*** Official St Louis Cardinals to the 2006 World Series Thread ***

[MyTurn2Raise]

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Completely
Useless
By
September

The small bears swept the Cards 5 years ago as well. What happened that year?

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Wager?

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on what exactly? Division winner? How far the Cubs are out in September?

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How bout just better record?

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what odds? how much ($100 is about as high as I'll go-I'm a conservative nit)?

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Even though you should probably be giving me a few games or better odds, I will take straight up better record for $100 at even money. Same thing for this Houston clown who is so proud of winning one series when St. Louis obviously had the better team.

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deal

Houston clown...LMAO...you definitely got something right

[fullhousedraw]

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Hopefully, the stadium will capture the excitement of the old Busch and showcase the best fans in baseball. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]


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I think it's hilarious when Cards fans say this. Get over yourselves.

If the Cards win the division, it will be because the Brewers, Cubs and Stros just simply aren't very good. They have three hitters. They have no bullpen. Ponson sucks, Suppan had a career year last year and will come back down to earth. Carpenter is good but not Cy Young good. Mulder should have a pretty good contract year though. They're just not the same team as the last two years.

[MyTurn2Raise]

Bud Selig said Card fans are the best during the telecast, too.

[StlCardsBlues]

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Suppan had a career year last year and will come back down to earth.

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Suppan's numbers over the last three years are very similar -- no reason to expect less this year.

B.

[fullhousedraw]

His ERA last year was half a run lower than any other year.

[StlCardsBlues]

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His ERA last year was half a run lower than any other year.

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Not true...

2003 3.57
2005 3.57

Yes 2004 was half a run higher at 4.16, but his WHIP and K/Walk ratio were almost identical to 2005 and his Batting Average Against was actually the lowest of his career in `04.

B.

[MyTurn2Raise]

Just got back from the game and a few beers at the new Busch

It's absolutely fantastic and I'll be sure to post pics. I have tons and tons of positives about the stadium and a few negatives. I don't like the lack of symmetry. The third base stands and first base stands are shaped differently...oh well, I'm a nit.

ONto the game, disasterous loss again. Despite a 5-4 record, the Cards have some ugly losses. The Cards were boneheaded in the field, giving the Brewers an extra run. Izzy entered to a chorus of boos and promptly left to a chorus of boos. Juan Encarnacion looked like he might finally break-through and get on the crowd's side, but Carlos Lee stole a game-winning homer. The Brewers played the better game: clutch defense by Lee and Cirillo, clutch hit, and only one big error. The Cards defense and closer were inexcusable again. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

In addition, I didn't like Larussa's strategy in the last inning. The Cards are down a run and Miles led off the inning with a 4-pitch walk from Turnbow who had just entered the game. The next 3 scheduled hitters were:
Rincon (obviously coming out)
Gary Bennent(sp?) who is a crappy back-up catcher
Skip Schumaker- a AAA guy who is getting a look and has hit some, but nothing special

bench players available are Yadier Molina and Scott Spiezio

Larussa chose to have Marquis pinch hit for Rincon and sac the runner to second. This happened.

Next, Spezio came in...out
Then, Schumaker...out

It just didn't seem like the right move to sac and give up an out against a pitcher who hadn't thrown a strike yet to give the bottom of the order 2 cracks at getting the tying run in from second. Spiezio is like a .200 hitter. Schumaker is a .250 guy in that situation. It let the reliever off the hook and gave him confidence. Furthermore, with Bennent coming out, Molina is coming in. Why not have him hit since he already has 2 late-inning clutch hits this season? Plus, Marquis has looked better at the plate than Spiezio. Have Spizieo or someone else sac (if one goes that route) and let Marquis bat next. Altogether, I was against the sac in that situation period. I'm a big fan of sacrifice bunts, but not to give 2 crummy, bottom-of-the-order hitters a chance at knocking in the TYING run. [/rant]

[Flip_Dog]

Its a shame the 3rd best hitter on the team only gets to bat once every 5 games, should of bunted with Spezio and let Marquis have a crack at driving him in. Wonder if Wainright will ever get a chance closing out games.

[MyTurn2Raise]

your right with Marquis flip_dog, and I'm coming more around to your ideas on Izzy as well.

Wainwright looked awesome today. The one hit I remember against him was a lucky check swing liner. He was throwing some nasty stuff that had the hitters off-balance.

BTW- because I'm a masochist, I'm watching the replay on FSN while reading up. I feel real bad for Encarnacion, who has struggled, but put together a great at bat in the tenth. In a tough 3-2 situation, he put a ball 2 feet foul down the third base line and, then, had a ball caught that was over the fence....when it rains, it pours.
OUCH...Izzy threw that fastball flat down the middle of the plate to Lee; half of MLB would've nailed that one for a homer.

[fullhousedraw]

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His ERA last year was half a run lower than any other year.

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Not true...

2003 3.57
2005 3.57

Yes 2004 was half a run higher at 4.16, but his WHIP and K/Walk ratio were almost identical to 2005 and his Batting Average Against was actually the lowest of his career in `04.

B.

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His ERA in 2003 was 3.57 while he was in Pittsburgh, he then was traded to Boston and got lit up. His total ERA that year ended up being 4.19. And if you wanna talk about WHIP and BAA, last year they both were pretty much the same as his career averages. Yet his ERA last year was more than a run below his career ERA. Basically he was lucky in '05.