Brewers' season ends: Sveum defends decision to start Suppan

Adam Mertz  —  10/06/2008 11:41 am

MILWAUKEE -- Dale Sveum said there was never a doubt in his mind that he was going to pitch Jeff Suppan in Game 4, and that the Milwaukee Brewers were going to pitch around Philadelphia slugger Ryan Howard.

Thanks to Pat Burrell, both decisions backfired.

The slugging outfielder smacked two home runs Sunday, most notably a third-inning mistake from Suppan for a three-run home run that propelled Philadelphia to a series-clinching, 6-2 victory on Sunday and prompted some second-guessing as to whether Sveum made the right choice on the aforementioned tactical decisions.

Afterward, Sveum unequivocally defended his choice of starting Suppan, who was signed two years ago to a $42 million free agent deal specifically to throw in situations such as Sunday, with the Brewers' postseason lives on the line.

"There was never a doubt that he was going to be our fourth-game starter," Sveum said.

Suppan had suffered through a miserable September that included an 0-3 record, an 8.43 earned-run average and 34 hits and 11 walks in just 21 1/3 innings.

But the 33-year-old veteran's resume includes a co-starring role opposite Jeff Weaver in St. Louis' run to the 2006 World Series title.

And despite not having his best stuff, Suppan had turned in a gutty outing nine days earlier against the Cubs, allowing just one run in a five-inning stint in what amounted to a must-win game with the Brewers battling for the wild card berth.

On Sunday, he was pitching on full rest -- as opposed to the other most likely option as starter, Yovani Gallardo, who had turned in two strong but abbreviated performances after returning from reconstructive knee surgery in the closing week of the regular season.

But Suppan was unable to replicate those results Sunday, knocked out after just three innings upon surrendering five runs, all on the weight of three home runs.

Jimmy Rollins led off the game with a home run on a full count for a 1-0 Philadelphia lead, but the big blow came after the Brewers elected to intentionally walk Howard, the NL Player of the Month in September, to face Burrell with two men on and two out.

"The goal there coming into this series is not let Howard hit two-pointers against you," Sveum said. "It's not that difficult of a decision."

Sveum reasoned that Burrell was hitting just .170 in September against right-handed pitchers, while Howard led the National League with 48 home runs and 156 RBIs -- with 11 of those longballs and 32 RBIs coming in that same span.

On the other hand, Howard went just 2-for-11 in this series, while Burrell entered the game with some impressive career numbers against Suppan: 9-for-21, with three homers and eight RBIs, as well as a .571 on-base percentage.

The count went 2-2 when Suppan delivered a fastball that Burrell hammered into the left-field bleachers for a 4-0 lead.

"I didn't make my pitch right there," Suppan said. "Solo home runs are solo home runs, but three-run home runs are different. That's something you're always trying to avoid."

In fact, Suppan thought he was avoiding trouble by throwing that pitch.

"We stayed away (early in the count) and he hit that cutter I threw down and away down the right field line," Suppan said. "I called (catcher Jason Kendall) out and I said, 'I think we've got to go up and in here,' and he said, 'Absolutely.' I probably overthrew the pitch and threw it down the middle and he's got a lot of power."

Said Sveum: "One pitch difference, he's out of the inning and it might be a different ballgame. Obviously you'd like to have that one pitch back that changed the game around, but he was making his pitches and doing a good job up to that point."

The smash was redemption for Burrell, the longest-tenured but arguably most criticized member of the Phillies' roster. Even he wouldn't fault the Brewers for pitching around Howard.

"The way he's been swinging the bat, I mean, you can't blame the other team for pitching around him, especially in that situation there," Burrell said. "The goal there is just to try to get something to hit. Up to this point, I didn't think I could have hit any of the strikes (the ump) was calling.

"Fortunately, I hung around long enough to get a good pitch to hit."

Ironically, Burrell wasn't even sure he was going to be in the lineup on Sunday until he showed up at Miller Park. Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said Burrell's spot was never in doubt, even if it went against logic.

"Believe me, I have people come up and say, 'How can you play him today?' I'll say, 'Yeah, I've been playing him for four years, I'm playing him today,'" Manuel said. "I'm a stubborn guy and I like to be right, and I'll go all the way to prove that I'm right, and I'll definitely stick with my players -- the ones I think can put it on the board."

Suppan compounded his problems by serving up a home run to the next batter, Jayson Werth, giving Philadelphia a 5-0 lead. At that point Sveum started warming up Gallardo, who came on to pitch three scoreless innings of one-hit ball.

Asked whether he wanted to start the game, Gallardo -- who was saddled with three unearned runs in a five-inning effort in Game 1 -- declined to criticize the decision.

"I can't say yes or no. I just pitch whenever I'm told," he said. "I felt fine. My arm felt good and I went out and just tried to keep us in the game."

Adam Mertz  —  10/06/2008 11:41 am