Brewers @ Cards 6:05 ESPN - 7/21 Other Games

[TysonCBulls423]

Might as well have a game thread up for this one too. It starts early and might be over before we start playing. Scheduled pitchers are McClung and Piniero.

 

So what's the consensus around here for this series? Split would be ideal but if one team wins 3/4, who would you prefer to win those games? I firmly believe the Brewers are much more talented than the Cards but I can't stomach how annoying the Cards have been this summer.

[XZero771679666304]

Might as well have a game thread up for this one too. It starts early and might be over before we start playing. Scheduled pitchers are McClung and Piniero.

 

So what's the consensus around here for this series? Split would be ideal but if one team wins 3/4, who would you prefer to win those games? I firmly believe the Brewers are much more talented than the Cards but I can't stomach how annoying the Cards have been this summer.

 

 

If one team has to win, go Cards.

[UMFan83]

I actually have no idea who I want to win at this point. So honestly, I'm not going to watch the game because either way I'm going to be pissed off at the result.

[imb]

im personally hoping for a cardinals sweep

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Split or Cards winning 3/4 for me. However, I think the Brewers sneak out with one of the first two and make it tough for the Cards to get a split with Sabathia and Sheets in the back end of that series.

[Vinestal]

Its kind of a no lose situation as long as the Cubs win they'll gain ground on someone. I tend to hope the Cardinals sweep in a way due to the impending Cardinal colapse. You just cant take a bunch of crappy players off the junk heap and expect to make the playoffs. A large portion of those players have to revert back to near career norms causing a long losing streak at some point. It boggles the mind how many minor league journeymen and mediocre-to-crappy majorleaguers they have playing way over there heads. 1 or 2 of these types is not unheard of but comprising half your roster with them... thier luck cant hold out.

[CubsBears29]

Its kind of a no lose situation as long as the Cubs win they'll gain ground on someone. I tend to hope the Cardinals sweep in a way due to the impending Cardinal colapse. You just cant take a bunch of crappy players off the junk heap and expect to make the playoffs. A large portion of those players have to revert back to near career norms causing a long losing streak at some point. It boggles the mind how many minor league journeymen and mediocre-to-crappy majorleaguers they have playing way over there heads. 1 or 2 of these types is not unheard of but comprising half your roster with them... thier luck cant hold out.

 

Everybody keeps saying that, but "I'll believe it when I see it".

[Derwood]

at this point, I just consider teh Cardinals to be "good" until they prove otherwise

[mtozz]

Its kind of a no lose situation as long as the Cubs win they'll gain ground on someone. I tend to hope the Cardinals sweep in a way due to the impending Cardinal colapse. You just cant take a bunch of crappy players off the junk heap and expect to make the playoffs. A large portion of those players have to revert back to near career norms causing a long losing streak at some point. It boggles the mind how many minor league journeymen and mediocre-to-crappy majorleaguers they have playing way over there heads. 1 or 2 of these types is not unheard of but comprising half your roster with them... thier luck cant hold out.

 

Its the same comments, year after year. Its more funny than it is annoying. Hey I understand being a superfan for your team, but these comments come off making the author sound silly and not well informed.

 

Yeah Im a Cardinal fan. Sometimes you find relevant debate and information, more often you dont, like the above.

 

On that note, what would say to a four gamer with the Brew, now with the improved top of your rotation. Going in would you take a split and move on (depending how the rotations are set up)? Four gamers are a pain usually. Good luck everyone.

[CubinNY]

A split and the Cubs sweep (and win over the Marlins) and the Cubs are 4 up on the Cards and 5 up on the Brewers heading into the weekend.

 

That's best case.

[Little Slide Rooter]

I dont know if Id prefer a series split, or for one of them to sweep. Yeah, if we win the next 4, and either the Cards or Brewers sweep, then we dont gain any ground on 1 team, but we push the other to 6 or 7 back, depending on who gets swept, but if we win the next 4, and they split, then were up by 4 on the Cards and 5 on the Brewers. I think Id prefer to keep one close, and have the other fall down a few rungs. A few weeks ago, Id have hoped for teh Cards to sweep becuase the Brewers are the bigger threat, but now, I think they're pretty equal. I guess the important thing is the Cubs winning the next 4.

[CubColtPacer]

I'm hoping for a sweep in the Cards-Brewers series just because of the WC issue. If all 3 teams were fighting for 1 spot, I'd hope for a split. But all 3 teams could very well be fighting for 2 spots (unless 2 NL East teams keep playing better than the NL central teams and pass them). So if 1 of these teams sweeps, the Cubs will have a more significant lead on getting a playoff spot than if a split happens.

