Cardinals ***Offical 2012 STL Cardinals World Champions Thread *** - Page 111

**BigRedChief** · 08:57 PM

St. Louis Cardinals: 7 reasons fans should feel good about 2012

Posted Wednesday, October 24, 2012, at 9:26 PM

St. Louis Cardinals fans are likely feeling deflated after the collapse that put an end to the team's dreams of a World Series repeat, but there is good reason to be excited.

With all of the odds against them, the Cardinals managed to push their 2012 season beyond any anticipated boundary.

Given all of the season's changes and the adversity the team had to fight through, the fact that they played in October at all was an anomaly in itself. On paper, it made sense for the Cardinals to be in the playoffs, but few saw them as a true threat.
As the season continued, even fans began to doubt as they watched the team seemingly crumble in June and July. When the Cardinals finally came to life in September they went 11-5 in the last 16 games of the season to lock up the second Wild Card position in its inaugural year.

That run, despite it's crushing end in Cincinnati in Game 7 of the National League Championship Series, lots of good came from the Cardinals' season and playoff run.
Following in no particular order are 10 reasons Cardinals fans have to be excited about the 2013 season.

Trevor Rosenthal
When rookie fireballer Trevor Rosenthal made his first trip to St. Louis, it was obvious almost instantly that he was something special.
Between his 100 mph fastball and the general inability for almost anyone to hit off of him, he became a huge part of the Cardinals playoff run.

He pitched in a total of 19 regular season games before the 22-year-old rookie from Lee's Summit, Mo. got his first taste of postseason baseball and he put on quite a show.
In 8.2 IP over seven postseason appearances, Rosenthal held opponents to only two hits and no runs.
It's possible that down the stretch he may have already earned his spot in the rotation for 2013.

Shelby Miller
The long-coveted fastball pitching prospect Shelby Miller also made his first trip to St. Louis in 2012 and put on a good show.
In 13.2 IP over six regular season games, Miller surrendered only two runs on nine hits. His postseason performance was more of the same with two runs on four hits in 3.2 IP.

Despite a dismal first half of the season in Memphis, Miller got himself together and still managed to make one major league start before the end of the season -- a very impressive start at that.
Against the Cincinnati Reds in the final game of the regular season, Miller posted 5.2 hitless innings. He gave up no runs and collected his first major league win.

Expect to see a lot more of Miller in St. Louis early in 2013.

Joe Kelly
When Joe Kelly made his major league debut on June 10, few could have guessed the importance he would play throughout the remainder of the 2012 season.
Kelly started 16 games for the Cardinals this season filling in for Jaime Garcia and Lance Lynn, but it was the postseason when he really came through for his teammates.

When starting pitchers struggled time and again in October, it was Kelly who came to their rescue.
In seven postseason appearances, Kelly threw 7.2 innings and surrendered only two runs on six hits. Kelly came through for the Cardinals from the bullpen.
There's a good chance that could be his home in the future.

Mike Matheny
When the Cardinals hired Mike Matheny to take over for Tony LaRussa, many question bringing in a manager with no experience to such a storied franchise.

He had a few hiccups and growing pains along the way, but for a rookie manager to get his team where Matheny did this year speaks volumes.
His players have a strong respect for Matheny and credit his positive style with being a driving force behind their 2012 success.
True, he didn't get them through the NLCS, but the team made it to an all or nothing Game 7. That's good experience for the players obviously, but also for Matheny. Not only did he learn a lot about managing in the media pressure cooker that is postseason baseball, he also got a taste of what it felt like to win as a manager.

NLCS loss means more drive to win
While the NLCS loss was a good lesson for a young manager, it's an even more important lesson for a young player.
The 2011 championship lit a fire under young players like Lance Lynn and Jon Jay. That fire helped drive them to extremely successful sophomore seasons.

What happened in 2012 will likely do the same for Rosenthal, Miller and Kelly. Their 2013 season may not be like Jay or Lynn's 2012, but now they've gotten a little taste of what it feels like to be a winner.

Both the excitement and the public humbling can be a great experience for any young player.

