***Official 2015 STL Cardinals Thread***

[BigRedChief]

2011 World Series Championship
2012 NLCS. One win from another WS appearance.
2013 World Series. Two wins from another World Series Championship
2014 NLCS. Three wins from another WS appearance

• Made the postseason 10 times in the last 14 seasons.
• Only 1 losing season since 2000.
• Reached the World Series 4 times since 2004 and won as many championships (two) the past eight seasons as it did from 1965 to 2005.
• Made the NLCS 9 times including the last 4 years 2011-2014
• Three million attendance? Take it to the bank.
• 65 post season wins since 2004. 22+ wins more than any other team.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Yeah.

They'd have to pay him, but sunk costs are sunk costs.

If Matheny insists on a second lefty, bring Cooney back. He's at 89 as a starter but would probably be 91 as a reliever with a lot more snap on his breaking ball if he's not trying to pace himself as much. As a starter, he's worked on getting out righthanders as well and his arsenal (notably his sinking fastball) would allow him to work to a RH here and there to stay in the game to face another couple of lefties, depending on the batting order. He's can be sensibly deployed - Choate cannot.

Or if/when Garcia/Gonzalez are ready, put Lyons in that role. I think his stuff plays extremely well as a lefty reliever.

Ultimately I don't see a 2nd lefty as that critical, at least not during the regular season. They'd be better served carrying another versatile righty (like Harris) and putting an additional bench bat back on the team. With sinkerballers like Maness and Belisle, not to mention that cutter from Harris, you have guys that can deal with most rank and file lefties. With Siegrist you can get through the nasty lefties on the team once in the 7th or 8th and set it up for Rosenthal.

On Sunday when we were rolling Pete Kozma up there in a key situation in the 9th to try to tie it, I feel like the book was closed on how Matheny's managing this bench/bullpen right now. You just can't carry 13 relievers and you damn sure can't do it if your bench includes 2 injured guys, a backup catcher you won't use and Pete Kozma, who just blows.

What's painful is they gave freeman away for a bag of dicks.

Also, if Cleveland continues to suck balls, would David Murphy be interesting as a bench bat/corner offer?

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by O.city

What's painful is they gave freeman away for a bag of dicks.

Also, if Cleveland continues to suck balls, would David Murphy be interesting as a bench bat/corner offer?

Yeah, you could do a lot worse.

When Ramsey was traded, I figured no harm done anyway because he was blocked and we probably didn't need another lefty OFer. Then we traded Craig as well (closing the door on the possibility of Adams going back to lefty bench role) and Taveras up and killed himself.

Suddenly there'd be a pretty nice spot on this roster for a speedy lefty like Ramsey.

I still think I'd rather find a lefty middle-infielder option, but those are pretty few and far between. That's why I like the idea of Kelly or Anna getting the call. I still feel like both of them can give you the approach you want out of a late-inning lefty and they fit the bench construction better by allowing us to excise ourselves of Pete Kozma.

[O.city]

If Bourjos continues to hit, Jay could be that bench lefty

[Hootie]

I got two tickets to Dodgers/Cardinals on Saturday May 30 in the left field box 165 (3rd base side) $86 face value if anyone is interested. I'd sell them for $70 / ticket. Going to Royals/Cubs instead.

PM if interested.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by O.city

If Bourjos continues to hit, Jay could be that bench lefty

I still feel like Bourjos will have to hit .350 with a 40 game hit streak in order for Matheny to ever give him that job.

Had Bourjos outplayed Jay last year like he's outplayed Jay this year, the job would have been Pete's and that would have been the end of it. Jay was 6 months removed from being so bad that we made a trade to replace him.

So one .370 BABIP fueled season later and he's suddenly an immovable core player? Man I hope not. Bourjos is just a better overall player than Jay and the element his speed/energy provides just cannot be replaced.

I'd be elated to see Bourjos installed full-time in CF and Jay made a bench player, but I just can't see Matheny doing it. The first time that Bourjos has a bad 3-4 game stretch, Jay would be named the starter again.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

I still feel like Bourjos will have to hit .350 with a 40 game hit streak in order for Matheny to ever give him that job.

