Soul

Oh, it's just the Cubs/Crew/StL for day games today? NL Central showdown day.

That lineup is alright. At least we have the 2 base hit combo of Fox, Murton and Jones :wink: Murton and DeRosa should be swapped Just creates more of a black hole at the bottom. I doubt it would make much difference at this point.

and this division also produced the WS champs last year in a sweep, and none of those teams in the AL are that impressive this year either. Ever heard of the Redsox? Yeah. They've been bleeding games off their division lead like a spaghetti strainer.

Only if "True Fans" = Stupid, gullible, hope-filled, Morons. Sure. I hate "true fan" talk. But I'm going to watch every game I get the chance to watch, regardless of the direction the next few weeks take. I think he was using "true fan" as the opposite of "bandwagon fan" Regardless it always annoys me. It's definition is vague and is almost exclusively used in a pretencious manner. It's also really popular with Yankees fans and a close cousin to "true Yankees". I don't like it either. "True Fan" usually = root like I root or you aren't a fan. Anyway, you know me by now. I'll watch if they're 30 games under .500. I'll just come here and be miserable, pissing everyone off in the process 8-) I'm trying to be better about that these days though.

This is bat guano crazy. The Cardinals ARE NOT GOOD. In addition to not being good they are trailing 2 other teams in the division. Yeah but they sucked last year too though. And lookitt what happened.

Couldn't Zell simply re-negotiate the share price of the buyout then? Or is it a given that the Trib wouldn't go for it?

That's just ignorant. 2003: 214.0 IP 136 ERA+ 2004: 209.7 IP 165 ERA+ 2005: 223.3 IP 131 ERA+ 2006: 214.0 IP 136 ERA+ 2007: 168.0 IP 116 ERA+ He's consistently pitched 200+ innings per year, put up an era+ in the 130's (with the exception of a down year this year, which is balanced out by his spectacular 04) That statement makes no sense. How can a player's performance 3 years ago make up for current struggles? '04 is lost & gone forever, who cares what happened back then? He's been very good every year of his career, with the exception of this year when he's been pretty good (based on OPS+). You seem to think that he lost his mental capacity to be consistent in the MLB this last offseason... '04 matters as much as '03, '05, an '06 because it shows he does have this mental capacity. That said, equating "mental capacity" with consistency needed to play in this league is silly, IMO. Yeah, I don't know if I would use the words "mental capacity" exactly. I would more just say there is something about Z that prevents him from becoming one of the very top pitchers in the league, and I'm not sure exactly what it is. Certainly the talent is there, and on any given night he can pitch as well as any top pitcher. i dunno. that's impossibly hard to quantify -- his potential to be truly premier. More importantly, I'm not sure it matters. Look at those ERA+ (lol, i called it OPS+ in my last post :oops:) numbers, look at his raw stats -- he's very good and he's on our team. Let's embrace that for as long we have him. Maybe we consider this "potential" thing later on, if he demands Premier Pitcher money... but that's another topic for another time :) If things drag out with the Cubs sale, we could be looking at the last days with Z as a Cub :cry: Yes, I think it's wise to enjoy Z as much as possible. Hopefully he can get it back on track and pitch better as we head into the stretch.

Funny thing is, the Cardinals "hot streak" is 7-7 in their last 14 games, and are just 10 days removed from a 5 game losing streak to the Pirates and Nationals. They have simply crept up on us due to the Cubs and Brewers being absolutely pathetic the last month or so. Hilarious. We are so handing this damn thing away on a silver platter. I'm sure Brewer fans feel the same too. Next year let's stay 8 1/2 back until mid August before starting our run, it'll work out better.

