stlcardinals.com
September 21, 2002

Morris Unconcerned Over Poor Start

By Matthew Leach

ST. LOUIS -- Once is an aberration. Twice is, if not a pattern, at least a cause for concern.

Matt Morris had his second consecutive subpar outing Saturday, giving up six runs (four earned) on nine hits in six innings. Some of it was understandable -- there's no shame in giving up a homer and a double to Lance Berkman. Some of it was not -- there's no excuse for giving up a two-run double to Wade Miller.

Now, Morris has just one start to get in shape before the playoffs, where he'll likely oppose Randy Johnson, or perhaps Curt Schilling.

But Morris isn't too worried. Frustrated and disappointed with his performance, yes. Worried? No.

"I'm not concerned," he said. "I'm making pitches. Just, my focus is a little off. Today, it was a little off, the other day in Houston it was a little off."

Though things didn't go Morris' way Saturday -- far from it, in fact -- the game was still a step forward from his last outing. Last Sunday, in Houston, Morris was chased after 3 2/3 innings, allowing nine hits. In three starts since he was activated from the disabled list, his ERA is an unsightly 6.14.

Unlike Sunday, however, Morris did a lot of good things this time around. After falling behind 2-0 in the first, he seemed to settle in, and made it into the fifth with the score tied at two. He retired the first two batters of the fifth on ground balls.

And then he made a mistake. And another one.

Morris walked light-hitting Jose Vizcaino with two outs and the bases empty, bringing up MVP candidate Berkman. The switch-hitting slugger took Morris deep to center for a 4-2 lead. Over his last two starts, Morris has given up two doubles and two homers to Houston's star outfielder.

"Vizcaino's at-bat, two outs, full count. Curveball is the pitch that'll get him out, but I'm just not throwing it like I have been earlier in the year," Morris said. "I end up walking him and bringing up Berkman, which was a bad choice. I should have just let him try to earn it with a fastball, and if he gets a base hit, he gets a base hit. You don't want to walk him in that situation."

In addition to some errant pitches, a measure of bad luck and plenty of bad timing helped contribute to Morris' rough day. With one out in the sixth, Gold Glover Scott Rolen couldn't handle a ball from Mark Loretta. The next batter, Geoff Blum, hit a ball to the warning track in right that would have been the third out. Except that it wasn't, because of Rolen's error.

Catcher Brad Ausmus followed with a single, and Miller drove both runners home with a double to left. Two unearned runs, but two runs all the same.

"I tried to go in on Miller and ... got burned by that too," Morris said. "I'm just upset at myself. I guess because I'm not so sharp I need to concentrate a little more on what I'm doing out there. I don't have either of them (fastball or curveball) clicking right now, but it's all in there."

No one is panicking in the St. Louis clubhouse, though they're certainly not delighted. The division title is locked up. Morris' next start comes against the free-swinging and low-scoring Brewers, so he'll have an excellent chance to bounce back.

"It was one of those days," said manager Tony La Russa. "I thought that he threw the ball well enough. There were several bloopers. But the two balls that Berkman hit were not bloopers. And the ball that Miller hit was not a blooper.

"I don't know that he didn't have it. I just think ... I think he had a couple times where he didn't make his pitches. He walked a hitter and paid for it. But I wouldn't say he didn't have it."