No Berkman, Freese and Jay in the lineup. No problem. 6-0 after 3 innings.

I'm hoping Holliday gets in the groove here pretty soon. He always seems to start slow.

this team has been just awesome so far

I'm liking Matt Carpenter alot. What is his natural position?

3b.

He's a legit ballplayer. He's why I've said for some time that Zach Cox is completely expendable.

Seems to be doing a pretty good job at first, though.

So what do you do with Carpenter with Freese at 3? Try and make the move to 1st? Same with Craig, what are we gonna do with him?

No worries. He's been playing MLB for 8 years now and he has started slow every year except one.

Craig will get 300 ABs this year and probably take over for Berkman next season. Don't worry about what to do with Craig.

Give Carpenter a MI glove and tell him to take grounders with Oquendo till his hands bleed. If he can play the corner IF spots, some corner OF and 2b, he'll get 350 AB's/season for the next 5-6 seasons. He'll be needed to spell Freese and his bad ankles and could be a great lefty bench bat, not to mention playing some games for Craig against RHs with a low arm-angle.

We'll need that depth; don't worry about what to do with it. It'll find its way on the field plenty.

Matt Adams will be starting there next season and for (at least) the next 6-7 years.

I would rather get Craig to play 1st than Adams but thats just my opinion.

nada chance. Adams is a stud and could be an all-star within a few years. He could hit 30 homers a year and bat .300. Craig can;t do that, Adams has done it at every level in the minors and is tearing up AAA this year.

Huh? Craig can absolutely do that. I like Craig's swing much more than Adams' at the major league level. Adam's has a little bit of a loopy swing and brings his hands down in a manner that should give him fits against power pitchers (if he has to respect their breaking stuff).

Adams, if he can iron out his swing mechanics, has a little more upside than Craig does, IMO. But Craig's floor is significantly higher and he absolutely has the ability to be a .300 hitter with 25-30 HR pop.

Don't get too crazy about Adams until you see him play a little bit. He's a bad body 1b with a long swing. There's a long line of guys like him that have been dissected at the ML level. I'm not saying that Adams will fall into that same group, but I'm damn sure not going to shit on Allen Craig in favor of him until we've seen him do something against big league pitchers.

Seems odd that our minor league strengths seem to mirror our major league strengths. Can't wait for Wong to be ready as he is the exception to that statement. You can never have too much pitching.

I've been a big backer of craig's for a long time in these threads. I'm just saying that Adams has potential to be one of the best players in the whole league. Perennial All-Star etc. Of course he could fall flat on his face at the MLB level.

It's a moot point. The Cardinals organization has decided that Craig is a 3B/OF position player. Matt Adams is the 1B of the future.

If Carpenter keeps hitting like this, he's probably going to continue to find himself in the lineup.



So far, I'm liking that Matheny is letting the young guys play. Kinda felt like LaRussa stuck with his guys a little too often.

3 World Series trips in 7 years, 2 WS wins and cover is not bare. No rebuilding from scratch, no losing seasons to rebuild. You have to give Mo credit. His decisions are starting to favor the positive more and more.

Slow down now, turbo.

He does not have the batspeed to be who you think he can be.

He can be a very nice player that steps into his share of HRs, but he's limited defensively and while he isn't immune to taking walks, he's not exactly fond of them either. His upside is probably Adam LaRoche in his early years.

Now that's a damn nice player to have, but did you ever have LaRoche on your list of 'best players in the league'?

I'm really enjoying this game. :D

The Cubs are really bad.

Man, the last name "Carpenter" seems to work out pretty well for the Redbirds! I'm totally stoked about the team this year.

As it should be.

I love it when they get off to a bad start. I love that feeling that I don't have to worry about them making a run in the playoffs. Nothing is worse than a mob of Cub fans when they are doing well. Cubs fans are the most delusional fans in sports. Bunch of knob-shlobbers.

I work in Chicago, and couldn't agree more. Stomp the life out of them, early and often.

Glad to get 2 convincing wins after they spoiled the home opener.

Haven't lost a series yet, bring on the Reds.

