***Official 2016 STL Cardinals Thread***

[BigRedChief]

• 2011 World Series Championship
• 2012 NLCS. One win from another WS appearance.
• 2013 World Series. Two wins from another World Series Championship
• 2014 NLCS. Three wins from another WS appearance
• 2015 Central Division title. Won 100 games. Lost in the NLDS.
• Made the postseason 11 times in the last 15 seasons.
• 67 post season wins since 2004. 24+ wins more than any other team.

SI article on our off season, Gives us a "A". ??:
http://www.si.com/mlb/2016/02/12/win...ouis-cardinals

2015 III thread:
http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showthread.php?t=295296
2015 II thread:
http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showthread.php?t=293412
2015 I thread:
http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showthread.php?t=289085

[George Liquor]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

They're an 84-86 win team.

This idea that the entire season was going to be an inexorable march towards 95 wins has always been silly.

Of course they're struggling to get 10 games over - they shouldn't be. At best, they'll just sneak over it at the wire.

I know they aren't a great team and everything, but we've been 9 games over .500 like what, 8 or 9 times this year?

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by BDj23

I know they aren't a great team and everything, but we've been 9 games over .500 like what, 8 or 9 times this year?

9. But that's the nature of mediocre teams. They keep slumping as soon as they hit 9 games over to drop them down to 5 or 6, then they need to to play 4-5 games over for 15 days or win 5 in a row. Mediocre teams aren't capable of those things for a variety of reasons.

The Cardinals reasons are obvious - a streaky offense that can't score if they're not hitting bombs, a starting pitching staff that runs, I dunno, one deep and a bullpen with 2 reliable arms (Oh and Duke) plus Siegrist who is reliable in that you know he's going to give up a run in every close game.

And a moron manager.

10 games above .500 is an 86 win team. I said before the season that I thought they'd win 84. There's no reason to believe that this team should EVER hit 10 games over because they just aren't that good.

But the goddamn Giants and Mets aren't capable of putting anyone out of their misery. The wild card race this year is a complete shitshow.

[VAChief]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

9. But that's the nature of mediocre teams. They keep slumping as soon as they hit 9 games over to drop them down to 5 or 6, then they need to to play 4-5 games over for 15 days or win 5 in a row. Mediocre teams aren't capable of those things for a variety of reasons.

The Cardinals reasons are obvious - a streaky offense that can't score if they're not hitting bombs, a starting pitching staff that runs, I dunno, one deep and a bullpen with 2 reliable arms (Oh and Duke) plus Siegrist who is reliable in that you know he's going to give up a run in every close game.

And a moron manager.

10 games above .500 is an 86 win team. I said before the season that I thought they'd win 84. There's no reason to believe that this team should EVER hit 10 games over because they just aren't that good.

But the goddamn Giants and Mets aren't capable of putting anyone out of their misery. The wild card race this year is a complete shitshow.

It's basically all in with pocket 3's and a short stack.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

The Cardinals reasons are obvious - a streaky offense that can't score if they're not hitting bombs, a starting pitching staff that runs, I dunno, one deep and a bullpen with 2 reliable arms (Oh and Duke) plus Siegrist who is reliable in that you know he's going to give up a run in every close game.

I think that Reyes has the potential to give you 6-7 strong innings in game 1 of the NLDS if Martinez gets us past the wild card. That gives you Reyes and Martinez for 3 games in an NLDS.

I think if Wacha locates his fastball then with the changup, he can be effective for an inning or two in relief.

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

And a moron manager.

On this, we are in complete agreement.

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

But the goddamn Giants and Mets aren't capable of putting anyone out of their misery. The wild card race this year is a complete shitshow.

The Giants and Mets are playing worse than us. I think we get into the WC. We won a WS with 86 regular season wins. Just getting a WC seemed an improbability for most of the season. Get in the tournament and see what happens.

[George Liquor]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

9. But that's the nature of mediocre teams. They keep slumping as soon as they hit 9 games over to drop them down to 5 or 6, then they need to to play 4-5 games over for 15 days or win 5 in a row. Mediocre teams aren't capable of those things for a variety of reasons.

The Cardinals reasons are obvious - a streaky offense that can't score if they're not hitting bombs, a starting pitching staff that runs, I dunno, one deep and a bullpen with 2 reliable arms (Oh and Duke) plus Siegrist who is reliable in that you know he's going to give up a run in every close game.

And a moron manager.

10 games above .500 is an 86 win team. I said before the season that I thought they'd win 84. There's no reason to believe that this team should EVER hit 10 games over because they just aren't that good.

But the goddamn Giants and Mets aren't capable of putting anyone out of their misery. The wild card race this year is a complete shitshow.

I guess it does seem like we've been floundering around 6-9 games over .500 for an eternity. Get to 9 over, go on a 3 game losing streak, then go on a 3 game winning streak.

While i want to make the playoffs, I have $150 riding on having a better record than KC. I should able to pull that one out

And we are all in agreement that Matheny sucks.

[George Liquor]

Only 4 more years of Leake.

Also, why are we playing Wong in left field?

God, this team is reeruned

[DJ's left nut]

Holy God, that was amazing!

Play your 2b in LF and 3 batters into the game he steps on a landmine and literally lands on his face while trying to field a simple single. Then, because your 2b is in LF and you're playing a 3b at 2b, said 3b playing 2b can't get a routine DP ball out of his glove and it leads to 2 more runs eventually scoring.

Oh yeah, and in between throwing cock-shots at 89 mph, your $90 million mopup man is busy throwing wild pitches!

Please Cubs, put this God forsaken one who sucks the penis of a team out of its misery. It doesn't deserve a play in game and if they actually managed to win the thing, Manfred should just step in and contract the squad until November, giving the Cubs a free pass.

This team is a sack of microwaved dog shit. They're truly, truly horrible.

[Marcellus]

Please let this team miss the playoffs so I don't have to watch any more shitty baseball.

[kcpasco]

What is MM obsession with Peralta. He's a washed up bum.

[kcpasco]

Just 4 solo homeruns to get back in it. This teams inability to move base runners in laughably bad.

[George Liquor]

This is laughably reeruned that Matheny is starting Wong in left.

Like, I'm not even that savy of a baseball mind, and I'm dumbfounded by that.

What. The. ****.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by kcpasco

What is MM obsession with Peralta. He's a washed up bum.

I agree, it's that veteran thing again.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by BDj23

Only 4 more years of Leake.

Also, why are we playing Wong in left field?

God, this team is reeruned

Moss is hitting .089 in September. Pham hasn't done shit. Hazelbaker would have been a better choice. But they wanted Gyrko in which is fine except that he should have taken Peraltas place.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by kcpasco

Just 4 solo homeruns to get back in it. This teams inability to move base runners in laughably bad.

Yep that has nothing to do with a bad match up of Leake/Arietta.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

Moss is hitting .089 in September. Pham hasn't done shit. Hazelbaker would have been a better choice. But they wanted Gyrko in which is fine except that he should have taken Peraltas place.

Even if you insist on playing Peralta, you have a groundball pitcher on the mound, why the hell haven't you made your infield defense as stout as possible?

Yes, it should be Hazelbaker in LF, but Matheny manages out of fear and since Hazelbaker has been our best PHer, Matheny won't run the risk of starting him and then not having him to come off the bench in the late innings should the situation arise (because - idiot).

But even setting aside that bit of irrational stupidity, Peralta played LF in Detroit. Toss him out there - he can't be much worse than Moss and at least you'd get Wong back in at 2b.

Mike Matheny's just a dolt.