Soul

He's trash too Yeah, but he's trash that the league hasn't figured out quite yet. LaRussa's become a master at putting together winning seasons by using up guys like that and then throwing them away once they "get figured out." Mulder's a known quantity. I doubt they get any kind of boost from him, though it's hard to count anything out with St. Louis these days.

That's a good point. If we can't make a play for him (probably unlikely), I'd rather see him leave the division, definitely.

Milwaukee is a streaky team. Right now they're red hot, but the bottom can fall out without warning, especially with 7 road games coming up vs. Minnesota(the 1 team in baseball thats hotter than they are) and Arizona. The Demon Birds, on the other hand have been playing consistantly good ball since the begining, and show no signs of slowing, and thats with argueably the best player in the league injured and no pitchers anyones ever heard of. Now Phat Alberts coming back Thursday, and they're 4 games into their 6 game road trip in Boston and Detroit, which was supposed to be the beginning of their demise, and the worst they can do now is go 3-3. I don't see how you can draw that big a distinction between the chickadees and the drunks when they sit 1.5 games apart in the standings, and are actually both 2 of the better teams in baseball. They're both pretty darn good baseball clubs. We just happen to have found ourselves in one of the stronger divisions in baseball this year. If we want to win this thing, we're going to have to claw and scratch our way to it just like anyone else would have to. I don't see any 10-game margins in the standings any time soon, as some have predicted.

I still think the Crew are a better ballclub, and will prove that by the end of the year. However, I agree that nobody else in the NL has as good a shot at the WC as the 2nd place NL Central team. Certainly the WC won't be coming from the West. And none of those NL East teams impress me, though I guess one of them could make a run. As it stands right now, I expect 2 playoff teams from the NL Central.

Given his injury history, I think Sheets is taking a significant risk by not even listening if the Crew makes an offer. Not that the Brewers will make an offer -- but he said even if they did he wouldn't listen. Anyway, I'm sure the Brewers feel they have enough coming up to replace him.

You heard wrong. I've heard the same. Also heard that he was a huge apologist for a terribly run organization. Well you all heard wrong then. As for being an apologist for a terrible organization -- you wouldn't have found any announcer that is going to bash his employer back then. You'd have trouble finding that today. Brickhouse is a legend. You're probably just too young to know it, that's all (not meaning that in a negative sense, but if you didn't grow up with him on the TV every day you clearly wouldn't be able to understand).

your opinion is wrong. No, he is not wrong. I also like it. It's suppose to drive other fan's crazy. It's a perfect homer announcer call. It always was a stupid call, and it remains so today.

I'm not going to jump on one guy or the other. We just need to make sure it doesn't turn into a losing streak. Need to come back strong today and win. Because in case you haven't noticed, Milwaukee and St. Louis don't lose games anymore.

You heard wrong.

Judging by the limited amount of time I've seen Boggs pitch, they're probably better off sticking with him for awhile anyway.

Also, a heinous schedule and no conference championship game. If they go to the NC game again this year and get killed, something is going to have to be done about it. If they go undefeated, they'll have earned it since that would mean they went to LA and beat USC. If they can do that and then run the table, I'll have no problem with OSU being in the title game. Ugh, I just don't want to see them in the title game again this year. Someone needs to stop 'em. I'm not really a OSU hater, but someone else plz. I agree and I don't want to see them in the title game either. But if they go to LA and beat USC, they'll certainly have earned it. Badgers'll stop 'em at Camp Randall in an upset. I'm calling it right here. Hey, you gotta step out sometime. :mrgreen:

Yep, it should be mentioned again. They've rather quietly begun playing some good ball and only sit 5 games out. It would be nice to see them destroy the Cardinals. Very nice indeed.

Actually, 3 above Pythag is the second largest difference in the majors, behind the Angels, so...actually, they are lucky. Adjusted Standings relative to the league, sure. but they aren't 2007 D-Backs lucky True. Incidentally, it's kind of fun to watch the DBacks finally get back to being the team that they really are. Took nearly a calendar year for it to happen though.

I'm not ready to declare Marmol broken yet. He's always been a little wild, it's the extreme movement he gets on his pitches. I remember him struggling a little bit with control in years past, though certainly not this much. I prefer to think of this as just a blip on the radar, until proven otherwise. I noticed he's changed a few things this year compared to before. For example, I don't remember him using that "Fetters" look when he comes set before the pitch until this year. He's still kind of a young guy, he's experiencing his first great success in the majors -- maybe that throws him off enough that he needs to go back to the drawing board a little bit. Yes, I'm making up excuses, but I'm just not going to freak out about him after a couple wild performances. I want to see if he can get it back under control first before becoming really concerned.