The run was without several key components
In a season riddled with injuries, none were as crucial as those late in the season.
The loss of Lance Berkman and Rafael Furcal significantly weakened the team's bench. Instead of having Pete Kozma, Allen Craig and Matt Carpenter to pinch hit, the team wound up having to use them in the lineup.

The loss of Jaime Garcia and Jake Westbrook also rocked the Cardinals. Instead of having Lynn and Westbrook also available from the bullpen, Lynn was pushed back into the rotation after a very successful NLDS bullpen stint.

Having gotten as deep into the playoffs as the Cardinals did in spite of the injuries is quite the accomplishment.

They did it without Pujols, LaRussa and Duncan
Few in the world of sports gave the Cardinals a fighting chance when Albert Pujols left the team to play on the west coast. Surely this team couldn't be as good as they were?

Few gave them a chance after longtime manager Tony LaRussa decided it was time to retire.
Few gave them a chance after pitching coach Dave Duncan left the team.
The Cardinals did it despite all of that. That's something any fan should be proud of.

No, they didn't hoist a trophy. There will be no parade or tickertape.
What there is, though, is hope for next year and that will come sooner than you may think.
After all, pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training in just four short months.

From a blog I was sent on twitter: http://www.dailystatesman.com/blogs/...es/entry/50051

**BigRedChief** · 10-12-2012, 11:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jd1020

It would be hilarious if Washington never makes it back to the postseason with this team. At least they saved, at most, 18 innings of wear and tear of their best pitcher.

From your cubs site:

"If the engines on the Cardinals plane went out on their way to San Francisco for the ALCS one of their [expletive] payers would probably hop out onto the wings and manually restart the engines and safe the [expletive] day. I [expletive] hate them."

"To recap the last calendar year plus for the cardinals:

-get into playoffs after braves suffer one of the greatest collapses in history.
-beat heavily favored phillies, whose bats completely fall asleep.
-win world series over favored rangers after rangers blow a pair of two-run leads in game six. top performers include people named allen craig and david freese.
-make the playoffs in 2012 as a team that wouldn't have made the playoffs in any other year since major league baseball began.
-win "play-in" game after a disputed call and horrendous defense by the opposing team.
-win game five of NLDS after very good opposing starter struggles to hold lead, very good opposing bullpen melts down, and people named daniel descalso and peter kozma overcome a two-run deficit in the ninth inning. "

jd1020 · 10-12-2012, 11:29 PM

Meh. I don't even care about the 1 game playoff win... I don't agree with that format at all, anything can happen in 1 game and this isn't football where people are beating the shit out of each other so wtf is there a 1 game playoffs series. But it's not like you can guarantee the Cards don't win the game anyways.

DJ's left nut · 10-12-2012, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

And our new pitcher out of Lees Summit Mo was drafted in the 21st round, Another royals draft pick miss?

What use would the Royals have for a guy that throws 100 mph with an 82 mph snapdragon slider and a 78 mph change?

(Seriously, Trevor Rosenthal makes me rock hard - that kid has the filthiest stuff in the system. According to the PD, he's gonna train with Carp this off-season. If you give Trevor 1/2 the rage/drive of Carp, he'd never freakin' lose)

veist · 10-12-2012, 11:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swanman

He was playing hurt for a couple seasons after he got the big contract in New York. He did almost nothing in SF last year after being traded there. The Cards bought low on Beltran.

He had a 159 OPS+ last year with the Giants, I think its just a case for old guys with bad knees are apparently the current FA arbitrage.

kcpasco · 10-12-2012, 11:32 PM

Cubs tears always taste delicious.

Simply Red · 10-12-2012, 11:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rams Fan

**** the haters

what are you talking about moron, everyone is hat offing to your team. What do you want?

**BigRedChief** · 10-12-2012, 11:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

What use would the Royals have for a guy that throws 100 mph with an 82 mph snapdragon slider and a 78 mph change?

(Seriously, Trevor Rosenthal makes me rock hard - that kid has the filthiest stuff in the system. According to the PD, he's gonna train with Carp this off-season. If you give Trevor 1/2 the rage/drive of Carp, he'd never freakin' lose)

He's going to spend the off season working out with Carp in St. Louis.

