The 12th of FOX Sports Midwest’s live chats of the 2010 season will be held throughout Wednesday afternoon’s Cardinals-Brewers series finale. Join in the discussion with me and the FSM personalities.
You can participate via the frame to be added below or through FOX Sports Midwest’s website.
Adam Wainwright (17-6, 1.89) faces Randy Wolf (9-9, 4.86) as the Cards try to split the home series and work toward regaining the NL Central lead.
Wednesday’s first pitch is scheduled at 1:15 P.M. Central with pre-game starting at 12:30.
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Today’s lineups:
Cardinals
Lopez 3b
Jay cf
Pujols 1b
Holliday lf
Craig rf
Molina c
Miles 2b
Wainwright p
Ryan ss
If Adam pitches well today, but fails to get his 18th win, heads are going to roll…
2-IP – 24 pitches, 1-H, 0-ER, 3-SO and 1 induced DP…
I’d say that Adam is well on his way to another CG and Shut-Out…
All right, Allen… That’s how a 4.50+ Major League mediocre pitcher gets a AAAA batter on called strikes
Our second AB is another demonstration of how an elite offense turns a mediocre pitcher into an ace sensation (Wolf has gone through 2 innings on only 20 pitches)!
It is fitting that Adam should be the first batter of our offense to get a hit today…
With only 32 pitches in 3 innings, we’re makin Wolf (4.50+) look like a future Hall of Famer!
Adam’s strike-out of Fielder was masterful!
Low-and-in, low-and-out are the two glaring weaknesses of McGehee (he hits less than .200 in both areas): Adam restricted his pitches to both and got him to ground-out….
The mediocre Wolf is challenging our Boppers and he’s mowing them down
After 4 innings, Wolf’s pitch count is only 45… The crowd at Busch Stadium is just as silent as our offense…
What a damned shame! It all began with the steal of 3rd base…
Ya gotta admire Yadier’s effort…
Another beautiful Cardinal DP, but alas…
Imagine that! A base hit for Allen Craig! It wasn’t hit very well, but the ball landed short of Hart’s glove…
Yet another beautiful DP: All we need now is some offense…
IP-6 H-5 ER-1 BB-1 SO-7
…A quality start!
Adam will pitch one more inning and if he should not get his 18th victory today, heads are going to roll! Let us hope that at least one of our Boppers will do some damage the 3rd time through…
That was a very weak throw from Craig and the result was another run against us…
Our offense is inconsistent and we have a weakness on the left side of our infield. Quick! Let’s get rid of Ludwick and get another starting pitcher! THAT will solve the problem…
We screwed Adam and Chris before Westbrook and we’re screwing them after Westbrook.
At least Blake is giving us his third consecutive great outing, but alas… great pitching is trumped time and again by a weak and impotent offense…
Give Brendan the Academy Award!
Give Brendan also a pat on the back. We’ll take a base any way that we can get it!
Back-to-back, we’ve given Bush and Wolf (both 4.00+ mediocres) their best starts of the season…
Thank you, Albert! Even though you didn’t bother to run, at least we won’t lose without making an extra base hit.
Thanks to Matt’s double (and another misplay by Ryan Braun), we won’t get shut-out…
Beware the Axe Man…
Did the Boppers set it up for the small-ballers or did the Brewers give one out after another to us? ‘Twas an error on Fielder that time, but still a heads up AB by Aaron and another run for us…
Hell, if the Brewers want to give us the game, we’ll take it!
Here’s Colby’s big, big opportunity!
Wow! The Axe Man is actually frightened by Colby! He walked him! Now, a shaken Axford is being relieved by the legend, “Hell’s Bells”!
Brendan has more than a few clutch hits in his history…
The legend saved it for them and we’re facing the Giants while we’re stuck in the rut of a four game losing streak…
I am in awe of Adam and disgusted with our offense…
“Our offense is inconsistent and we have a weakness on the left side of our infield. Quick! Let’s get rid of Ludwick and get another starting pitcher! THAT will solve the problem…”
from
“CARDS PLAYING UNINSPIRED BALL”
by Adam Eberlin
“Now I’m not counting the Cards out of the race just yet, but if they continue to play the way they are now, come October they’ll be able to watch the playoffs from the comfort of their homes. Then again, it doesn’t look like that would bother this team.”
http://www.redbirdscountry.com/2010/08/cards-playing-uninspired-ball/
How come there are two game threads today?
I noticed that Tony pinch hit for Craig during the key ninth inning rally. No problem pinch hitting for Craig, but if you don’t want a guy up there with the game on the line why do you have him hitting fifth? I might make the same point about the number two hitter. 2-3-4-5 should be the guys you go to war with. Pinch hit for your .220 ninth place hitter for gods sake. What is Tony doing? Wainy would be justified in lodging a complaint.
Some interesting comments and observations from the
Brewers at Cardinals – LIVE Gameday Chat
2:28 B.J. Rains: Really concerning that with as good as Wainwright looks today, he is on the losing end of a 1-0 game. The offensive was rolling for a while, but has since cooled again.
Wednesday August 18, 2010 2:28 B.J. Rains
2:29 Brian Walton – TheCardinalNation.com: Agree, BJ. Other than Pujols, the hitters haven’t been doing much lately.
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2:34 [Comment From JohnJohn: ]
If the Central Division was strong this year we would be 10-15 games behind right now.
2:34 Brian Walton – TheCardinalNation.com: Dunno John. Cards having problems against
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2:51 [Comment From JohnJohn: ]
I don’t care if Ryan only hits 240-250 he saves us many runs with his range and ability on defense. How can you take him out of the lineup?
2:52 Brian Walton – TheCardinalNation.com: Ryan batted .194 in the first half. An even .300 since.
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2:56 Brian Walton – TheCardinalNation.com: Holliday batting .254 with runners in scoring position this season.
2:58 [Comment From Not Matt HollidayNot Matt Holliday: ]
Luddy is .408 with runners in scoring position this year for about 12 million less.
——————————————————————————
3:33 Brian Walton – TheCardinalNation.com: Coming into today, Cards actually have winning record against LHP this year – 22-16.
Wednesday August 18, 2010 3:33 Brian Walton – TheCardinalNation.com
3:33 Brian Walton – TheCardinalNation.com: Sorry, that should be 21-16.
3:35 Brian Walton – TheCardinalNation.com: Last season, Cards were 28-21 vs lefty starters.
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“How come there are two game threads today?”
This particular game thread starts from the earliest (original) posting of the lineup. This game thread is also on the appropriate page (“Cardinals live chat on FOX Sports Midwest Wednesday”). ‘Twas a matter of logic, therefore, to proceed upon this page…
“What is Tony doing? Wainy would be justified in lodging a complaint.”
Hear! Hear!
Well, we’ve lost with both of our aces. Our only clutch hitter beside Albert is gone. Does it matter if we have Westbrook instead of Suppan or Hawk? Mo’s position is that it does matter. My position, often stated in this venue, is that if you can’t win with your aces, then it doesn’t matter who your other starters are.
I figured it would be Westy on the ‘wrong’ thread, creating confusion.
blingboy: “My position, often stated in this venue, is that if you can’t win with your aces, then it doesn’t matter who your other starters are”
It was as though Mozeliak said, “Our offense is inconsistent and we have a weakness on the left side of our infield. Quick! Let’s get rid of Ludwick and get another starting pitcher! THAT will solve the problem…”
With our screwy offense, we screwed Adam and Chris before Westbrook and we’re screwing them after Westbrook.
excerpts from “Top pick Cox enjoys visit to St. Louis”
by B.J. Rains
* First-round draft pick Zack Cox was in St. Louis Wednesday to make his contract official and get a taste of big league baseball.
* Cox, taken No. 25 overall by the Cardinals in the recent June MLB Draft, agreed to a four-year, $3.2 million contract with the Cardinals just minutes before the signing deadline Monday night.
* The Cardinals feel Cox has what it takes to be a Major League third baseman in the not so distant future.
http://www.foxsportsmidwest.com/08/18/10/Top-pick-Cox-enjoys-visit-to-St-Louis/landing_rains.html?blockID=293066&feedID=6302
Mo is in a bind, 57. Having spent $120M of BDW’s money to impliment the master plan, he cannot proceed on the basis of the offense needing anything else to succeed. Freese was expected back as of the deadline, ergo, pitching is the problem to fix, and clutch hitting thumpers other than Matt and Albert are superfluous. To put it in terms that would be plain even to those possessed of the meanest understanding, in the context of the masterplan, Luddy was like a third nut. Utter poppycock of course. Now we’re screwed.
Thank you for the explanation, blingboy – all centered around the idea, before an injury which compounded an injury, that Freese would return… During our childhood, we are taught the lesson of foresight; never to count our chickens before they hatch…
I say put Cox out there. Niether defense not offense would be likely to suffer. Worst case, its five in a row, which it might be anyway, so what’s to lose? Things need to be shaken up in the worst way.
On the other hand:
Teams win the division all the time, but a triple crown, wow, that doesn’t come along very often. Achieving it would warrant organizational focus.
