Congratulations to the Cardinals...

[Bumstead]

Originally Posted by osuceltic

Great example of why you continue to play and try to win to the bitter end. We had more than a few posters eager to throw in the towel and play the Louisville lineup as early as July -- and they more or less got what they wanted. I wish the Reds had grinded things out the same way the Cardinals had.

Yeah, that 79-83 record would have been something to be proud of...wait...what? The team played just as well with the young guys as it did with the awesome veterans...hilarious!

Bum

[Reds/Flyers Fan]

Originally Posted by MikeThierry

classy

Yea, your organization exudes class, huh? What did that Brewers broadcaster say about your team again?

[Roy Tucker]

Hey, I'm no Cards fan. But I am a baseball fan after being a Reds fan.

Going 18-8 in September is nothing to sneeze at. Sure the Braves lost, but the Cards kept their foot on the gas pedal and kept the pressure on. I wolud hardly attribute this solely to the Braves choking. The Cardinals played good ball.

And the Reds's sleepwalking 12-14 record in Sept. solidified their non-contender status. That's where I direct my passion.

[PuffyPig]

Originally Posted by MikeThierry

Are you serious? Allen Craig, Daniel Descalso, Tony Cruz, half of their bullpen all came from the minors this season. Salas, who came from the AAA system, closed most of the year for them. In fact, if you look at the makeup of that roster, most of the players they have on that team were developed from their farm system. At least give credit where credit is due.

You typed an awful lot considering you missed the whole point of my thread.

The cards were playing those guys all season.

The point was that the Cards didn't bring up some minor leaguers to play them down the stretch for the future, they went with, more or less, the team that got them there.

The Card's didn't bring up any minor leaguers to get playing time down the stretch for development puroses becuase they no one to bring up. Because they were already there in some cases.

I didn't say they had no minor leaguers on the team.

Nor did I say anything about their farm system over the last 10 years.

[MikeThierry]

Originally Posted by PuffyPig

You typed an awful lot considering you missed the whole point of my thread.

The cards were playing those guys all season.

The point was that the Cards didn't bring up some minor leaguers to play them down the stretch for the future, they went with, more or less, the team that got them there.

The Card's didn't bring up any minor leaguers to get playing time down the stretch for development puroses becuase they no one to bring up. Because they were already there in some cases.

I didn't say they had no minor leaguers on the team.

Nor did I say anything about their farm system over the last 10 years.

Adron Chambers got two of the most important hits on the season for the Cards late in the year and he was a September callup. If Adron Chambers does not get those key hits, the Cards would not be in the position they are in now. Tyler Greene, Brandon Dickson, Shane Robinson, and Sanchez all got called up in the stretch run and contributed. I guess I don't understand what you are trying to point out here. Why would the Cardinals start minor league players (which they could have like Tyler Greene on a daily basis, which I called for by the way) when they were still scratching and clawing their way into wild card position? The Cards farm system, including AAA, does have talent and some of those players could have been used in the last month. It just didn't make sense in some cases to call players up if they were not going to get any playing time. We are talking about Tony LaRussa here.

Glad to see you are back up to speed in Homerism 101. Sort of like riding a bike, I guess.

Yeah clearly I'm a homer when I say that "I don't expect the Cards to win this series but I also don't expect them to get swept either." I guess for me to be a completely objective non-homer and go the Jerry Springer route, I should go all out and say "yeah, those dang Cardinals, they suck and are going to get swept by the Phillies. They are going to be blown out 25-0 in the first game". Geesh, you can't win for losing in here sometimes.

[MikeThierry]

Originally Posted by Reds/Flyers Fan

Yea, your organization exudes class, huh? What did that Brewers broadcaster say about your team again?

I see, so your perception of the Cardinals lack of class justifies you going all out on this board and be classless. Makes perfect sense.

[Blitz Dorsey]

The only bad thing about the Braves' collapse is that the Cardinals were the main beneficiaries. However, it was still funny. Yeah, we don't like the Cards, but I also dislike the Braves. So, whatever. The Cards will get swept by the Phillies anyway. But the NL Central is strong, baby. Hopefully this makes the Cardinals think they are better than they really are and they won't try and improve too much in the offseason. Course, after they're done signing Pujols (and believe me, they will) they won't have much money left for anything else.

[Matt700wlw]

Poor Astros. For the second year in a row, they're the vicitims of a clinch.

[MikeThierry]

Originally Posted by Blitz Dorsey

The only bad thing about the Braves' collapse is that the Cardinals were the main beneficiaries. However, it was still funny. Yeah, we don't like the Cards, but I also dislike the Braves. So, whatever. The Cards will get swept by the Phillies anyway. But the NL Central is strong, baby. Hopefully this makes the Cardinals think they are better than they really are and they won't try and improve too much in the offseason. Course, after they're done signing Pujols (and believe me, they will) they won't have much money left for anything else.

