"Official" 2011 St. Louis Cardinals Thread

[BigRedChief]

This is so unreal. We were dead. No hope. A season over. Somehow, someway we find some team chemistry and squeak into the playoffs on the last day of the season.

Only to find us facing one of the best pitching staffs assembled in years with home field advantage. We somehow, someway find a way to beat the best pitcher in baseball on the road in an elimination game.

We have to go on the road and beat the team with the best home record in baseball. A team who mortgaged their future to make this run .We somehow, someway find a way to beat them on the road and make our 18th World series trip.

We take game 1, we give away game 2 and home field advantage. Albert goes off for probably the best performance in World Series history and we take game 3 easily. Games 4 & 5 our bats fall asleep, Phone gate happens and its not looking too good.

Game 6, one of the best baseball games of all time and it takes place in a season ending go home game. Cardinals are down 2 runs in their final chance on the season, twice. They are down to their final strike of the season, twice. They give up a 2 run homer in extra innings. In the bottom of the inning their final 3 batters are a combined 3-26 in the Playoffs and a pitcher because the bench is empty. Somehow, someway they get some runners on and the comeback player of the year drives in the tying run. Mr. Freese hits the walk off home run. We will see you tommorrow night.

Game 7, With our bulldog on the mound pitching on 3 days rest he is able to give us 6 good innings and get us to within 9 outs of our 11 World series title. Texas meltsdown, probably left over from last nights game and its over.

The underdog, come back team who had no business even being in the playoffs wins a World championship. They make movies about events like this in life. Events that you remember even if your not a fan of the sport or team for the rest of your life.

When it is your team.......Priceless


.

[Chief Henry]

Originally Posted by Rams Fan

Just gotta keep winning series.

THIS

[raybec 4]

I will readily admit they are pitching much better than I had thought they would and Berkman......what can you say about that guy but WOW

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Rams Fan

Just gotta keep winning series.

I like this approach but only to the extent that LaRussa doesn't use it as an excuse to throw away sweep opportunities.

For the last several years, whenever we've won game 1 and 2 of a series, LaRussa has had that 'series win' he so craves and has responded by putting out a lineup of castoffs and never were's to get their asses kicked in game 3.

It's frustrating to watch him punt on those games.

Sure, win a series first - but keep the peddle down above all else. You can win 108 games by winning only 1/2 of your series if you sweep the ones you win. Finishing off a sweep gives you a net in your next series, when a 1-2 set would equal a 4-2 swing (a good swing by any measure). But when LaRussa gives away that 3rd game as he is so often prone to do, you lose that safety net.

[Rams Fan]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

I like this approach but only to the extent that LaRussa doesn't use it as an excuse to throw away sweep opportunities.

For the last several years, whenever we've won game 1 and 2 of a series, LaRussa has had that 'series win' he so craves and has responded by putting out a lineup of castoffs and never were's to get their asses kicked in game 3.

It's frustrating to watch him punt on those games.

Sure, win a series first - but keep the peddle down above all else. You can win 108 games by winning only 1/2 of your series if you sweep the ones you win. Finishing off a sweep gives you a net in your next series, when a 1-2 set would equal a 4-2 swing (a good swing by any measure). But when LaRussa gives away that 3rd game as he is so often prone to do, you lose that safety net.

You aren't the only one that has noticed that.

I think the only time that LaRussa should throw out the "get away day lineup" is if multiple players have had some injuries that could affect how said player plays for awhile(i.e.: Berkman) or they need the occasional rest after not having one for a month or a few weeks(i.e.:Pujols).

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

I like this approach but only to the extent that LaRussa doesn't use it as an excuse to throw away sweep opportunities.

For the last several years, whenever we've won game 1 and 2 of a series, LaRussa has had that 'series win' he so craves and has responded by putting out a lineup of castoffs and never were's to get their asses kicked in game 3.

It's frustrating to watch him punt on those games.

Sure, win a series first - but keep the peddle down above all else. You can win 108 games by winning only 1/2 of your series if you sweep the ones you win. Finishing off a sweep gives you a net in your next series, when a 1-2 set would equal a 4-2 swing (a good swing by any measure). But when LaRussa gives away that 3rd game as he is so often prone to do, you lose that safety net.

Yep. The wife and I get offered tickets quite often, but it seems lately that they are the last game of a series, and/or on Sundays - i.e. the day when TLR throws darts at the roster to choose who plays. So we turn them down, usually.

Even for free tickets, I'm not going down to the ballyard* and spending a ****ton of cash on parking and booze to watch even more minor leaguers play our way out of a series sweep.

*unless Garcia is pitching.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

For the Cardinals they have one run on, let's see...one hit? That's all we got, one goddamned hit?

[Rams Fan]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

For the Cardinals they have one run on, let's see...one hit? That's all we got, one goddamned hit?

There was a no-no through 6 2/3 IP. Not to mention they hit into a few GIDPs.

Berkman hit a HR.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Rams Fan

There was a no-no through 6 2/3 IP. Not to mention they hit into a few GIDPs.

Berkman hit a HR.

[Rams Fan]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

Don't worry, the Brew Crew is losing right now and the Reds lost.

It's all good.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

For the Cardinals they have one run on, let's see...one hit? That's all we got, one goddamned hit?

We make bud Norris look like a hall of famer every year.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

These jokes are seriously being lost on you.

Back to reality, Motte is the worst reliever with an ERA in the low 2's I've ever seen.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

These jokes are seriously being lost on you.

Back to reality, Motte is the worst reliever with an ERA in the low 2's I've ever seen.

If he can throw a slider or a change up he'd be a top reliever.

[Marcellus]

No Bud Norris tonight. 7 runs so far.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

No Bud Norris tonight. 7 runs so far.

These type of series are what is seperating this year from last year. Last year we would split or lose 2 out of 3 games to inferior teams. Especially when they can't help but be looking ahead to the big series in Milwaukee.

[Rams Fan]

Lance Berkman hit the longest HR I have seen in a long time.