indifferent

From an investment perspective, I'd much rather invest big money in a hitter than a pitcher. Ideally, I'd rather try to get great homegrown pitching like the Cubs and when they hit full blown free agency, move on. Any lengthy deal coupled with big money for a pitcher is asking for trouble in my opinion. But I'd do it for a great hitter, not a Beltre type with lofty expectations who puts it together for one year, but a Pujols or Ortiz type. Sure, you can get lucky, but pitchers are just more injury prone with a shorter window usually.

Anyone have any interest in meeting for the game tomorrow night? From what I've seen, two of the major Cards posters live in Chicago, but anyone is welcome to join me at Flannery's downtown to watch the game. Would like to meet Cubs fans there as well, although it'd be appreciated if Edmonds mascara comments were used moderately. Feel free to PM me.

That might be testament to XZero's post; enough Astros fans/trolls don't post enough? Tough to hate a fan base that isn't there?

Just barely into the Crawford boxes. You people can call me pathetic all you want, but the field is just a nightmare! If your players can't pull a couple of Pettitte pitches into those boxes over the course of 6 innings, you've got little room to talk. Feel better now? yep. Do you? Not even close, but it must feel better to be an armchair quarterback.

Just barely into the Crawford boxes. You people can call me pathetic all you want, but the field is just a nightmare! If your players can't pull a couple of Pettitte pitches into those boxes over the course of 6 innings, you've got little room to talk. Feel better now?

Just barely into the Crawford boxes. You people can call me pathetic all you want, but the field is just a nightmare!

What, you guys lose interest in the NLCS all of a sudden? Last I heard it was a 2-1 game in the 7th.

A Sox fan at work today called the Cards the Buffalo Bills of the baseball world. Ouch! Yeah, yeah, we're the Atlanta Braves, the 2001 Mariners, the Bills, all creative ways of insulting good teams who don't get it done in the end. Pretty soon, they're going to be calling similar teams the St. Louis Cardinals, then I'll really be steamed! :x

Many fields have the "in any other park" factor. The bottom line is that's a bogus excuse, and completely ridiculous to bring up when insinuating the other team didn't deserve credit for the win. If I concede my post was bogus and ridiculous, can I still make the observation that it accounted for two runs in a one run game? My entire post listed a ton of factors that could have made for a different outcome, most importantly IMO the umpiring. Am I frustrated my team couldn't capitalize on its opportunities? Sure. I just wish that was the only reason we lost. I still stick by my original conclusion that I'm glad it wasn't the clincher and that it was a frustrating game for a multitude of reasons.

This has to be the most assanine excuse out of the Cardinal fans that I have ever heard. Give me a damn break. You both play in the same stadium at the same time. Its not like the walls come in for the Stros while they are up and move back for the Cards. I think some of you Cards fans whining about "the joke of a ballpark" need to quit bitching and moaning about the size of the park, and worry about hitting over .200 with runners in scoring position. You know, you're right. I think Cardinal fans are the only fans that have ever lodged a complaint about Minute Maid or nick named it the Juice Box, etc. If you don't watch the game last night and say "Hmmm, Lane's HR would have been an outfield fly and Rodriguez would have had a HR in any other park", then I don't know what to tell you. Think the fact that the Astros play 81 games in Minute Maid has anything to do with their familiarity with the park's dimensions? And the point of my post was not to rant on and on about one event, I pointed out about seven events that could have changed the course of the game, some of which were the fault of the Cardinals. As far as Jimmy getting tossed goes, I really don't have an opinion one way or the other. I think you should get a little more leeway in the playoffs personally. Let's face it, Edmonds argues balls and strikes a lot closer than that one was throughout the course of the season and I don't recall him being tossed once. My beef was the egregious call on ball four that would have left the bases loaded for Pujols. I'll "tip my cap" to the Astros when it's deserved as it was in Game 2 and 3, just not Game 4. Now if they win another game and advance to the World Series, I'll be rooting for them and I won't dwell on last night's game. I'm just glad last night's game wasn't the clincher for them.

