St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Ryan Franklin flips the baseball to first base during the eighth inning against the Washington Nationals at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on April 20, 2011. Washington won the game 8-6. UPI/Bill Greenblatt
After giving up yet another home run while working two innings in middle relief on Wednesday against the Nationals, Cardinals’ pitcher Ryan Franklin sounded off on the boo birds that have recently come out at Busch Stadium.
“You should go write stories about the fans booing,” Franklin told reporters after Game 1 of a double-header on Wednesday. “They’re supposed to be the best fans in baseball. Yeah right.”
Never, in the history of sports, has it ever been wise for an athlete to bash his own fan base. There’s just nothing good that can ever come out of it. Even if the athlete is right (and I’m not saying Franklin is), the fans will likely only respond with more booing. It’s not like 40,000 fans are going to collectively get together and ...
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Those of you that watch all the Cards games or attend them, there actually exists a feeling that when Franklin enters to close, it's not a "done deal." Don't most closers exhibit more fire-power that what he has? Really, the heater needs to be an option, don't you think? Ryan has lost the pinpoint control a closer needs if he doesn't have the big fastball.
Motte is hyper and Boggs is raw, but the boys can bring it. If we can take a game into the late innings with a lead, EVERYONE has to have the confidence that the next pitcher-in can do the job. Big Sweat never had the handle on that, Trever Miller walked his guy the other day because his curve was "too big." Correct, he was out of control. Professional baseball players at the Major League level cannot exist if they are off just a little bit. Has Ryan Franklin been "off" just a little bit, a lot?