The Untold Story Of LaRussa’s Bullpen Management

One of narratives leading up to Game 1 of the World Series emphasized the Cardinals’ and the Rangers’ heavy use of their bullpens in the Division and League Championship Series. We were told to expect pitching changes early and often, especially from Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa, who has a reputation for micromanaging his pitching staff to get just the right match-up.

In Game 1, LaRussa did not disappoint. Cardinals starter Chris Carpenter threw six innings, giving up five hits and two runs. After LaRussa pulled Carpenter for a pinch hitter in the bottom of the sixth, he used five relievers out of the bullpen to pitch the final three innings. The ‘pen acquitted itself well: three innings, one hit, no runs.

In the Division Series, the Cardinals’ starting pitchers threw 30 total innings to 14 for the bullpen. That’s 68% of the innings for the starters; 32% for the relievers. Over the five games played, LaRussa averaged 3.2 pitching changes per game.

In the NLCS, Cardinals starting pitchers were on the mound for only 24.1 innings to the bullpen’s 21.2 innings, a ratio of 53% to 47% over the six games played. LaRussa made an average of 4.67 pitching changes per game.

Despite LaRussa’s reputation, his bullpen management in the NLCS is the exception, not the rule, of his reign as the Cardinals skipper.

Let me explain.

LaRussa’s first year as Cardinals manager was 1996. In 12 of his 16 seasons in St. Louis, LaRussa’s bullpen pitched fewer innings than average for all National League teams. Only in 1998, 1999, 2002 and 2007 did the Cardinals relievers throw more innings than the National League team average.

Take a look.

Year	Average IP by Starters per National League Team	IP by Cardinals Starters	Average IP by Relievers per National League Team	IP by Cardinals Relievers
1996	970	1016	500	430
1997	978	1001	468	455
1998	988	936	464	534
1999	970	913	475	514
2000	976	1001	467	433
2001	960	969	481	467
2002	948	917	496	529
2003	951	979	494	484
2004	943	996	504	457
2005	973	1048	467	398
2006	942	942	504	488
2007	929	889	524	547
2008	932	955	514	499
2009	942	1034	502	437
2010	958	991	485	463
2010	972	999	481	463

* Numbers were rounded

Here’s a look at the numbers on a percentage basis.

Year	Percentage of IP by Starters per National League Team	Percentage of IP by Cardinals Starters	Percentage of IP by Relievers per National League Team	Percentage of IP by Cardinals Relievers
1996	66%	70%	34%	30%
1997	68%	69%	32%	31%
1998	68%	64%	32%	36%
1999	67%	64%	33%	36%
2000	68%	70%	32%	30%
2001	67%	67.5%	33%	32.5%
2002	66%	63%	34%	37%
2003	66%	70%	34%	30%
2004	65%	69%	35%	31%
2005	68%	62.5%	32%	27.5%
2006	65%	66%	35%	34%
2007	64%	62%	36%	38%
2008	64.5%	66%	35.5%	34%
2009	65%	70%	35%	30%
2010	66%	68%	34%	32%
2010	67%	68%	33%	32%

* Numbers were rounded

With LaRussa at the helm, the Cardinals made the postseason nine times (1996, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009 and 2011) and advanced to the World Series three times (2004, 2006 and 2011).

In the 2004 NLDS (Cardinals won 3-1), Cardinals starters pitched 23.1 innings to 13.2 for the relievers. That’s 62% of innings pitched for the starters, 7% below the season percentage for the Cardinals starters. LaRussa made an average of three pitching changes per game.

But in the 2004 NLCS (Cardinals won 4-3), the Cardinals starters pitched 65% of total innings, closer to the season percentage of 69%. In the seven games of the series, LaRussa averaged 3.43 pitching changes per game. Fewer innings pitched by the relievers compared to the NLDS, but more relievers used.

In the 2004 World Series (Cardinals lost 4-0), Cardinals starters threw 17.1 innings with relievers on the mound for 16.2 innings, nearly a 50-50 split. LaRussa made an average of 3.75 pitching changes per game. Woody Williams‘ start in Game 1, in which he gave up 8 hits and 7 runs in only 2.1 innings, significantly affected the numbers in the four-game series.

In the 2006 NLDS (Cardinals won 3-1), the starters pitched 64% of the innings, compared to 66% in the regular season. LaRussa oversaw 3.5 pitching changes per game. In the 2006 NLCS (Cardinals won 4-3), the starters carried the load, pitching 69% of the total innings over the seven games. Even with fewer innings pitched, LaRussa still made an average of 3 pitching changes per game.

The Cardinals starters worked even harder in the 2006 World Series, pitching 80% of the innings in the five total games (the Cardinals won 4-1). LaRussa used only 2.4 relievers per game on average.

In the 2004 postseason, LaRussa’s bullpen worked harder than in the regular season, but in the 2006 postseason the relievers worked less than in the 162-game schedule. And in both seasons, the Cardinals bullpen pitched a lower percentage of innings than did the average bullpen in the National League.

While this year’s NLCS is a poster child for bullpen micromanagement by LaRussa, the NLDS starter/reliever percentage split for the Cardinals was precisely the same as in the regular season: 68% v. 32%. And that split favored the starters more than the average for all National League teams this season: 67% v. 33%.

In baseball, sometimes the facts support the narrative. Sometimes they don’t.