ST. LOUIS – Anthony Reyes can’t afford to pull an Ankiel tonight.
No, not an ankle – you read that last sentence right. The Cardinal rookie can’t afford a disastrous playoff debut the way Rick Ankiel did six years ago.
On the last day of this regular season, Cardinal manager Tony La Russa held back ace Chris Carpenter and started Reyes – even though the Cards hadn’t clinched yet. Reyes didn’t get out of the first inning, but St. Louis headed to the playoffs anyway.
Now with the Mets on the ropes after a 5-0 defeat in NLCS Game 3, the St. Louis right-hander (who turns 25 tomorrow) can’t get KO’d in the first round again. Of course, the 2003 15th-round pick is hurling opposite Met lefty Oliver Perez, who’s also a huge question mark.
Reyes claimed he doesn’t get too jittery when he pitches, but he mentioned he was “just trying to keep my mind away from this as much as I can and get prepared on the pitches I have to make and the batters I’m going to see.”
Albert Pujols supported the rookie, saying, “He’s done a great job for us. It’s a big game for us. Hopefully we can get the jump again in the first inning and take the pressure a little bit off him. I believe he’s going to throw a great game.”
La Russa famously thrust Ankiel into a Game 1 Division Series start against Atlanta in 2000, and Ankiel threw five wild pitches in the third inning. Although St. Louis won that game, Ankiel never became the ace everyone expected.
“We haven’t very often put an assignment on Anthony Reyes like we’re doing,” La Russa said. “But he and Oliver have showed they have talent. And they’re young. So don’t be surprised if they go out there, and don’t be surprised if their talent dominates a lot of good hitters.”
In 17 regular-season starts, Reyes was 5-8 with a 5.06 ERA. Reyes – who didn’t face the Mets – is capable of clutch performances against playoff clubs. On June 22 in Chicago, he threw a one-hit complete game against the White Sox yet lost because Jim Thome homered off him in a 1-0 win. He worked six solid innings in a Sept. 27 no-decision against San Diego, scattering five hits and one run.
In defense of his Oct. 1 flameout against Milwaukee, Reyes was starting on three days rest and only found out a few hours before the start that he’d be pitching. He lasted two-thirds of an inning, allowing five hits and four earned runs. With five straight nights of games, another Reyes blowup would be potentially devastating to the Cardinals’ bullpen.
