3-1 deficit in postseason history. To wit, here is the adjusted ERA+ of each member of the Astros' Big Three for the 2005 regular season:

• Pettitte -- 174
• Oswalt -- 141
• Clemens -- 221
NOTE: Adjusted ERA+, as tabulated by baseball-reference.com, is the ratio of the league's ERA (adjusted to the pitcher's ballpark) to that of the pitcher. The average is 100. In other words, an adjusted ERA+ of 150 means a pitcher was 50 percent better than average. It's a great way to compare pitching seasons from different eras.

Add up the Big Three's ERA-plus totals and you get 536. Ten teams have come back to win a series after being down 3-1. None of the trio of starting pitchers they beat come close to Pettitte-Oswalt-Clemens. Here are the three ballclubs that pulled off the 3-1 comeback against the stiffest competition:

• 1968: Tigers def. Cardinals' Nelson Briles (103), Ray Washburn (128) and Bob Gibson (258). Total: 489.

• 2003: Marlins def. Cubs' Carlos Zambrano (136), Mark Prior (175) and Kerry Wood (133). Total: 444.

• 1985: Royals def. Blue Jays' Jimmy Key (141), Doyle Alexander (123) and Dave Stieb (171). Total: 435.

And if the Cardinals should get past the starters, they then have to face these two guys: Brad Lidge (181 ERA+) and Dan Wheeler (188 ERA+). Yeah, the Astros have crazy amounts of pitching. If it's a Houston-Chicago World Series, take the under.

-- Jacob Luft (2:30 p.m.)

It will be tough. Do I think they can do it? Yes. Do I think they will do it? Anything can happen. There is nothing I would love more than for the Cards to come back and win the whole thing. Anything can happen. We swept Pettite, Clemens, and Oswalt in the first series after the break this year. Anything can happen, and it usually does.
-- Brad, St. Louis (2:31 p.m.)

Will the Astros finally get some national recognition when they beat St. Louis and catapult themselves into history? This team has to be the greatest MLB comeback/David and Goliath story to date.
-- Rob F., Houston (2:36 p.m.)

Didn't you say the Angels would win two of three this past weekend?
-- Ozzie Guillen, Chicago (2:56 p.m.)

The Cards face a tall order, no doubt about it. Fortunately the Cards have had great starting pitching throughout this entire series, so you got to at least think they have a shot to get a Game 7 with Carpenter and Mulder going the next two games. And in this case a shot is all you can ask for. Well, a shot and that Phil Cuzzi not be allowed anywhere near the field of play.
-- Jon, New Brunswick, N.J. (3:07 p.m.)

As an Astros fan, I would say the death of the Cardinals is exaggerated. They still have game changers in Edmonds and Pujols and solid bench guys in Mabry and Rodriguez. And, oh yeah, Carpenter who has to pay high Texas property taxes because he owns Minute Maid Park. The Astros have had their hearts broken, so I'd like to see the hitters for the Astros finally deliver a solid offensive performance, early in the game to take the heat off the excellent pitchers.
-- RS, Houston (3:11 p.m.)

The Cardinals lost because the Astros "hit another rinky dink homer?" The Cardinals lost because the Houston pitching completely dominated them again, and because the St. Louis pitching wasn't as good, again. The Cardinals had 27 outs to hit rinky dink homers into the Crawford Boxes as well, but they couldn't do it. The Cardinals lost because Jason Marquis, with all his nattering on about how he should have been slated to start the game, couldn't field a simple bunt. The Cardinals lost because before Marquis' error on Biggio's bunt, Marquis walked the leadoff man in a tie game in the seventh inning. The Cardinals lost because the one time Pujols actually hustled in the entire series was the one time he should have stayed put. The Cardinals lost because the Houston bullpen is terrorizing them. The Cardinals lost because Ensberg drove in a run with a man on third and less than two outs. Yes, Houston is good at hitting home runs into the Crawford Boxes, but they're equally good at preventing the opposing team from doing so.
-- Billy, Austin, Texas (3:16 p.m.)

Before last year, I would've said there's no way the Cards come back on the trio of pitchers the Astros can throw out at them. Of course, this was before the Red Sox came back from 3-0 against the mystique of Yankee Stadium. After witnessing that, I truly believe there is nothing that's impossible in the sporting world. But surely most of us are rooting for that Astros staff to face up against the Sox staff that just threw four consecutive complete games ... talk about baseball at its finest.
-- Matt McClearin, Gainesville, Fla. (3:31 p.m.)

This one's for Billy from Austin, and his comment on "the only time" Albert Pujols hustled being the time he should have "stayed put" in Game 4. Albert's only mistake, Billy, was not knocking Ausmus into next week (or further). He's a classy, decent ballplayer, and was trying to sneak in with a slide. Had he lowered his shoulder, we'd most likely be reading last rites for Ausmus, and I'm convinced this series would have turned in the Cards' favor. Count your blessings, particularly for the Ausmus family.
-- Frank Murtaugh, Memphis, Tenn. (4:01 p.m.)

What I really want to know is, can Carpenter start (hopefully win) Game 5 on a Monday, then if needed, start a Game 7 on Thursday? Has anything like this ever happened? Is it humanly possible? I mean, how long could a guy last out there? I would much, much rather see Carpenter out there for the Cardinals in a Game 7 than Morris.
-- Alex, Georgetown (4:26 p.m.)

Classy and decent doesn't win ball games. Ausmus could have taken any shot dished out by Pujols. Ausmus has been doing this job quite a bit longer than Albert.
-- Jay, Kingwood (4:31 p.m.)

Just back off the Crawford Boxes! Any decent catcher can throw the ball farther than Pesky's Pole and the dimensions for Yankee Stadium/Minute Maid are as follows:
LF: 318 (no 20' wall)/ 315
LCF: 399/404
CF: 408/436
RCF: 385/376
RF: 314/326
-- David Snyder, Houston (4:51 p.m.)

I think that you should reevaluate your so-called "rinky dink" home runs that the Astros hit. if they are so rinky dink, then why havent the powerful Cardinals been blasting them over that wall? Plus, look at some choice spots in the outfields of Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium that have even shorter distances with no giant wall to get over like Minute Maid has. And after all that, if you still think the home runs are rinky dink, consider it redemption for playing in the Astrodome for so long.
-- Matt, Houston (4:56 p.m.)

Even if the Astros beat the Cards I really hope the Sox destroy them. Why? Because I'm a really sore loser.
-- Jeremy, St. Louis (5:06 p.m.)

If the Cardinals were to somehow pull out Games 5 and 6, why not start Suppan on three days' rest against Clemens? Suppan pitched great yesterday and also outlasted Clemens in Game 7 last year.
-- Brian, St. Louis (5:16 p.m.)

All the whining Cardinal fans are just sore losers. Crawford Boxes or no, they both hit in the same ballpark yesterday. They both have great pitching, but obviously 2 runs beats 1 run. So order up a little cheese to go with that whine.
-- Kent, San Antonio (5:16 p.m.)

No Question, just a comment. When taking credit for picking the White Sox to defeat the Angels, Luft should remember (and perhaps he does) that he picked the Yankees to dominate and defeat the Angels in their playoff series.
-- Jim Knapp, San Francisco (5:16 p.m.)

If the home runs by the Astros are so rinky dinky, I would like to see you do it.
-- Eddie, Houston (5:21 p.m.)

I don't care what anyone says. That "ballpark" is a joke. It's like playing on a miniature golf course. Why don't they dig a mote around the infield and fill it with crocodiles while they are at it? I could hit a wiffle ball left-handed opposite field and get it out. Then center field is six miles (!) from home plate and you have to dodge a flag pole while you're running up a hill? Give me a break.
-- Matt, L.A. (5:36 p.m.)

The Redbirds are "deadbirds."
-- Ken Nemeth, Chicago (5:36 p.m.)

Bob Gibson beat the Yankees in Game 7 of the 1964 World Series on two days' rest and pitched a complete game to boot. And criticizing Albert Pujols for lack of hustle only shows your ignorance or lack of class or both. Destiny seems to be on Houston's side but Yogi was correct.
-- Roger, Columbia, Mo. (5:41 p.m.)

Hey Matt from L.A., I know you're upset that the White Sox dominated the Angels, and that the Dodgers couldn't do much in the WEAKEST division in the NL, but don't start ranting about a stadium that your team couldn't tame. Everyone has a fair chance to do well at Minute Maid Park but so far the Astros know what to do, whereas no one else can't. How come Pujols, Edmonds and Sanders can't hit it out of that park but yet can hit 10-mile long home runs at Busch Stadium? It's called great pitching in my opinion.
-- J.C., Houston (5:56 p.m.)

I completely agree that the Houston ballpark/miniature golf course is a joke. Just look at Biggio's home run stats. Almost all of them were at home and hit into left field. It inflates his stats and takes integrity out of the game. The Astros' "home-field advantage" is that they have tons more experience and practice hitting the ball into left field and maneuvering aound that ridiculous obstacle in center field than any other team. (How often do the Cards or any other team play or practice in Houston? Exactly.) The Astros seem to devote a lot of training to pull the ball to the box (i.e. Ensberg's batting stance) and climbing that ramp to catch deep hit balls in center (Taveras catching the beauty hit by Rodriguez). It's just another way for baseball to hype some epic playing after the strike -- with the homerun mania. And as for classy playing not winning games - if that's the way the Astros will win (and I'm sure it was the gameplan after seeing the Cards play impeccably clean and fundamental baseball in Game 1) they should be ashamed of themselves.
-- Anna, Portland, Ore. (via Missouri) (6:26 p.m.)

They should call it "Little League" park -- just need a windmill and Abraham Lincoln out there. And if you hit one in the Crawford Boxes you get a free box of popcorn. Love that back-to-back wild card banner ... ya jokers!
-- Dan, Fenton, Mo. (9:16 p.m.)

Hey J.C. in Houston, give us some more great pitching like that on Pujols' monster blast. Berkman's homer is a double in any major league stadium except Little Maid Park ... Pujols' blast leaves every one 'em.
-- Dan Watkins, St. Louis (12:01 a.m., Tuesday)