forsberg_us wrote:

Mags already touched upon this, but I'll add some additional thoughts.

The 2006 team had 4 Gold Glove defenders.  The players understood how to run the bases and rarely beat themselves with stupid play.  The pitching staff was centered upon a Cy Young winning pitcher who was in his prime.  And the lineup centered around Pujols, Rolen and Edmonds was extremely dangerous.

The 2011 team wasn't as gifted defensively, but the offense featured Pujols, Holliday and Berkman who combined for 90 HR while hitting a combined .299.  The lineup that went into the playoffs also featured Jon Jay (.297), Freese (.297), Molina (.305) and Schumaker (.283).  Again, the rotation was centered upon a Cy Young winner who almost single-handedly willed them through the NLDS and pitched the decisive game in the World Series.

The 2017 Cardinals play poor defense.  They're one of the worst baserunning teams in the history of the franchise, if not the entire history of baseball.  The only guy on the team with 60 RBI insists on hitting leadoff, and their best pitcher is a guy who most people on this board have wanted moved off the team at some point in his tenure.  Throw in the fact (sorry Mags) that the manager of the 2006 and 2011 version was a Hall of Fame manager who generally did a pretty good job of maximizing the production of the talent on his roster while the current manager barely understands the mechanics of a double switch and you'll have to forgive me if I can't draw a parallel between this year's team and the recent World Series winners.

Yet the 2006 juggernaut managed to win only 83 games, and the 2011 team was four games over .500 with 32 games left in the season. Again, I'm not trying to make a case the 2017 Cardinals are a good team (though their defense has gotten better with DeJong and Wong in the middle of the infield). But they have a chance to get into the playoffs - a better chance at the same point in the season as the 2011 team. There's no reason to not take that chance.
And - here comes the requisite sarcasm -  I take extreme issue with your assertion that Matheny "barely understands the mechanics of a double switch." If there's one thing this man knows, it's how to double switch. To the point where I think announcers all across baseball from now on are just going to refer to the double switch as a "Matheny," as in: "Farrell will make a Matheny, bringing in Kimbrel to pitch and Moreland to play first base ..."

Last edited by artie_fufkin (8/22/2017 10:40 am)

It isnt like marco would fix this teams pitching problems.  We would be an atm to try.  He very well may have failed as he has been doing.  In all probability he would have. 

As for the 2017 cardinals chances of winning the division vs the outcome of the 2006 and 2011 cardinals, two points.

1.  2017 cardinals would be the worst fundemental team i can remember to win the world series.

2. The Cardinals match up with nobody rotation wise in the playoffs.  Marco doesnt change that. 

Im not saying pack 2017 up and head home.  Do the best you can with what you have.  Maybe find someone who has passed waivers if it makes sense.  Marco for O'Neil was a trade that make sense for the cardinals future in a time when the front office should be looking towards the future.

"1.  2017 cardinals would be the worst fundemental team i can remember to win the world series."

AP, I've read the flags on the top of the Sumthintron at the stadium and all they say is "World Series champions." There are no qualifiers for 83-win regular seasons.
 

artie_fufkin wrote:

"Honestly, it matters very little to me what they do.  I don't watch them anymore."

Is this the part where I quote our old friend Cowboy and reply "Well {sigh} I guess I'm just a better fan than you?"

Honestly, if you said it I wouldn't disagree with you. For me, sports are entertainment. When they're no longer entertaining I find something else for me time/money.