***OFFICIAL*** 2013 STL Cardinals Thread

[BigRedChief]

From Bernie's column:

People have asked me why we’re not more emotional,” Matheny said in his office after Sunday’s game. “They say that we look subdued, always intense. That our actions are methodical, robotic at times. That’s what got us here. This isn’t the time to change it.”

It’s hard to argue with the manager’s assessment. The Cardinals finished with 97 victories, most by a Cards team since 2005, and tied with Boston for No. 1 in the majors this year.


Their 54-27 showing at Busch Stadium matches the 1985 team for the best single-season home winning percentage (.667) by the Cardinals since 1944.

A postseason theme has emerged, and it echoes the mantra that surfaced before the start of 2013: remember the fall of 2012. Remember falling to San Francisco in the NLCS.


The Cardinals’ veterans still haven’t forgotten. They still aren’t over it. It’s why Matheny resists GM John Mozeliak’s urgings to smile and put on a happier face.


Here's the most impressive aspect of the Cardinals' division championship: they prevailed over two other outstanding teams, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati.



The 97-win Cardinals were better this year (regular season) than they were in 2011, when they won 90 games, and 2012, when they won 88.
Here are a few numbers that help put the Cardinals' Central title and No. 1 NL seed in perspective:



* Since MLB switched to a three-division format in each league in 1994, this was only the sixth time that a division had three 90-plus win teams. St. Louis won 97, Pittsburgh 94, and Cincinnati 90.
* Since the format change, this was only the second time that an NL division had three 90-win teams. In 2002 the NL West had Arizona (98 wins), San Francisco (95) and Los Angeles (92).
* The 2013 Cardinals faced more esteemed and difficult competition at the top of the division than any of the division-winning teams managed by Tony La Russa.

The Pirates were hardly pushovers; the Cardinals had to work like mad and kick in with a strong finish to put the division away, and didn't clinch until Game No. 160.



The Cardinals went 9-10 against Pittsburgh this season and were 11-8 vs. Cincinnati.


The Cardinals won only three of 10 games at PNC Park in Pittsburgh and split the 10 games at Cincinnati. The Cardinals were 6-3 against both teams at Busch Stadium.


The Cardinals (1st), Pirates (3rd) and Reds (5th) ranked among the top five in wins in the NL. The three teams were among the top 11 in wins in MLB. All three teams finished in the top five in the majors for best overall ERA, and each were in the top five MLB for best starting-pitching ERA.


The original purpose to this piece was to point out that the Cardinals managed to finish with the league's best record while competing in a division that had three 90-win teams for only the second time in the last 19 years of National League baseball.



The Cardinals really earned this.
Thanks for reading ...
— Bernie

[Swanman]

Originally Posted by NJChiefsFan

I don't think there will ever be a time that sports blunders set to that are not hilarious. That goes especially for prolonged baseball errors(multiple throws). Save for it happening to your team in a crucial moment.

You could put that theme to a beheading and it would make it funny.

[Frazod]

Out with Martinez, in with Scrabble.

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseb...5c5b0a503.html

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by frazod

Out with Martinez, in with Scrabble.

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseb...5c5b0a503.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=MK6TXMsvgQg

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=MK6TXMsvgQg

I was expecting the MOTHER**** YOU gif.

[O.city]

Stop ****ing with Martinez. Either leave him in Memphis and let him start there, or bring him up and let him start here. Enough with this bullpen shit.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by O.city

Stop ****ing with Martinez. Either leave him in Memphis and let him start there, or bring him up and let him start here. Enough with this bullpen shit.

I would bet there is some reason we don't know and they will not talk about publicly.

Maybe he is having issues being in the USA, away from home. Getting use to travel, how do you pack a bag, say give me the steak and eggs in english etc. I read an interview with a player in the Larussa era that they were brought up to travel with the club, work with Cardinals to learn how live here. Forget who it was now.

He was getting the next start of Lynn or Westbrook if they fell off the cliff. They are not going to fall off the cliff next week. Send him down to stay in shape.

[O.city]

Thats all fine, but Martinez is the next ace, he's every bit as good as Shelby, stuff wise.

He needs to be starting somewhere. Either bring him up to start, or leave him there to start every 5 days.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by O.city

Thats all fine, but Martinez is the next ace, he's every bit as good as Shelby, stuff wise.

He needs to be starting somewhere. Either bring him up to start, or leave him there to start every 5 days.

Agreed.

Or the 3rd possible option, he was possible trade bait that didn't work out. You read Goulds chat on STL today? He had a bit in there that there are some in the Cardinals org that think his stuff is electric but he will never be consistent because he can't locate his stuff or something like that. Wonder if they are preparing the fan base for a trade? Not this year, but in the off season would you give up say Taveras and Martinez for Profar?

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by O.city

Thats all fine, but Martinez is the next ace, he's every bit as good as Shelby, stuff wise.

He needs to be starting somewhere. Either bring him up to start, or leave him there to start every 5 days.

If Lynnderella doesn't start to turn things around quickly, I'd hope they'd put Martinez in his spot and see what happens.

Of course, Matheny won't do that.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

Agreed.

Or the 3rd possible option, he was possible trade bait that didn't work out. You read Goulds chat on STL today? He had a bit in there that there are some in the Cardinals org that think his stuff is electric but he will never be consistent because he can't locate his stuff or something like that. Wonder if they are preparing the fan base for a trade? Not this year, but in the off season would you give up say Taveras and Martinez for Profar?

No. No chance.


Taveras is the CF of the future for better or worse at this point. He's untouchable, especially for a SS who has been underwhelming this year.

[O.city]

And if you feel he can't locate, he needs to be throwing every 5 days so that electric stuff can be located.

From what my dad heard from someone in the know, they pretty much fell/felt that Martinez was untouchable.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Profar is young, but he has been ****ing awful this year. I don't think I'd trade Wacha for him at this point.

To be honest, most Rangers prospects have been horribly overrated. Olt was just traded for K-Rod's washed up ass, Smoak was a disaster, and Profar looks like Alexei Ramirez at the dish while playing subpar defense at every IF position.

A lot of teams have reputations for overrating their prospects, and it's fair to say the Rangers are one.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by O.city

And if you feel he can't locate, he needs to be throwing every 5 days so that electric stuff can be located.

From what my dad heard from someone in the know, they pretty much fell/felt that Martinez was untouchable.

I understand the questions about Martinez, and I would make him available for the right price, but it would be a very, very high bar to clear.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Guys,

Just so you know, you may get some weird posts from me tonight, because my back really flared up about 90 minutes ago, and about a half hour ago I took a Tylenol 4, and I am ****ing wasted.

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

Guys,

Just so you know, you may get some weird posts from me tonight, because my back really flared up about 90 minutes ago, and about a half hour ago I took a Tylenol 4, and I am ****ing wasted.