***Official St. Louis Cardinals 2013 Postseason Thread***

['Hamas' Jenkins]

The Season thread has started crapping out. Post about the Birds here.

[Pepe Silvia]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

Freese/Kozma/Delcaso/Jay just kill our offense.

We need to get some more bats in our lineup.

sure do, that's the obvious difference in the series. Red Sox have more pop in their line up.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by PackerinMo

sure do, that's the obvious difference in the series. Red Sox have more pop in their line up.

Their bottom of the lineup drew the walk and got the hit.

[kcpasco]

Freese was not bad tonight.

And where the hell has Molina been? I feel like he is getting a free pass.

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by PackerinMo

sure do, that's the obvious difference in the series. Red Sox have more pop in their line up.

Outside or Ortiz, they're batting .153 as a team.

[BigRedChief]

2nd question of Matheny's press conference........ Do you think Ortiz is the MVP of the series no matter what happens the rest of the way?

[Prison Bitch]

Maybe Lester.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

Dude, your letting Missouri defeatism bleed into your Cardinals fandom. Thats not the Cardinals. We will over perform to our talent level more times than not.

How many times has this team come back to win in the last 3 years? We are not even coming back. We are tied.

• We were supposed to get smoked by the hot new ATL pitcher on the road. What happened?
• We were supposed to have no chance against the best pitching staff ever assembled in Philly in a 5 game series? What happened?
• We were supposed to get slaughtered by the future WS winner Washington. What happened?
• Texas was destined to win the WS. We played like shit at times was down 3-2. What happened?
• No way we can win the Central division. This team was done. What happened?
• We were not supposed to beat Pitt, this years "magic" team at Pitt. What happened?
• Who pitched the 2-2 series tie breaker to win it for us against Pitt? Who?
• We were supposed to get waxed by Grienke and Kerhsaw and their $227 MILLILON payroll. What happened?
• We have not lost 2 games in a row at Busch since April.
• We have our two best pitchers fully rested ready to go. Both didn't pitch their best last time out. Room to improve.
• Lester has a 4.26 era in night games on the road.
• We are 9-1 in elimination games since 2011.

We have been to 4 World Series in 10 years. Won the Divison/League crowns. We are 2 wins away from a 12th WS title.

IT AIN'T OVER TILL ITS OVER
/Yogi

Most important one on that list for Wednesday.........
We are 9-1 in elimination games since 2011.

We know how to win when our back is against the wall.

[kcpasco]

JUMP SHIP

I am actually excited to see how Wacha responds.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by kcpasco

JUMP SHIP

I am actually excited to see how Wacha responds.

If we can get to a game 7...........anything can happen and usually does.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

I have a Monday night class, so I had to DVR that abortion.

You can sum it up quickly and at length. I’ll do both
· It’s over
· Wainwright is just not a big game pitcher
· The offense is just not good enough. You can’t win a WS w/o any power
· Their soft hit balls dropped; our hard hit balls didn’t
· Yadi called way too many two strike breaking balls

For some bizarre reason I had a good feeling about tonight’s game. Obviously, that was a stupid sensation. Wainwright was his typical jittery self in the first inning. He couldn’t keep the ball down and he got punished for it. Matheny’s stubborn refusal to pitch around Ortiz w/ first base open in the first cost the Cardinals a run they could ill afford.

Robinson, Molina X2, Beltran, and Holliday all smoked balls that were caught or right at fielders. The Red Sox had two hard hit balls at people: Ortiz in the 6^th and Drew’s warning track shot. We got one seeing eye single from Freese. Bogaerts had two weakly hit balls go through, Ortiz had one, and Ellsbury’s jam shot dropped.

Lester was good tonight, and he was a lefty. We had an opportunity to put him on the ropes in the fourth, but Beltran’s ball died at the track (that’s out if his ribs are healthy) and Drew needed a 50” vertical on broken ankles to snag Molina’s liner.

Freese gave the team a nice shot of life in the 8^th with a double, but Adams is just a worthless sack of shit.

Here’s how Wednesday will play out:

Much will be made of Wacha’s postseason success. He’ll get hyped up. He’ll also get squeezed b/c the Red Sox will take pitches and the umpires give them a smaller zone due to their reputation of not swinging at balls. The Cardinals will fall behind early, try to claw back around inning four or five, but ultimately it won’t be enough and the Red Sox will salt it away in the 7^th. Expect a final score somewhere around 6-2.