**alnorth** · 10-12-2012, 11:35 PM

KC_Connection · 10-12-2012, 11:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swanman

He was playing hurt for a couple seasons after he got the big contract in New York. He did almost nothing in SF last year after being traded there. The Cards bought low on Beltran.

Beltran was fantastic for the Giants last season. He had a .323/.369/.551 line for them to add to the .289/.391/.513 line that he had for the Mets prior to that. 2 years/26M was an incredible bargain for a hitter of his caliber despite the injury concerns.

DJ's left nut · 10-12-2012, 11:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swanman

He was playing hurt for a couple seasons after he got the big contract in New York. He did almost nothing in SF last year after being traded there. The Cards bought low on Beltran.

Whu?

Carlos Beltran raked in SF last year.

Your point stands - it was injuries (notably his knees). But he was a damn fine hitter with SF last season.

DJ's left nut · 10-12-2012, 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

He's going to spend the off season working out with Carp in St. Louis.

I...uh...think I said that in the post you quoted.

But hey - AWESOME!

**BigRedChief** · 10-12-2012, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

I...uh...think I said that in the post you quoted.

But hey - AWESOME!

Sorry dude, I'm getting wood thinking of that kid's natural talent getting an infusion of Carp's mental toughness?

DJ's left nut · 10-12-2012, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

Sorry dude, I'm getting wood thinking of that kid's natural talent getting an infusion of Carp's mental toughness?

If he goes all "Carp mad! Carp Smash!" with 100 mph gas, he might just kill someone out there...

**Reaper16** · 10-12-2012, 11:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

If he goes all "Carp mad! Carp Smash!" with 100 mph gas, he might just kill someone out there...

By someone, you mean the hearts and souls of America.

veist · 10-13-2012, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reaper16

By someone, you mean the hearts and souls of America.

Pretty much, yeah.

