Aaron Rowand?

Seriously? Tony LaRussa, you are a raging retard. With 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th, 2 men on base based loaded and in a 1-run game when you're the home team, you put Albert Pujols up to bat to win the game, not Aaron Rowand. If you have any doubts, look at career stats for Rowand and Pujols. Pujols has 189 more home runs, 509 more RBI's, a career batting average over 40 points higher, an OBP 70 points higher, and an OPS more than 246 points higher in his career (both were rookies in 2001 and have 6+ years of service time). What's more, Pujols is 4-11 in All Star game AB's in his career (.364 batting average, .417 OBP). The final point I will make: even in 2007, when Rowand is having a "career year" and Pujols is "slumping", Pujols has superior offensive numbers.

Listen, I'm a Phillies fan. I'm used to seeing retarded managerial moves that costs my team the game. However, even the moron Charlie Manuel could get this right. When the game is on the line, you go for the win. You don't bench Albert Pujols, one of the top 5 hitters in the game, for Aaron Rowand, who is a fringe All Star in his best season in the majors. Pujols is famous for clutch hits and big time skills with the bat. Rowand is famous for taking a nose dive into a metal fence in center field.

Below: Aaron Rowand shows the world what happens when he is asked to hit against K-Rod: