"Official" 2011 St. Louis Cardinals Thread

[BigRedChief]

This is so unreal. We were dead. No hope. A season over. Somehow, someway we find some team chemistry and squeak into the playoffs on the last day of the season.

Only to find us facing one of the best pitching staffs assembled in years with home field advantage. We somehow, someway find a way to beat the best pitcher in baseball on the road in an elimination game.

We have to go on the road and beat the team with the best home record in baseball. A team who mortgaged their future to make this run .We somehow, someway find a way to beat them on the road and make our 18th World series trip.

We take game 1, we give away game 2 and home field advantage. Albert goes off for probably the best performance in World Series history and we take game 3 easily. Games 4 & 5 our bats fall asleep, Phone gate happens and its not looking too good.

Game 6, one of the best baseball games of all time and it takes place in a season ending go home game. Cardinals are down 2 runs in their final chance on the season, twice. They are down to their final strike of the season, twice. They give up a 2 run homer in extra innings. In the bottom of the inning their final 3 batters are a combined 3-26 in the Playoffs and a pitcher because the bench is empty. Somehow, someway they get some runners on and the comeback player of the year drives in the tying run. Mr. Freese hits the walk off home run. We will see you tommorrow night.

Game 7, With our bulldog on the mound pitching on 3 days rest he is able to give us 6 good innings and get us to within 9 outs of our 11 World series title. Texas meltsdown, probably left over from last nights game and its over.

The underdog, come back team who had no business even being in the playoffs wins a World championship. They make movies about events like this in life. Events that you remember even if your not a fan of the sport or team for the rest of your life.

When it is your team.......Priceless


.

[The Bad Guy]

I'll never understand why just about every team in MLB continues to trade for Edwin Jackson.

[VAChief]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Question for Cardinals fans:

He's clearly got the bat, but how is Rasmus' defense in CF? Defensive metrics haven't really liked him since his rookie year, but does that mean anything at all? I doubt I've seen him play more than 10-20 times in his career, so it's hard for me to judge this.

He has Ozzie Smith like ability, but his focus and effort produce results more consistent with Theriot.

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by VAChief

He has Ozzie Smith like ability, but his focus and effort produce results more consistent with Theriot.

It will be interesting (and, I'm afraid ultimately very annoying) to see how he does now that he's free from the clutches of LaRussa and McGwire.

Obviously a horrible trade, I'm just hoping it doesn't end up to be Mulder/Haren bad.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by frazod

It will be interesting (and, I'm afraid ultimately very annoying) to see how he does now that he's free from the clutches of LaRussa and McGwire.

Obviously a horrible trade, I'm just hoping it doesn't end up to be Mulder/Haren bad.

I hope it's worse.

I hope the kid's a 30/30 player as soon as next season. I hope this is the straw that finally gets this pathetic farce of a manager out of town.

Jocketty was the reason those early aughts teams won anything, LaRussa's the reason they didn't win more and he and his stooge Moe are the reason they aren't going to win much of anything else for a very long time.

This team is about the 8th best team in the NL (Philly, ATL, SF, AZ, Col., Mil, Cincy) and we just traded our best long-term asset in a win-now move, and brought back exactly nothing that will help us next season. We turned down legitimate long-term prospects from TB and got less for Rasmus than the Mets got for Beltran because we insisted on a schmuck like Edwin Jackson.

Still unbelievable.

On the plus side, I watched a couple episodes of Top Gear, knocked out a training camp in Madden and got through 2 chapters of Dance with Dragons while you fellas were watching that abortion.

Guess who had the better evening?

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

I hope it's worse.

I hope the kid's a 30/30 player as soon as next season. I hope this is the straw that finally gets this pathetic farce of a manager out of town.

Jocketty was the reason those early aughts teams won anything, LaRussa's the reason they didn't win more and he and his stooge Moe are the reason they aren't going to win much of anything else for a very long time.

This team is about the 8th best team in the NL (Philly, ATL, SF, AZ, Col., Mil, Cincy) and we just traded our best long-term asset in a win-now move, and brought back exactly nothing that will help us next season. We turned down legitimate long-term prospects from TB and got less for Rasmus than the Mets got for Beltran because we insisted on a schmuck like Edwin Jackson.

Still unbelievable.

On the plus side, I watched a couple episodes of Top Gear, knocked out a training camp in Madden and got through 2 chapters of Dance with Dragons while you fellas were watching that abortion.

Guess who had the better evening?

Personally I was playing Fallout New Vegas.

I haven't watched many games this year, primarily because I seem to be a kiss of death for them. Of the games I've watched, I think they've won two and lost twelve. Usually all I have to do is switch the channel and they start hemmorhaging runs.

I figure they've got enough problems with Darth LaRussa calling the shots that they don't need my bad luck on top of it.

[Miles]

Some mild rumors of Furcal. He is having a rough year but becomes a FA after the season. Assuming that he costs just a fringe prospect he is interesting.

[Rams Fan]

It appears the Cardinals aren't going after Bell anymore, but they are looking for MI help.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

****ing sporadic.

One day he looks like Willie ****ing Mays, the next he's loafing/misplaying routine fly balls, letting balls that have no business getting to the wall past him, etc.

Can't remember exactly how it went down, but he was booed for his effort on a play during the last game I went to - 7/9 v. Arizona. You gotta **** up badly, or somewhat regularly for the fans in STL to boo you.

Originally Posted by Rams Fan

His defense hasn't quite lived up to his billing, IMO.

He makes some blunders, but at other times he can make really great plays.

Thanks, I figured it was something like that. I'd seen him make some great plays before, but I didn't know about the other stuff. Sounds like he has all the tools to be a star, but the mental side of the game isn't quite there yet. Perhaps he'll be better in that area now that he's getting away from the crazy TLR.

[VAChief]

Originally Posted by Miles

Some mild rumors of Furcal. but becomes a FA after the season. .

Then I think we can say based on past experience it's a done deal!

[VAChief]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Thanks, I figured it was something like that. I'd seen him make some great plays before, but I didn't know about the other stuff. Sounds like he has all the tools to be a star, but the mental side of the game isn't quite there yet. Perhaps he'll be better in that area now that he's getting away from the crazy TLR.

They got him with very little risk, but I wouldn't count too heavily on him reaching beyond his current levels. He fell into a funk this year after a strong start and was run out there quite regularly to the detriment of the middle of our order. His ability to adjust on his own and that will be a big if, will be the key to whether he reaches his potential or starts down the Corey Patterson path to "what could have been."

[Rams Fan]

I get to see Correy Patterson make his Cardinal debut tonight!

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by VAChief

They got him with very little risk, but I wouldn't count too heavily on him reaching beyond his current levels. He fell into a funk this year after a strong start and was run out there quite regularly to the detriment of the middle of our order. His ability to adjust on his own and that will be a big if, will be the key to whether he reaches his potential or starts down the Corey Patterson path to "what could have been."

He's still only 24 and moving to a great hitters' park. I'd be very surprised if his numbers don't improve with the Jays.

0 for 5 start tonight, though. I see Rzep was his regular self.

[Rams Fan]

Went to the game. Scrabble looks like he has a bright future, whether it be starting or in the bullpen.

[Miles]

Originally Posted by Rams Fan

It appears the Cardinals aren't going after Bell anymore, but they are looking for MI help.

Good to hear since the latest was SD was looking for three players for Bell. Anything that gets the ****ing Riot out of the daily lineup works unless the Cards continue to pay out the ass for help this season.

[salame]

**** the cardinals