So what will it be, shake up or no shake up?
Well, I’m okay with the Cardinals’ every day outfield of Holliday, Rasmus, and Jay. Losing Ludwick in exchange for only Westbrook sucked, but it wasn’t as though the team wasn’t overloaded in the outfield. Unless Ludwick can secretly play third base, I’m not sure that the Cardinals offense was significantly harmed by the move, at least until an injury strikes.
Way to simple Nut……….. no playing time pressure for Rasmus and Jay……obviously is a factor.
“at least until an injury strikes”
Which it has. We see that we have no depth at all and would be devastated by any injury greater than Colby’s. And absolutely nothing off the bench. (Tony still sends up pinch hitters for no discernable reason, as though he is going to play like he has threats off the bench when he doesn’t)
Good point Westy. Jay has started playing like a guy who just signed a contract. Colby too, but that’s nothing new.
BB…………your missing the point…………… what seems an obvious act of futility to you in pinch hitting………..may be the very point Tony was making…………………
Braves take Carlos Lee………..what are they trying to do……..win.
bb, isn’t the payroll in the low 90′s, not 120?
Brian, I was talking about dumping all that money on Matt. I assume the argument was ‘put this guy behind Albert and the offense is killer’, so BDW wips it out.
I have realized that I could be wrong about that. The argument could have been ‘put this guy behind Albert and your team has the first triple crown winner since Medwick’. (Yes, I’ve heard of the AL, but choose to ignore it).
I get it Westy. Its not always about best chance of winning today. That’s why I think Wainy should complain. His Cy is as important as Albert’s triple crown, no matter what Tony thinks.
I just believe many cardinals fans have expectations that are so out of touch with reality. I’ve said it many times……these guys play baseball like they are in college taking a differential equations class…..fun fun right? wrong! The games not fun for this team and they play like it isn’t.
This team has Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday on the offensive side of the game and a bunch of nobody’s. What do you expect? The New York Yankees? If Albert and Matt don’t win every game with their offensive production then the team is more than likely gonna take it on the chin. To think otherwise is letting your imagination and rose colored view of this team get the better of you.
Ludwick was a proven run producer and he was real valuable to this team imo, moreso than any other position player other than AP and MH as far as offense goes. To believe that the cardinals would be a better offensive team with Jon Jay and/or Craig in ludwicks place is down right comical. So now Jay is playing like a guy who signed a contract? Poor guy, if hitting .350 is coasting, then you will never like him Bling.
You missed my point about Jay, RC. I like him OK, but I liked him a lot more before the trade. He was hitting about .385, and there is no way he would have stood there like a cigar store indian hoping to clog up first base ahead of Albert. Along with the full time job came some marching orders that suck, that’s what I don’t like. And I don’t believe for a minute that you wouldn’t know about anything like that, a relative having been in exactly the same position last year.
I couldn’t post after the game because I was so angry. I thought if I got away for a few hours I would calm down. It didn’t work. I am still furious. Losing 4 in a row on the road is one thing. Losing 4 in a row at home is NOT ACCEPTABLE. If there was a Cardinal player within 5 feet of me right now I would slap him (Except for Waino).
Maybe my expectations are too high. I accept that. But that doesn’t mean it is OK for this team to play like little leaguers.
Give TLR some time…He will turn Jon Jay into a zombie
The list of what you better not do is a long one. He has now passed the honeymoon period with TLR. Now its into the meat grinder of pain and agony. Where he will be taught how to play like a cardinal…….don’t miss the cutoff man…$$$$$, don’t do this…$$$$, don’t do that…$$$$ and before you know it the game will have changed. It then becomes a list of what not to do’s and then Jay will wish he was in Pittsburgh 
“many cardinals fans have expectations that are so out of touch with reality.”
I agree. Many Cards fans, and journalists, have been spoiled by success and have little sense of proportion. They are crybabies about a trivial setback. Or expect the team to trade for a new cleanup hitter each week.
Some jokers think they know better how our batters should swing.
There is too little respect for players, as individuals, and for the difficulties of running a team in a middle or small market, competing against large financial disadvantages.
“dont miss the cutoff man.” I have to agree with TLR there. There is no acceptable reason for overthrowing the cutoff man.
Losing 4 in a row at home is not a trivial setback Jumbo. It’s huge. Now the Cardinals have to sweep the Giants, which is nigh impossible, just to have a .500 homestand. I don’t want to count this team out but I must admit to being more discouraged than I have been all season.
Declines by Ryan, Schumaker, and Lopez, and injuries to Freese, Lohse, and Penny.
