10-1, but not an All Star?
Leave it to Tony La Russa to trump a simple mind such as mine.
While the potential controversy I alluded to two weeks ago involving the starting pitcher for the National League All Star Game remains in the hands of the Cardinals manager, La Russa has already topped that perspective bombshell.
Forget Dontrelle Willis vs. Chris Carpenter.
What is much more intriguing is La Russa vs. Matt Morris.
When was the last time an All-Star manager snubbed one of his own players?
Adding insult to injury is the fact that La Russa used one of his own players to snub Morris.
The shakiest reliever in the league, Jason Isringhausen, is a 2005 NL All Star.
Morris is now 10-1 with a 3.17 ERA. When was the last time an All-Star manager didn’t take one of his own pitchers with 10 wins?
While the temperamental Morris has let the Cardinals down in some key situations in the recent past, he also almost pitched them past the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2001 playoffs.
You have to wonder if La Russa holds some kind of grudge against his gadfly right hander.
Morris is also in a “contract year.”
After signing an “I’ll prove to you I can pitch” one-year deal laden with incentive clauses, Morris is now on the doorstep of a major payday.
While he might approach 20 wins, and then overestimate his future value, Morris will attract interest from several teams with money to spend.
Morris would most likely have to decide whether to play here for less money, or move on to another franchise if his season’s second half matches his first.
It wouldn’t matter if he pitches poorly in the playoffs; if he wins 20 games, he’ll still be bringing in at least $5 million next year. If he pitches well in the postseason and the Cardinals capture the crown, the sky is almost the limit.
If Morris had the negotiation weight of being an All Star in his favor, he could easily demand more than the Cardinals want to kick in.
So, maybe La Russa looked at the roster, the Cardinals’ pocketbook and the future and decided it would be best if Morris sat out next Tuesday’s festivities.
Is there a price to be paid? Yes, there is.
Just like college recruiting of blue-chip athletes, other teams will use La Russa’s action against him during the offseason.
They’ll tell Morris – who negotiated his own deal without an agent’s assistance – that La Russa really doesn’t believe in him because he didn’t put him on his All-Star team.
La Russa, who is desperate to win home field advantage for the National League, doesn’t have faith in one of his own starters to help win the All Star Game?
It’s difficult to believe that this is true, but what else is Morris supposed to think?
There is also the psyche factor on Morris.
La Russa has now ladled a heaping helping of “I dare you to prove me wrong” on Morris.
The weight of pitching for a new, lucrative contract and proving to the world that he deserved to be on the NL All-Star team could crush the sometimes-fragile Morris.
This is a true problem now for Morris, La Russa, Walt Jocketty and Cardinals’ owners.
By the way, Willis pitched a complete-game shutout to move to 13-3 with a 1.89 ERA in his last outing.
Carpenter is 12-4 with a 2.60 ERA, and both he and Willis will pitch again this week. Carpenter might pitch later this weekend, which would make it impossible for him to start on Tuesday.
But that’s old news now. Thanks to Tony.
