Admitting it is the first step

by BleacherBum on May 5, 2006 10:36 AM EDT Comment 15 comments

Well 4 losses in a row. Time to panic? No, but it is time to admit that our beloved Cardinals are not the best team in their division. Coming off back to back sweeps from Cincy and Houston, unfortunately proves that.

I do not believe that the Reds are a better team, however I feel that the Reds have a superior lineup(1-9) than the Cards. The Cardinals core (Pujols,Rolen,possibly Edmonds)is much better that that of the Reds(Dunn,Kearns,healthy Griffey), however the supporting cast of Freel, Phillips, Aurilia, E. Encarnicion,Etc. Frankly, is better. Pitching is what seperates the two teams. The Cardinals are much better in this area, bullpen included. Arroyo is very good, but the rest of the rotation is suspect. Although Harang now leads the league in K's. If they get a solid pitching performance they are very tough to beat.

Now for the best team in the division...Houston, hands down. Lineup and pitching are dominant. Granted they play in that poor excuse for a ballpark, but visiting teams have the same chance to hit it 315 to left for a HR. Everyone overlooked the defending NL champs in the off season. Every major sport site.."the Cardinals will handily win the Central." The Astros have found a way to score runs and that makes them very dangerous. A healthy Berkmann makes a huge difference, and btw there is that Clemens guy lurking.

Without a substantial move, the Cardinals will not win the Central.I do not mean to sound too negative, I am a huge Cards fan and that is the reason for my concern. I would like to see the Organization fix this sooner rather than later.

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Ironically, I'm sort of optimistic

I considered the pre-season expectations as overly-optimistic and so I'm not that disappointed with anything. They've lost four away games against two teams that are probably playing better than anyone expected, but three of them were close. Pujols and Edmonds both missed the final game in Cincinnati and Rolen only played last night.

These games highlighted the problems that need attention, but there were some positives that came from them, such as Wainwright's pitching last night and the further production of Rodriguez. Three of the games were lost by a single point and the homefield advantage should be enough to cover that when Houston and Cincinnati come to Busch in a few weeks.

I actually feared worse, so I guess that's why I'm not that disappointed, even though I had hoped they would have atleast split the two series.

by rob is back on May 5, 2006 12:15 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

More positives

Rodriguez has hit safely in his last seven games. His BA is now .432 for the year.
Encarnacion has played much better recently, including batting .291 and hitting 3 homeruns in his last six games.
Taguchi showed that he can still clutch hit last night
Spiezio has hit two homeruns and batted .345 in his last 10 games.
Rolen is back and he looked good with 2 hits and a walk last night.

by rob is back on May 5, 2006 12:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The most pleasant suprises

have been rodriquez and probably spezio. I have been a Taguchi fan since he came here, but I do not honestly feel he is a starting caliber player.
The frightening thing to me is the Cardinals inability to execute so far. They fail to move runners over quite often. I tend to blame Larussa lately,for instance, mile swing/flailing away last night instead of bunting rodriquez(who had an excellent at bat btw)over to second.

The Cards do not have the line up to make up for this stuff, like they have had in the past. I just hope it's not too late by time they realize it. I think a simple change in approach is necessary this team has to play small ball to win.

by BleacherBum on May 5, 2006 12:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Same here

I don't consider Taguchi a starting caliber player either, but I love him off the bench.

I also agree that they're failing to move runners over and I tend to blame much of that on the batting order. I used to defend LaRussa's crazy antics with the batting order, but I can't justify it any longer. It seems that the wrong person always comes to bat at the wrong time.

The thing I'd like to see more than anything is a productive and regular 2nd batter and Rodriguez seems like the best choice to me.

by rob is back on May 5, 2006 1:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

eh.

I don't really consider Houston's lineup 'dominant.' Lance Berkman is clearly a dangerous hitter and ensberg and biggio are to be respected, but they do have at least as many holes in their lineup as StL does. Do you really find Adam Everett and Brad Ausmus scary? And the back of their rotation is shaky at best. Neither of those games was a blowout, either.

It's way to early to start talking about the sky falling in. This team will be at least in contention in July, and if July comes and goes without a trade, then we can start to panic. Good teams have bad stretches, and then come out of them

by Valatan on May 5, 2006 2:20 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

If the situation is the same in July,

I might agree with you. I don't think that Houston and Cincinnati are going to continue playing the way they are.

by sdrone on May 5, 2006 3:40 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

also

we had their two present aces to face. petitte is an ace in pretty much every other team. don't miscount that.

