Cardinals ***Offical 2012 STL Cardinals World Champions Thread *** - Page 61

**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

DJ's left nut · 07-08-2012, 03:44 PM

Raffy!!!!!!

**OnTheWarpath15** · 07-08-2012, 03:44 PM

Catcher did a TERRIBLE job there.

**OnTheWarpath15** · 07-08-2012, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

Catcher did a TERRIBLE job there.

EDIT: The catcher did a terrible job handling the ball.

DJ's left nut · 07-08-2012, 03:47 PM

Tip o' the cap to the home plate umpire there. Most umps call Freese out because the throw clearly beat him there. Buck didn't block the plate and get the tag around, Freese did a nice job of finding the back of the plate and the ump got the call right.

Great win. And if you ever wonder if Tyler Greene should be the starting 2b, just go ahead and watch that AB from Danny D. That kid is just a dirt-devil and a smart ballplayer. Greene would've swung out of his shoes 3 times and taken a seat. DD just fought and fought and kept the AB alive long enough to move the line along.

Great great job by Descalso there and a smart AB by Furcal, just swatting at those outside pitches.

**BigRedChief** · 07-08-2012, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

EDIT: The catcher did a terrible job handling the ball.

He sucks so bad the Royals got rid of him.

**BigRedChief** · 07-08-2012, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frazod

WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER

thats a good way to into the break.

O.city · 07-08-2012, 07:14 PM

We went to the game Friday, which was a shitty loss. Anyway, we sat right behind the Marlins dugout. I cam away thinking the Marlins are making a mistake by putting Ramirez at third. He just doesn't see comfortable there and doesn't really know how to play the position very well.

I know some here won't like this, but I think about making a move to bring him to STL to play SS.

**BigRedChief** · 07-08-2012, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by O.city

We went to the game Friday, which was a shitty loss. Anyway, we sat right behind the Marlins dugout. I cam away thinking the Marlins are making a mistake by putting Ramirez at third. He just doesn't see comfortable there and doesn't really know how to play the position very well.

I know some here won't like this, but I think about making a move to bring him to STL to play SS.

no thanks. Too many reported issues in the media with effort. I'm sure there are many more unreported to the public.

He will be may too expensive and with a new stadium, no way they could sell that to the public.

DJ's left nut · 07-08-2012, 07:48 PM

Don't need boy scouts all over the diamond.

Bring Hanley in, have him play average defense at SS w/ his offensive potential batting 5th in your order and you're much much better for it.

Broken record alert: I'd deal Miller and Cox for Ramirez and Chishek and Oviedo without thinking twice.

**BigRedChief** · 07-08-2012, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Don't need boy scouts all over the diamond.

Bring Hanley in, have him play average defense at SS w/ his offensive potential batting 5th in your order and you're much much better for it.

Broken record alert: I'd deal Miller and Cox for Ramirez and Chishek and Oviedo without thinking twice.

I'd be on board with that trade.

whoman69 · 07-08-2012, 09:17 PM

If his D was questionable at short and he can't play 3rd, why not try him at 2nd where we don't have anything anyway? Still, never gonna happen. You can't give up all the pieces you have saved for the future.

DJ's left nut · 07-08-2012, 09:21 PM

Cox isn't being saved for the future any more than Bryan Anderson is.

The problem with Hanley is the incredible popularity of Rafael Furcal. The team loves the guy. He's a great teammate and his energy is invaluable to the clubhouse.

You don't play him at 2b because he'd pout and because his footwork would be an absolute disaster. Though if you could get him to be a good soldier, play hard and learn the ropes over there, you'd have the best starting 9 in baseball - Rangers included.

**OnTheWarpath15** · 07-09-2012, 08:52 AM

Keith Law on Oscar Taveras:

Quote:

The best BPs of the day, in order, belonged to Oscar Taveras (St. Louis Cardinals), Rymer Liriano (San Diego Padres), Mike Olt (Texas Rangers), and Jurickson Profar (Rangers). The first three all showed plus power, while Profar showed that incredibly smooth, easy swing that has him performing like he's about five years older than he actually is. Had the World team held its early lead, Profar probably would have won the game's MVP award.

