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Can't he just shut up, do what he's told, and collect his ring at the end? [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif[/img]
Marquis considers relief role a demotion
By Joe Strauss
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
10/13/2005
The day after pitching coach Dave Duncan notified him that he would work in relief for the National League Championship Series, reassigned starting pitcher Jason Marquis described the move as a demotion and voiced dissatisfaction with the move.
"If I'm not in the role that I feel best-suited for, so obviously I'm not happy about it," said Marquis, who did not appear during the Cardinals' three-game sweep of the San Diego Padres in the division series. "And if anybody in my situation said that they were, they'd be lying."
Marquis last appeared Sept. 27, in relief, and he hasn't started since Sept. 21.
"I'm used to preparing mentally and physically to go out every five days," he said. "Obviously, it's something I don't enjoy doing, pitching out of the bullpen."
Marquis said the decision to start Jeff Suppan in Game 4 behind Chris Carpenter, Mark Mulder and Matt Morris stunned him because of his seasonlong success against the Houston Astros.
After an 8-3 start, Marquis went 13-14 with a 4.13 ERA this season. His 13 wins were the fewest and his ERA the highest in the rotation that led major leagues in wins.
However, Marquis was 4-0 with a 3.22 ERA in six appearances, including five starts, against the Astros. Suppan did not face the NL wild card this season.
Marquis also believed his ability to pitch on short rest would have made him available for a possible Game 7.
Manager Tony La Russa and Duncan initially postponed announcing a Game 4 starter because of concern for Mulder, who took a line drive off his left biceps in Game 2 of the first round against the Padres. Mulder completed a side session Tuesday and reported further improvement Wednesday.
Had Mulder been unable to start, Suppan would have pitched Game 2 tonight followed by Morris, La Russa said.
Marquis said: "I know the thing that happened with Mulder affected their decision. But you would think 1-2-3 would stay the same after the division series. I know if I pitch Game 4, I have the capacity to come back on Game 7 if something freak happened to Morris, or if they needed me out of the bullpen then. I've pitched on three days this year. I've told them all year I could pitch on three days' rest."
Marquis threw his first career shutout Aug. 27 on short rest against the Washington Nationals. The outing began a late-season rush in which Marquis was 4-1 with six earned runs allowed in 39 innings over five starts.
Suppan was the Cardinals' best starter in September, going 3-0 with a 1.93 ERA in five starts. He was 4-0 in his last six starts, allowing seven earned runs and 28 hits in 37 2/3 innings.
La Russa did not classify Marquis' reassignment as a demotion, saying instead it was a response to Al Reyes missing the postseason with a ruptured ligament suffered on the final day of the regular season.
"If we had Al Reyes healthy, then I think Jason would pitch Game 4 because of the success he's had against Houston and especially in that ballpark," La Russa said.
Marquis said he had not discussed the reassignment with La Russa and saw no need for a meeting.
"At this point, what good would it do? What's it going to change?" Marquis said.
Neither Suppan nor Marquis were told of their roles in the first round. Marquis hurriedly warmed up when Mulder was struck by Padres third baseman Joe Randa's line drive in Game 2 but did not appear. He and Suppan then warmed up alongside each other in the seventh inning.
After the Cardinals' clincher, Duncan said Suppan would have started Game 4.
La Russa and Duncan say they think Marquis' resilience could make him available for consecutive games, though La Russa said Wednesday he would look for ways to have Marquis start innings rather than enter a rally.
Marquis considers relief role a demotion
By Joe Strauss
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
10/13/2005
The day after pitching coach Dave Duncan notified him that he would work in relief for the National League Championship Series, reassigned starting pitcher Jason Marquis described the move as a demotion and voiced dissatisfaction with the move.
"If I'm not in the role that I feel best-suited for, so obviously I'm not happy about it," said Marquis, who did not appear during the Cardinals' three-game sweep of the San Diego Padres in the division series. "And if anybody in my situation said that they were, they'd be lying."
Marquis last appeared Sept. 27, in relief, and he hasn't started since Sept. 21.
"I'm used to preparing mentally and physically to go out every five days," he said. "Obviously, it's something I don't enjoy doing, pitching out of the bullpen."
Marquis said the decision to start Jeff Suppan in Game 4 behind Chris Carpenter, Mark Mulder and Matt Morris stunned him because of his seasonlong success against the Houston Astros.
After an 8-3 start, Marquis went 13-14 with a 4.13 ERA this season. His 13 wins were the fewest and his ERA the highest in the rotation that led major leagues in wins.
However, Marquis was 4-0 with a 3.22 ERA in six appearances, including five starts, against the Astros. Suppan did not face the NL wild card this season.
Marquis also believed his ability to pitch on short rest would have made him available for a possible Game 7.
Manager Tony La Russa and Duncan initially postponed announcing a Game 4 starter because of concern for Mulder, who took a line drive off his left biceps in Game 2 of the first round against the Padres. Mulder completed a side session Tuesday and reported further improvement Wednesday.
Had Mulder been unable to start, Suppan would have pitched Game 2 tonight followed by Morris, La Russa said.
Marquis said: "I know the thing that happened with Mulder affected their decision. But you would think 1-2-3 would stay the same after the division series. I know if I pitch Game 4, I have the capacity to come back on Game 7 if something freak happened to Morris, or if they needed me out of the bullpen then. I've pitched on three days this year. I've told them all year I could pitch on three days' rest."
Marquis threw his first career shutout Aug. 27 on short rest against the Washington Nationals. The outing began a late-season rush in which Marquis was 4-1 with six earned runs allowed in 39 innings over five starts.
Suppan was the Cardinals' best starter in September, going 3-0 with a 1.93 ERA in five starts. He was 4-0 in his last six starts, allowing seven earned runs and 28 hits in 37 2/3 innings.
La Russa did not classify Marquis' reassignment as a demotion, saying instead it was a response to Al Reyes missing the postseason with a ruptured ligament suffered on the final day of the regular season.
"If we had Al Reyes healthy, then I think Jason would pitch Game 4 because of the success he's had against Houston and especially in that ballpark," La Russa said.
Marquis said he had not discussed the reassignment with La Russa and saw no need for a meeting.
"At this point, what good would it do? What's it going to change?" Marquis said.
Neither Suppan nor Marquis were told of their roles in the first round. Marquis hurriedly warmed up when Mulder was struck by Padres third baseman Joe Randa's line drive in Game 2 but did not appear. He and Suppan then warmed up alongside each other in the seventh inning.
After the Cardinals' clincher, Duncan said Suppan would have started Game 4.
La Russa and Duncan say they think Marquis' resilience could make him available for consecutive games, though La Russa said Wednesday he would look for ways to have Marquis start innings rather than enter a rally.
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