Plenty of bright spots: Pujols, Holliday, Wainwright, Carpenter, Franklin, Molina. Development of young players, McClellan, Garcia, Jay, Rasmus, Motte, Boggs.
Bright spots aren’t worth a plug nickle if they don’t win.
crdswmn: Right, losing 4 in a row at home is crummy. This team has vulnerabilities. There will be few secrets by the end of the season. All comes out in the wash.
My point was not recent games, but more general: like RC, I am unimpressed by the expectations of many fans. And by their sportsmanship or lack thereof. And respect for players or team.
Just a couple more things, promise
Westy, did you notice this bit in the Strauss Q & A:
“Molina has a terrible history of hitting with the pitcher on deck. He has 180 ab this year in the 6th spot–hitting .317. He has 140 ab in the 7th spot, hitting .171 after his 0-4 last night, including a dp and the last out of the game.
During his career, batting 8th, his .237 average is far below his total average. He is not an 8th, (or 7th when the pitcher is 8th) place hitter.”
Lastly, I had understood that Tony was not crazy about his staff hitting Craig for Jay, so I was especially dumbfounded when he pulled back Jay for Winn. If .350 won’t keep a guy in the game what will.
“Bright spots aren’t worth a plug nickel.” On this, we do not agree.
“I was dumbfounded when he pulled back Jay for Winn.” Wolf was lefty on lefty and had struck Jay out twice already. To lead off the 9th, needing baserunners, TLR preferred a better matchup. Quite reasonable.
Fans who don’t go to games and probably live far away might be expected to have a different point of view as compared to a fan who expends a lot of time and money down at the ballpark. To each his own.
Wainy got the support of three hits today. And Holliday’s was just a liner that the left fielder took a step in on and then couldn’t get back and it snuck over his glove. A sure out if not misplayed used to be an error, but whatever. Adam ought to be pissed as should the paying customers. If Tony had turned in the lineup card and then vanished from the earth, the chance of winning probably would have been better.
RC–They play badly because they are not having fun? I call BS on that one. I have been unemployed for 20 months, so if BD wants to pay me millions of dollars for TLR to suck all the fun out of life for me, then I’ll be there tomorrow.
amen crdswmn.
I’m not too sure that I’d count Molina as part of the bright spot list, rather than the decline list, Jumbo. Also, the Cardinals aren’t at a particular financial disadvantage to their competition. I mean, the Cubs spend more than them, but they spend poorly. It’s not as though the Reds are beating them by throwing out more cash.
Nut— I am furious enough as it is. Don’t start the Molina bashing. Molina has been batting over .300 since the ASB.
Craig isn’t doing well…………… Mo wants the investment to stay…………Tony feeds him to the dogs.
Yeah………..they’re having fun……………..
AP hauling ass around third………remembers that he almost got thrown out for jogging to second on the Braun error………… and immediately starts hobbling………………….give me a break AP.
And for those that wondered when Lozano was going to show……….he already has…….the Hollywood factor……if you didn’t notice…………………Don’t get me wrong……….I could give a damn whether AP takes BD for 300 million…………..more power to him…………….the smiles, and the glad handing down at first when Waino is getting his ass handed to him to give Albert his triple crown at bats, I do not condone…………….when the team is clearly in need of leadership, he is grandstanding………………. Molina’s swing criteria are a perfect example of their shared attitude.
I am not a fan…………….
Before this even gets started……….I would like to hear Brian’s projected September call ups……….against what BD/Mo will actually pay for. Every contending team has made moves, and BD is playing patsy with AP…………..does he even bring Gotay up? Greene isn’t going to solve anything……….we need a lead off guy.
Added bit…………………… they swing selection tempering, and the consistent encouragement to speculate before you fulfill your team obligations are MM………….Jay is getting pulled now to take the ball farther out front……………….. There is a chance the MM actually is harming this team with his advise………..or lack of……………..
I don’t give a flying fig if Pujols or Molina or Fredbird are grandstanding. This team has the talent to win and that is what they are getting paid the big bucks to do. Everyone of them can build golden idols of themselves for all I care as long as they win.
crd……….the Diamondbacks just got 2 more……….settle down………… Mo has been cutting down Tony’s options for months………Tony is fighting back………………Mo has given instructions to get Greene work at third down in Memphis………………………..that ought to do it………………….
And the Reds just got two more.
Gibson obviously bets on baseball………….Pete Rose style…………….three relievers watching and he lets Demel get torched.
Cards couldn’t do that CRD…………Reds are a better team.
Cards can’t do what? Win? Bull.