[SouthSideRyan]

Go Cards 3/4

[mtozz]

Agree with the poster saying basically the Cubs just need to take care of their own business (same for other teams).

 

Question, with what the Cubs have at #1 and #2 pitcher, what if/when Cubs play the Brew....would you feel good about a split of a four game series. Kind of hard to say depending how the pitch matchups get set up.

[berniebrewer4life]

For obvious reasons, i'm hoping for the brewers to steal one of the first two, and win both of CC and Ben's starts. Of course, knowing the cardinals, they will lose the first two, then destroy the "aces" of the brewers rotation. That being said, there is really no way you guys don't gain ground here, especially when looking at who you are facing pitching-wise.

[CubinNY]

Agree with the poster saying basically the Cubs just need to take care of their own business (same for other teams).

 

Question, with what the Cubs have at #1 and #2 pitcher, what if/when Cubs play the Brew....would you feel good about a split of a four game series. Kind of hard to say depending how the pitch matchups get set up.

 

"Taking care of business" should not even be in the equation. If it is, it doesn't really matter what the Card/Brewers do. I'd take a split depending on where the Cardinals were in the standings.

 

At this point the Card/Brewers need to win and not tread water. The longer they tread water the less it matters what the Cubs do (barring a collapse).

[jersey cubs fan]

Its kind of a no lose situation as long as the Cubs win they'll gain ground on someone. I tend to hope the Cardinals sweep in a way due to the impending Cardinal colapse. You just cant take a bunch of crappy players off the junk heap and expect to make the playoffs. A large portion of those players have to revert back to near career norms causing a long losing streak at some point. It boggles the mind how many minor league journeymen and mediocre-to-crappy majorleaguers they have playing way over there heads. 1 or 2 of these types is not unheard of but comprising half your roster with them... thier luck cant hold out.

 

Its the same comments, year after year.

 

Like last year when they finished under .500? Prior to last year they weren't a roster of scrap heap players, they were damn good.

[mul21]

Its kind of a no lose situation as long as the Cubs win they'll gain ground on someone. I tend to hope the Cardinals sweep in a way due to the impending Cardinal colapse. You just cant take a bunch of crappy players off the junk heap and expect to make the playoffs. A large portion of those players have to revert back to near career norms causing a long losing streak at some point. It boggles the mind how many minor league journeymen and mediocre-to-crappy majorleaguers they have playing way over there heads. 1 or 2 of these types is not unheard of but comprising half your roster with them... thier luck cant hold out.

 

Its the same comments, year after year. Its more funny than it is annoying. Hey I understand being a superfan for your team, but these comments come off making the author sound silly and not well informed.

 

Yeah Im a Cardinal fan. Sometimes you find relevant debate and information, more often you dont, like the above.

 

On that note, what would say to a four gamer with the Brew, now with the improved top of your rotation. Going in would you take a split and move on (depending how the rotations are set up)? Four gamers are a pain usually. Good luck everyone.

 

I can understand being annoyed at something like this in years past, but the Cards have a bunch of journeymen having career years this year. Miles, Ludwick, Lohse, Pineiro, Wellemeyer, and Schumaker are all having career years. I'll give on Ankiel because he's still learning how to hit and how to be a ML player, but the rest are just playing out of their minds. In other years, yeah, that would be a dumb statement, but this year you can't deny it's true unless you're wearing those Cardinal colored sunglasses.

 

Maybe these guys have all discovered something that is making them better (no, I'm not talking PEDs) and will continue to be as good as they have been this year, but somehow I doubt that will happen. That's why so many people, experts included, are so shocked by the Cards performance this year and continue to expect them to regress. I hope they do, but maybe they don't. It'll be a fun 2.5 months to the end.

[mjohnson71]

I guess we should be rooting for a 2-2 split for the series? It's tough but I guess that's the way to go.

[Ryne_MacGyver]

I'm hoping for a sweep in the Cards-Brewers series just because of the WC issue. If all 3 teams were fighting for 1 spot, I'd hope for a split. But all 3 teams could very well be fighting for 2 spots (unless 2 NL East teams keep playing better than the NL central teams and pass them). So if 1 of these teams sweeps, the Cubs will have a more significant lead on getting a playoff spot than if a split happens.