Albert Pujols is god with a lowercase "g". Let's go Redbirds, World Series '06 here we come!

by stlsportsfan on May 5, 2006 3:54 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

the astros have a dominant lineup?

Willy Taveras, Brad Ausmus, Adam Everett--huge holes
Jason Lane--huge home/road split

Preston Wilson is mediocre at best, and Craig Biggio is probably a net average player because his defense is so bad. And do you think Wandy Rodriguez and Taylor Bucholz are going to continue to put up a collective ERA in the 2.40s?

"Execution" is half luck, and this drought of multi-run innings is going to balance out so long as La Russa gets it in his head that Gary Bennett can't hit a lick.

Stop freaking out, it's May.

by DanUpBaby on May 5, 2006 6:47 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Also,

you're overrating Bronson Arroyo. He's an innings eater who managed to luck into a hot streak in his debut with a new team.

by DanUpBaby on May 5, 2006 6:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Freaking Out?

I believe you misunderstand, I am simply giving the Astros the respect that no one else will give them. I believe that the Cardinals can/will beat them in the end, but I think it is time for everyone(Larussa included) to stop assuming that we are going to win our division.

as far as the Astros linuep they ARE dominant compared to the '06 cards. compare 1-9(un biased) and tell me which you would rather have. Pujols is the best player in baseball, no doubt, but Berkman is not a bad focal point. Ausmus(not great)but Yadi is really struggling right now. Keep going...you tell me you would take Luna/Miles over Biggio? No way. Preston Wilson is horrible yes, but right now his numbers are better than Edmonds and Juan E. would I want him, NO WAY.

When did execution become half luck? I don't understand that statement. when did a sac fly, or hitting it to the right side to move a runner over, or bunting become luck? those are a few of the things you can control, right?

Don't take this response personal, i am responding because you offered an intelligible response to my post. Unlike others(i.e "WTF") who didn't back up any part of their argument.

Best team or not, I will be watching every game. GO CARDS!

by BleacherBum on May 9, 2006 10:18 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I disagree

The Astros started the season with a fairly easy schedule and haven't looked that good since they began playing tougher teams. They've played more at home than on the road, where they're 5-9, and their pitching has dropped off from last year (Oswalt allowed 6 ERs last night.) Their lineup has looked good, but not outstanding. As a team, they've only scored 10 more runs than their opposition, whereas we've scored 34 more.

I'm not saying that they suck, but just that they're not all that.

by rob is back on May 9, 2006 10:44 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

What I mean by execution being half luck

is that sometimes you get those hits bunched together and nobody worried about execution, and sometimes you don't and everybody becomes convinced that it's because they aren't doing the little things right. It's not luck so much as things just tending to even out over the course of the year, I guess.

And for the rest of the season? I would rather have Edmonds, Encarnacion and Rodriguez than Preston Wilson and Molina than Ausmus. Molina has absolutely sucked thus far, but I don't expect it to continue. As for Biggio, he's having a good year and I'd probably rather have him than Luniles but I wouldn't want my offense to be banking on my 40-year-old second baseman to keep putting up an .820 OPS.

by DanUpBaby on May 9, 2006 10:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

wtf

anybody calling the astros lineup dominant obviously does not know what theyre talking about

by cjwest20 on May 6, 2006 4:51 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

"Proof"

Losing four games hardly "proves" anything. Perhaps they are better...it's hard to say. It's a long season. Houston is definitely better than Cincy, but its about who plays better. Arroyo is no better than a 2 or 3 starter. If he was a great pitcher he'd still be a Red Sock. Lots of great teams get swept by lesser teams.

Don't forget that the second game against the Reds featured a lineup w/o Rolen, Pujols, or Edmonds. Rolen missed much of both series, and is still recouping. I think its obvious that we're a better team with Rolen in the lineup - although Speez performed well. Also try to keep in mind how long the season is...I think it's early to come to conclusions. You might be right, but there's at least as good a chance that you aren't. Marquis vs. Oswalt - that should be a gimmee for the Astros - and we lost 5-4. Lots of close games that LaRussa got outmanaged in.

Sorry for the blurred thoughts.

by Toddius396 on May 6, 2006 8:11 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs