In just a few short months, Jeff Weaver has gone from has-been to go-to guy.
The St. Louis Cardinals have charged Weaver with the task of shutting down the vaunted New York Mets' offence in the opening game of the National League Championship Series, which begins Thursday at Shea Stadium (8 p.m. ET).
A playoff road start is something few could have predicted for Weaver, a once-projected star pitcher who earlier this season was tossed on baseball's scrap heap after losing his job to his younger brother.
Jeff Weaver of the St. Louis Cardinals will try to shut down the vaunted Mets' offence in the opening game of the National League Championship Series on Thursday.
(Denis Poroy/Associated Press)
At the time, Weaver was a struggling starter for the Los Angeles Angels. His brother, Jered, was a phenom who had done all he could do at the minor-league level.
So Weaver was shelved and his younger brother was promoted.
Eventually, the Angels found a taker for Weaver, shipping him to the pitching-poor Cardinals for a prospect. Weaver's record was an abysmal 3-10 with a 6.29 earned-run average when he was traded.
Weaver's struggles continued when he arrived in St. Louis. He allowed 18 runs in his first 18 2/3 innings, but with the help of Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan, he rediscovered the form that made him a solid contributor just a few years earlier.
In his last 10 starts during the regular season, Weaver went 3-2 with a 2.92 ERA. He followed up his strong final month of the season with a sensational start in the National League Division Series against the San Diego Padres.
"I finally got my feet on the ground and got back to who I was," said Weaver, pitching in the playoffs for the fourth time in his career.
"Things happen for a reason. Maybe this is what was supposed to happen to get me to this point and enable me to get back to the post-season."
When asked about Weaver's contributions, Cardinals general manager Walt Jocketty said: "I'd hate to think where we'd be without him."
Ready to take the mound
That said, Weaver knows New York can be hard place to pitch, having endured a scarring stint with the New York Yankees.
"That definitely prepared me for anything that can come my way," Weaver said.
And against the Mets, Weaver is 2-1 with a 6.10 ERA in five career starts.
"You've got to be aggressive," said Weaver when asked about facing a formidable lineup that includes sluggers Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado and David Wright and speedster Jose Reyes.
"You've got to get ahead of these guys. And hopefully, get them to swing at and try to hit pitches that you want them to instead of falling into a place where you have to kind of give in to them."
The Mets will start Tom Glavine in Game 1.
Glavine, like Weaver, was impressive in his last playoff start, scattering four hits over six scoreless innings in a win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS.
With files from the Associated Press