The D’backs bullpen played true to form. 3 games back. Probably 4 tomorrow. The Reds bounce back and win 6 in a row and the Cards come home and lay a big goose egg.
I have to agree with crdswmn, sigh, about the “having fun” theory of RC. This reminds me of when Colby was playing for Memphis and thought some of his team-mates were not having enough fun there.
TLR and Sweet Lou are no nonsense. They want players to treat playing the game professionally and keep their heads in the game. Hit the cutoff guy, pay attention to hit and run signs, bunt signs, etc. When guys play the right way, then TLR seems loyal to them. A few years ago, he chewed out Brendan Ryan for missing a bunt call, now Ryan is playing everyday and striking out when the game is on the line.
Its a long 162 game grind. Every game cannot be played on an emotional high. The best way to cope with the long season is to play the percentages and play smart.
The Cards went to Cinci, played with emotion, swept the Reds, and now they are emotionally spent and have dropped 4 in a row at home. The recent problem is not deficiency of fun, but lacking depth, a 5th starter, a 3rd baseman and extra OFs. The injury to Rasmus is a problem too.
Nutlaw, the Cards have financial limits. For instance, Ludwick had to be traded to shoulder Westbrook’s salary. The Reds spend much less, but have enjoyed many years of high draft picks, helping obtain Stubbs, Votto, Travis Wood.
After the Reds were swept at home by the Cards, Scott Rolen said they had to learn to lose, because maturing to deal with loss helps a team forget about it and get back to winning. Rolen was right, on this point. An important aspect to baseball is learning to deal with setbacks in emotionally healthy ways.
Molina deserves respect for catching game after game, in summer heat. It would be nice if the Cards add Anderson or Hill as a rookie backup in 2011 and give Yadier a few more games off.
Amaury Cazana has been swinging a good bat for Memphis. Maybe he should have spent more time playing in the PCL during 2008-9. Cazana escaped Cuba on a raft. He is a tough guy, not thinking about fun, but about hitting the little white ball. Maybe Craig should go back to Memphis or take a trip on a raft, and Cazana should get a chance to flex his extraordinary biceps in the majors?
What this team needs is two singles hitting OBP guys to hit ahead of Albert. A double is counterproductive, as Jay is finding out.
Albert is second in the league in walks, and Holliday has a low average with RISP. That means what Albert’s triple crown chances need is a guy hitting behind him who can provide protection or make them pay. Perhaps Mr. DeWit could be convinced to pony up.
I wonder how many take signs Jay had?
Crdswmn, I didn’t say the cards play bad because they don’t have fun. I said they don’t have fun period, they don’t score more runs than they do because the guys that make millions don’t produce enough runs. Most on this team don’t make millions by the way.
Crdswm wrote, “RC–so if BD wants to pay me millions of dollars for TLR to suck all the fun out of life for me, then I’ll be there tomorrow”
and you’ll just be another of the guys who aren’t that good, and subsequently the cards will continue to lose.
WC, I reds are definitely a better offensive team.
Bling, who can the cards get to put behind Albert who would be an upgrade over Matt Holliday? I don’t believe you can find a better player that is available. The problem is when you pay the large majority of your payroll to two player’s those two must carry you. When they don’t the rest of your team glares as a weakness.
Also Bling, I don’t believe Tony wants his guys taking strikes so my guess is Jay is asked to hit balls that are strikes. He believes in the swinging at strikes philosophy, not taking. When batting in front of Albert me thinks the pressure to do whatever comes from the king himself
not Tony. If you do something the King doesn’t approve of he will take you down a few notches, or 10, depepnding on his mood, trust moi on that one. Here’s the steal sign from TLR, but the runner doesn’t go because he knows Albert will chew his butt out. So he doesn’t go, TLR is mad with the player but the player knows Albert is in charge so thats what he bases his decision to not go on. Jay is fixing to start feeling that heat from the Mang 
Its what happens when one player becomes bigger than the manager.
Jumbo, my reference to having fun is not in regards to Colby per say, it is an impression I get from watching them. Theirs is a workmanlike style which I believe is tough to produce under if you are not the right player, the older veteran. I believe the younger guys will find this style of play boring and I believe you will see their play suffer. Just my take from dealing with this generation of kid. The player of today needs a little levity in order to maintain a good balance. ITs like putting someone in solitary for a month, they can handle it, but two months they start breaking down mentally, well try 7 months, that would drive you crazy. Thats the concept that I’m trying to describe. 7 months of baseball where you are serious, grinding, serious, working, focused, serious……………and can you not see where that would wear on you mentally? Its a faulty system, doomed to failure in todays world.
