Suppan will try to add to postseason heroics

ST. LOUIS -- Jeff Suppan, the big-game pitcher with the small-time resume, is about to get another chance to add to his postseason prowess.

The St. Louis Cardinals will ask their unassuming right-hander, a 106-101 career pitcher and 12-game winner this year but the MVP of the National League championship series after baffling the New York Mets, to do it again tonight.

"This guy's been such nails for us," manager Tony La Russa said. "I don't think you can give him enough credit."

The Tigers will go with Jeremy Bonderman, 14-8 with a 4.08 record and working on 10 days rest. Bonderman sounds as unflappable as Suppan pitches, professing no outward concern about Albert Pujols, Scott Rolen and the rest of the St. Louis offense.

Bonderman, 23, also has a clincher under his belt. He worked Game 4 of the AL championship series, pitching into the seventh inning against the Athletics.

"I don't really try to overanalyze these guys, because they're all human," Bonderman said. "They all make outs. You've just got to go out and attack them, try to put them on the defense."

Suppan pitched two series clinchers in 2004 to help the Cardinals reach the World Series for the first time in 17 seasons, besting the Astros' Roger Clemens in Game 7. He has dominated in this postseason, and allowed only one run in two games against the Mets.

In Game 7, he allowed one run on two hits in seven-plus innings in a 3-1 victory, and those numbers don't do the outing justice. Everything was tilting the Mets' way after left fielder Endy Chavez made perhaps the play of the postseason when he robbed Scott Rolen of a two-run homer, and New York loaded the bases with one out in the bottom half with the help of Rolen's throwing error from third base.

A Shea Stadium crowd was roaring to keep up with a blaring sound system and a light rain was falling on a nippy night. Suppan blocked it all out, striking out Jose Valentin and then getting Chavez, one hit away from hero status, on a lazy fly ball to center.

La Russa said he has talked to people in the Cardinals organization who have been around for "30, 40 years" who compare what Suppan did then to anything any St. Louis pitcher has ever done.

Suppan also threw eight shutout innings in Game 3, helping the Cardinals take the series lead. Now, the tough part. He has to do it again.

"The reality of sports, our game, other games, that's already done," La Russa said. "You're only as good as the next time you go out there."

"He's got a special place, but this is a brand new series."

Suppan knows that. He'll take the same low-key approach to Game 3, hitting on his favorite catch word "focus" often in his interview session on Tuesday.

"Basically, I thought I was able to focus on what I needed to focus on," Suppan said. "And that was a positive that I would take out of those two games."

Bonderman, good enough that he was under consideration as the Game 1 starter for the Tigers, will be making his first start since Oct. 14. He's 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA in two starts this postseason and believes the rest that resulted from the Tigers' sweep will be a benefit.

"I had a lot of innings this year, so I wanted to give my arm a break as much as I could," Bonderman said. "I threw a few bullpens but I'll be ready to go. I'll be fine."

The pitching matchup appears lopsided in at least one regard. Suppan can handle the bat, homering off the Mets' Steve Trachsel in Game 3 of the NLCS, while Bonderman is 0-for-19 with 12 strikeouts in his career with no sacrifices.

"I wouldn't say I've come close to a hit, no," Bonderman said.

During the Tigers' break, Bonderman got some work in the batting cage.

"I'm not a very good hitter, so I don't really worry about it too much," he said.