***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

[O.city]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

I don't see us trading for a SS, especially with the Bluejays. We kind of screwed them in the Rasmus deal. Bet they are leary of trading with us now.

We screwed them in the Rasmus deal?

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by O.city

We screwed them in the Rasmus deal?

We won a World series, they got a .260 hitter. I'd say thats a pretty lopsided deal.

[Mi_chief_fan]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

We won a World series, they got a .260 hitter. I'd say thats a pretty lopsided deal.

Haven't seen what he's hitting this year, but last year I think he was actually closer to .220 for most of the year. Did hit 20+ homers, though.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

We won a World series, they got a .260 hitter. I'd say thats a pretty lopsided deal.

It's not like that deal was lopsided though. None of the guys we got in return on that deal are with the club anymore, and they have a starting young CF'er.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by Mi_chief_fan

Haven't seen what he's hitting this year, but last year I think he was actually closer to .220 for most of the year. Did hit 20+ homers, though.

He has all the talent in the world but he is a head case. His personality wouldn't and didn't mesh in a "Cardinals" locker room.

[Mi_chief_fan]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

He has all the talent in the world but he is a head case. His personality wouldn't and didn't mesh in a "Cardinals" locker room.

Agreed, and his overbearing father didn't help either.

[Frazod]

The fact that he was so butthurt that he wouldn't accept his World Series ring from LaRussa in person says it all. They should have shipped it to him COD.

Good riddance, dickbag.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by O.city

It's not like that deal was lopsided though. None of the guys we got in return on that deal are with the club anymore, and they have a starting young CF'er.

There are only 9 guys on the current team from the 2011 WS Championship. We have almost turned over the whole team in a year and a half. Just kept the core guys.

When Mo made the trade he and us fans knew it was a trade off. We were giving up a potential All-Star for a run at a WS. It certainly looked like a failure until August.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

There are only 9 guys on the current team from the 2011 WS Championship. We have almost turned over the whole team in a year and a half. Just kept the core guys.

When Mo made the trade he and us fans knew it was a trade off. We were giving up a potential All-Star for a run at a WS. It certainly looked like a failure until August.

This is all true.


I just don't view it as a "bad" trade for the Blue Jays and I could see them having too sell here this season if things keep flopping.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

We won a World series, they got a .260 hitter. I'd say thats a pretty lopsided deal.

They got a CF who is on pace to be a near 4 WAR player this year. I think they were perfectly happy with giving up a bunch of relievers for that tradeoff.

That trade was always an immediate band-aid. We benefited because those bullpen arms helped put us over the top, but they extracted more value from the trade.

Sometimes trades help both teams. The Rasmus deal did.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

They got a CF who is on pace to be a near 4 WAR player this year. I think they were perfectly happy with giving up a bunch of relievers for that tradeoff.

That trade was always an immediate band-aid. We benefited because those bullpen arms helped put us over the top, but they extracted more value from the trade.

Sometimes trades help both teams. The Rasmus deal did.

I believe the record shows I was against the trade. But Larussa forced Mo's hand. He had to go.

It makes you wonder if he came up under Matheny, would it have turned out differently?

Bottom line........ I'd trade a 4 WAR player for a WS Championship every time, every year.

[Pepe Silvia]

Lets be honest, it was going to take a lot more than Colby Rasmus to make the Jays competitive anyway.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

I believe the record shows I was against the trade. But Larussa forced Mo's hand. He had to go.

It makes you wonder if he came up under Matheny, would it have turned out differently?

Bottom line........ I'd trade a 4 WAR player for a WS Championship every time, every year.

As would anyone.

I was against it too b/c I saw 2011 as a largely lost season at that point. Also, aside from the tremendous value we got from them in the playoffs, Scrabble was the only real holdover and he is absolute dog shit.

Colby may have turned out differently. It actually terrifies me to think about what all of these n00bs would have been treated like under LaRussa. Either way, it's probably fair to say that Colby Rasmus is not a winning baseball player. And it's not because he plays on a losing team.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Oh, Little Pedro was stretched out to 91 pitches yesterday.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

As would anyone.

I was against it too b/c I saw 2011 as a largely lost season at that point. Also, aside from the tremendous value we got from them in the playoffs, Scrabble was the only real holdover and he is absolute dog shit.

Colby may have turned out differently. It actually terrifies me to think about what all of these n00bs would have been treated like under LaRussa. Either way, it's probably fair to say that Colby Rasmus is not a winning baseball player. And it's not because he plays on a losing team.

While he probably is a headcase, I would have liked to see him playing CF right now to see if Matheny would have made a difference. Obviously, a WS win is worth that, but him playing CF and hitting in the 7 hole would be nice.