My best friend is a huge Cardinals fan as well, and he worked in Chicago for a couple of years and sported his Cardinals apparrel with pride. He said they were absolutely obnoxious. I can't imagine. Where I'm from, it's about 50/50 Cards and Cubs fans, but where I went to college, about 60% of who you'd run into were Cubs fans, while about 30% were Sox fans and 10% were fans of various other teams. Bunch of Chica-burbians. Cubs fans are HORRIBLE. One of my best memories of college was after the Bartman game. There was a mob of Cubs fans outside the dorms throwing tantrums about the game. My friends and I all went outside and joined the Sox and few Cardinals fans who thought it was funny and we were taunting them. The Cubs fans would talk so much $hit, but generally never backed it up...just ran their mouths. Now, if I hated the Sox and there were a bunch of Sox fans outside the dorms throwing a tantrum after a game like that, I probably would have just stayed in my dorm because the Sox fans had a tendency to be a bit more loco than the Cubs fans...they would be more inclined to do more than simply run their mouths.

My senior year was great. 4 of us were Cardinals fans (only ones on campus) and the other one was a Sox fan. It was nice when "watching the game" meant "watching the Cardinals game while the Sox fan listens to the Sox on the radio." In the dorms or in other campus houses, "watching the game" usually meant watching the pathetic Scrubs.

we will see......:harumph:

I've learned that wearing anything that says "World Champions" on it will shut them up rather quickly.

In their good years they can be rather insufferable, but it always ends the same. I'll never forget the day after the Bartman game - before that, it seemed everybody in the city was wearing Cubs stuff. The day after? I think I saw maybe 10 pieces of Cubs apparel during my walk from the train station to my office. It was like walking through a crypt. They were doomed and they knew it.

It was wonderful. LMAO

The updated "Got Rings" shirt.

http://c-product.images.fansedge.com...22-24387-Y.jpg

Lol, awesome.

That doesn't show the pathitic 2 rings by the Cubs.

Things to shut up Cubs fans:

Ask them if they heard the Cubs website was taken down. When they say no, tell them it was because they couldn't put 3 w's together.

Point out that the last time the Cubs won the series Teddy Roosevelt was President. At the start of season in their last world series trip in 1945 Franklin Roosevelt was President. Then ask if someone named Roosevelt is running for President.

Tell them the Cubs motto is: "Wait 'til next year."

Have them google Cubs world series rings.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Chicago cabbie on Cubs fans: "They're not Cubs fans, they're alcohol fans."</p>&mdash; Chris Iott (@Chris_Iott) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chris_Iott/status/191528797332451328" data-datetime="2012-04-15T14:09:58+00:00">April 15, 2012</a></blockquote>
<script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

I lol'd

My personal favorite - since the Cubs won their last playoff game, the Cardinals have won three pennants and two World Series. :)

Since they last won the world series, we've won 11 times. Since they last won the pennant we've won 9 pennants and five world series.

1908, the last time the Cubs won the World Series:

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid killed in Bolivia
The Boy Scouts were founded.
The first airplane fatality takes place.
The 4th modern Olympiad was held in London.
The Tunguska event takes place in Siberia, Russia.
Robert Peary sets sail for the North Pole.
Ford produces the first Model T.
The first Dr. Who, William Hartnell, was born. He has been dead since 1975.
Louis L'amour was born, has been dead since '88.
Famous sci-fi producer George Pal was born. He has been dead since 1980.
Bugs Bunny cartoonist Tex Avery was born. He has been dead since 1980.
Jimmy Stewart was born. He has been dead since 1997.
Comedian Milton Berle was born. He has been dead since 2002.
36th President Lyndon Johnson was born. He has been dead since 1973.
22nd/24th President Grover Cleveland died.
Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov died.

That's great except for one thing:

Butch and Sundance lived...I will not allow anyone to suggest otherwise.

From bernies column

Please put this in the category of "Why I Love Baseball."

* The Cardinals lose Albert Pujols, have limping 1B Lance Berkman in the lineup for only five of the first 10 games and have played without 3B David Freese for the last two games. Allen Craig and Skip Schumaker are on the DL, Matt Holliday is hitting .200 (he'll be fine) and their second basemen are batting .189 collectively. Pitching ace Chris Carpenter is on the disabled list, and ace-designate Adam Wainwright has an 11.42 ERA after two starts. This is a team with a rookie manager, Mike Matheny, and a pitching coach (Derek Lilliquist) who is in his first big-league season as the full-time PC. Seven of their first 10 games have been played on the road, and the Cardinals have faced a collection of aces including JoshJohnson, Zack Greinke and Johnny Cueto.

* If you didn't know any better, and looked at those factors and tried to guess what the Cardinals' record would be after 10 games, I'm thinking you'd come up with 2-8, maybe 3-7 — or if you are really a homer, 4-6. But no ... as we know, the Cardinals are off to a 7-3 start.

* The Cardinals are off to a 7-3 start in part because rookie Matt Carpenter is batting 166 points higher (.409) than Pujols (.243), and has six more RBIs (10-4) than Pujols.

* The Cardinals are off to a 7-3 start, in part, because young Lance Lynn moved from the bullpen to the rotation to take Carp's spot and has turned in two terrific, winning starts. They're winning because CF Jon Jay is batting .344 with a couple of homers, and catching everything that he can possibly get to. They're winning because Mitchell Boggs, Jason Motte, Marc Rzepczynski and bullpen mates are, for the most part, getting the big outs. They're winning because young backup outfielders Shane Robinson and Eric Komatsu have gone a combined 8 for 22 when asked to contribute.

* The Cardinals are winning because Matheny doesn't act or look like a rookie manager — and even if he did, it would be OK for a while, because the players love playing for Matheny and have his back. They're winning because the capable Lilliquist has made a seamless transition, which isn't easy to do when you're asked to succeed Dave Duncan. They're winning because Mark McGwire works so well with young hitters.

* The Cardinals are winning because Kyle Lohse, Jake Westbrook and Lynn are more than making up for Carp's absence and Wainwright's early struggles. The rotation has a 3.22 ERA so far.

* The Cardinals are winning because Freese (3 homers, 11 RBIs, .406) is a lot more than just 15 minutes of fame.

* The Cardinals are winning because catcher Yadier Molina is one of the best players in baseball. The industry knows about his gold-plated defense; it's the basis for his strong rep. But Molina has developed into a legitimately good hitter, and his offense is no fluke. Molina has 3 homers, 4 doubles, 10 RBIs and is batting .358. This is a continuation of what he started last season.

* One of the comical things I continue to hear — and it came up on the Fox Network broadcast Saturday, during the Pujols Slobberfest — is that the Cardinals reacted to losing Pujols by overpaying Molina. The Cardinals supposedly needed to save face with the fans and did so by lavishing riches on Molina. Right. This, of course, is insulting to Molina because it implies that he didn't deserve the new five-year, $75 million deal that kicks in next season. This implies that he got the money because the Cardinals had to do something to score points with the fans — as if Molina is Jason Bay and the Cardinals were the Mets. It's laughable. The Cardinals paid Molina the big money because — as Tony La Russa and John Mozeliak have said — he's their one irreplaceable player. He is a lot more than just a catcher, and the people who still don't get it need to talk to the pitchers, to Molina's teammates.
* Baseball, of course, tests a team over 162 games. The schedule finds a team's weaknesses and exposes them over the long haul. No, Matt Carpenter won't continue to outhit Pujols. Lynn will have to show that he can still dominate hitters after they've seen him a few times, and make the adjustments. That's the thing about baseball; you have to prove yourself over six months — not two weeks. The Cardinals, as everyone knows, have age in key places and are vulnerable to injury. So the biggest challenges await them.

* That said, this 7-3 start shouldn't surprise anyone, really. The underlying lesson is that this is a resilient organization that usually finds solutions for short-term, and long-term, problems. The 2011 Cardinals overcame injuries and adversity to win the 11th World Series title in franchise history. And the 2012 Cardinals are already showing that they can fight through the early troubles. This mental toughness is ingrained in the veterans that have been around here for a while. It doesn't go away just because La Russa retired.
* It's an organization that has a plan, and knows how to establish a core nucleus of veterans that are supplemented by an improved and increasingly productive farm system. This is an organization that's been winning consistently since Bill DeWitt took over as owner/chairman in 1996. It's an organization that has the fourth-highest win total in the majors since '96, and more postseason wins than any franchise except the NY Yankees. It's an organization that made the playoffs twice (1996, 2000) before Pujols arrived as a rookie in 2001, and it's an organization that seemingly has the pieces to make it to postseason again, in the first year without Pujols.

* It's The Cardinal Way. And it's built to last, to survive, to endure.
Long season.
Nice start.
Thanks for reading ...
-Bernie


Read more: http://www.stltoday.com/sports/colum...#ixzz1sFmOuuxu

Dramatic ending in the works for tonight's game. Tie game, bases loaded, bottom of the 9th. Holliday at the plate.

And the one who sucks the penis pops it up. :shake:

And Berkman pops it up. On to extra innings. :grr:

They need to win this to keep the momentum going. Should already have the win but for a couple of errors. Has bases loaded and 1 out with holliday and Berkman up.

It helps when they keep trying to run on Molina.

Yeah, that was sweet.

Holliday has to get that ball out of the infield. A routine fly ball to CF wins the game there.

CARDS WINNER!

Carpenter!!!!

We did luck out, though. That throw was dead on - if the catcher holds on to the ball Green's done.

But..... he didn't. :)

Was a hella throw, good slide by Green.


It seems to me, and it's still early, but seems to me that this team is playing alot looser than it did with LaRussa.

On a side note, Holliday has GOT to start producing from the 3 hole. I know he usually gets off to a slow start, but come one man.

Matheny's done a great job so far. Sure doesn't seem like a rookie manager.

They need to drop his useless ass down in the lineup.

There was a couple things tonight that I thought he didn't quite do right, not so much him but just a couple bunts that didn't get down and letting Lohse swing away in the 7th with a guy on 1st and 1 out.


But we won. So **** yeah.

I think you just have to let him battle thru it.



He actually is a natural 3 hitter IMO. Just needs to see the ball better, which he usually does as the year wears down.

Yeah, if you don't mind an automatic out in the heart of your lineup.

He's swimming in Albert's shoes.

The legend grows!

AWESOME!

I need to get a new jersey, and I'm kind of torn.

Choices are:

Freese
Berkman
Molina
Carpenter

And no, Holliday is not an option. :grr:

Thoughts?

Yadi.

This!

Pros and cons

Freese - pros - awesome, home town kid, WS hero. Cons - young, could flame out, could end up pulling a Pujols down the road

Yadi - pros - awesome, career Cardinal, just signed a long term deal. Cons - none, really.

Berkman - pros - awesome, will in all likelihood retire as a Cardinal. Cons - new to the team, too many years as an Asstro.

Carpenter - pros - awesome, will retire a Cardinal. Cons - none really, except he may be done.

Yeah, perhaps Molina is the way to go.

I don't think Freese pulls a Pujols, but I didn't think Pujols would pull a Pujols.

Exactly.

Besides, I'm thinking about getting one of those gold lettered jerseys, and they're ****ing expensive. Don't want to be too pissed off to wear it a couple of years down the line.

Kolten Wong.

Dude's gonna be a major fan favorite soon, IMO.

Yea but do you really want to walk around with "Wong" across your back? Especially if he does flame out quick, next thing you know you have this Wong jersey and there is no Wong on the team.............

NTTIA"WONG"WT

A couple years ago for Christmas my parents got me a sweet cardinals jersey except for one problem, it has Rasmus printed on the back. It is currently gathering dust next to my Pujols jersey. I now sport a Freese jersey.

I would say out of your group to go.with carp or yadi. Neither will pull a pujols or get traded. The way he is playing I would add Beltran as a possibility even though he does stink of astro.

I will add one other to your list....Jason Motte.

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk

If Wainwright signs an extension, I'll buy damn near everything I can find with his name on the back of it.

Guy is just a perfect Cardinal.

Just grabbed my dad one of the home opener gold logo hats.


I'd like to pick up a jersey, but damn they are pricey.

I left mine blank with no number....it has been and will be useful for years. I am a fan of the team, not individual players (they come and go to often)

I guess I can justify it as an early birthday present to myself.

If the wife complains, I'll tell her that it's cheaper than another gun. :D

Yea he has. At the time, I questioned him pulling out Freese for a pinch runner in the 10th. Hated to lose his bat, in case it went more innings. As it turned out, I don't think Freese scores on that sac fly. He probably wouldn't have made it to second on Molina's bunt. That's why I sitting on the other side of the television. That, and another million reasons.

You could have at least put True Fan on the back :)

Tell her its that or a sports car and your insurance won't go up for wearing a jersey. :P

I'm thinking of picking this up for my Dad for his birthday.

http://cardinals.fanatics.com/MLB_St...Jersey_-_White

http://images.footballfanatics.com/F...9_xl.jpg&w=600

:thumb: Nice.

Up 5 0, bottom of the third. Beltran with a homer, Freese with a big RBI double.


Garcia given up 1 hit.

He had World Series tickets for the 1948 World Series but they fell 2nd behind the Boston Braves despite the fact that Musial hit 39 homers, 131 RBI and .376 missing the triple crown by a rain out homer lost.

5-1 bottom of the 6

Love seeing Waino, Carp and Westbrook together in the dugout having fun. I bet if Larussa was there they would be afraid to lossen up. We dont need a tight Waino tommorrow. We need a loose and ready to roll Waino.

I'm forced watching gamecast.


Anyone have a mlb password maybe that they would loan out?