APIAD wrote:

tkihshbt wrote:

artie_fufkin wrote:

Yeah, he went down with an oblique injury a few weeks ago. But it's like his entire existence has been scrubbed. No one talks or writes about him, and I don't think I've seen him in the dugout. He's become the Cardinals' Josef Stalin. Without the war crimes, of course.

I saw him in the dugout during Game 2, I think. Strauss said about a week before the playoffs that there was no chance he would pitch again this season, so I think that's why he's been a non-topic.

If you think that's curious, though, imagine the GM going on the radio and not even mentioning him as a starter in the rotation next year. Ouch.

Really?  Then why did they resign him?  It seems kind of unneeded now with Joe Kelly and Carp gooding strong.  Better to have to much then not enough.

Westbrook was re-signed to be a 200 inning safety net since they didn't know what, if anything to expect from Carpenter.  I wonder if his no-trade protection was also extended.

APIAD wrote:

I suppose I am a bad Cardinals fan.  I tapped out after they pull WainO.  I was exhausted and the begining of sick is my defense.  Looks like it is my lose.  What a suprise.  I bet it was exciting.  This club is amazing.  The storyline is out of this world.  This shit doesnt happen to any other team.  A world series from a 83 win team?  Knocking of the Mets in game 7.  Jeff freaking Weaver.  Upseting the Tigers who never seen a bunt before.  The unbelievable comeback to the collapsing Braves last year.  Knocking off the mighty Phillies and Rangers in elimination games.  Freaking game 6 against the Rangers.  Sneaking in this year in a new wild card format and now this.  I dont believe it.

Actually, the only part of the season I tuned into thus far was halfway through the bottom of the 8th last night.  I saw Motte give up the insurance run.  Then watched the rest of the way.  Pretty amazing comeback.

tkihshbt wrote:

artie_fufkin wrote:

tkihshbt wrote:

I love how everyone is sorry for the Nationals. Yeah, so sad.

I really never mustered a lot of dislike toward them. Except for Harper. Harper thinks it's all about him.

I don't really dislike them, either, but I don't understand where the sympathy is coming from. Did people feel sorry for the Cardinals in 2002 when they lost Kile and Buck, won 97 games with Chuck Finley in the rotation and came up short in the NLCS? I don't remember an outpouring of support for the franchise back then. Sheesh, what makes Washington so special?

They are a young franchise that has sucked wazoo up to this point.

"He's probably thinking what a shame it is that DeWitt had to be such an egotistical offensive jackass."

Max, I'll actually agree with you on this one. Pujols' ego is too big to ever allow him to admit he made a mistake, so I'm sure he has to displace blame to someone other than himself.

Funny that Dewitt's "arrogance" didn't keep Molina from re-signing with the team.

"I do recall Moz making unneccesary public comments like, 'We won't pay for past performance', years before finally submitting an unsuccessful bid to extend Pujols.

And yet Molina still re-signed. If we believe your version, the team publicly dissed Molina's best buddy and Molina still agreed to an extension. Strange. It isn't like Molina didn't have options. I'm sure plenty of teams would have bid for his services.

Or maybe Molina doesn't think Pujols was treated all that poorly.

It's just killing you that the team has continued it's success while Pujols is posting career worst numbers and is playing second fiddle to Mike Trout, isn't it?

"Sheesh, what makes Washington so special?"

There are probably a few things. There's the historical angle that the city hasn't seen a post-season game since FDR's first term. The Strasburg angle is kind of interesting, and Harper is hugely popular with the kids who are in high school and younger right now. When you cover your next high school baseball game in the spring, look at how many kids are copying his ridiculous eyeblack pattern.

"He's probably thinking what a shame it is that DeWitt had to be such an egotistical offensive jackass."

That's odd. I recall Pujols telling the world that god told him to take $254 million of Arte Moreno's money. I recall Pujols' wife caterwauling on her husband's radio station that god was going to punish people for speaking ill of her husband. I recall a dog and pony show broadcast live on national television that started with Albert donning his new uniform shirt in front of a few thousand of his new adoring fans.
Which one has the ego again?

forsberg_us wrote:

It's just killing you that the team has continued it's success while Pujols is posting career worst numbers and is playing second fiddle to Mike Trout, isn't it?

It didn't exactly "kill me" that Steinbrenner had some success with the Yankees, or that he treated some respectable people like shit, but none of that kept me from thinking of him as an egotistical jackass.

I can see that it bugs the crap out of you that anyone thinks ill of Bill DeWitt, "Jr.", but I can accept that shortcoming on your part.

Bernie has a good story up. It's an oral history of last night's comeback. Obviously you can't will yourself to get a hit in baseball, but you can damn sure help yourself out. Molina and Freese drawing those walks is a good example of what happens when players are absolutely determined to wind up on base no matter what. They were not giving those at-bats away. In real time it was nerve-racking, but looking back on it now it's just beautiful to see. A few years ago Molina would have been determined to put the ball in play no matter what. Last night he approached it like a DiMaggio. Just incredible.

I just read it, TK. 

I liked this, SCHUMAKER: "Before the series started, I said you really couldn't put a price tag on experience."  Of course, Schu has some self-interest in that being true, but it's exactly what I was thinking after the game, when the broadcast team was trying to set Cardinals vs. SF as evenly matched.  In an evenly matched series, I give the reigning world champs at least a little edge. 


http://www.stltoday.com/sports/columns/bernie-miklasz/the-story-of-the-comeback-in-the-players-own-words/article_ad89829d-aec3-5940-b860-c88ff288a7af.html

Max wrote:

artie_fufkin wrote:

Anyone want to take a stab as to what kind of thoughts are running around the skull of one Albert Pujols right about now?

He's probably thinking what a shame it is that DeWitt had to be such an egotistical offensive jackass.  I wouldn't work want to work for him either, and I wouldn't expect Pujols to work for him after the way they organization publicly dissed him in the years building up to the split.  But having spent a year working on a dream project, the culmination of an 18-year career, only to discover the boss was a pychopathic asshole who was going to screw me as the price for my involvement with his empire, I can completely understand if Pujols has mixed emotions.  He might pull for his former teammates and wish the team well, while still stewing with hatred for DeWitt and not regretting for one second that he bailed out.

Welcome back Max.

Sigh. I hate only checking this board during work. A remarkable game, and unfortunately it's already 2 games into history before I can say hi.

I of course about shit my pants during this game, and texted everyone I knew (forgot you here fors, sorry, I should have texted you too during).

I .... can anyone not like Descalso? Seriously... That dude has soooo many Cardinal Bucks from me it's not even funny. Without him and Kozma (and who on earth thought they would ever say that) we were toast....

San Fransisco evened us in deciding fashion last night, and that's okay I guess. We just need to get a win from Lohse. After that, we'll look to Wainright, and if we can hold home court, get away from this Giants team quickly. I don't know though. The Giants are good, good rotation, good hitters, good on the road. We're not in the World Series yet, but like last year when we escaped somehow from Philly.... Every at bat we have from the end of that Washington closer is bonus, we're not supposed to be here.