Izzy getting “back to basics”
DENVER - Cardinals closer Jason Isringhausen, fresh off his fourth blown save of the season, said he’s trying to “get back to basics.” Which explains why he pounded the Colorado Rockies with fastballs and cutters Wednesday night, instead of showing a little off-speed.
That, and the altitude.
“If I get beat with a bad breaking ball here,” Isringhausen said Thursday morning before the Cardinals concluded the series at Coors Field, “I’d feel a lot worse than with a fastball.”
Called into Wednesday game with the tying run at first, a two-run lead and four outs to get, Isringhausen allowed an RBI single and a two-run triple in the eighth inning. The Cardinals closer has blown three of his past six save opportunities and seen his ERA balloon from 0.00 on April 9 to 6.06 a month later.
The first batter Isringhausen faced, pinch-hitter Ryan Spilborghs, chopped a grounder through the left side of the infield. Isringhausen got the groundball he wanted, just not to a fielder. He said “that’s how things are going right now.” After the game, the Rockies mentioned they were surprised Isringhausen didn’t throw anything off-speed. His curveball has been an asset this season.
Isringhausen said it had as much to do where he was a mile above sea level than where he was with recent performance. The first three games of this series were each decided by one run and when told this afternoon’s would probably be the same, Isringhausen invited it, saying: “I won’t quit. Get me back out there.”
“Going to the basics,” he said. “If people get beat here, you get beat with flares. If you get beat with a bad curveball because it didn’t break, then you feel real bad. I didn’t want to get beat on a bad breaking ball.”
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Wrong blog, I know, but let’s give a cheer for Jim Edmonds, who provided us with a great number of highlight defensive plays, plenty of memorable HRs and other big hits, and always played all-out, hurt or not. He’s a great guy. Just too bad he couldn’t have had a good last year with the Padres. THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES, JIM!