St. Louis Sports Online

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Mike Huss "The Fuss According to Huss" St. Louis Sports Online lead columnist and host of "Sportstalk" on WGNU AM-920 note new time: (7:00-8:00 pm Tuesdays and Thursdays) E-mail Mike at: hussonwgnu@aol.com

In 1955, the movie "The Man with the Golden Arm" was released. This film received three Academy Award nominations including Frank Sinatra as Best Actor.

Almost forty-five years later, Gateway City sports fans are searching and hoping for a sequel to that film: The MEN with the Golden Arms.

Both the Cardinals and the Rams are looking for a hero who can accurately, effectively, and cleverly toss a round or oblong object. Whether they can find their saviors without overly mortgaging their futures remains to be seen.

The Red Birds swing into September at rock bottom. At this writing they have snapped a seven game losing streak that included a three game sweep in Montreal, blown saves and extra innings losses to Atlanta, and a series opening loss to Florida at Busch Stadium.

In most of these losses, the Home Team's starting pitching should have been good enough to earn victories. Yet, it's déjà vu all over again. 1998 revisited: Mark Mc Gwire hitting home runs and the bullpen blowing saves.

Tony La Russa and Dave Duncan have been criticized for their handling of the pitching staff in general, and the bullpen in particular.

Last Tuesday night, while the team was in Montreal, one of my WGNU callers jumped all over #10 because of the Game 1 loss to the Expos. "Why wasn't Juan Acevedo in Game 1?" inquired the caller. Well, later that night, Acevedo entered Game #2 in a similar save situation in Canada and failed.

Last Thursday night, after the Montreal series ended, another caller chastised the Red Bird Manager: "He doesn't keep his starters in the game long enough". Well, starters Darren Oliver, Kent Bottenfield, and Garrett Stephenson threw over 110 pitches due to the ineffectiveness of the bullpen. Yet the Home Team finished each game with less runs than their foes.

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Sometimes it is tough to be the King. Sometimes (?), talk show junkies are wrong. Any other suggestions from out in the audience?

Roll the dice and pick your poison, Cardinal Fans. This bullpen for the past few weeks has been frustrating and unreliable. (OK, they are flat out bad!)

The bullpen's lack of effectiveness has taken the edge of the team: triggering other problems. Gateway city fans have witnessed a lack concentration and confidence, base running blunders, errors, fundamental mistakes, and questionable managerial moves from their heroes. Truly, this is a team effort. It is EVERYONE'S fault.

From top to bottom, the Cardinals look like a team that is simply expecting to lose.

Enter the "Man with the Golden Arm". Unfortunately, his identity is unknown.

In a town that has been spoiled with some of Baseball's best closers, it has become painfully obvious that if the Cardinals ever hope to be contenders, they need to find someone who can finish victories. Cincinnati and the Mets are examples of teams with moderate starting pitching. Yet, their relief corps have been extremely effective and a major reason for their march on to post season play.

The Red Birds were aware of this during the last off-season with their acquisitions of Scott Radinsky and Ricky Bottalico. The injured Radinsky is lost for the season. In recent weeks, Bottalico has demonstrated why the Phillies were willing to trade his services. Acevedo, the appointed pre-season closer, has been ineffective and inconsistent both as a stopper and reliever. Bottom Line: the Bullpen is a problem: a major problem.

It is not going to be easy for the Red Birds to find that "Golden Arm". The supply for that commodity is low and the demand very high. Such Golden Arms are coveted in all sports including football. That brings us to the Rams.

Last February, on Mardi Gras afternoon, our Male Sheep introduced Trent Green as their newest and best Quarterback. Green said all the right things and PSL holders donned their helmets, blue and gold licensed merchandise and checkbooks for the start of the new season.

Indeed, the Rams new field General was making strides with the offense during the pre-season. But it all came tumbling down last Saturday night at the Dome when #10 was carted off the field with a season ending injury after a (cheap?) hit from a San Diego lineman.

A replacement is needed. Let's look down the bench: Kurt Warner? Joe Germaine? Maybe auditions can be held.

Once again the Rams are scrambling. This time, in search for a Golden Arm quarterback to replace Green. Although Dick Vermeil spouts his confidence to Warner, one still has to ponder why Warner did not start the final two meaningless games of 1998. One has to wonder why Green was in the San Diego game at that time. One has to also wonder how the Rams exposed themselves in this position. Wouldn't Steve Bono look good now?

(I see an ironic repeat coming down the road: Should Warner be immediately ineffective, the locals will start screaming for Germaine to take over. If Germaine is not ready, St. Louis fans may see another unprepared high drafted quarterback from the Big 10 take his lumps.)

Other NFL teams do not live in a vacuum. The price for a quarterback for the Rams just went up Saturday night at about 9:00 PM.

Two local teams, each looking for the same type solution. That special person with "the Golden Arm". Both teams have gotten to their predicament because of poor planning.

In 1955, Sinatra was nominated for an Academy Award for his role in "The Man with the Golden Arm". Only time will tell if the Cardinals and/or the Rams will be nominated for an Award, or will continue to be a box office flop.

As old Blue Eyes would put it: "That's Life". Or perhaps: "Something Stupid".