Considering that Wainwright will be back next season, that makes them automatically better even if they keep the same team. They have the best offense in the NL this season and if they add a Cy Young front line ace like Waino to the rotation, their win total should be about the same or better next year. I also think next year is the last year on Lohse and Westbrooke's contracts so you are talking about close to 20 million coming off the books in 2013 (god those were horrible contracts ) Berkman signed for only one year and I expect either Allen Craig or Matt Adams to take over full time in 2013. That is another 12 million off the books. Essentially you are looking at a total of about 32 million off the books by 2013 if the Cards decide not to resign Lohse, Westbrook, and Berkman at that point. By that time, the guys we have in the minors should be ready by then. Bottom line, much to your chagrin, the Cards won't be going away anytime soon.

[RFS62]

Originally Posted by MikeThierry

Considering that Wainwright will be back next season, that makes them automatically better even if they keep the same team. They have the best offense in the NL this season and if they add a Cy Young front line ace like Waino to the rotation, their win total should be about the same or better next year. I also think next year is the last year on Lohse and Westbrooke's contracts so you are talking about close to 20 million coming off the books in 2013 (god those were horrible contracts ) Berkman signed for only one year and I expect either Allen Craig or Matt Adams to take over full time in 2013. That is another 12 million off the books. Essentially you are looking at a total of about 32 million off the books by 2013 if the Cards decide not to resign Lohse, Westbrook, and Berkman at that point. By that time, the guys we have in the minors should be ready by then. Bottom line, much to your chagrin, the Cards won't be going away anytime soon.

Waino and Whino in the same rotation. It boggles the mind.

[Reds/Flyers Fan]

Originally Posted by MikeThierry

I see, so your perception of the Cardinals lack of class justifies you going all out on this board and be classless. Makes perfect sense.

You still can't seem to understand that this isn't a cardinals message board. In fact, I'm not sure you can grasp the concept that there are people who don't share your warm and fuzzy feelings for your favorite team.

And if you think Internet message board posts reveal anything about class, you so need to get out more.

Go Phillies! (oops, I guess that's not classy)

[Blitz Dorsey]

Originally Posted by MikeThierry

Considering that Wainwright will be back next season, that makes them automatically better even if they keep the same team. They have the best offense in the NL this season and if they add a Cy Young front line ace like Waino to the rotation, their win total should be about the same or better next year. I also think next year is the last year on Lohse and Westbrooke's contracts so you are talking about close to 20 million coming off the books in 2013 (god those were horrible contracts ) Berkman signed for only one year and I expect either Allen Craig or Matt Adams to take over full time in 2013. That is another 12 million off the books. Essentially you are looking at a total of about 32 million off the books by 2013 if the Cards decide not to resign Lohse, Westbrook, and Berkman at that point. By that time, the guys we have in the minors should be ready by then. Bottom line, much to your chagrin, the Cards won't be going away anytime soon.

I know, I know. Quit rubbing it in! Ha. (BTW: The Reds are going to be very good in 2012. If Walt actually does something to improve the club this offseason, unlike last year when he did nada. We're very close to having a playoff squad again; just need to make 1 or 2 key moves.)

[TeamBoone]

Originally Posted by reds1869

Congratulations to the Cardinals. It was an epic run. Now I hope they are done in three games.

Amen. I can never cheer for them; just can't.

[remdog]

Originally Posted by Reds/Flyers Fan

You still can't seem to understand that this isn't a cardinals message board. In fact, I'm not sure you can grasp the concept that there are people who don't share your warm and fuzzy feelings for your favorite team.

And if you think Internet message board posts reveal anything about class, you so need to get out more.

Go Phillies! (oops, I guess that's not classy)

Maybe they won't let him play on the Big Boy Cardinal Board.

Rem

[PuffyPig]

Originally Posted by MikeThierry

Adron Chambers got two of the most important hits on the season for the Cards late in the year and he was a September callup. If Adron Chambers does not get those key hits, the Cards would not be in the position they are in now. Tyler Greene, Brandon Dickson, Shane Robinson, and Sanchez all got called up in the stretch run and contributed. I guess I don't understand what you are trying to point out here.

No you clearly don't.

Someone mentioned that the Cards continued playing their regulars throughout September on a regular basis while the Reds played a number of propsects (Alonso, Francisco, Sappelt, Frazier) on a semi-regular basis. They werew suggesting that the kept tryiong to win while the Reds were happy to get their prospects playing time for development puposes.

My pouint was that the Cards may well have played certain prospects once they fell well out of the race; their failure top play guys like Peterson, Chambers, Dickson on a full time basis is because is because those guys will never ever be anything other than backups and plugs. They weren't given fulltime opportunity for that reason, not because the Cards wanted to continue going for it.