***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

[whoman69]

Top of the 9th now, no runs scored. Phils still up 5-1.

[BigRedChief]

I understand todays lineup. So many what if's and you take the NDLS as the only series. Rest your players etc.

How can they phone in the game tomorrow with HFA on the line?

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

I understand todays lineup. So many what if's and you take the NDLS as the only series. Rest your players etc.

How can they phone in the game tomorrow with HFA on the line?

Well, it is the Cubs.....

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by frazod

Well, it is the Cubs.....

Those ****ers have already won too many games against us this year.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

Come on, you filthy, battery-chucking scumbags. I want no part of the Dodgers in the first round.

To expect us to beat Kershaw 4 times in a year is unrealistic.

I want no part of those Dodgers either. I'll take the Pirates/Reds winner.

[Frazod]

One down.

[Frazod]

Upton just hit a 3-run homer

[Frazod]

Phillies still have a 1 run lead.

Tying run on 1st now.

I hope Papelbon dies of ass cancer.

[Frazod]

Winning run walked to first by Crapelbon.

[Frazod]

PHILLIES WIN!

Barely.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by frazod

PHILLIES WIN!

Barely.

Control our own HFA destiny.

Hamas what do you think of this team now? We won the division. One game away from HFA. Matheny has to get some credi

Not trying to rub your nose in past statements or anything like that. Just wondering what your stat knowledge says about our chances in the playoffs.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

The Cardinals being the best regular season team doesn't make them the best playoff team. Teams w/ frontloaded rotations have a distinct advantage.

In a sample size this small, it's a lot of luck. Maybe a 30% chance of winning the pennant? Missing Craig is really going to hurt. We have no RH bats.

And Matheny is still a god awful terrible manager.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

And Matheny is still a god awful terrible manager.

Dude come on, I feel ya on his bullpen moves but, they lost Carpenter, Motte, Kozma as a SS, got 20 rookies to contribute. Larussa wouldn't even have allowed them on the team. We won the division and will be at least tied for the best record in the NL.

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

The Cardinals being the best regular season team doesn't make them the best playoff team. Teams w/ frontloaded rotations have a distinct advantage.

Since we have HFA at least through the NLDS, Waino and Miller at Busch's #'s are top shelf are they not?

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

Dude come on, I feel ya on his bullpen moves but, they lost Carpenter, Motte, Kozma as a SS, got 20 rookies to contribute. Larussa wouldn't even have allowed them on the team. We won the division and will be at least tied for the best record in the NL.
Since we have HFA at least through the NLDS, Waino and Miller at Busch's #'s are top shelf are they not?

Mike Matheny didn't build that farm system--Luhnow and Mozeliak did. If he would have taken Mujica out after he shat his pants for the first half of September or never put Boggs in the bizarre Royals rain delay game then HFA is already wrapped up.

Barry Switzer won a Super Bowl. Ron Washington took two teams to the World Series. Dusty Baker took one.

Matheny is an absolute goddamned moron. He's a really nice guy, but he tries to hard to get his players meaningless accomplishments, like wins, and he sticks with ineffective players (Kozma, Mujica, Boggs) far too long.

Regarding HFA: We beat Halladay and Lee on the road, so anything can happen, good or bad. The sample size is too small to make predictions with any degree of confidence.

[whoman69]

HFA is going to be big for this. We avoid the Dodgers and their front loaded rotation that could be huge in a five game series. I think a Dodgers/Braves series goes five. If we can finish off the wild card in 4 or less we set up our pitching for round 2.