That's just ignorant. 2003: 214.0 IP 136 ERA+ 2004: 209.7 IP 165 ERA+ 2005: 223.3 IP 131 ERA+ 2006: 214.0 IP 136 ERA+ 2007: 168.0 IP 116 ERA+ He's consistently pitched 200+ innings per year, put up an era+ in the 130's (with the exception of a down year this year, which is balanced out by his spectacular 04) That statement makes no sense. How can a player's performance 3 years ago make up for current struggles? '04 is lost & gone forever, who cares what happened back then? He's been very good every year of his career, with the exception of this year when he's been pretty good (based on OPS+). You seem to think that he lost his mental capacity to be consistent in the MLB this last offseason... '04 matters as much as '03, '05, an '06 because it shows he does have this mental capacity. That said, equating "mental capacity" with consistency needed to play in this league is silly, IMO. Yeah, I don't know if I would use the words "mental capacity" exactly. I would more just say there is something about Z that prevents him from becoming one of the very top pitchers in the league, and I'm not sure exactly what it is. Certainly the talent is there, and on any given night he can pitch as well as any top pitcher.

All class. Oh get off your high horse. I made no comment about his dad other than hoping he'd get better. I'm not going to question the intent of your post (only you know that), but it came out very bad. It was very obvious that he wasn't going to get better; in fact, he was undoubtedly already dead when you made your post (Laura's post mentioning the announcement of his death came less than 10 minutes after your post, and it certainly takes more than 10 minutes before a death is announced publicly). Your post came off as a potshot at Cliff during a time of personal tragedy. It's certainly valid to complain about his loss of power, but this thread isn't the proper place for that. It's a potshot at Cliff's power, not Cliff. I honestly didn't know his Dad was in that much trouble, and I didn't think the comment was that offensive. But now that I realize some people found the post offensive, I will say that I am sorry I posted it. I don't hang around trying to find ways to offend people, despite how that post may have looked.

That's just ignorant. 2003: 214.0 IP 136 ERA+ 2004: 209.7 IP 165 ERA+ 2005: 223.3 IP 131 ERA+ 2006: 214.0 IP 136 ERA+ 2007: 168.0 IP 116 ERA+ He's consistently pitched 200+ innings per year, put up an era+ in the 130's (with the exception of a down year this year, which is balanced out by his spectacular 04) That statement makes no sense. How can a player's performance 3 years ago make up for current struggles? '04 is lost & gone forever, who cares what happened back then?

Yeah, quit caring about the team you love everyone.

Positive from tonight's loss: football season is right around the corner.

Meh. Apathy is setting in.

I gave up when they tied it at 9. I knew from there it would be a loss. Looks like I was right. Yeah, this team has really tanked. I can't say I didn't see it coming.

If they win it, it's at least as much because the Cubs & Brewers simply handed it to them as it is them winning anything.

Agreed. At least a couple inches off the plate. Wendelstedt must have a date or something after the game. Maybe he took the under on 14. :roll:

Dare I say it, he's looking comfortable up there. It's amazing what same playing time will do.... Don't jinx him now. Shhhh. :wink:

Soriano was keeping our starters together with his psychic powers though.

Brenly called that pitch perfectly.

Well....he looked at strikes 1 and 2 as well. so? i don't see how that matters. reds pitchers walked what 4 cubs that inning, a very difficult task. I know. He's just struggling right now I don't know what it is. Doesn't look comfortable right now. But yeah I'm not going to get out the crucifix and nails or anything.

Well there's a bomb. Sure wish it was before with 2 on though.

I'm frustrated by Lee right now too, but "clown"?

it's the cardinal mystique. oh yeah, and 10 bucks says the astros finish in second. They are going to be 3.5 out after tonight. They could be in first by Monday or sooner. It's makes me flippin' sick! The Cardinals don't make me sick, they know how to play good baseball when it comes down to crunch time. It's the Cubs that me sick. Brewers and the Cubs let them back into this race. They bascially conceded at the trade dead-line. Yep. Wasn't hard to smell blood these past 2 weeks, and they've taken advantage.....because they still have enough ballplayers who know how to get it done down the stretch.

It's our specialty to make bad pitchers look good.