Stlcardinals.com
August 10, 2001

Morris Celebrates Birthday In Style

By J.S. Trzcienski (MLB.com)

There is, one would think, a certain positive karma that exists when a pitcher takes to the mound on his birthday.

Then again, maybe not.

"Was it Matt's birthday today?" manager Tony Larussa asked with a surprised look following the Cardinals' 9-6 win. "I didn't know that."

Fair enough, but what about that karma?

"I don't know if I had known that before the game," Larussa said as he returned to reviewing some of his notes, "whether I would have thought it was good or bad."

Morris picked up his 14th victory of the season Thursday despite a final line that wasn't particularly remarkable. The man who was born 27 years ago in Middletown, New York, tossed 6 2/3 innings, allowing 10 hits, five earned runs, and three walks, and saw his ERA click up from 3.32 to 3.47 in the process. He also struck out six and gave up a rather definitive two-run home run to Vladimir Guerrero.

Still, what counts is the W. Morris had yet to earn a decision in four previous starts against the Expos, and was 3-5 on the road in 2001 entering the game with a 5.12 ERA. In contrast, he was an eye-popping 10-2 with a 1.93 ERA in 12 starts at Busch Stadium.

Morris' last outing was similar to the one he experienced Thursday, almost down to the final score itself. After allowing five first inning runs, he worked six scoreless innings and the Cardinals rallied for a 9-5 win in the opening game of their doubleheader with Florida last Friday. His last two victories, as such, weren't pretty -- not that it matters in the grand scheme of things.

"Todd Stottlemeyer once told me, 'There's no such thing as a cheap win,' and I believe that's true," Morris said after the game, dismissing any notion he was dissatisfied with the victory.

Then, reflecting on whether karma might have played into his earning a birthday win when his location might not have been at its best, he added, "Nah -- when you wait all day to unwrap your present, you just want to see what you got. You're not really thinking what it might be."

"I was up in the zone a lot tonight, and I was concentrating on keeping my sinker down. I might be focusing on bigger things at times, thinking of pitching a complete game shutout every time I go out there rather than take things pitch-by-pitch. Sometimes when that doesn't happen, I need to take a step back. Maybe I'll look at some game film or something and try to figure things out."

Steve Kline, who closed out the game by tossing the final two outs of the ninth inning, was pleased for his teammate.

"It's good for Matt," the lefty explained. "It's nice to get him a big lead and let him cruise a bit."

Overall the Cardinals have scored 118 runs in Morris' 24 starts, but just 15 in his seven losses. The offense certainly helps the winning percentage, and Morris' manager was glad his starter had enough support required, irrespective of how much that happened to be.

"The past two games he's got a couple wins," Larussa pointed out. "That's a good sign. He's still a young kid; he's still developing. He's pitched a couple times and he looks like Bob Gibson, other times, he doesn't."

Did the nine runs on the evening, then, lead to what was the ultimate birthday present for Morris?

"I'd take a no-hitter," he says after a moment's reflection, "but I'll take the win."

Then, in a low voice and with a slight grin, he adds, "It's the only gift I got, actually -- I'll tell you that."