Little Slide Rooter

Can we just accept that the Cardinals managed to put together a very good team in the past few months? Maybe it will get them a world series. Maybe it will get them a first round knock out and Matt Holliday and Mark DeRosa end up going there own ways and Brett Wallace becomes a superstar and it ends up looking bad for them in the long run, but at this point in time, the Cardinals are a very good team. At first, they were a decent/lucky teamin an awful division taking advantage of the Cubs and Brewers underperformance, and realized that they could take the division and run with the right pieces. Well they got those pieces, and thats what they seem to be doing.

more athletic and speedy sounds like another way of saying younger and less expensive. Question is, where are these speedy athletic players going to play? Soriano, Bradley, and Fukudome arent going anywhere. Ramirez is the cornerstone, and Lee shouldnt be traded.

Thanks Fred! Also, if Gorz has a terrible start, I could see him being pulled from the rotation with Z on his way back. Only 2 more late games... I cant see Gorz staying in the rotation even if he has a good start unless someone else ends up on the DL which really wouldnt shock me. Wells has earned his keep, and unless they decide to go with a 6 man rotation, Gorz is the odd man out.

I want no part of Orlando Hudson but would love to get Uggla from Florida. I know the defense is pretty bad but putting up those numbers in that park is pretty promising. Maybe Hendry/Lou give up on their lefty obsession and at least explore the idea. Offensively, Ugglas a really poor mans version of Adam Dunn, and defensively, hes just not very good.

Jon Garland and Billy Wagner have both cleared. Garland is of no use to us, but if we were a little closer to contention Id be interested in Wagner.

At this point, you really have to hang on to Gaub and Colvin, no question. Id really rather not let Castillo go either.

Is it me, or does a 5.24 ERA with a 1.16 WHIP look like a strange stat line? Looks like he doesnt let a lot of guys on base, but the ones that get one tend to score more often than not.

The Dodgers have been very beatable as of late. Their once 300 game divison lead has been whittled down to 3.5 by Jason Marquis and the Rockies. Maybe Im juts being over optimistic, but I think we can take 3 from these guys. At least a 2-2 split. Unfortunately, I cant see the Padres giving the Cards any trouble, so were playing to tread water here.

I know there may be references to 2006 but, all those journey-men garbage arms pitching out their collective minds are going to implode in the playoffs - provided they make the playoffs. That smoke and mirrors act has a funny way of turning around in the playoffs, seen it time and time again. They have 2 ace caliber pitchers in Carpenter and Wainwright, so that could be all they really need. The rest of that rotation is pieced together with a bunch of crap they found on the side ofthe road, but its ot like the Phillies have anything great after you get around Lee and Hammels.

i actually kinda like the hardy idea. he's a perfect buy-low option. I like Hardy too, but the problem is that when dealing with a division rival, I doubt wed be buying low.

The Brewers have officially been swept by the Pirates. Ouch. Of course about 4 hours from now, we'll probably have been swept by the Padres, and thats really not any better.

I just dont get why Lou did that. Kosuke was doing great at leadoff, then he decides to re arrange things.

Catcher bats 8th dude.

If they lose tonight, theres really no reason to cling to what little hope remains because we'll be lucky to take 1 from the Dodgers and The Cardinals will sweep through the Badres like contending teams are supposed to.

yeah i looked up their roster; apparently he's making the tour of the indy leagues now. last year he played for camden (about a one minute walk from my parents' place). great numbers there, actually: .333/.401/.549/.950. this year in the northern league he's at .327/.402/.542. there are probably a lot worse players on AAA rosters. Arent those indy leagues filled with old big leaguers who nobody wants anymore? Vets like Jacque Jones and Carl Everett and failed prospects like Bobby Hill? IM assuming it would be bettwe than your average AAA roster. Kind of like an entire league filled with Pirates and Padres type teams.

At least Cashners pitching today so theres something to look forward to.

Remember hes never been a full timer before. last year was the first time he played in over 100 games, and he put up respectable numbers. Considering the options, Id just assume go with him the rest of the way.

I already have a trip to Pittsburgh planned in September and have tickets to all 3 games... big mistake. I have tickets to one of the games in st. louis in september. I bragged earlier this year about how it was going to be great to stomp on st. louis' throats and kill their hopes of making the playoffs. looks like the jokes on me. I have tickets to one of the September games against the Brewers at Miller Park. At this rate we could be mathematically eliminated by that point. The Brewers should be long since as well, so you'll get to see some good old care free baseball.

They need upgraded offense from at least one of (probably more) LF, 2B and/or C next year also. I really don't believe they are a closer away from contending for a WS. Thats not going to happen though. They cant do anything with Soriano. They're going to have to give Soto another year to see if this was just a sophmore slump, and hopefully, he'll play winter ball. As for 2B, I dont know whats really available, so we may as well stick with Baker and Fontenot. The only moves I anticipate are a closer and maybe re signing Harden. I didn't say it's going to happen. Soriano isn't going anywhere and neither is Soto (nor should he). I'm just saying they need more from those positions if they're going to have a strong enough offense to compete. Soto has a very good chance to improve on this year's numbers (and hopefully stays healthy). They could have a chance to upgrade at 2B (or SS while moving Theriot to 2B) in the off-season if they move some money. I do agree, but this is a list of FA 2Bs and SS for 2010from MLBTR Second basemen Ronnie Belliard (35) Jamey Carroll (36) Alex Cora (34) Craig Counsell (39) Mark DeRosa (35) David Eckstein (35) Jerry Hairston Jr. (34) Orlando Hudson (32) Adam Kennedy (34) Felipe Lopez (30) Mark Loretta (38) Pablo Ozuna (35) Placido Polanco (34) Juan Uribe (31) Shortstops Orlando Cabrera (35) Alex Cora (34) Craig Counsell (39) Bobby Crosby (30) Adam Everett (33) Chris Gomez (39) Khalil Greene (30) Jerry Hairston Jr. (34) John McDonald (35) Marco Scutaro (34) Miguel Tejada (36) Omar Vizquel (43) I might be interested in bringing back DeRosa on a 1 year deal, and Tejada intrigues me as well. Orlando Hudsons might be an option, but I dont know how expensive hed be plus the last thing we need is another guy with a long injury history, and who knows how much of an upgrade hed even be over Baker/Fontenot. Other than that, theres really nothing else on that list. IN a semi related topic, I thought Eckstein was much older than 35 and Scuturo was much younger tha 34.

I dont know about the "greatness" that is Jeff Baker, but certainly the adequacy of Jeff Baker, or the not Mike Fontenot or Aaron Milesness that is Jeff Baker.

I really think we'll start playing better ball once we get back home to bad teams, but the problem is, I dont see us leaving that Dodgers series at least 8 games back.

Might I suggest 1. Fukudome 2. Theriot 3. Lee 4. Ramirez 5. Bradley 6. Baker 7. Soriano 8. Soto 9. Harden

The Iowa season ends Sept. 7, though I don't know if they have a shot at the playoffs or not. Once their season ends, leaving Shark in Iowa wouldn't do him any good. Yeah, but bringing him up wont do us any good either. You could say that for most of the guys on that list. Id rather have a guy who hasnnt proven he can do the job over a guy whose proven he cant.

The Iowa season ends Sept. 7, though I don't know if they have a shot at the playoffs or not. Once their season ends, leaving Shark in Iowa wouldn't do him any good. Yeah, but bringing him up wont do us any good either.