Playoff Rosters - YOU'RE TONY!

by Bowen on Sep 19, 2006 2:29 PM EDT Comment 7 comments

OK. It's September 19th and in all likelihood, the Cardinals are going to the playoffs this year. What I wanted to see from everybody here is a playoff roster. If the playoffs started today, which 11 pitchers and 14 position players would YOU have on the roster? Designate your rotation 1-4 and you can even suggest lineups and all kinds of super fancy things, should you desire.

P.S. There are several rules involving playoff rosters and I would imagine we're all pretty well-versed, so instead of me finding a link with a comprehensive list of the rules (which is suprisingly hard to find, at least via Google), let's just police each other, easy peasy.

My own roster:
PITCHERS:
Starters:

Chris Carpenter
Jeff Suppan
Jeff Weaver
Anthony Reyes

Relievers:

Adam Wainwright
Braden Looper
Tyler Johson
Randy Flores
Josh Hancock
Brad Thompson
Jason Marquis

POSITION PLAYERS:
Catchers:

Yadier Molina
Gary Bennett

Infielders:

Albert Pujols
Ronnie Belliard
Scott Rolen
Aaron Miles
David Eckstein
Scott Spiezio
Jose Vizcaino

Outfielders:

Juan Encarnacion
Chris Duncan
Preston Wilson
John Rodriguez
So Taguchi

The biggest thing here is that I'm leaving off Jim Edmonds, which is unfortunate. I really don't think he's going to be able to play though.

My basic lineup is no suprise:

SS Eckstein
LF Duncan
1B Pujols
3B Rolen
RF Encarnacion
CF Wilson
2B Belliard
C Molina

If we make it to the WS, I'd probably use JRod as my DH. My other thought was Spiezio, but I'd like to keep his versatility available to play the field without having to forfeit my DH.

0 recs | Comment 7 comments

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Agreed

I would keep every body the same unless Jimmy plays in a few games before the playoffs start and he contributes, then you leave off Vizcaino. If not, then don't rely on him. I would switch Reyes and Weaver depending on how the first two games are decided.
If the Cards are
2-0 Reyes
1-1 Weaver
0-2 Weaver
I would like to take as much pressure off of Reyes as possible. Who cares with Weaver?

Play hard, play to win, but make it fun!

by Edmonds is baseball on Sep 19, 2006 3:58 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

i'd rather have schumaker

than vizcaino. that's a weak group of defensive outfielders; schu could be useful in the late innings. spiezio and miles can do everything vizcaino can do, ie back up on the infield and switch-hit. so vizcaino's redundant; schumaker adds a skill that's lacking.

by lboros on Sep 19, 2006 5:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

agreed

assuming Eck is 100 percent.

by DCGreg on Sep 19, 2006 5:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wilson and Marquis

It's increasingly tough to justify having Preston Wilson in the starting lineup. After the 9/19 game, he has a .270 OBP as a Cardinal, .302 for the season. Couple that with his curious defense, and I think I'm starting to see why Houston DFAed him. Spiezio strikes me as a much better option, particularly against righthanders, putting Juan the Swan in center.

As for Marquis, I think I'd opt for Kinney if he can put together a few good outings in the last two weeks. My recollection is that Marquis didn't take kindly to his bullpen duties in 05. He's a bad enough pitcher this year when he's happy -- I don't want to see what he'll do when surly.

by DCGreg on Sep 19, 2006 5:26 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

i like lists

my playoff roster (as of now):
starting pitching

Chris Carpenter
Jeff Suppan
Anthony Reyes
Jeff Weaver

bullpen

Adam Wainwright
Braden Looper
Josh Hancock
Tyler Johnson
Randy Flores

10.Brad Thompson/Josh Kinney, (these last two weeks will complete the decision for me)
11.Jason Marquis (for reasons unfathomable i have visions of him pitching well in the postseason, in fact, these last couple starts could launch him into my postseason rotation)

batsmen:

Albert Pujols
Scott Rolen
David Eckstein
Ronnie Belliard
Aaron Miles
Scott Spezio
Juan Encarnacion
Chris Duncan
John Rodriguez
Preston Wilson
So Taguchi
Jim Edmonds
Gary Bennett
Yadier Molina

Perhaps my wishful thinking is all that is penciling in Mr. Edmonds for the postseason. I hope that the cardinal thinktank and the whims of post-concussion syndrome will have Jim properly calibrated, and by properly calibrated i mean, up to the unappreciated and admittedly less stellar than we might have hoped, standard he carved out this year while on the field.

I almost want to put a third catcher on the roster so that tlr would be willing to pinch hit for either one in any situation that seemed worthwhile. the whole "gotta keep the extra catcher in reserve so he can play if the starter gets hurt" thing seems bizarrely conservative, especially considering tlr's willingness to gamble with injury. i gotta think he'll take the risk in the playoffs though. if edmonds can't go, i suppose schumaker gets the nod for speed and defense.

lineup vs rhp

Eckstein ss
Duncan lf
Pujols 1b
Rolen 3b
Edmonds cf
Encarnacion rf
Belliard 2b
Molina c
Pitcher

lineup vs lhp

Eckstein ss
Spezio lf
Pujols 1b
Encarnacion rf
Rolen 3b
Edmonds cf
Belliard 2b
Molina c
pitcher

anyway, that was fun.

by chris on Sep 19, 2006 6:33 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

edmonds

will be on the roster if there is a chance he can play. what does vizcaino add w/ eckstein healthy? edmonds could add a ph appearance. i'd be astonished if vizcaino was on the playoff roster.

by chuckb on Sep 22, 2006 6:42 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Go With Our Hottest Hands

How about starting Spezio at third and let Rolen rest up for '07?

Toss out that uncharacteristic two-game explosion against the Giants in lopsided games, and Scott has posted an abysmal Sept. mark of .148 / 2rbi. Watch him hit, and you'll observe what's been described as a "slow bat" (a phrase I remember Tony using more than once). His 1st Half/2nd Half breakdown is about as lopsided as can be (.330/.250). The numbers point to a player running on fumes. I'm a huge fan of Rolen, but we're paying him to be superman, and instead we get a guy who is hurting the team in the middle of the order.

But maybe you think he'll just "turn it on" when the games count? (I don't)

by Urban Pawnee on Sep 25, 2006 10:24 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs