Cardinals ***Offical 2012 STL Cardinals World Champions Thread *** - Page 4

**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

veist · 01-28-2012, 04:02 PM

I think really what you're going to have to hope for if they sign Oswalt is that they can deal KMac. Which reminds me, why the **** did we sign a replacement level KMac to a $2.5M deal if we could sign Oswalt to something less than $8M to bump the dead money that is Westbrook into a lesser role in the pen? Plus there is the potential that moving him to the pen is enough to get Westy to lift his NTC so they can possibly get out from some of that dead money.

O.city · 01-28-2012, 04:02 PM

So I've been wondering, how are they gonna set the lineup this season?

Furcal
Craig
Holliday
Berkman
Beltran
Freese
Yadi
Descalso
P

?

DJ's left nut · 01-28-2012, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whoman69

Westbrook was advertised as someone Duncan could fix, a replacement for Suppan. He hasn't come close to getting back to his numbers early with Cleveland and certainly hasn't come close to Suppan numbers. He's going to be a guy who can't fill any spot in the playoffs except perhaps in a game where the starter blows up in the 2nd.

Ah. You're going by the BS that the post-disgrace was peddling to justify LaRussa shipping out a fan-favorite that wasn't happy about being a part-time player.

Yeah, he was 'sold' by the PD as someone that Duncan could fix. Afterall, the Cardinals may as well sign the checks for the Cards beat-writers.

Anyone that actually looked at the guy knew better.

O.city · 01-28-2012, 04:03 PM

Who did we ship out for Westbrook, i've forgotten.

DJ's left nut · 01-28-2012, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by O.city

Who did we ship out for Westbrook, i've forgotten.

Ludwick

O.city · 01-28-2012, 04:07 PM

Oh yeah. Thanks.

Mi_chief_fan · 01-28-2012, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by O.city

So I've been wondering, how are they gonna set the lineup this season?

Furcal
Craig
Holliday
Berkman
Beltran
Freese
Yadi
Descalso
P

?

I like it, as long as Matheny doesn't bat the pitcher 8th.

**BigRedChief** · 01-28-2012, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by O.city

So I've been wondering, how are they gonna set the lineup this season?

Furcal
Craig
Holliday
Berkman
Beltran
Freese
Yadi
Descalso
P

?

Craig isn't starting and can't even play for a month.

Furcal
Beltran
Holliday
Berkman
Freese
John Jay
Yadi
Shumaker/Delcasco/Greene
Pitcher

DJ's left nut · 01-28-2012, 04:24 PM

I still think Jay should be leading off against RH pitching.

Furcal isn't a leadoff hitter anymore. Jay's capable of giving you a .350 OBP and nice doubles power. He's not a perfect leadoff hitter since he's not really a base-stealing threat, but he gets on base well and can put himself in scoring position more often than most leadoff men w/ the doubles pop.

The team will be better off with him at 1 than Furcal, IMO.

whoman69 · 01-28-2012, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Ah. You're going by the BS that the post-disgrace was peddling to justify LaRussa shipping out a fan-favorite that wasn't happy about being a part-time player.

Yeah, he was 'sold' by the PD as someone that Duncan could fix. Afterall, the Cardinals may as well sign the checks for the Cards beat-writers.

Anyone that actually looked at the guy knew better.

I'm in Iowa, don't read the STL paper. Pretty much everyone in the media had it pegged that Duncan could fix Westbrook. It was obvious at the time the team didn't have the offensive pop behind Pujols. It was a big risk shipping out Ludwick, but I think its been pretty well shown he had hit his ceiling.

ShowtimeSBMVP · 01-28-2012, 06:02 PM

@JoeStraussJoe Strauss
Cards fans may start paying attention to the Baltimore Orioles. #Developing

So i know my O's wanna trade adam jones do you all need a cf?

O.city · 01-28-2012, 06:02 PM

Is he good?

DJ's left nut · 01-28-2012, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChiefsandO'sfan

@JoeStraussJoe Strauss
Cards fans may start paying attention to the Baltimore Orioles. #Developing

So i know my O's wanna trade adam jones do you all need a cf?

Well...yeah, sorta. Though it would create a hell of a logjam unless Craig was going back in the deal. I presume Jay/Beltran will be splitting the CF role, with Craig/Beltran playing RF and Berkman/Beltran playing 1b. If you throw Jones in there, Jay is essentially done and you've cut out a spot where Beltran can play (as Jones is an everyday player). And if Beltran isn't playing much CF, Craig's not going to get nearly as much time in RF either. So by bringing in Jones, you've really limited the use utility of Jay and Craig, who are very nice players in their own right.

Frankly, Jones is going to cost someone like Miller or Martinez and I'm not willing to give them up. I'm still not convinced that Jones isn't overrated as hell.

Honestly, I'd rather have JJ Hardy. Better still, you guys feel like trading Zach Britton?

Maybe the O's are just entering the Oswalt fray or something. More likely - Edwin Jackson.

ShowtimeSBMVP · 01-28-2012, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by O.city

Is he good?

Yes

ShowtimeSBMVP · 01-28-2012, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Well...yeah, sorta. Though it would create a hell of a logjam unless Craig was going back in the deal. I presume Jay/Beltran will be splitting the CF role, with Craig/Beltran playing RF and Berkman/Beltran playing 1b. If you throw Jones in there, Jay is essentially done and you've cut out a spot where Beltran can play (as Jones is an everyday player). And if Beltran isn't playing much CF, Craig's not going to get nearly as much time in RF either. So by bringing in Jones, you've really limited the use utility of Jay and Craig, who are very nice players in their own right.

Frankly, Jones is going to cost someone like Miller or Martinez and I'm not willing to give them up. I'm still not convinced that Jones isn't overrated as hell.

Honestly, I'd rather have JJ Hardy. Better still, you guys feel like trading Zach Britton?

Maybe the O's are just entering the Oswalt fray or something.

They better not trade Zach Britton

01-04-2012, 10:08 PM
BigRedChief Has a particular set of skills Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: On the water Casino cash: $-561038 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: 81,251

01-28-2012, 04:02 PM	#46
veist Veteran Join Date: Oct 2006 Casino cash: $10004900	I think really what you're going to have to hope for if they sign Oswalt is that they can deal KMac. Which reminds me, why the **** did we sign a replacement level KMac to a $2.5M deal if we could sign Oswalt to something less than $8M to bump the dead money that is Westbrook into a lesser role in the pen? Plus there is the potential that moving him to the pen is enough to get Westy to lift his NTC so they can possibly get out from some of that dead money.
Posts: 1,324

01-28-2012, 04:02 PM	#47
O.city In Search of a Life Join Date: Jul 2009 Casino cash: $-535936	So I've been wondering, how are they gonna set the lineup this season? Furcal Craig Holliday Berkman Beltran Freese Yadi Descalso P ?
Posts: 84,153

01-28-2012, 04:03 PM	#49
O.city In Search of a Life Join Date: Jul 2009 Casino cash: $-535936	Who did we ship out for Westbrook, i've forgotten.
Posts: 84,153

01-28-2012, 04:07 PM	#51
O.city In Search of a Life Join Date: Jul 2009 Casino cash: $-535936	Oh yeah. Thanks.
Posts: 84,153

01-28-2012, 04:24 PM	#54
DJ's left nut Sauntering Vaguely Downwards Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Columbia, Mo Casino cash: $-630901	I still think Jay should be leading off against RH pitching. Furcal isn't a leadoff hitter anymore. Jay's capable of giving you a .350 OBP and nice doubles power. He's not a perfect leadoff hitter since he's not really a base-stealing threat, but he gets on base well and can put himself in scoring position more often than most leadoff men w/ the doubles pop. The team will be better off with him at 1 than Furcal, IMO. __________________ "If there's a god, he's laughing at us.....and our football team..." "When you look at something through rose colored glasses, all the red flags just look like flags."
Posts: 66,703

01-28-2012, 06:02 PM	#56
ShowtimeSBMVP Chiefs Join Date: Feb 2009 Casino cash: $1326009	@JoeStraussJoe Strauss Cards fans may start paying attention to the Baltimore Orioles. #Developing So i know my O's wanna trade adam jones do you all need a cf?
Posts: 23,832

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