Even after last year, how many time we cam back from the dead, you still didn;t believe?

Thats okay, most of us were feeling the same but at least we kept watching the game. :p

I get few enough evenings with the Mrs. since I work second shift. Guess I had to take one for the team.

Here's hoping you get at least 8 more evenings with her over the next couple of weeks. :)

Cards take game 1 :rockon:

Great job by the bullpen. Lynn looks like a guy who surpassed his innings max for the year.

Freese hit a bomb the bullpen comes through. Looks amazingly like last year.

Bad day for teams from San Francisco to play defending champs. :spank:

Probably been said, but how cool will it be to win another title without Pujols this time.

Good news guys, Jocketty extended Dusty for two years.

I'd be in favor of Miller getting his start next time. Sure, he's a rookie but you just keep him on a short leash and back him up with Lynn or Kelley.

My position is that the WS is something akin to winning an exhibition after the National League season is over. I know, it's stupid, but I don't care. A successful season for me is one that ends with an NL Pennant.

The World Series is just delicious icing.

I'm not gonna lie - I'd love to see the Cards snag another pennant while Albert's ass is back home golfing and thanking God for telling him to take the biggest contract.

So, anything less than a National league pennant is a failure?

Our Time again eh?

Or a guy who was given a start on 2 days rest

Depending on the competition cycle, yeah. If you're rebuilding and you get a lot of good experience for your players, build on some stuff and charge up for next year - then it's a success regardless of the outcome (the Nats, for instance.

If you're a team like the Cardinals and you have all the talent this squad has, when the season begins you should set a pretty decent goal for yourself. I don't think WS or bust is fair, but I do think that the goal for this Cardinals team should have been a pennant. Otherwise you're setting your goals too low.

If you don't reach that goal, the season can't be a true success, though you could certainly get around not calling it a failure.

Did the Braves have a successful season? I don't think the die-hards would say they did. The Phils? Marlins? Mets? No, not at all. Reds? Nope 98 wins and a first round loss isn't a successful season, not with the veteran stars they have on the roster. I don't think anyone else in the Central can consider this a successful season either. The Bucs collapsed down the stretch again and the Brewers underperformed so badly early that they made re-building trades that bit them when they finally got their !@#$ in order.

The Giants are probably going to call this season successful after getting through to the playoffs even after their injuries/suspensions. The D-Backs can't possibly like it, nor can the Rox. Maybe the Padres with their strong finish, but that's a 'rebuilding' squad under the rebuilding rules.

If the Cards lose the NLCS, I'll consider this a fine season, but not one I would call a 'successful' one. An entertaining one and one where some guys developed, but this isn't a building squad - it's a championship caliber one and should be held to that standard.