01-04-2012, 10:08 PM
BigRedChief Has a particular set of skills Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: On the water Casino cash: $3229627 VARSITY	*Offical 2012 STL Cardinals World Champions Thread * St. Louis Cardinals: 7 reasons fans should feel good about 2012 Posted Wednesday, October 24, 2012, at 9:26 PM St. Louis Cardinals fans are likely feeling deflated after the collapse that put an end to the team's dreams of a World Series repeat, but there is good reason to be excited. With all of the odds against them, the Cardinals managed to push their 2012 season beyond any anticipated boundary. Given all of the season's changes and the adversity the team had to fight through, the fact that they played in October at all was an anomaly in itself. On paper, it made sense for the Cardinals to be in the playoffs, but few saw them as a true threat. As the season continued, even fans began to doubt as they watched the team seemingly crumble in June and July. When the Cardinals finally came to life in September they went 11-5 in the last 16 games of the season to lock up the second Wild Card position in its inaugural year. That run, despite it's crushing end in Cincinnati in Game 7 of the National League Championship Series, lots of good came from the Cardinals' season and playoff run. Following in no particular order are 10 reasons Cardinals fans have to be excited about the 2013 season. Trevor Rosenthal When rookie fireballer Trevor Rosenthal made his first trip to St. Louis, it was obvious almost instantly that he was something special. Between his 100 mph fastball and the general inability for almost anyone to hit off of him, he became a huge part of the Cardinals playoff run. He pitched in a total of 19 regular season games before the 22-year-old rookie from Lee's Summit, Mo. got his first taste of postseason baseball and he put on quite a show. In 8.2 IP over seven postseason appearances, Rosenthal held opponents to only two hits and no runs. It's possible that down the stretch he may have already earned his spot in the rotation for 2013. Shelby Miller The long-coveted fastball pitching prospect Shelby Miller also made his first trip to St. Louis in 2012 and put on a good show. In 13.2 IP over six regular season games, Miller surrendered only two runs on nine hits. His postseason performance was more of the same with two runs on four hits in 3.2 IP. Despite a dismal first half of the season in Memphis, Miller got himself together and still managed to make one major league start before the end of the season -- a very impressive start at that. Against the Cincinnati Reds in the final game of the regular season, Miller posted 5.2 hitless innings. He gave up no runs and collected his first major league win. Expect to see a lot more of Miller in St. Louis early in 2013. Joe Kelly When Joe Kelly made his major league debut on June 10, few could have guessed the importance he would play throughout the remainder of the 2012 season. Kelly started 16 games for the Cardinals this season filling in for Jaime Garcia and Lance Lynn, but it was the postseason when he really came through for his teammates. When starting pitchers struggled time and again in October, it was Kelly who came to their rescue. In seven postseason appearances, Kelly threw 7.2 innings and surrendered only two runs on six hits. Kelly came through for the Cardinals from the bullpen. There's a good chance that could be his home in the future. Mike Matheny When the Cardinals hired Mike Matheny to take over for Tony LaRussa, many question bringing in a manager with no experience to such a storied franchise. He had a few hiccups and growing pains along the way, but for a rookie manager to get his team where Matheny did this year speaks volumes. His players have a strong respect for Matheny and credit his positive style with being a driving force behind their 2012 success. True, he didn't get them through the NLCS, but the team made it to an all or nothing Game 7. That's good experience for the players obviously, but also for Matheny. Not only did he learn a lot about managing in the media pressure cooker that is postseason baseball, he also got a taste of what it felt like to win as a manager. NLCS loss means more drive to win While the NLCS loss was a good lesson for a young manager, it's an even more important lesson for a young player. The 2011 championship lit a fire under young players like Lance Lynn and Jon Jay. That fire helped drive them to extremely successful sophomore seasons. What happened in 2012 will likely do the same for Rosenthal, Miller and Kelly. Their 2013 season may not be like Jay or Lynn's 2012, but now they've gotten a little taste of what it feels like to be a winner. Both the excitement and the public humbling can be a great experience for any young player. The run was without several key components In a season riddled with injuries, none were as crucial as those late in the season. The loss of Lance Berkman and Rafael Furcal significantly weakened the team's bench. Instead of having Pete Kozma, Allen Craig and Matt Carpenter to pinch hit, the team wound up having to use them in the lineup. The loss of Jaime Garcia and Jake Westbrook also rocked the Cardinals. Instead of having Lynn and Westbrook also available from the bullpen, Lynn was pushed back into the rotation after a very successful NLDS bullpen stint. Having gotten as deep into the playoffs as the Cardinals did in spite of the injuries is quite the accomplishment. They did it without Pujols, LaRussa and Duncan Few in the world of sports gave the Cardinals a fighting chance when Albert Pujols left the team to play on the west coast. Surely this team couldn't be as good as they were? Few gave them a chance after longtime manager Tony LaRussa decided it was time to retire. Few gave them a chance after pitching coach Dave Duncan left the team. The Cardinals did it despite all of that. That's something any fan should be proud of. No, they didn't hoist a trophy. There will be no parade or tickertape. What there is, though, is hope for next year and that will come sooner than you may think. After all, pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training in just four short months. From a blog I was sent on twitter: http://www.dailystatesman.com/blogs/...es/entry/50051 Last edited by BigRedChief; 10-24-2012 at 08:57 PM..
Posts: 78,937

10-12-2012, 11:29 PM	#1652
jd1020 In Search of a Life Join Date: Nov 2010 Casino cash: $7752645	Meh. I don't even care about the 1 game playoff win... I don't agree with that format at all, anything can happen in 1 game and this isn't football where people are beating the shit out of each other so wtf is there a 1 game playoffs series. But it's not like you can guarantee the Cards don't win the game anyways.
Posts: 24,319

10-12-2012, 11:32 PM	#1655
kcpasco MVP Join Date: Sep 2007 Casino cash: $7743463	Cubs tears always taste delicious.
Posts: 15,476

10-12-2012, 11:35 PM	#1658
alnorth . Join Date: Dec 2002 Casino cash: $57176239	__________________ how many emo kids does it take to change a lightbulb? HOW MANY?! none they just sit in the dark and cry
Posts: 36,130