Huston Street is not ready to go over two innings, but there he was in the bottom of the 9th, two out--having pitched 2 1/3.  He was mainly there because our key set up guy, the Duke, was hurt and couldn't play.

The previous game matched Kenny Rogers against our true #1 pitcher, but Harden was in spring training form, just--due to injury.

Both pitchers would have looked directly behind them up the middle, and not seen the fielding range that might have been, with Ellis (should be Golden Glove) and Crosby,,both out with injuries.  Ellis in particular was missed at the plate as well as the field--he was not only hitting .286 for the last 30 days of the season and the Divisional playoffs, but his ability to work the count and get 10 pitch at bats was critical--a stat that doesn't make the box score.  And his two errors all season were matched by two errors by his replacement in the LCS--but that didn't cover it, because he would have reached a number of other balls, that is replacement did not.  I think two or three moe balls--would that have changed anything?

Who knows with Chavey?  Playing with injury,,,,was he prevented from making plays he normally makes.  Ron Washington said he turns that double play in the 2nd Tiger game "10 out of 10 times"--but just off the tip of the fingers of the glove.

Kotsay, Harden, Bradley, and Duke,,,,,maybe they are just injury prone,,bad backs, etc.  So maybe that's an ongoing problem, and they come with that.  Crosby too?--I don't think so, but looking at the record you have to consider that.

But the irony of Huston on the mound in the final game 9th inning, due to injury--it capsulized the whole season for me.  Yeah some would say injuries are part of the game, and it's true.  But this was an injury plagued horror show.

Most would agree this was an excellent season, and I somewhat agree.  But my expectations were at the top--when I saw the roster, I thought it was a World Series team, and with the weakness of the NL, likely a World Series winner.  Good that we got past that jinks of the first round,,,yes for sure.  But I'm disappointed right now.