Cardinals ***OFFICIAL*** 2013 STL Cardinals Thread - Page 83

**BigRedChief** · 08:16 PM

From Bernie's column:

People have asked me why we’re not more emotional,” Matheny said in his office after Sunday’s game. “They say that we look subdued, always intense. That our actions are methodical, robotic at times. That’s what got us here. This isn’t the time to change it.”

It’s hard to argue with the manager’s assessment. The Cardinals finished with 97 victories, most by a Cards team since 2005, and tied with Boston for No. 1 in the majors this year.

Their 54-27 showing at Busch Stadium matches the 1985 team for the best single-season home winning percentage (.667) by the Cardinals since 1944.

A postseason theme has emerged, and it echoes the mantra that surfaced before the start of 2013: remember the fall of 2012. Remember falling to San Francisco in the NLCS.

The Cardinals’ veterans still haven’t forgotten. They still aren’t over it. It’s why Matheny resists GM John Mozeliak’s urgings to smile and put on a happier face.

Here's the most impressive aspect of the Cardinals' division championship: they prevailed over two other outstanding teams, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati.

The 97-win Cardinals were better this year (regular season) than they were in 2011, when they won 90 games, and 2012, when they won 88.
Here are a few numbers that help put the Cardinals' Central title and No. 1 NL seed in perspective:

* Since MLB switched to a three-division format in each league in 1994, this was only the sixth time that a division had three 90-plus win teams. St. Louis won 97, Pittsburgh 94, and Cincinnati 90.
* Since the format change, this was only the second time that an NL division had three 90-win teams. In 2002 the NL West had Arizona (98 wins), San Francisco (95) and Los Angeles (92).
* The 2013 Cardinals faced more esteemed and difficult competition at the top of the division than any of the division-winning teams managed by Tony La Russa.

The Pirates were hardly pushovers; the Cardinals had to work like mad and kick in with a strong finish to put the division away, and didn't clinch until Game No. 160.

The Cardinals went 9-10 against Pittsburgh this season and were 11-8 vs. Cincinnati.

The Cardinals won only three of 10 games at PNC Park in Pittsburgh and split the 10 games at Cincinnati. The Cardinals were 6-3 against both teams at Busch Stadium.

The Cardinals (1st), Pirates (3rd) and Reds (5th) ranked among the top five in wins in the NL. The three teams were among the top 11 in wins in MLB. All three teams finished in the top five in the majors for best overall ERA, and each were in the top five MLB for best starting-pitching ERA.

The original purpose to this piece was to point out that the Cardinals managed to finish with the league's best record while competing in a division that had three 90-win teams for only the second time in the last 19 years of National League baseball.

The Cardinals really earned this.
Thanks for reading ...
— Bernie

'Hamas' Jenkins · 06-04-2013, 08:52 PM

Ninety-nine on the black. Rosenthal has been lights out lately.

Too bad Holliday flailed in another big spot and Fat Adams looks totally lost at the plate.

**BigRedChief** · 06-04-2013, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

Ninety-nine on the black. Rosenthal has been lights out lately.

Too bad Holliday flailed in another big spot and Fat Adams looks totally lost at the plate.

Would have been nice to not have used Rosenthal and Mujica last night. Is there some "book" on how long you can let a reliever sit without work?

He owned the DBacks for two innings. Rosenthal is going to be an All-Star some day.

Frazod · 06-04-2013, 09:16 PM

Wow, they're giving Holliday the intentional pass with the game on the line.

Apparently they haven't seen him play lately.

**BigRedChief** · 06-04-2013, 09:18 PM

Walk Holiday who's like 2 for 25 to pitch to Craig hitting .500 with runners in scoring position and 2 outs? Doesn't make sense to me.

**BigRedChief** · 06-04-2013, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frazod

Wow, they're giving Holliday the intentional pass with the game on the line.

Apparently they haven't seen him play lately.

Its like the royals walking Jay. Doesn't anyone on these clubs watch the previous games?

DJ's left nut · 06-04-2013, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

I know I'm thinking with my heart not my head. Same thing happened with Pujols. He was my favorite Cardinal since the Gibson/Brock era. I got over that, I guess I'll get over Freese leaving badly, if that happens.

And I was the guy telling you that we had to let Pujols walk all along...

Put us both in charge of a ballclub and we may win just win some games and not piss off the entire fanbase in the process...

Frazod · 06-04-2013, 09:56 PM

Beltran needs to end this game right now.

Pepe Silvia · 06-04-2013, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frazod

Beltran needs to end this game right now.

Word, come on Carlos, do it up.

Pepe Silvia · 06-04-2013, 09:59 PM

****, up to Hollidaaaay.

**TrebMaxx** · 06-04-2013, 10:00 PM

Damn I want to go to bed.

Frazod · 06-04-2013, 10:01 PM

Post-season form!

Pepe Silvia · 06-04-2013, 10:16 PM

I'll take a gaping double by John Jay here.

Frazod · 06-04-2013, 10:23 PM

This sucks. I want to go to bed.

Pepe Silvia · 06-04-2013, 10:26 PM

I can stay up a little later but not much. End this now.

**Buck** · 06-04-2013, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

Last night I couldn't sleep. I watched Freese's AB in the 9th of Game 6, then Berkman's in the 10th and Freese's in the 11th.

I still can't believe that happened. It was the most dramatic baseball game I've ever seen and we won. Probably the best World Series of our lifetimes and we won.

Still get goosebumps.

