Cardinals ***OFFICIAL*** 2013 STL Cardinals Thread - Page 298

**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 · 09-05-2013, 06:42 PM

Last night I convinced my wife that Jay Bruce's middle name was also Bruce.

Jay Bruce Bruce, not to be mistaken with the fat Afro American comic from the South.

'Hamas' Jenkins · 09-05-2013, 06:47 PM

So, Lynn, worthless mother****er that he is, will still end up putting up around 2.5 WAR this year. I wonder what we could get from a pitching-desperate franchise like the Royals, Rockies, Phillies, Blue Jays, Orioles, Indians, or White Sox.

'Hamas' Jenkins · 09-05-2013, 06:55 PM

Brock Peterson makes me yearn for Ty Wigginton. Talk about overmatched. He's just ****ing pathetic.

kcpasco · 09-05-2013, 06:57 PM

Its ok Lance, Kelly will show you how its done tomorrow.

DJ's left nut · 09-05-2013, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

Brock Peterson makes me yearn for Ty Wigginton. Talk about overmatched. He's just ****ing pathetic.

Woah.

WOAH!

Slow the **** down there, sport.

Nobody makes me yearn for Ty Wigginton. Pete Kozma doesn't even make me yearn for Ty Wigginton and I'd rather play 8 on 9 if they didn't make us take an out in the 9 hole.

'Hamas' Jenkins · 09-05-2013, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Woah.

WOAH!

Slow the **** down there, sport.

Nobody makes me yearn for Ty Wigginton. Pete Kozma doesn't even make me yearn for Ty Wigginton and I'd rather play 8 on 9 if they didn't make us take an out in the 9 hole.

^
|

This guy doesn't appreciate hyperbole.

DJ's left nut · 09-05-2013, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

^
|

This guy doesn't appreciate hyperbole.

Well I wouldn't actually want to play 8 on 9.

...I don't think.

In either event, I meant it as hyperbole so I clearly do appreciate it. But we have to draw the line somewhere. Singing the praises of Ty Wigginton, no matter how faintly, is somewhere well beyond said line.

'Hamas' Jenkins · 09-05-2013, 07:06 PM

Beltran made Yadi look like Eckstein with that hustle down the line. You cannot afford to slackass down the line in that situation.

'Hamas' Jenkins · 09-05-2013, 07:30 PM

41 innings, 9 runs in this series.

'Hamas' Jenkins · 09-06-2013, 06:50 PM

I was about ready to blow a top after Beltran went 0-2 and it looked like the Pirates were going to get out of that jam.

Still, the Pirates continue with their ridiculous batted ball luck against us. McCutcheon's bleeder and Martin's weak grounder make two more bullshit hits in two innings against us.

Jewish Rabbi · 09-06-2013, 06:54 PM

It was good to see McCutcheon eat his own shit after tracking down everything hit within a mile of him the rest of the year.

**BigRedChief** · 09-06-2013, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

I was about ready to blow a top after Beltran went 0-2 and it looked like the Pirates were going to get out of that jam.

Beltran is streaky. Hopefully, he gets on the right kind of streak for this series. We need him on one of his hot streaks with Craig out.

'Hamas' Jenkins · 09-06-2013, 07:18 PM

'Hamas' Jenkins · 09-06-2013, 07:22 PM

**BigRedChief** · 09-06-2013, 07:25 PM

01-25-2013, 05:27 PM
BigRedChief Has a particular set of skills Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: On the water Casino cash: $3159627 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: 79,005

09-05-2013, 06:42 PM	#4456
'Hamas' Jenkins Now you've pissed me off! Join Date: Jan 2006 Casino cash: $8009572	Last night I convinced my wife that Jay Bruce's middle name was also Bruce. Jay Bruce Bruce, not to be mistaken with the fat Afro American comic from the South. __________________ "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: 74,825

09-05-2013, 06:47 PM	#4457
'Hamas' Jenkins Now you've pissed me off! Join Date: Jan 2006 Casino cash: $8009572	So, Lynn, worthless mother****er that he is, will still end up putting up around 2.5 WAR this year. I wonder what we could get from a pitching-desperate franchise like the Royals, Rockies, Phillies, Blue Jays, Orioles, Indians, or White Sox. __________________ "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: 74,825

09-05-2013, 06:55 PM	#4458
'Hamas' Jenkins Now you've pissed me off! Join Date: Jan 2006 Casino cash: $8009572	Brock Peterson makes me yearn for Ty Wigginton. Talk about overmatched. He's just ****ing pathetic. __________________ "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: 74,825

09-05-2013, 06:57 PM	#4459
kcpasco MVP Join Date: Sep 2007 Casino cash: $7733463	Its ok Lance, Kelly will show you how its done tomorrow.
Posts: 15,477

09-05-2013, 07:06 PM	#4463
'Hamas' Jenkins Now you've pissed me off! Join Date: Jan 2006 Casino cash: $8009572	Beltran made Yadi look like Eckstein with that hustle down the line. You cannot afford to slackass down the line in that situation. __________________ "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: 74,825

09-05-2013, 07:30 PM	#4464
'Hamas' Jenkins Now you've pissed me off! Join Date: Jan 2006 Casino cash: $8009572	41 innings, 9 runs in this series. __________________ "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: 74,825

09-06-2013, 06:50 PM	#4465
'Hamas' Jenkins Now you've pissed me off! Join Date: Jan 2006 Casino cash: $8009572	I was about ready to blow a top after Beltran went 0-2 and it looked like the Pirates were going to get out of that jam. Still, the Pirates continue with their ridiculous batted ball luck against us. McCutcheon's bleeder and Martin's weak grounder make two more bullshit hits in two innings against us. __________________ "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: 74,825

09-06-2013, 06:54 PM	#4466
Jewish Rabbi What's up braj? Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Placencia, Belize Casino cash: $2138320	It was good to see McCutcheon eat his own shit after tracking down everything hit within a mile of him the rest of the year.
Posts: 15,553

09-06-2013, 07:18 PM	#4468
'Hamas' Jenkins Now you've pissed me off! Join Date: Jan 2006 Casino cash: $8009572	__________________ "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: 74,825

09-06-2013, 07:22 PM	#4469
'Hamas' Jenkins Now you've pissed me off! Join Date: Jan 2006 Casino cash: $8009572	__________________ "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: 74,825

09-06-2013, 07:25 PM	#4470
BigRedChief Has a particular set of skills Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: On the water Casino cash: $3159627 VARSITY	__________________ Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering. -YODA
Posts: 79,005