The St. Louis Cardinals' bullpen has been fantastic, and might finish the National League Championship Series having gotten more outs than the starting pitchers. Which would also be fantastic, in the strictest sense of the word.
Bullpens In For Real Workout In Game 6
Oddly, though? If one team is better-equipped to deal with a starting pitcher who lasts just one inning, it might be the Milwaukee Brewers. Their roster essentially includes their No. 5 and No. 6 starters from this season, in Chris Narveson and Marco Estrada, both of whom presumably can pitch two or three innings before giving way to the more usual relievers. Meanwhile, with Jake Westbrook left off the NLCS roster, the closest the Cardinals have a "long man" is probably Lance Lynn, who started a dozen games for triple-A Memphis this season.
And it sure looks like both managers will have plenty of chances to test their bullpens.
Ron Roenicke yanked starter Shaun Marcum after one inning and four runs; in the second, Narveson gave up a solo homer to Rafael Furcal.
Edwin Jackson has recorded three outs and given up two solo homers, with Corey Hart and Rickie Weeks both jogging around the bases already.
Stick around, folks. The Cardinals are ahead 5-2, but it’s still really really early.
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