tkihshbt wrote:

Whew.

Double that ...

I am glad the Cardinals won.  I know the braves got screwed on the IFR but it isnt like that is what cost the Braves the game.  They threw the ball around the yard like a bunch of little leaguers. 

I like what Chipper said pregame.  Baseball is about series not single games.  Glad the Cardinals won.  Glad they are in the real playoffs.  If they win the WS they will have to earn it.  Still this format is dumb.

So, did I miss anything???

JV wrote:

artie_fufkin wrote:

So, did I miss anything???

Nah, just the usual.

Friday night is my night to cover HS football, so I brought my wife's phone into the press box and followed the Cardinals' game on-line. There were a couple of flop sweat moments that from subsequently reading the game stories and seeing the highlights I'm glad I didn't see.

From my perspective as a "deaf guy" watching on a fairly small barroom screen, it took shit flying onto the field for me to realize there had been a questionable call, and infield fly rule only came to mind after ruling out anything else. Visually, the call looked like a stretch. Of course, I was also too busy trying to determine which Cardinal to yell at.

windwalker wrote:

So what do you guys think about the IF fly rule call? I was in my car and only heard Shannon and Whatshisface's call of it. Sounded pretty cut & dried, but when I got a look at it on TV, Corny 'er Kozma was WAY out in the OF... and the IF fly call did not cause him to miss the ball. Do the Rioting Rednecks have a beef?

Probably. But I'm watching the replay of the game right now and they should have a bigger beef with their guys. It's not just the three errors. How does a runner score from second base on a 60-foot single to the pitcher?

forsberg_us wrote:

I've heard several people saying that within the letter of the rule, the call was correct. But if that's true, then the rule should be rewritten. As AP said, the only reason for the rule is to prevent the infielder from intentionally dropping the ball and getting a double/triple play. Does anyone think that if Kozma had stayed under the ball and then let it drop he could have turned a DP? The umpire should be able to make a judgment that the ball is hit too deep for the DP and be able to not make the call, regardless if the infielder can get there through "ordinary effort."

When the ump went to talk to Matheny part of me was hoping they were going to reverse the call and load the bases with one out.  Then there wouldnt have been all the drama.  The Cardinals would have still been in a better position to win the game.


Of course it is easy to say now but Matheny should have just left Lynn in .  He looked strong.  It is to late to do that now but he might be best used out of the bullpen in the playoffs.

"my daughter's Braves Fan boyfriend"

Huh?!? What?!? Don't you get some kind of paternal veto power over egregious character flaws??

On Westbrook, I'm not sure the Cardinals enter 2013 with him in the rotation. Mozeliak was asked on the radio a couple weeks ago how he thought the rotation would look and he said Wainwright, Carpenter, Garcia, Lynn and Rosenthal or Miller vying for the fifth spot. People wondered if that was done on accident or if Mozeliak was being sly. I'm going to guess Westbrook goes to the bullpen. Here's how I see it shaping up next season:

SP: Wainwright, Carpenter, Garcia, Lynn, Miller
RHP: Boggs, Motte, Mujica, Kelly, Rosenthal/Westbrook
LHP: Scrabble, Someone Else

I think Salas is going to get non-tendered. That or Salas opens up in the bullpen and Kelly or Rosenthal start in Memphis.

Either way, the Cardinals' rotation is going to be very promising.