indifferent

Haha. you're so becoming a Cub-fan. I give it no more than 10 months till you're sporting a 1979 Dennis Lamp throwback jersey and special ordering Old Style by the case. Blasphemous! You also don't know the extent that I enjoy Cubs losses.

I'll do you one better. I'm despondent the Cards lost today. But I like enough people on here that I'm happy for them, especially behind a pitching effort from an old pro. It's tearing me apart. I'm sure I'll get over it quickly if the trend continues.

Sigh...how is it that hecklers from our arch rival are able to have real conversations with our players while the rest of us are left drooling with envy. Such is life...although thanks for sharing.

Looks like you're rocking the 80's to me.

In spring training, a little kid was saying "Let's go, Redbeard"! Spiezio cracked a grin at the plate. I hate that he's on our team though.

That's why Lee > Pujols. Yep, that's why.

I'm glad we're getting our punching bags out of the way today. Have fun with Looper.

Who? Juan or Jacque? Can I be the founder of the "Release Juan Encarnacion Bandwagon," by the way? Maybe CardsFanInChiTown and I can be co-founders since we both seem to hate him more than most. I'm in. Awesome. Anyone else? I'm in also, never a JuanE fan. BTW, I meant he'll never live up to his "damage" nickname.

Somehow I think he'll never live up to his nickname.

When are they going to end poor Pettitte's misery? Geez.

I'm in a 12 team 5x5 league and I have Murton on my bench (bummer after yesterday). Question is would you activate him over one of my other starting outfielders, Bay, Griffey, Ichiro, or I have Hermida as my utility guy?

Vance, a new lid's coming your way. Spivey's all but been released (especially if he doesn't accept assignment to AAA).

Vance, a new lid's coming your way. Spivey's all but been released (especially if he doesn't accept assignment to AAA).

Also, what do you do about guys you drafted who were sent down, especially if you're in a thin league (i.e. the Delmon Youngs, the Ryan Churches, even the Anthony Reyes' of the world) and assuming they'll be called back up shortly? Should you just drop them?

Also, having read transaction rules, any off roster move (add/drops, trades, etc). have to made prior to midnight the day before in order for them to take effect, but intraroster moves (like activating and benching a player only have to be done 5 min. before their game time to count?

That's what I do, I figure the benefit in the counting categories outweighs the risk of hurting you in the rate categories if the other player isn't as good. So for example, I should replace a player (even though he's a better player) if he doesn't have a game that day with a bench player that has a game as a rule? And pitching wise, I should activate pitchers on the day they pitch and activate bench pitchers on other days (assuming I should start my closers every day they have a game)?

This is my first year in Yahoo leagues. Especially given the days off for many teams this week, should I be changing my offensive players and pitchers who aren't pitching every day?

Per LaRussa from STL Today 4/2: "I'm going to go in there and try to win the first series," La Russa said. "I know Aaron is going to play the first game. If he does a nice job, he'll out there for the second. If he doesn't do a good job, someone else will play. Doesn't sound like a ringing endorsement to me.

It's all a matter of how likely it is that they can rescuse the dried up husk of Ponson's career though. From my viewpoint, it's not too likely. I think the Cards front office may have more faith in Duncan's ability to rescue Ponson's career than develop Reyes'. Or it's Duncan's preference and call.

My intent wasn't to start yet another Ponson v. Reyes thread. I think the article was complete BS. And what's with the whining about TLR puts players on his team that he thinks can help him win a World Series? Yeah, and? I don't think LaRussa or the organization is any more reluctant to play youth than any other team in their position (in contention). He's played numerous rookies in high profile spots and otherwise.

13 ST innings did Reyes in? They seemed to have mattered more than the 13.1 innings he pitched at the ML level last season. What's the difference, they're still small sample sizes. Apparently the Cards looked at Haren's performance in 04 (including the horrid outing against the Cubs) and determined he was not starting pitcher material, so he was included in the Mulder deal. I'm sure we'd like a mulligan on that one.