Jumbo wrote, “TLR and Sweet Lou are no nonsense. They want players to treat playing the game professionally and keep their heads in the game. Hit the cutoff guy, pay attention to hit and run signs, bunt signs, etc. When guys play the right way, then TLR seems loyal to them. A few years ago, he chewed out Brendan Ryan for missing a bunt call, now Ryan is playing everyday and striking out when the game is on the line.”
TLR and Sweet Lou are no nonsense huh Jumbo?, I believe I may see the correlation in their teams being underachievers. Maybe that style doesn’t hit the right notes anymore. One has to change with the times or surround yourself with players that fit your style of play. The fact that both TLR’s and Sweet Lou’s teams have been amongst the leagues most blatant underachievers these last two years may speak to that issue. Tyler Colvin is a friend of Colby’s, both having played on the USA team years back, and you should hear the stories they tell about what they deal with on a daily basis. Amazingly similar. And both these guys have had a lot of success with their systems, but one can see that these types of managers are on the way out, and in a hurry. Because players of today do not respond to that anymore.
There is nothing wrong with expecting your players to play the game hard and the right way, but there is a fine line between motivating them and squashing their individualism. I have found out over the years that you can beat a kid down some of the time and he will bounce back stronger if you occasionaly mention that you appreciate the things he does right. Constant negativism is a crushing blow to most. And I know that first hand as I have actually had kids quit my program because I constantly beat them down to the point that they gave the game up for sitting by the beach, and they had Division 1 scholarships. My intention was to push them to being greater than life, drafted higher…etc. But they quit , one gave away hundreds of thousands of dollars and a full ride via the MLB scholarship plan and just walked away. He later cited me as the reason. I pushed him to the point where none of it was worth it anymore he said. He now teaches in the room next to me here at Russell County High. And his experiences have helped me better understand the kid of today. And it has been tough to change my approach that I have had so much success with over the years. But good coaching is knowing how to adapt to your surroundings and change in order to better motivate your teams to perform to their maximum capabilities.
Case in point, Dusty Baker has given his team a lot of rope to express themselves outside of the norm in an attempt to develop fire in his players. Now is it pretty for Votto to speak ill of the Cubs and their players? No. How about Phillips mouthing off about the cardinals? Surely not. But you can see how he is trying to allow some individualism which leads to emotion and firey play. I say Dusty is making a successful metamorphasis from old school coach to being able to deal with today’s players type of manager. Now is it pretty to watch? No. Everyone talks about the cardinal way and the rest of that milarky. The cardinals play the cardinal way but that way is going the way of the dinosaur. Now I’m not talking about playing hard or playing the game the way it should be played. I’m talking about the restrictions that come with it and the boring , non emotional play that follows. You gotta change with the times or you will get left behind…..
RC–”Most on this team don’t make billions by the way” Well, boo hoo. What is the league minimum? 200k? I survive on $320 a week unemployment so you will pardon me if I don’t sympathize with their poverty. I spent my income tax refund to buy tickets to a game in the hopes I would see a professional baseball team play. Based on what I have seen in the last few days, I wasted my money. I think TLR is a an *ss, but he has produced results in the last 15 years. I don’t think constant negativism is good for anyone, but if you are going to play with the big boys, you better develop a thick skin. If you are a talented PROFESSIONAL ball player but you can’t perform to your potential because your manager is mean to you then you have a serious problem. I doubt Albert Pujols became a superstar because his manager gave him a lollipop after he hit a HR. If that is what it take for the “kids” of today to play well, then baseball is in serious trouble. If the future of baseball is the likes of Brandon Phillips then I will have to find another pasttime.
RC- I don’t mean to be disrespectful of your opinions. But I am not buying into that philosphy.
For the record, the MLB minimum salary is $400,000. Colby received a $1million signing bonus in 2005.
Thank you Brian for enlightening me.
That was supposed to be “millions”, not “billions” . Typing skills do not improve with age.
Crdswmn wrote, “RC–”Most on this team don’t make billions by the way” Well, boo hoo. What is the league minimum? 200k? I survive on $320 a week unemployment so you will pardon me if I don’t sympathize with their poverty. ”
But for the record, the amounts of money a baseball player makes dictates his abilities to a certain degree. In other words, a guy making $400,000 is a minimum wage guy in the game of baseball, and that usually means he is not as good as the higher paid players, so its hard to expect much more from those guys than the bare minimum in production. If you get more than that then you are lucky.
Crdswmn wrote, “I spent my income tax refund to buy tickets to a game in the hopes I would see a professional baseball team play. Based on what I have seen in the last few days, I wasted my money.”