In the offseason the team needs to make a number of changes:

· Adams needs to be traded. He’s a decent fielding 1B with no ability to hit LHP. His swing is too long and he only has a small area of the zone where he can use his power. His ceiling is a homeless man’s Ryan Howard. He’s a 200 strikeout guy if he plays every day.
· Lynn needs a change of scenery. He has excellent raw stuff, but he just doesn’t have the mindset. Let him eat innings as a decent #3 starter for a .500 team
· They must acquire a middle-of-the-order bat. Yes, I know the team led the league in runs scored, but it was based on a ridiculously unsustainable RISP average. That will regress next year and do so hard, even if they are the best team in the league at it. This team is scoring somewhere around three runs per game in the playoffs, and after tonight I’d imagine the BA is about .200. SSS and playoff pitchers aside, you cannot win in the postseason with an offensive team like this
· Beltran should be given a two year deal, but no more. I love Carlos, but I question his ability to take another extended grind.
· Jay should be dangled to a team with a need for a centerfielder. Amazingly, his hitting has significantly regressed after Mabry tried to fix the hitch in his swing. I don’t blame him, he never hit in the PS anyway, and shortening that stroke makes sense in a vacuum, but it doesn’t work with him. He’s getting up there in service time so his value is limited, but Shane Robinson is a better 4^th OF than Jon Jay, even if he’s not a better starter. His defense and arm are far superior (that throw kind of kept the Cardinals in the game.) and he takes good Abs
· Freese should be non-tendered. He won’t be worth his arb raise. Sorry David, but it’s a business. You’ll still never have to buy a drink or steak dinner again.
· Westbrook? GTFO
· Carp retires
· No offer for Mujica
· That leaves the teams with holes at CF, RF, 3B, and SS

So, what do you do?

· Oscar makes the team out of ST. If Carlos signs his qualifying offer you have no outfield holes. If he goes to the AL to DH (probably the right move for him), we need a CF
· Start 2014 with a rotation of Wainwright, Wacha, Miller, Kelly, Rosenthal (w/ Garcia and Martinez in the wings)
· Odd man out of the rotation from Rosenthal and Martinez gets the 9^th. Siegrist gets the 8^th
· Package Lynn, Adams, Lee Stoppelman, Tyrell Jenkins and Greg Garcia for Tulowitzki.
· Start Wong at second, move Carpenter to third

Leaves you with the following team:
C: Yadi
1B: Craig
2B: Wong
SS: Tulo
3B: Carpenter
LF: Holliday
CF: Taveras
RF: Beltran

Batting Order:
Carpenter
Beltran
Tulowitzki
Holliday
Craig
Molina
Taveras
Wong
Pitcher

Bullpen:

CL: Rosenthal/Martinez
SU: Siegrist
LOOGY: Choate
Spare Arms: Maness (long man) Freeman, Axford, Motte

Hitters in the pipeline:
Stephen Piscotty OF(potential late summer call-up)
James Ramsey OF

[Amnorix]

Yeesh. You should have more confidence with Wacha going tomorrow night. So far that guy is nothing but nails.

And if you do win Game 6, anything can happen in game 7, especially with the pitchers we will have going.

[VAChief]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

I have a Monday night class, so I had to DVR that abortion.

You can sum it up quickly and at length. I’ll do both
· It’s over
· Wainwright is just not a big game pitcher
· The offense is just not good enough. You can’t win a WS w/o any power
· Their soft hit balls dropped; our hard hit balls didn’t
· Yadi called way too many two strike breaking balls

For some bizarre reason I had a good feeling about tonight’s game. Obviously, that was a stupid sensation. Wainwright was his typical jittery self in the first inning. He couldn’t keep the ball down and he got punished for it. Matheny’s stubborn refusal to pitch around Ortiz w/ first base open in the first cost the Cardinals a run they could ill afford.

Robinson, Molina X2, Beltran, and Holliday all smoked balls that were caught or right at fielders. The Red Sox had two hard hit balls at people: Ortiz in the 6^th and Drew’s warning track shot. We got one seeing eye single from Freese. Bogaerts had two weakly hit balls go through, Ortiz had one, and Ellsbury’s jam shot dropped.

Lester was good tonight, and he was a lefty. We had an opportunity to put him on the ropes in the fourth, but Beltran’s ball died at the track (that’s out if his ribs are healthy) and Drew needed a 50” vertical on broken ankles to snag Molina’s liner.

Freese gave the team a nice shot of life in the 8^th with a double, but Adams is just a worthless sack of shit.

