Zack Greinke started on short rest for just the second time in his career in Wednesday’s regular season finale against the Pirates. This called into question his availability for Game 2 of the NLDS against the Diamondbacks tomorrow, as he would again be pitching on just three days’ rest, but Brewers manager Ron Roenicke told Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel yesterday that he will indeed make the start.
“I don’t think it’s a risk because he threw 74 pitches the other day. If he had thrown 100, we wouldn’t be talking about this. I won’t second-guess myself on this.”
Anything can happen in the playoffs, but the Brewers have at least lined up their starters in a favorable manner. Greinke went 11-0 with a 3.13 ERA at home this season compared to 5-6 with a 4.70 ERA on the road. As for Shaun Marcum, who will now start Game 3 in Chase Field next Tuesday, his splits are even more dramatic. He went 5-4 with a 4.81 ERA at home this season compared to 8-3 with a 2.21 ERA on the road.