This is what I'm thinking too...I would absolutely love the Cards to make the playoffs over the Brewers. I'm sure the rest of the NL agrees too. That said, I might develop an ulcer if the Cards stay this close to us for the rest of the season.

[Derwood]

For obvious reasons, i'm hoping for the brewers to steal one of the first two, and win both of CC and Ben's starts. Of course, knowing the cardinals, they will lose the first two, then destroy the "aces" of the brewers rotation. That being said, there is really no way you guys don't gain ground here, especially when looking at who you are facing pitching-wise.

 

you would have thought that in the Cubs/Astros series too, but we saw how that turned out

[CubinNY]

I'm hoping for a sweep in the Cards-Brewers series just because of the WC issue. If all 3 teams were fighting for 1 spot, I'd hope for a split. But all 3 teams could very well be fighting for 2 spots (unless 2 NL East teams keep playing better than the NL central teams and pass them). So if 1 of these teams sweeps, the Cubs will have a more significant lead on getting a playoff spot than if a split happens.

This is what I'm thinking too...I would absolutely love the Cards to make the playoffs over the Brewers. I'm sure the rest of the NL agrees too. That said, I might develop an ulcer if the Cards stay this close to us for the rest of the season.

 

CCP's logic does not take into account the teams in the NY East. Whomever does not win the NL Central will be fighting with at least two other teams for the WC spot. Therefore, the Cubs need as much distance between themselves and the two other teams behind them in their division.

 

If they go on a 14-6 or 13-7 run that takes them to the second week of August, they should have the division wrapped up. Not likely, but a boy can dream.

[David]

Its kind of a no lose situation as long as the Cubs win they'll gain ground on someone. I tend to hope the Cardinals sweep in a way due to the impending Cardinal colapse. You just cant take a bunch of crappy players off the junk heap and expect to make the playoffs. A large portion of those players have to revert back to near career norms causing a long losing streak at some point. It boggles the mind how many minor league journeymen and mediocre-to-crappy majorleaguers they have playing way over there heads. 1 or 2 of these types is not unheard of but comprising half your roster with them... thier luck cant hold out.

 

Its the same comments, year after year.

 

Like last year when they finished under .500? Prior to last year they weren't a roster of scrap heap players, they were damn good.

 

Eh... 2006? Maybe they were somewhere in between, I guess.

[Ryne_MacGyver]

I'm hoping for a sweep in the Cards-Brewers series just because of the WC issue. If all 3 teams were fighting for 1 spot, I'd hope for a split. But all 3 teams could very well be fighting for 2 spots (unless 2 NL East teams keep playing better than the NL central teams and pass them). So if 1 of these teams sweeps, the Cubs will have a more significant lead on getting a playoff spot than if a split happens.

This is what I'm thinking too...I would absolutely love the Cards to make the playoffs over the Brewers. I'm sure the rest of the NL agrees too. That said, I might develop an ulcer if the Cards stay this close to us for the rest of the season.

 

CCP's logic does not take into account the teams in the NY East. Whomever does not win the NL Central will be fighting with at least two other teams for the WC spot. Therefore, the Cubs need as much distance between themselves and the two other teams behind them in their division.

 

If they go on a 14-6 or 13-7 run that takes them to the second week of August, they should have the division wrapped up. Not likely, but a boy can dream.

He did mentioned that...

[mtozz]

mul21..good stuff. We could go around in circles all day.

 

What the experts and Cub fans miss is, no body on this end are saying those you named the best players in the league. On the contrary, calling some of them trash, and all the luck comments are foolish.

 

So a guy was stick in the minors because LaRussa prefers the name vets over young players...well that has changed drastically. His hand has been forced that way as the team committed to rebuilding the farm and longer term organizational development. The old veteran style worked for and against us, and it will to anyone. And maybe a guy is dectn ballplayer but just was on a poor team, poorly managed whatever. Point is because someone isnt top of the list, or a name you dont know, its foolish to be so dismissive. Except for the blind loyalty of a fan.

 

Everyone rants about the Cards pitching every year. If they bothered to learn why a former average/mediocre pitcher improves here. Two words...Dave Duncan. He gives those guys a complete pitch by pitch game plan for every batter, every game. If the pay attention, the excel. He gets them to pitch to the ground ball. If not (see J. Marquis) they fail. When he leaves, we are screwed big time and will have to buy the names like everyone else.

 

Anyway. The Brewers have built a solid core and now are gonna buy the parts to maybe make it work. On paper, scary yes. But it all has to work together, otherwise its just a colelction of high priced babeball cards.