Cardinals ***OFFICIAL*** 2013 STL Cardinals Thread - Page 258

**BigRedChief** · 08:16 PM

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

Pepe Silvia · 08-10-2013, 09:01 PM

Falling apart at the seams and Pittsburgh just keeps on winning ugh.

kcpasco · 08-10-2013, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

Come on man He got within one win of the WS. Had the best record in baseball most of the year.

How many times did Larussa make bonehead moves? You think Larussa could be managing this team better without Molina? No way. Matheny manages like Larussa.

I really doubt LaRussa leaves Rosenthal in to give up the winning run especially after throwing 30 consecutive fastballs

'Hamas' Jenkins · 08-10-2013, 09:49 PM

LaRussa being a bonehead at times has no relevance to Matheny, who is a completely incompetent manager.

**BigRedChief** · 08-10-2013, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

LaRussa being a bonehead at times has no relevance to Matheny, who is a completely incompetent manager.

Expecting too much is just another way of setting yourself up for disappointment.

It's just not realistic to win the WS every year. DJ nut says every season is a failure unless you win the WS. Do we all have to go down that path?

'Hamas' Jenkins · 08-10-2013, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

Expecting too much is just another way of setting yourself up for disappointment.

It's just not realistic to win the WS every year. DJ nut says every season is a failure unless you win the WS. Do we all have to go down that path?

He doesn't actually even care about the WS, which I find exceedingly bizarre. He measures absolute success by pennants, but even then he doesn't expect it every year. He thought (and rightly so) that the Cardinals should have won the pennant last year once they got in a 3-1 situation, but he wasn't expecting a WS appearance from an 88 win team.

It's easy to say that you're asking too much, but are you really? The Cardinals have a really, really good roster and yet they are completely incapable of coming from behind to win and their strategic decisions are almost universally moronic.

I'm not upset when the team loses. I'm upset when the team loses because Rob Johnson calls 29 straight fastballs when his pitcher has an elite changeup, and then Matheny brings in our second worst reliever in a one run game in the top of the 9th.

Yeah, I'm pissed at Rosenthal too, but physical mistakes happen. Baseball is hard. I don't constantly rage on Kozma because he's not the dumbass running himself out there every day, and he plays hard.

Similarly, I rage on Matheny because he leaves Lynn in too long when he's gassed and then goes to Choate rather than Siegrist. Lineup decisions could be made intelligently by almost every poster on this board.

No one here can hit Michael Blazek, but almost everyone could understand that the Cubs batters can easier than Mujica.

Marco Polo · 08-11-2013, 08:57 AM

I truly hope Matheny is fired at the end of this year. This hire is on Mo for hiring an individual who had ZERO experience. Baseball is like a game of chess and you need a damn chessmaster as a coach. Matheny is just like Herm- a player's coach that doesn't know how to play chess.

**BigRedChief** · 08-11-2013, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marco Polo

I truly hope Matheny is fired at the end of this year. This hire is on Mo for hiring an individual who had ZERO experience. Baseball is like a game of chess and you need a damn chessmaster as a coach. Matheny is just like Herm- a player's coach that doesn't know how to play chess.

I disagree. I don't think the manager has that much of a direct impact on the game beyond pitching changes in the later innings. The manager's job is to sit the tone in the clubhouse, try to create some chemistry. Thats where they earn their money, make a difference.

You can't fire Matheny after this season. He was within one game of the World Series last year. Had the best record in baseball most of the year and will probably make the playoffs.

Do you really think that anyone worth a shit as a manager would take the job if the last one was fired with a W/L record like that? Come on man.......

We are not the Yankees in the 70's. Just who do you think we could get to manage next year?

'Hamas' Jenkins · 08-11-2013, 10:26 AM

I understand what you're saying, but the team is below .500 over the last 2.5 months despite being first in the NL in runs created and third in the ML in xFIP.

Perhaps, instead of worrying about who we could get (Ron Warner has earned a shot) you might focus on who could possibly be worse. Bobby Valentine, I guess, and Dusty Baker.

**BigRedChief** · 08-11-2013, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

I understand what you're saying, but the team is below .500 over the last 2.5 months despite being first in the NL in runs created and third in the ML in xFIP.

Perhaps, instead of worrying about who we could get (Ron Warner has earned a shot) you might focus on who could possibly be worse. Bobby Valentine, I guess, and Dusty Baker.

There is no need to worry about who we could get. This team could tank. Quit on the manager and he will still be back next year. This get rid of the manager after two years is a pipe dream.

Especially when the performance of the team doesn't warrant his firing. He makes boneheaded moves. WTF were you thinking moves? But Larussa is going into the HOF and he did those bonehead moves all the time.

'Hamas' Jenkins · 08-11-2013, 12:57 PM

I was no fan of La Russa, but he also had Dave Duncan walking through that door. That made a huge difference.

I will also say this: with the exception of the unconscionable and unforgivable stupidity of Game 5 of the 2011 WS La Russa was pretty damned masterful in those playoffs. He yanked Carpenter early in Game 2 against Philly when he had nothing, and did the same thing repeatedly in the NLCS when buffoons like Garcia and Jackson couldn't get out of the third inning without running into trouble. You could accuse him of overmanaging, but he didn't leave an ineffective starter out their to get his ass kicked, no matter who it was.

Matheny tries to chase wins for his starters and is always about eight steps too slow in making a pitching change.

'Hamas' Jenkins · 08-11-2013, 01:08 PM

Matt Holliday:

'Hamas' Jenkins · 08-11-2013, 01:23 PM

God bitch. We should have scored four runs in that inning and scored one.