I don't know why I popped back into this thread, but anyways, at the bar that night after the game, we decided that was the greatest World Series game of all time, and thus, the greatest baseball game of all time.

To be fair though, none of us saw any game before the 1960s or so.

01-25-2013, 05:27 PM
BigRedChief Has a particular set of skills Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: On the water Casino cash: $3229627 VARSITY	*OFFICIAL* 2013 STL Cardinals Thread From Bernie's column: People have asked me why we’re not more emotional,” Matheny said in his office after Sunday’s game. “They say that we look subdued, always intense. That our actions are methodical, robotic at times. That’s what got us here. This isn’t the time to change it.” It’s hard to argue with the manager’s assessment. The Cardinals finished with 97 victories, most by a Cards team since 2005, and tied with Boston for No. 1 in the majors this year. Their 54-27 showing at Busch Stadium matches the 1985 team for the best single-season home winning percentage (.667) by the Cardinals since 1944. A postseason theme has emerged, and it echoes the mantra that surfaced before the start of 2013: remember the fall of 2012. Remember falling to San Francisco in the NLCS. The Cardinals’ veterans still haven’t forgotten. They still aren’t over it. It’s why Matheny resists GM John Mozeliak’s urgings to smile and put on a happier face. Here's the most impressive aspect of the Cardinals' division championship: they prevailed over two other outstanding teams, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. The 97-win Cardinals were better this year (regular season) than they were in 2011, when they won 90 games, and 2012, when they won 88. Here are a few numbers that help put the Cardinals' Central title and No. 1 NL seed in perspective: * Since MLB switched to a three-division format in each league in 1994, this was only the sixth time that a division had three 90-plus win teams. St. Louis won 97, Pittsburgh 94, and Cincinnati 90. * Since the format change, this was only the second time that an NL division had three 90-win teams. In 2002 the NL West had Arizona (98 wins), San Francisco (95) and Los Angeles (92). * The 2013 Cardinals faced more esteemed and difficult competition at the top of the division than any of the division-winning teams managed by Tony La Russa. The Pirates were hardly pushovers; the Cardinals had to work like mad and kick in with a strong finish to put the division away, and didn't clinch until Game No. 160. The Cardinals went 9-10 against Pittsburgh this season and were 11-8 vs. Cincinnati. The Cardinals won only three of 10 games at PNC Park in Pittsburgh and split the 10 games at Cincinnati. The Cardinals were 6-3 against both teams at Busch Stadium. The Cardinals (1st), Pirates (3rd) and Reds (5th) ranked among the top five in wins in the NL. The three teams were among the top 11 in wins in MLB. All three teams finished in the top five in the majors for best overall ERA, and each were in the top five MLB for best starting-pitching ERA. The original purpose to this piece was to point out that the Cardinals managed to finish with the league's best record while competing in a division that had three 90-win teams for only the second time in the last 19 years of National League baseball. The Cardinals really earned this. Thanks for reading ... — Bernie Last edited by BigRedChief; 10-02-2013 at 08:16 PM..
Posts: 78,937

06-04-2013, 08:52 PM	#1231
'Hamas' Jenkins Now you've pissed me off! Join Date: Jan 2006 Casino cash: $8019572	Ninety-nine on the black. Rosenthal has been lights out lately. Too bad Holliday flailed in another big spot and Fat Adams looks totally lost at the plate. __________________ "When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read 'all men are created equal, except negroes, and foreigners, and Catholics.' When it comes to this I should prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretense of loving liberty – to Russia, for instance, where despotism can be taken pure, and without the base alloy of hypocrisy.”--Abraham Lincoln
Posts: 74,820

06-04-2013, 09:16 PM	#1233
Frazod WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS Join Date: Aug 2000 Casino cash: $3215085	Wow, they're giving Holliday the intentional pass with the game on the line. Apparently they haven't seen him play lately.
Posts: 119,482

06-04-2013, 09:18 PM	#1234
BigRedChief Has a particular set of skills Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: On the water Casino cash: $3229627 VARSITY	Walk Holiday who's like 2 for 25 to pitch to Craig hitting .500 with runners in scoring position and 2 outs? Doesn't make sense to me. __________________ Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering. -YODA
Posts: 78,937

06-04-2013, 09:56 PM	#1237
Frazod WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS Join Date: Aug 2000 Casino cash: $3215085	Beltran needs to end this game right now.
Posts: 119,482

06-04-2013, 09:59 PM	#1239
Pepe Silvia MVP Join Date: Oct 2012 Casino cash: $1994664	****, up to Hollidaaaay.
Posts: 16,532

06-04-2013, 10:00 PM	#1240
TrebMaxx Supporter Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Peoples Republic of CoMo Casino cash: $1567252	Damn I want to go to bed. __________________
Posts: 4,321

06-04-2013, 10:01 PM	#1241
Frazod WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS Join Date: Aug 2000 Casino cash: $3215085	Post-season form!
Posts: 119,482

06-04-2013, 10:16 PM	#1242
Pepe Silvia MVP Join Date: Oct 2012 Casino cash: $1994664	I'll take a gaping double by John Jay here.
Posts: 16,532

06-04-2013, 10:23 PM	#1243
Frazod WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS Join Date: Aug 2000 Casino cash: $3215085	This sucks. I want to go to bed.
Posts: 119,482

06-04-2013, 10:26 PM	#1244
Pepe Silvia MVP Join Date: Oct 2012 Casino cash: $1994664	I can stay up a little later but not much. End this now.
Posts: 16,532