That being the case, you are probably right. I go to 3 or 4 movies a week and some are good and some suck hind tit. And sometimes I come out and my wife will say we wasted our money on that one. I always respond the same way…….I enjoyed the popcorn, the coke, the milk duds and the atmosphere. Some are gonna be good and some are gonna be terrible. You are guaranteed very little in this life. I don’t come out saying I’m never gonna see a Tom Cruise movie again cause this one sucked. Its entertainment, some is good, some not so good.
Crdswmn wrote, “I think TLR is a an *ss, but he has produced results in the last 15 years. I don’t think constant negativism is good for anyone, but if you are going to play with the big boys, you better develop a thick skin. If you are a talented PROFESSIONAL ball player but you can’t perform to your potential because your manager is mean to you then you have a serious problem. ”
I don’t think TLR is an ass at all. He is one of the very best of all time as a manager. I coach a lot like he managers, Colby has even said it many times that we act just alike….sigh…. That is not saying I could even begin to wear his jock as far as baseball knowledge goes because I can’t. But our demeanor seems to be similar according to Colby./….sigh….I think what you see with the entire team is a thick skin. Do you like the results that that thick skin is bringing ? Being mean to you is irrelevent, but having the majority of players disliking you would seem to tell me I may need to change my approach. The fact that my team is not playing up to its potential would be a red flag for me as a coach. But you evidently see things differently, which is fine.
Crdswmn wrote, “I doubt Albert Pujols became a superstar because his manager gave him a lollipop after he hit a HR. ”
There is no doubt what you say is true, and while you are at it give me the list of players who have accomplished what Albert has in their first 10 years. ONE and that player is Albert Pujols. In other words, there is nobody like Albert in the game today and to expect any player to be like Albert is why every player that comes up the pipeline will continue to disappoint.
Crdswmn wrote, “If that is what it take for the “kids” of today to play well, then baseball is in serious trouble. If the future of baseball is the likes of Brandon Phillips then I will have to find another pasttime.”
Good luck with your search and I’m sure baseball will miss you
Crdswmn wrote, ” to be disrespectful of your opinions. But I am not buying into that philosphy.”
I believe you and you’re not being disrespectful……..remember, we don’t know each other. You should take anything you read on the internet with a grain of salt IMO, except maybe Brian as he seems to be a respectable and honest reporter of the facts. The rest of us are just screen names spouting all sorts of BS.
Craig is an investment to protect? What did we give him a $15K bonus.
Mo has ordered them to play Greene at 3rd at Memphis? I guess they don’t take orders well as he has been playing SS.
RC— I should have warned you ahead of time about arguing with a menopausal lawyer.
We will have to agree to disagree. I don’t know about baseball players in particular, but I do know how professionals are supposed to act. If I went into a courtroom unprepared and I defended myself by saying to the judge that I can’t do my job properly because his courtroom atmosphere is boring, well, I couldn’t describe what would happen because I would be banned from this blog. I would rather spend all day listening to TLR rant than spend five minutes with some of the judges that I have had to deal with. I spent 25 years working for state government for peanuts but I gave it everything I had I am proud of my performance. And I have some great accomplishments on my resume to show for it. Unfortunately I became a victim of politics which is why I no longer have a job. But my case is irrelevant. What is relevant is that professionals, of any age, should not use excuses like boredom or gee, I don’t get paid enough. What happened to the idea of accomplishing something wonderful simply for the joy of doing it? All I have to do is look around me every day and see that that work ethic no longer exists.
Oh, and if the future of baseball is going to be the likes of Brandon Phillips, then I am not the only one that baseball is going to miss.
Peace.
Well let me tell you that those types of kids are a coming. Like I said, buckle up your seat belt.
And do you really expect NFL, NBA, and MLB players to resemble lawyers in their professionalism?
I know you don’t really mean that.
RC–”And do you really expect NFL, NBA, and MLB players to resemble lawyers in their professionalism? ” —-Since when does “professionalism” come in degrees? I don’t see that definition in any dictionary. You are either a professional or you are not. If you want to be called a professional, then act like one or go home and play Monopoly.
Ok Crsdwmn……….I got it.
I am taking a sabbatical from arguing. I have to go out and be a “professional” and look for a job. I can’t let all those “big money” unemployment benefits deter me from wanting to do my job.
That is good stuff….
RC—-”Ok Crsdwmn……….I got it.”—–I don’t think for one second that I won that argument.
I’ve been married long enough to know when I’m whipped.
