October 13, 200322 yr Florida's Pavano Gets Nod for Game 6 By MARK LONG AP Sports Writer Posted October 13 2003, 2:29 AM EDT MIAMI -- The forecast for Game 6 in Chicago on Tuesday night calls for wind, rain and temperatures in the low 40s. Carl Pavano will feel right at home. "It won't affect me at all," said Pavano, born and raised in New Britain, Conn. "I grew up in cold weather." With Florida's season on the line for a second consecutive game, the Marlins will turn to Pavano in the NL championship series against rookie right-hander Mark Prior and the Chicago Cubs. "This is the most exciting day of my life," Pavano said. "We've all worked very hard to get to this point, and I looking forward to helping us try to go further Tuesday." The Cubs lead the best-of-seven series 3-2 and need to win one game at Wrigley Field to reach their first World Series since 1945. Pavano's cold-weather background had nothing to do with manager Jack McKeon's decision. He has simply pitched better than No. 2 starter Brad Penny in the postseason. Pavano, who went 12-13 with a 4.30 ERA this season, is 2-0 and has not allowed a run in 4 2-3 innings of relief. Penny has struggled in two playoff starts, going 0-1 with an 11.42 ERA. He gave up seven runs in two innings and took the loss in Game 2 of the NLCS. He pitched a perfect inning of relief in Game 4 of Saturday's night 8-3 loss. "Pavano matches up good against the Cubs," McKeon said. "And he's pitched extremely good against the Cubs. We talked to the coaches and decided this is the way we're going to go." Penny, who was 14-10 with a 4.13 ERA this season, said he wanted to start Game 6 or 7 and wasn't sure why McKeon opted to keep him in the bullpen. Despite his disappointment, Penny said he would gladly accept his role. "I'm new to it," he said. "I don't know what will happen. I'm just not used to throwing on that short of rest." * __ GREAT EXPECTATIONS?:@ When Dusty Baker took over as the Chicago Cubs' manager last November, he hoped the team would win this season. But did he ever think a team that won just 67 games last year would be one win from its first World Series appearance in 58 years? "How much winning I didn't know, and nobody knew, because I really didn't know, other than a few guys here, the personnel that we had here," Baker said. "My main thing was to come here and win, No. 1, and not put any realistic numbers or goals on it. "If you play hard every day and play good, hard baseball every day, you have a chance to win more games than most teams, because most teams, I've found, won't play hard every day." Baker won a World Series championship as a player, and the San Francisco Giants finished first or second in the NL West eight times in his 10 years as manager there. Last year, Baker took the Giants to the World Series, where they lost to the Anaheim Angels. And now he has worked wonders in Chicago. After three 90-loss seasons in the four years before Baker arrived, the Cubs went 88-74 and won their first division title since 1989. They beat the Atlanta Braves in the division series, their first postseason series victory since 1908, when they last won the World Series. And now they're one victory away from returning to the World Series for the first time since 1945. "I can't say I knew it," Baker said. "Some of it was hope and faith. But most of this is, anyway." * __ EXTRA BASES:@ The home team has gone 5-7 in NLCS Game 6s. ... C Ivan Rodriguez has hit safely in each of his nine playoff games with the Marlins and has driven in a run in seven of them. ... The Marlins are 2-0 in postseason elimination games. They won Game 7 of the 1997 World Series. ... The last pitcher to shut out the Cubs in a playoff game was Babe Ruth. The Bambino blanked the Cubbies in Game 1 of the 1918 World Series against the Boston Red Sox.
October 13, 200322 yr Just the right thing we did right there. Penny has struggled mightly while Pavano has shined in the Pen. Pavz just needs to leave that slider low and he will be unhittable. Very good move by Trader Jack.
October 13, 200322 yr lol..."I'm not used to throwing on that short of a rest." - Penny Maybe thats the problem...throwing. Try pitching.
October 14, 200322 yr Great move, one I think most of us saw coming after Penny got bombed in game 2. I think this could be the stage for another coming out party...
October 14, 200322 yr If Pavano is as effective in this game as he was in all his relief appearences, Prior can definately be beat.
October 14, 200322 yr It's the right move...PERIOD Agreed. Pavano's like Redman- he won't blow the ball by you, but he throws strikes, and is consistent. That's what we're looking for here.
October 14, 200322 yr W.S. Means in the Wonderful Sofa.. Come on Juanky what do you think he meant? Im gonna watch em in my Wonderful Chair!
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