I think that is very likely, but not a given. I also think we might see a career year from Aramis this season, being that his second half OPS is over 100 points higher than his first half OPS over the past 3 years, and how his new OBP friendly approach has improved his game. Maybe it's not a career year. Maybe ARam was saddled with Dusty's crappy hitting approach and will now take off for the next 3 years. Don't wake me up or I'll punch you :D

I'm one that was posting exceprts from WSI. But in all fairness, I've done it during game threads from other boards before as well, particularly from DodgerBlues during one of the Dodger series. Sometimes it's funny, interesting, nice, or whatever to see what the other fans reaction to the game is. I agree with that, in moderation.

Also, a heinous schedule and no conference championship game. If they go to the NC game again this year and get killed, something is going to have to be done about it. If they go undefeated, they'll have earned it since that would mean they went to LA and beat USC. If they can do that and then run the table, I'll have no problem with OSU being in the title game. Ugh, I just don't want to see them in the title game again this year. Someone needs to stop 'em. I'm not really a OSU hater, but someone else plz.

They better hope Mulder's holding back his good stuff, because that line is freaking putrid.

The performance of Ludwick, Schumaker and Miles notwithstanding the key point is they're not pitchers, barring any trades the St. Louis staff is going to be their undoing. The bullpen is currently 24 of 30 in ERA, we've seen some of it and its not good, the starters are 9 of 30 in ERA - with the likes of Looper, Lohse, Piniero and Mitchell Boggs (who is 2-0 despite issuing more BB's than K's along with more hits than IP and 3 HR's in 16.1 IP!) - do you really believe this group is going to keep this up? They made Jeff Weaver into a stud. They can and will keep it up. Considering Weaver's performances before and after his time with the Cardinals, Duncan should goto the HOF on that alone. because he had a good run in the playoffs? he was terrible in the regular season with them THANK YOU Ohh wahhh Jeff Weaver had a good 4 start run with the Cardinals, it's not fair. Personally, I think it'll be great if Mark Mulder comes back for the Cards this year. Is this really what we've come to fretting about? The dried up husk of Mark Mulder's career? I think Truffle was the one who mentioned it before, but if I'm looking at the realistic wild card possibilites, I'm definitely pulling for the Cardinals to get it so that we have a not very good team in the playoffs as a potential opponent. That would be fine with me as well. I'm definitely fretting about the Cards still playing good without Pujols. They get him back fairly soon. Mulder's been bad in his rehab assignments, we'll see if he has anything left. Wellemeyer is coming back too -- though I fear for the kid's arm and LaRussa doesn't really seem to care, so he might fall off a cliff. If we take this division by 10+ games like abuck seems to think then obviously that would be great. My main point is, it's not wise to underestimate your opponents, whether that be the Cards or the Crew.

Also, a heinous schedule and no conference championship game. If they go to the NC game again this year and get killed, something is going to have to be done about it. I'm all for adding a championship game to the Big Ten, or else adding a +1 format to the BCS. I wish they'd just stop with all the excuses and do it. There shouldn't be a way for a team to simply slide from their conference schedule right into the Championship game with no other buffer at all. No incentive for the Big 10 to do so though. They get 2 teams in the BCS every year by keeping the status quo. Yep, why change and lose millions (why I'm not that mad about ND not joining a conference). And OSU played the 53rd and 38th toughest schedules the last two years. By no means tough but not cupcakes either. How about someone doing something revolutionary and acting in the best interest of the sport instead of for their own selfish financial interests? Just a thought. That's a contradiction in terms. Whatever is in the best interest of the sport is whatever is going to create the biggest financial windfall. Then again the NCAA purports not to be a business which is a huge farce in and of itself. Although I would argue that instituting a playoff system makes everyone richer besides certain bowl committees. It's not a contradiction in terms. You basically agreed with me. Notice I said *SELFISH* financial interests.

Wright's OPS+ this year is 124, where ARam's is 141. Chipper's is off-the-charts ridiculous, 196!

EPatt is my new favorite youngun to root for. What a swing he laid on that ball last night. Mucho boosters to the kid :thumbsup:

Me likee. That's faaaaaaar from suckage (small sample size of course). He's going to be @ Iowa just in time for my trip down there! Coolness.

Also, a heinous schedule and no conference championship game. If they go to the NC game again this year and get killed, something is going to have to be done about it. I'm all for adding a championship game to the Big Ten, or else adding a +1 format to the BCS. I wish they'd just stop with all the excuses and do it. There shouldn't be a way for a team to simply slide from their conference schedule right into the Championship game with no other buffer at all. No incentive for the Big 10 to do so though. They get 2 teams in the BCS every year by keeping the status quo. Yep, why change and lose millions (why I'm not that mad about ND not joining a conference). And OSU played the 53rd and 38th toughest schedules the last two years. By no means tough but not cupcakes either. How about someone doing something revolutionary and acting in the best interest of the sport instead of for their own selfish financial interests? Just a thought.

LOL that's funny. Dusty's definitely never been accused of being a numbers guy.