***Official 2015 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

• Made the postseason 10 times in the last 14 seasons.
• Only 1 losing season since 2000.
• Reached the World Series 4 times since 2004 and won as many championships (two) the past eight seasons as it did from 1965 to 2005.
• Made the NLCS 9 times including the last 4 years 2011-2014
• Three million attendance? Take it to the bank.
• 65 post season wins since 2004. 22+ wins more than any other team.

[bdj23]

Of course Jay GIDP

[O.city]

It's time for Wong to hit leadoff?

[kcpasco]

Well you couldn't ask for a better part of the lineup due up down by 1. Let's go Marp.

[O.city]

Bourjos base hit, carpenter walk off

[O.city]

Nostra

[O.city]

Nostradumbass

[O.city]

Reynolds can't strike out there

[kcpasco]

Originally Posted by O.city

Reynolds can't strike out there

That's what he does. I knew he would either K or blast the game winner.

He missed a hanger

[jd1020]

Not sure I could have finished watching the game if Castro didn't get that out.

[BigRedChief]

Cant win them all. Still battled back. This team has some spunk.

[Mi_chief_fan]

Originally Posted by jd1020

1 game sample size? That last 2 years he's been fielding around .970 in the minors and he's 22.

970?'Oh, well, I was waaaaaay off; and didn't he have like 40 errors in 1 season?

[Mi_chief_fan]

Yeah, he had a .976-once. Talk about SSS
http://www.baseball-reference.com/mi...d=baez--000jav

of interest: 2013, .932 fielding %, 44 errors combined
2014-.965, 15 errors (doesn't include MLB)
2015 so far: 2b .957, 1 error, SS .917 2 errors

So, yeah, God Awful might actually be kind.

[bdj23]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

Cant win them all. Still battled back. This team has some spunk.

I woke up to a bazillion text messages from a Cubs fan friend this morning. God, their fan base is gay.

[Swanman]

Originally Posted by BDj23

I woke up to a bazillion text messages from a Cubs fan friend this morning. God, their fan base is gay.

2-3 against the Cardinals. Hang a banner.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by O.city

Reynolds can't strike out there

Reynolds can't be left in there.

He WILL strike out there. Rondon is a hard throwing righty with a premier breaking pitch. Telling Reynolds he can't strike out there is pretty much telling a fish not to swim.

Don't expect Reynolds to be something he's not - he's instant power who will draw walks and strike out a lot.

It's not Reynolds fault that this team is playing without a vital bench component: a single 'professional hitter'. It needs someone Ty Kelly or even Dean Anna; a guy that can be called on in the late innings to put bat on ball and move guys up and over. Instead Matheny will continue to call on Reynolds and Grichuk against hard throwing RHers then be shocked when they strike out.

These guys are who they are and they are valuable for the things they do well. But they're bench guys - there are things they are not going to do well or they'd be starting. The key is to make a bench full of complementary skill-sets and then use them accordingly.

You could start by not having a 13 man pitching staff. Then you could get Pete Kozma off the roster and replace him with Anna's contact skills or even better, Kelly's plate discipline and ability to switch hit. You could also ditch Tony Cruz and bring Cody Stanley back up as he is both faster than Cruz and left-handed so he fits a dual role.

With Reynolds, Grichuk, Bourjos, Stanley and Kelly, you'd have 3 RH bats a lefty and a switch hitter. You'd have 2 guys with MASSIVE power, a guy with great plate discipline, a C with plus speed and Bourjos who's a premier defensive player and burner on the bases.

You'd have an actual complete major league bench at that point.

And you'd have at least gone to extra innings last night.

Mark Reynolds isn't to blame for that strikeout any more than a leopard is to blame for his spots. It's Matheny and Moe who have assembled a bench that leaves him out there to die against a guy he had very little chance to do anything against.