If you were Phil Garner...

[MrGo]

...what would you do? If Houston wins game 5 tonight, they will be up 3-2 and headed back to St. Louis. Do you start Munro in game 6 and give Clemens his 4 day rest in case it goes 7, or do you start Clemens on short rest and try to win it in 6. You'd also have Oswalt for at most 2 innings if you needed him.

I'd start Munro. He gave a good performance in game 2 and Clemens on short rest is not as good as he is on 4 days rest.

Thoughts?

Go 'Stros!!!

[ThaSaltCracka]

I have a hard time seeing Houston winning a game without either Clemens or Oswalt pitching. They should probably save them for games 6 & 7.

[nolanfan34]

I think Clemens pitches either way in game 6. And they have to save Oswalt for game 7.

I suppose if Houston wins tonight, that maybe they'll go with Munro, but I just don't see that happening. If they throw Munro after losing game 5, then Phil Garner is going to get flamed by the media if he gets shelled.

[Clarkmeister]

Garner already answered this question in the Atlanta Series.

[MrGo]

Well if Houston loses tonight, there is no questions that Clemens starts game 6.

But what's better, a short rested Clemens or Munro?

[cjromero]

If the Astros win tonight, I would start Munro in Game 6. He did a better job than any of the other 3 starters in hitting his spots and in not throwing pitches in the middle of the strike zone.

Given Clemens' age and the fact that he threw 120+ pitches on Saturday, I just can't see bringing him back again on 3 days rest if the Astros are up 3-2, particularly seeing how poorly he pitched on 3 days rest in the NLDS.

The same goes for Oswalt pitching on 3 days rest in Game 7. He has now thrown 254 innings this year and he clearly didn't have his best stuff last night. It was the first time all year that he didn't strike out a batter, except for one relief outing and one game where he left with an injury after 2 innings.

Whether the team uses Munro in Game 6 or brings back Clemens and Oswalt in Games 6 and 7, the Astros' middle relief is going to have to get the job done if the Astros are going to take this series because whomever starts the last three games will probably only go 5 innings. Period. End of story.

Garner said this morning that the decision on a Game 6 starter is still up in the air, unlike in the NLDS when it was announced two days ahead of time that Clemens would start Game 4 on short rest.

[MrGo]

Has Duckworth pitched in this series? Where has his career gone...geez!