• Every swing Taveras takes threatens to rupture the fabric of the cosmos, and his ability to take such a forceful hack and still make contact with balls outside the zone earns comparisons to Vladimir Guerrero and the pre-Cub version of Alfonso Soriano. Taveras' raw power in BP was much more than he showed last year in the Arizona Fall League, so that home run spike this year -- he has 17 already in Double-A after hitting eight in an equivalent amount of playing time in A-ball last year -- looks very real.

Apparently, Oscar hit a shot off the scoreboard in CF in BP. That's a ridiculous bomb.

O.city · 07-09-2012, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Cox isn't being saved for the future any more than Bryan Anderson is.

The problem with Hanley is the incredible popularity of Rafael Furcal. The team loves the guy. He's a great teammate and his energy is invaluable to the clubhouse.

You don't play him at 2b because he'd pout and because his footwork would be an absolute disaster. Though if you could get him to be a good soldier, play hard and learn the ropes over there, you'd have the best starting 9 in baseball - Rangers included.

Furcal
Beltran
Holliday
Craig
Ramirez
Freese
Yadi
Jay
P

Would be pretty solid IMO.

Pasta Little Brioni · 07-09-2012, 05:13 PM

pre-Cub version of Alfonso Soriano

Wrigley Field, where careers go to die

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: 81,254

07-08-2012, 03:44 PM	#901
DJ's left nut Sauntering Vaguely Downwards Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Columbia, Mo Casino cash: $-630901	Raffy!!!!!! __________________ "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: 66,722

07-08-2012, 03:44 PM	#902
OnTheWarpath15 MVP Join Date: Sep 2005 Casino cash: $2231115	Catcher did a TERRIBLE job there.
Posts: 60,746

07-08-2012, 03:47 PM	#904
DJ's left nut Sauntering Vaguely Downwards Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Columbia, Mo Casino cash: $-630901	Tip o' the cap to the home plate umpire there. Most umps call Freese out because the throw clearly beat him there. Buck didn't block the plate and get the tag around, Freese did a nice job of finding the back of the plate and the ump got the call right. Great win. And if you ever wonder if Tyler Greene should be the starting 2b, just go ahead and watch that AB from Danny D. That kid is just a dirt-devil and a smart ballplayer. Greene would've swung out of his shoes 3 times and taken a seat. DD just fought and fought and kept the AB alive long enough to move the line along. Great great job by Descalso there and a smart AB by Furcal, just swatting at those outside pitches. __________________ "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: 66,722

07-08-2012, 07:14 PM	#907
O.city In Search of a Life Join Date: Jul 2009 Casino cash: $-535936	We went to the game Friday, which was a shitty loss. Anyway, we sat right behind the Marlins dugout. I cam away thinking the Marlins are making a mistake by putting Ramirez at third. He just doesn't see comfortable there and doesn't really know how to play the position very well. I know some here won't like this, but I think about making a move to bring him to STL to play SS.
Posts: 84,157

07-08-2012, 07:48 PM	#909
DJ's left nut Sauntering Vaguely Downwards Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Columbia, Mo Casino cash: $-630901	Don't need boy scouts all over the diamond. Bring Hanley in, have him play average defense at SS w/ his offensive potential batting 5th in your order and you're much much better for it. Broken record alert: I'd deal Miller and Cox for Ramirez and Chishek and Oviedo without thinking twice. __________________ "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: 66,722

07-08-2012, 09:21 PM	#912
DJ's left nut Sauntering Vaguely Downwards Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Columbia, Mo Casino cash: $-630901	Cox isn't being saved for the future any more than Bryan Anderson is. The problem with Hanley is the incredible popularity of Rafael Furcal. The team loves the guy. He's a great teammate and his energy is invaluable to the clubhouse. You don't play him at 2b because he'd pout and because his footwork would be an absolute disaster. Though if you could get him to be a good soldier, play hard and learn the ropes over there, you'd have the best starting 9 in baseball - Rangers included. __________________ "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: 66,722

07-09-2012, 05:13 PM	#915
Pasta Little Brioni Consuming CP souls Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: U.S.A. Casino cash: $398880	pre-Cub version of Alfonso Soriano Wrigley Field, where careers go to die __________________ **Official TFWdemB Trivia Commisioner**
Posts: 72,919