Had Bourjos outplayed Jay last year like he's outplayed Jay this year, the job would have been Pete's and that would have been the end of it. Jay was 6 months removed from being so bad that we made a trade to replace him.

So one .370 BABIP fueled season later and he's suddenly an immovable core player? Man I hope not. Bourjos is just a better overall player than Jay and the element his speed/energy provides just cannot be replaced.

I'd be elated to see Bourjos installed full-time in CF and Jay made a bench player, but I just can't see Matheny doing it. The first time that Bourjos has a bad 3-4 game stretch, Jay would be named the starter again.

Pretty much, yeah. I looked back at Petes best year in LA. Damn. Seems to be a guy that just needs ab's.

Jay gets the rep of being such a great outfielder defensively when in fact, most of his great plays are ones that should be made easier thay he has to circus catch.

I like Jay and think he's a good player to have around, but I'd much rather see him be a late inning defensive replacement/pinch hitter.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by O.city

Pretty much, yeah. I looked back at Petes best year in LA. Damn. Seems to be a guy that just needs ab's.

Jay gets the rep of being such a great outfielder defensively when in fact, most of his great plays are ones that should be made easier thay he has to circus catch.

I like Jay and think he's a good player to have around, but I'd much rather see him be a late inning defensive replacement/pinch hitter.

Jay's pretty decent at going back on balls because he's fearless. He got his reputation for being a plus defender because we were comparing him to Colby Rasmus, who was a MASSIVE pussy and could be counted on shying away from the wall anytime he got near it.

Jay would come in whenever Rasmus was hurt/benched and he'd crash into the wall so we'd love him for it. Turns out that crashing into the wall may not have been necessary, but by God we knew that Rasmus would've just watched it hit the way and tried to play it on the hop to keep the hitter at a double.

Jays a fine player. He's a starter on a lot of teams. On this team, however, he's best served as a late-inning replacement for Holliday and/or solid LH pinch hitter for tough righties (i.e. most closers). Those are guys that will carve up people like Reynolds and Grichuk but Jay can fight them hard, get on base and keep things moving for someone like Carpenter and/or Wong.

Matheny just loves the guy. I don't think it's gonna happen.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Jay's pretty decent at going back on balls because he's fearless. He got his reputation for being a plus defender because we were comparing him to Colby Rasmus, who was a MASSIVE pussy and could be counted on shying away from the wall anytime he got near it.

Jay would come in whenever Rasmus was hurt/benched and he'd crash into the wall so we'd love him for it. Turns out that crashing into the wall may not have been necessary, but by God we knew that Rasmus would've just watched it hit the way and tried to play it on the hop to keep the hitter at a double.

Jays a fine player. He's a starter on a lot of teams. On this team, however, he's best served as a late-inning replacement for Holliday and/or solid LH pinch hitter for tough righties (i.e. most closers). Those are guys that will carve up people like Reynolds and Grichuk but Jay can fight them hard, get on base and keep things moving for someone like Carpenter and/or Wong.

Matheny just loves the guy. I don't think it's gonna happen.

Probably so.

Bourjos is gonna take the job. he's better, and now he's getting confident and is gonna take it. if he stays healthy, I don't see why he couldn't hit .280 and swipe 30 bags. I don't think he will ever have a high enough on base percent because he seems to K a vit, but he can run and he's got some pop.

[Rams Fan]

Originally Posted by O.city

What's painful is they gave freeman away for a bag of dicks.

Also, if Cleveland continues to suck balls, would David Murphy be interesting as a bench bat/corner offer?

Giving away Freeman, while he might be better than Choate, certainly isn't a game changer. He wasn't going to be on the roster because of Choate.

[George Liquor]

Somebody break this no hitter up.

[Jewish Rabbi]

Apparently the balls aren't rubbed up at all. Too lazy to link tweet from my phone, but it's on Goolds feed.

[kcpasco]

Randy Choate is ****ing worthless.

[George Liquor]

Thank ****ing god.

[kcpasco]

JFC maybe take some bp tomorrow.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

19 Ks. Egads.