It may not happen again this year, so....

[MajorMike]

WELCOME TO .500 CARDS!!!


"...got back to .500 for the first time since they were 6-6 on April 16."

And, by the way, just passed the Brew Crew for 2nd place in the division.

May be all downhill from here, so might as well hype it while it is so.

[T Park]

Yeah Looper was a stud tonight, and Chris Duncan is Chris Duncan again.

I dunno, they seem to have the "us against the world" mentality again like in last year's playoffs.

We shall see.

If Mulder could replace Kip Wells down the stretch, than the Birds could have a shot.

[T Park]

BTW, they are really busting out the Houston Rockets "Never doubt the heart of a champion either"

Its really cool :)

[Whisky Dog]

.500 team with a shot at the PO late in the season. That's pathetic.


Baseball's Eastern Conference.

[T Park]

500 team with a shot at the PO late in the season. That's pathetic.


Baseball's Eastern Conference


Representative in the World Series the last three years, and a World Series champ.

Yeah. horrible division...

[Whisky Dog]

1 year the Astros got Clemens midway through and made a strong push, and last year the Cardinals just got lucky people got hot at the right time.

Just shows how bad the NL in general is when that's the case. It's not biggie to me as I don't really like baseball, but seeing the highlights on SC makes you wonder why they can't seem to get shit right during the regular season. It was lightning in a bottle for them to win last year, so don't count on that twice.

[T Park]

last year the Cardinals just got lucky people got hot at the right time.


:lol

I love it.

They beat the Mets and Tigers, the two best teams in baseball, with Carpenter, Suppan, and others pitching like they usually do, Pujols was Pujols, Edmonds was Edmonds, Rolen studded it up in the World Series.
Molina finally reached his potential and hes showing it this year.


Keep reaching though.

[T Park]

Just shows how bad the NL in general is when that's the case. It's not biggie to me as I don't really like baseball, but seeing the highlights on SC makes you wonder why they can't seem to get shit right during the regular season. It was lightning in a bottle for them to win last year, so don't count on that twice.

Ah, so you judge baseball on highlights on ESPN.

Boy thats genius.

The lightning in a bottle was the production of the big three, along with Molina, Wainwright, and others.

OH LOOK WHOS STILL PLAYING AND PLAYING WELL!!!! :rolleyes

[FromWayDowntown]

This Cardinals team, over the last 3-4 years, should probably be considered one of the greatest teams in MLB history.[/Walton]

[MajorMike]

1 year the Astros got Clemens midway through and made a strong push, and last year the Cardinals just got lucky people got hot at the right time.

Just shows how bad the NL in general is when that's the case. It's not biggie to me as I don't really like baseball, but seeing the highlights on SC makes you wonder why they can't seem to get shit right during the regular season. It was lightning in a bottle for them to win last year, so don't count on that twice.

Yeah, and 2 years ago George Mason was really one of the 4 best teams in college basketball.

And last year, atm was really a better team than UT in football.

And Golden State was actually a better team than the Mavs. Makes you wonder why they can't seem to get shit right during the regular season.

It is ALWAYS about who is hot at the right time, in any sport. Rarely does a team go wire to wire anymore.

You may have a valid idea, but your argument is plain dumb.

[K-State Spur]

In fairness, you could make a very strong argument that the in 2004 & 2005 the Cards WERE the best team in baseball, and just ran into hotter teams in the playoffs.

So it's a lesson - just get to the playoffs and hope things even out over the long haul.

[Melmart1]

Curious how TPark doesn't bring up Jeff Weaver when he talks about how the title wasn't just people getting hot at the right time. But hey, don't take my word for it ... take Weaver's ...


"I was just very fortunate to get hot when it counted. It's a dream come true. It's unbelievable."

Molina hit .216 for the season and .358 in the playoffs. But he wasn't hot, just finally living up to his potential.

Look, I am not disparaging your title. Enjoy it. Hell, I wish the Rangers had one. If they did and people said they had it because they got hot at the right time, then I wouldn't care. However, just because I wouldn't care does not mean that I would not admit to it being true.

This team had no chance, then the Astros imploded, they got their shit together, got hot and won a title. There is nothing wrong with that, or admitting that this was the case. To pretend it happened any other way is either dumb or delusional, or perhaps both.

[MajorMike]

I don't think anyone is disputing that. I know I wasn't. All I was saying is that being hot at the right time is the nature of sport and championships. Ask ARod or Bonds.

[T Park]

Weaver was starting to come around about the middle end of August, and he was fantastic in September.

Hot? or under Dave Duncan living up to his potential?

Molina hit 216, but in the minors and years previous had hit from 240 to 280.

So, getting hot? or Finally living up to potential.



In fairness, you could make a very strong argument that the in 2004 & 2005 the Cards WERE the best team in baseball, and just ran into hotter teams in the playoffs.



Theres no question in my mind, had Chris Carpenter been healthy going into the 04 playoffs, and pitched that first game in Boston, the series would've been 100% different.

Woody Williams stunk in game 1, yet the Cardinals pounded out a bunch of hits before finally some bench stiff flips a texas leaguer to the left of Pesky's pole and wins it.

[BUMP]

Whisky Dog It's not biggie to me as I don't really like baseball

then your opinion means nothing.

[K-State Spur]

Hot? or under Dave Duncan living up to his potential?


Hot. (not to say that duncan had nothing to do with it)

[T Park]

We will never know.

If he had stayed with the Cardinals, that question would've been answered.

[K-State Spur]

I'm going to go with the mountain of evidence vs. a 6 week span.

Duncan is one of the best pitching coaches in the game. But even Mazzone can't turn a lump of coal into a diamond for a prolonged period of time.

[MajorMike]

I'm not saying one way or the other, but Weaver DOES have 2 complete game shut out wins this year after starting 0-5 and up until his last start had won 5 in a row, so he isn't a total dud, by any means.

[T Park]

Duncan is one of the best pitching coaches in the game. But even Mazzone can't turn a lump of coal into a diamond for a prolonged period of time.

tells you how good Duncan is.

BTW, it was all of september and october he pitched well.

[K-State Spur]

tells you how good Duncan is.



Looper = 4.6 ERA
Wells = 5.5 ERA
Reyes = 5.3 ERA
Thompson = 5.1 ERA

Bottom line, pitching coaches are nice, but talent is nicer.

[MajorMike]

The defending World Series champions (67-66) are above .500 for the first time since April 15, when they were 6-5.

[T Park]

Looper = 4.6 ERA
Wells = 5.5 ERA
Reyes = 5.3 ERA
Thompson = 5.1 ERA


Looper is a career reliever who was turned into a full time rotation guy.

Looper's ERA is about 4.2 now, and hes on a 14 inning shutout streak.

Wells just stinks and wont listen.

Neither will Reyes.

Thompson is a decent starter whos up and down all the time.


Once again, you want to see how good Dave Duncan is, look at what he did with guys last year like Jeff Weaver, Tyler Johnson and his ilk in the playoffs.

That was all him.