I know there's a lot of "gracious" Cards fans who are saying the reason we're losing is because we're not executing, hitting, etc. and just getting all around outplayed. Well, I'm not one of them. The whole series has been about scratching and clawing, close games, and neither team has done well with RISP. I am going kvetch about yesterday's game because it was a one run game that could have had a completely different outcome. Thus, the series would be tied 2-2 heading into tonight's game. Two opportunities squandered were a direct result of Cardinal gaffes. Marquis' bobble of Biggio's bunt ultimately resulted in the winning 2nd run. Pujols running from third with no outs in the 9th to be tagged out at home cost the Cards the tying run, no doubt. Two opportunities were out of the Cards control. The umps HORRIBLE call on Edmonds to make it a full count on what was clearly ball four and would have been bases loaded for Pujols in the 8th (not to mention the ejection). Then Edmonds is ejected after he was jobbed. Rodriguez comes in and hits what would have been a 3 run HR in any other park. Lastly this is the only subjective call IMO, I watched the replay several times and Mabry get there at the exact same time as the ball in which case he should have been safe. So I see it as 2 hung on the Cards, 1 and a half on the ump, and 1 on Minute Maid (2 if you count Lane's HR). Truly a distressing game if you're a Cards fan. The series game score is not indicative of the nature of this series at all. Lob all the Cards homer insults my way, call me in denial, but that's the way I see it.

So far no Cards starter has given up more than 2 ER in a playoff game. On the other hand, you have Clemens with five, Pettitte with five and three, and Oswalt with three. We need to tweak the bullpen and right now that means very modest use of Tavarez. Our starters need to go deeper into the games and get the ball to Izzy. In the regular season, our bullpen had a 3.22 ERA to Astros 3.66. I know you're not using your last bullpen guys and we're missing Reyes, but I don't see enough evidence to give a defacto nod to Astros starters and bullpen. Plus, we've added a valuable Marquis in relief. We'll also see how Sanders is affected by his outfield mishap. He's hardly been weak in the post season, minus the last game against Oswalt who no Card could hit. I'd say his 12 RBIs give Pujols enough protection. Granted, Walker is a question mark. If I were the Cards, I'd think long and hard about giving Walker's spot to Taguchi, batting him second and moving Edmonds to the cleanup spot. Edmonds has been far from effective, but we are playing the next three games in Minute Maid.

Note to Angels, change Rally Monkey to dancing corn.

Nice call on the pitch out, nice fundamentals by LAA.

Great game! Byrd was battered his first start and Angels hugely disadvantaged by having to travel to the game after finishing late last night. Angels take an early lead and the Sox battle back to get within one through five.

Locked and loaded, go Angels! I'll be interested to see what Washburn can contribute. MIA so far in the playoffs.

OK, now you're taking it a wee bit far.

Hatred by some. Healthy respect for most. Same is true for me and the Astros. I agree, Cubs/Cards 'hatred' is mostly a myth. There are some bitter fans on both sides but mostly it is a healthy, friendly rivalry. I guess I just got a different impression from reading the Cards' boards. Different audience/membership, but I can definitely see why you'd get that impression. The ironic thing is if Dusty was gone, it would take whatever teeth remain in the "hatred" of the baseline Cards fan, plus it would benefit the Cubs.

Don't want to jinx him, but Garret Anderson picked a good time to come alive.

Yankees D strikes again!

Just tuned into the game, why is Colon out/Santana in?

:lol: Oh yes, I'm reminded daily why I continue coming here!

Indifferent signing in as very much not indifferent. Chalk one resounding vote up for the Cards!

I cannot believe ESPN's treatment of the White Sox tonight. If I were a White Sox fan, I'd be livid! It's not like they took down the defending World Series Champs in 3 or anything! Or the first to clinch the LDS? Larry Bowa's and Brantley's comments were the only thing saving that broadcast from blasphemy!

Molina's are strong breeding stock! :wink: