That’s the sad fact, Jack: Relievers rule
CLEVELAND — The pitcher who had the greatest Game 7 outing in World Series history shakes his head in disgust when he considers what has happened to postseason pitching in the 25 years since that night — especially as he watches this World Series play out.
“It’s such a different era,” said Jack Morris, who pitched a 10- inning shutout for the Twins in 1991 to beat the Braves 1- 0 in Game 7. “It’s almost like pitchers become paranoid because any indication at all that there’s trouble, you’re going to get yanked. I just can’t stand that.
“I watched [ Kyle] Hendricks and [ Indians starter Josh] Tomlin [ on Friday in Game 3], and they’re both pitching their tails off, and they’re both out of the game under five innings when they should have never been gone.”
Relievers pitched more than half the innings in the Indians’ 1- 0 victory.
On Sunday, Morris watched closer Aroldis Chapman play the hero’s role for his 2‰- inning finish for the Cubs in their 3- 2 victory.
In that same game, Indians starter Trevor Bauer ( four innings) became the first starter to make four starts of less than five innings in a postseason.
“It’s all about the relievers,” said Morris, who averaged more than 7„ innings in seven World Series starts, including three complete games. He was 36 when he pitched that 10- inning Game 7 shutout.
“Starters really don’t have any glory in the postseason anymore,” he said.
Cubs starter John Lackey, who leads all active pitchers with 23 postseason starts, and Morris are among six pitchers to start a World Series game for three franchises. Morris and Bullet Joe Bush, nearly a century ago, are the only two to win rings with all three.
“Lackey’s had a really good postseason career,’’ Morris said. ‘‘ He just doesn’t seem to have quite the same stuff now that he did when he was younger.
‘‘ But you can’t take away from what he’s done.”