LOL. I am sure I would like your wife.
She loves the cardinals more than life itself. if you have time my wife is a facebook monster. search her if you have one. Her name is Robin Rasmus. She is on that thing at least 12 hours out of the day.
RC: “Bling, who can the cards get to put behind Albert who would be an upgrade over Matt Holliday?”
Nobody that I know of RC. Albert is walking about as often as last year, and Matt is driving in runs about the same rate as Luddy last year. So the big huge problem that caused Mr. DeWit to spend all that money is still there, and we can’t afford a supporting cast, as you point out.
Enjoyed the comments posted today everybody.
Pedro should have about half as many errors as Flip and drive in runs about the same as Flip or Skip. He is not a top of the order guy by any means, with the horrible OBP. We are up to our arse in 7-8-9 hitters.
RC– I found two Robin Rasmus’s on FB and neither has any profile information. My name is Marilyn Green (from Jeff City, MO) if she wants to try and find me.
A few comments to RC based on his long post 84.
The Cubs won in 07-8, the Cards in 09. So the last three years, Lou and Tony have been affiliated with teams that won the division. They are hardly washed up, even if they do not get tatoos or nose rings. They are not suck up, buddy buddy managers. Teams that grind it out are going to get the most out of their abilities.
You are a thoughtful person. You have gotten feedback from a kid you once coached. It makes you reflective about how you might have been able to help him better. That reflects well on you, to have such thoughts. Many of us continue to learn and adjust our views as we go through life. I agree that it is wise to adjust to individuals. I expect TLR would agree too.
Dusty Baker has taken a battering from critics through the years for riding starting pitchers too hard, burning up folks like Kerry Wood and Mark Prior, or for not valuing on base percentage. Baker has critics. But I think some of this just goes with the territory of being a ML manager. Walt Jocketty knows this and has partnered up with Dusty. Good for them. But I don’t think Dusty has been reborn as THE manager suited to the personalities of today’s players. That is going way overboard. Dusty is a tough old buzzard who has been through the baseball wars just like Lou and Tony.
One thing about TLR is he likes to be very organized. Its what helps him feel believe the team is playing as well as it can. Scott Rolen tried to work with TLR to lighten up some of his learned habits.
A lot of young people laugh about elders. Its not just their baseball manager, but parents, teachers, etc. Its the way of the world. It does not necessarily mean the older person is wrong.
crdswmn……..here is her email address……razraz4@yahoo.com. She said look her facebook by email and send her a friend request. Now she’s bugging me to death.
I tried the search by email but it came back “no results”.
Duh. I should have checked my email first. Gotcha.
BTW, thanks for the argument RC. It was the most fun I have had all week.
She’s making an argument, she’s arguing. You gotta get back in the swing. Isn’t that what Lawyers do? Make arguments? You know sometimes you have to find an outlet to let it go. You see I’ve never won an argument with my wife so I thought today was the day for me to win one with somebody. I took my shot when I felt like I was strong in the facts. Sadly I was put in my place again. Fortunately for me I have tons of experience at handling getting put in my place so it was just another day in paradise for me
You are such a good sport RC.
“I just believe many cardinals fans have expectations that are so out of touch with reality. I’ve said it many times……these guys play baseball like they are in college taking a differential equations class…..fun fun right? wrong! The games not fun for this team and they play like it isn’t.”
RCW I agree with you on this point. Isn’t it a shame too, for obviously these “kids in men’s bodies” must have enjoyed it tremendously at one time. I feel sorry for them…fans, in my opinion for whatever it is worth here, seem to forget these fellows aren’t much more than teenagers who have risen to fame very quickly. They have a lot to deal with at this age…they are spirited fun loving guys who are everyone’s million dollar puppets. They are on the road and away from their families constantly. It seems we only see them as pawns instead of humans. When one feels they have no control or input, they give up and stop caring…is that what our song birds have done? Does TLR or anyone give them any voice? From what I gather here it seems if they speak up they are shipped out. I can’t help wonder if their loosing streak is a reflection of their feeling of helplessness. Maybe TLR needs to take some leadership courses, for young people today can become passive avengers when they feel they have no control over their situation. I may not know baseball, but do I know from experience how people respond to a negative stimulus when they feel they have no positive support. In my opinion, fans are supposed to be a positive influnece not a bunch of silent back jabbers only looking at their short comings. These million dollar boys have a lot on their mental plates. Even for that kind of pay, I wouldn’t want to be in their shoes.
Apology to BirdTalk50, a new poster here. Welcome and please post often.
First-time posts here have to be screened to stop spammers, but I missed this post made last night.