This was posted on Cards Talk and I thought it was interesting regarding any teams philosophy to minor leaguers vs. veterans. Quote: The third example comes from a close family member of another Cardinal player who didn’t make the cut in 2006. It is worded very strongly and was not represented as the view of the player himself. Yet, it puts in print what many have suspected for a long time. Whether right or wrong, accurate or inaccurate, if there is smoke, could fire be far away? Said the family member, “First of all, La Russa always goes with what he thinks is going to get him to the World Series. Good for the City of St. Louis, bad for young players with potential. “La Russa brings in older pitchers/players with experience, who are used to these situations, and they make the best of it. Young players who they like are filled with great hope and are told they have what it takes and to hang in there cause their time will come. “With as many older players (especially pitchers) as they bring in, the younger ones have no hope unless they show star quality. In my opinion, the team paves the road for failure. How about saying, “Hey you’re on the team, go out there and pitch” and take a little of the pressure off? “The pressure on making a La Russa team, unless you’re over 30, has to be immense. I feel sorry for all the young talent in the organization. “If it were me, I would do anything possible to be traded to a team that lets youth play. Believe me, what they did to (Anthony) Reyes was insulting. To all the young players in the organization, I would say, “Remember this when you become a free agent”,” said the family member in closing. http://forums.stltoday.com/viewtopic.php?t=347222

I don't know, you have this from Christina Kahrl of BP: Quote: Okay, as much as I know that Reyes losing out to Sidney Ponson might inspire some panicking in the streets, I'm just not that disappointed about this. First, it does take whatever Opening Day jitters might come with Reyes winning the job in camp off of the table--some people in the game like working rookies into things after the season's started, and after they've taken the edge off with a little bit of initial work in Triple-A, and no, that's not all about manipulating service time. Second, as I stated earlier this winter, if anybody's likely to successfully retread Ponson, it's pitching coach Dave Duncan. Third, it's only the fifth slot that we're talking about, and given how weak the rest of the division looks, the Cardinals can afford to experiment to see if they've got something for nothing here. As long as they don't get too carried away, and are willing to cut bait on Ponson if he has a bad first month, there's really not a lot of initial downside, just some prospect maven heartbreak. While not a ringing endorsement for Ponson, a rational argument. and you have this from Gleeman at THT: 19) Anthony Reyes, St. Louis Cardinals Position: Starter | Throws: Right | DOB: 10/16/1981 | Career Stats YEAR LVL G GS IP ERA H HR SO BB 2004 A 7 7 36.2 4.66 41 5 38 7 AA 12 12 74.1 2.91 62 3 102 13 2005 AAA 23 23 128.2 3.64 105 13 136 34 MLB 4 1 13.1 2.70 6 2 12 4 Of all the pitching prospects on this list, Anthony Reyes is perhaps the most ready to immediately succeed in the majors. Reyes has struggled to stay healthy dating back to his days at USC, but when he's been on the mound few prospects have been better. In 239.2 career minor-league innings Reyes is 16-8 with a 3.57 ERA and spectacular 276-to-54 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He posted a 3.64 ERA in 23 starts at Triple-A last season, holding opponents to a .222 batting average with a fantastic 136-to-34 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 128.2 innings. Reyes is a fly-ball pitcher who has given up a fair number of homers, but that doesn't appear to be a major issue. Reyes made his big-league debut against the Brewers on August 9, holding Milwaukee to two runs over 6.1 innings for the win. He later made three relief appearances and ended his first taste of the majors with a 2.70 ERA and 12-to-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 13.1 innings. Reyes competed against Sidney Ponson for a rotation spot this spring and inexplicably lost, so he'll head back to Triple-A and wait for an injury. He's likely the Cardinals' third-best starter as you read this, so don't expect his days in the minors to drag on for much longer.

Very true. As bad an idea as this sounds, its (right now) their best option. I'd bat Rolen second. Best idea I've heard all day. I have no problems with Edmonds batting 4th and Encarnacion batting 5th if it means Rolen batting 2nd. Not to mention, it's a good way back for a guy that is still recovering his power/shoulder strength.