Thanks, cd, for some very good answers. A few quick responses:

1 – After half of his blown saves, it was pretty obvious Izzy was not the old Izzy – in fact, he hasn’t been since 2005. If managers let pitchers tell them when to take them out, the team is in trouble. Ask Grady Little. Many veterans never want to admit they don’t have it anymore. Tony waited too long on this one, but hopefully Jason can still help us in middle relief, which is a crucial area these days.

2 – I mentioned Duncan’s fielding because last night his slow reactions enabled a double to be stretched to a triple and a single into a double. The answer for him – and the Cards – is a change of scenery.

3 – Yes, Wellemeyer has been good this season, but so what? He didn’t have it from the first batter last night. Looper didn’t have it, either, the other day and TLR got him out, I believe, in the third inning. I would have pinch-hit for him in the bottom of the fourth after he had given up the tying runs and had allowed something like eight hits in four innings. This was a winnable game, and we threw it away going too long with Todd.

Don’t misread the above comments – I love LaRussa and Dave Duncan. I cannot imagine – nor do I want to – the Cardinals without them…...but that doesn’t mean they don’t make bad mistakes at times.

CD – If you see this (or anyone else), will the Cardinals’ owner ever pay big bucks and get some proven stars in here from free agency? Ioften wondered if it discouraged TLR and DD, not only not going after good free agents but losing many starters whohad just helped us. the previous who left for greener ($) pastures.

credit adiueordie - he actually answered the questions.

I just added the Reyes comment (i know he’s on the DL) because its the 3rd topic/argument of choice on the boards here after your 1 and 2. Just figured you forgot to ask it.

You wrote about how Isringhausen hasn’t had it since 2005? So soon to forget that Izzy had 32 saves last year with a 2.48 ERA. He was one of the best closers in baseball last year.

Your Duncan comments seem pretty funny at this point.

Izzy was fine last year. My mistake.

As for Duncan – puhleeze…..one HR to tie a game does not atone for all other poor efforts. I’d love to see him hit consistently, though, because we need his bat.

all year, which is why even LaRussa had to finally send him down to Memphis earlier. He only got called back because Albert was out. Glad you are watching the games.

game-tying home runs has he hit this season? That’s what I meant.

The whole thing is a semantics issue and trivial, baw. I’ll re-word my meaning for the last time: Duncan has only had one important hit against the Mets, the HR that tied the score late in the game…..as opposed to failing in the clutch almost every single time prior to that. We have enough OFs who are better clutch hitters than Duncan to warrant him getting so many ABs. That’s all I was trying to say.