'Hamas' Jenkins · 08-11-2013, 01:35 PM

The ways this team finds to **** up or find awful luck is just astounding.

kcpasco · 08-11-2013, 02:33 PM

All you can do is shake your head at this point. This is unreal.

'Hamas' Jenkins · 08-11-2013, 03:09 PM

Our relievers cannot throw strikes.

01-25-2013, 05:27 PM
BigRedChief Has a particular set of skills Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: On the water Casino cash: $3019627 VARSITY	*OFFICIAL* 2013 STL Cardinals Thread 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 Last edited by BigRedChief; 10-02-2013 at 08:16 PM..
Posts: 79,113

08-10-2013, 09:01 PM	#3856
Pepe Silvia MVP Join Date: Oct 2012 Casino cash: $1794664	Falling apart at the seams and Pittsburgh just keeps on winning ugh.
Posts: 16,595

08-10-2013, 09:49 PM	#3858
'Hamas' Jenkins Now you've pissed me off! Join Date: Jan 2006 Casino cash: $7989572	LaRussa being a bonehead at times has no relevance to Matheny, who is a completely incompetent manager. __________________ "When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read 'all men are created equal, except negroes, and foreigners, and Catholics.' When it comes to this I should prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretense of loving liberty – to Russia, for instance, where despotism can be taken pure, and without the base alloy of hypocrisy.”--Abraham Lincoln
Posts: 74,832

08-11-2013, 08:57 AM	#3861
Marco Polo Veteran Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: 41°59.4′N 87°39.6'W Casino cash: $5758908	I truly hope Matheny is fired at the end of this year. This hire is on Mo for hiring an individual who had ZERO experience. Baseball is like a game of chess and you need a damn chessmaster as a coach. Matheny is just like Herm- a player's coach that doesn't know how to play chess.
Posts: 2,507

08-11-2013, 10:26 AM	#3863
'Hamas' Jenkins Now you've pissed me off! Join Date: Jan 2006 Casino cash: $7989572	I understand what you're saying, but the team is below .500 over the last 2.5 months despite being first in the NL in runs created and third in the ML in xFIP. Perhaps, instead of worrying about who we could get (Ron Warner has earned a shot) you might focus on who could possibly be worse. Bobby Valentine, I guess, and Dusty Baker. __________________ "When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read 'all men are created equal, except negroes, and foreigners, and Catholics.' When it comes to this I should prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretense of loving liberty – to Russia, for instance, where despotism can be taken pure, and without the base alloy of hypocrisy.”--Abraham Lincoln
Posts: 74,832

08-11-2013, 12:57 PM	#3865
'Hamas' Jenkins Now you've pissed me off! Join Date: Jan 2006 Casino cash: $7989572	I was no fan of La Russa, but he also had Dave Duncan walking through that door. That made a huge difference. I will also say this: with the exception of the unconscionable and unforgivable stupidity of Game 5 of the 2011 WS La Russa was pretty damned masterful in those playoffs. He yanked Carpenter early in Game 2 against Philly when he had nothing, and did the same thing repeatedly in the NLCS when buffoons like Garcia and Jackson couldn't get out of the third inning without running into trouble. You could accuse him of overmanaging, but he didn't leave an ineffective starter out their to get his ass kicked, no matter who it was. Matheny tries to chase wins for his starters and is always about eight steps too slow in making a pitching change. __________________ "When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read 'all men are created equal, except negroes, and foreigners, and Catholics.' When it comes to this I should prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretense of loving liberty – to Russia, for instance, where despotism can be taken pure, and without the base alloy of hypocrisy.”--Abraham Lincoln
Posts: 74,832

08-11-2013, 01:08 PM	#3866
'Hamas' Jenkins Now you've pissed me off! Join Date: Jan 2006 Casino cash: $7989572	Matt Holliday: __________________ "When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read 'all men are created equal, except negroes, and foreigners, and Catholics.' When it comes to this I should prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretense of loving liberty – to Russia, for instance, where despotism can be taken pure, and without the base alloy of hypocrisy.”--Abraham Lincoln
Posts: 74,832

08-11-2013, 01:23 PM	#3867
'Hamas' Jenkins Now you've pissed me off! Join Date: Jan 2006 Casino cash: $7989572	God bitch. We should have scored four runs in that inning and scored one. __________________ "When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read 'all men are created equal, except negroes, and foreigners, and Catholics.' When it comes to this I should prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretense of loving liberty – to Russia, for instance, where despotism can be taken pure, and without the base alloy of hypocrisy.”--Abraham Lincoln
Posts: 74,832

08-11-2013, 01:35 PM	#3868
'Hamas' Jenkins Now you've pissed me off! Join Date: Jan 2006 Casino cash: $7989572	The ways this team finds to **** up or find awful luck is just astounding. __________________ "When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read 'all men are created equal, except negroes, and foreigners, and Catholics.' When it comes to this I should prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretense of loving liberty – to Russia, for instance, where despotism can be taken pure, and without the base alloy of hypocrisy.”--Abraham Lincoln
Posts: 74,832

08-11-2013, 02:33 PM	#3869
kcpasco MVP Join Date: Sep 2007 Casino cash: $7733463	All you can do is shake your head at this point. This is unreal.
Posts: 15,477

08-11-2013, 03:09 PM	#3870
'Hamas' Jenkins Now you've pissed me off! Join Date: Jan 2006 Casino cash: $7989572	Our relievers cannot throw strikes. __________________ "When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read 'all men are created equal, except negroes, and foreigners, and Catholics.' When it comes to this I should prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretense of loving liberty – to Russia, for instance, where despotism can be taken pure, and without the base alloy of hypocrisy.”--Abraham Lincoln
Posts: 74,832