Here’s how Wednesday will play out:

Much will be made of Wacha’s postseason success. He’ll get hyped up. He’ll also get squeezed b/c the Red Sox will take pitches and the umpires give them a smaller zone due to their reputation of not swinging at balls. The Cardinals will fall behind early, try to claw back around inning four or five, but ultimately it won’t be enough and the Red Sox will salt it away in the 7^th. Expect a final score somewhere around 6-2.

In the offseason the team needs to make a number of changes:

· Adams needs to be traded. He’s a decent fielding 1B with no ability to hit LHP. His swing is too long and he only has a small area of the zone where he can use his power. His ceiling is a homeless man’s Ryan Howard. He’s a 200 strikeout guy if he plays every day.
· Lynn needs a change of scenery. He has excellent raw stuff, but he just doesn’t have the mindset. Let him eat innings as a decent #3 starter for a .500 team
· They must acquire a middle-of-the-order bat. Yes, I know the team led the league in runs scored, but it was based on a ridiculously unsustainable RISP average. That will regress next year and do so hard, even if they are the best team in the league at it. This team is scoring somewhere around three runs per game in the playoffs, and after tonight I’d imagine the BA is about .200. SSS and playoff pitchers aside, you cannot win in the postseason with an offensive team like this
· Beltran should be given a two year deal, but no more. I love Carlos, but I question his ability to take another extended grind.
· Jay should be dangled to a team with a need for a centerfielder. Amazingly, his hitting has significantly regressed after Mabry tried to fix the hitch in his swing. I don’t blame him, he never hit in the PS anyway, and shortening that stroke makes sense in a vacuum, but it doesn’t work with him. He’s getting up there in service time so his value is limited, but Shane Robinson is a better 4^th OF than Jon Jay, even if he’s not a better starter. His defense and arm are far superior (that throw kind of kept the Cardinals in the game.) and he takes good Abs
· Freese should be non-tendered. He won’t be worth his arb raise. Sorry David, but it’s a business. You’ll still never have to buy a drink or steak dinner again.
· Westbrook? GTFO
· Carp retires
· No offer for Mujica
· That leaves the teams with holes at CF, RF, 3B, and SS

So, what do you do?

· Oscar makes the team out of ST. If Carlos signs his qualifying offer you have no outfield holes. If he goes to the AL to DH (probably the right move for him), we need a CF
· Start 2014 with a rotation of Wainwright, Wacha, Miller, Kelly, Rosenthal (w/ Garcia and Martinez in the wings)
· Odd man out of the rotation from Rosenthal and Martinez gets the 9^th. Siegrist gets the 8^th
· Package Lynn, Adams, Lee Stoppelman, Tyrell Jenkins and Greg Garcia for Tulowitzki.
· Start Wong at second, move Carpenter to third

Leaves you with the following team:
C: Yadi
1B: Craig
2B: Wong
SS: Tulo
3B: Carpenter
LF: Holliday
CF: Taveras
RF: Beltran

Batting Order:
Carpenter
Beltran
Tulowitzki
Holliday
Craig
Molina
Taveras
Wong
Pitcher

Bullpen:

CL: Rosenthal/Martinez
SU: Siegrist
LOOGY: Choate
Spare Arms: Maness (long man) Freeman, Axford, Motte

Hitters in the pipeline:
Stephen Piscotty OF(potential late summer call-up)
James Ramsey OF

I think it might take Miller in the deal instead of Lynn, but I am okay with either, not both. Otherwise I would be fine with the rest, although I am not quite as down on Adams (primarily because we absolutely no hitters left in the pipeline other than Taveras who is likely replacing Beltran).

[VAChief]

Originally Posted by Amnorix

Yeesh. You should have more confidence with Wacha going tomorrow night. So far that guy is nothing but nails.

And if you do win Game 6, anything can happen in game 7, especially with the pitchers we will have going.

The problem isn't our pitching, it is the lack of timely hitting. We'll know pretty early in Game 6 what the chances are, if they show signs of the patient, opportunistic offense we saw most of the season, we have a good chance of getting that game and then Game 7 is a crapshoot with the the likely parade of relievers available for both teams.

[BIG_DADDY]

I am not following this like you guys so all I really want to know is why you keep pitching to Ortiz. Seems like the rest of their lineup is pretty soft and considering you guys are not exactly ripping that bad boy I just don't get it. Am I missing something?

[VAChief]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

The pitch to Carpenter was a ball. Don't know why Fox didn't show it.

They need to show that box every time. With the exception of one time late they never showed a close one to a Cardinal batter unless it confirmed a strike. The opposite was true of the Red Sox. Could be coincidence, but an easy fix is just show it all the time like other networks. I can be brief, I'm guessing more fans would like it than dislike it.