- haven't read the main comment yet.

Also, I'm encouraged by LaRussa'a loose approach to this postseason.  He seems to be less-inclined to stress the importance of the details. - and more inclined to be smiling and merely hopeful in his approach.

That being said, I still think the fans expectations are still pretty high.  If the Cards look like they are tight or un-prepared (i.e. bad base-running, defensive errors) Tony should expect the criticism to be hot and heavy.  However, if the rooks play well, and we end up losing several close games, I think the average fan will be more receptive to losing the lcs.  

But, if Juan, Belli continue to get clutch hits and Jimmy can get a few extra base hits and Rolen can do ANYTHING at all. WE might be primed for a couple early inning explosions.

1.    I would agree with most that Narveson would be a nice addition to the pen, since the lefties Flores and Johnson should expect a lot of work in this series. Moreover, with the presence of Weaver and Suppan, the specter of a blowout is not out of the realm of possibility, and having a pen member who can come in during a blowout and pitch 3-5 innings to keep it close and preserve pen depth would be invaluable. Reyes showed on the last day of the season he is not made for that long-relief role and that stands as perhaps the biggest reason Tony would stay with Marquis on the roster, as someone who can pitch game 4 and step up in long relief. Given the options for the last 2 in the pen being Looper, Narveson, Marquis or Reyes I would go with Narveson and Reyes. I attended the infamous Izzy game in NYC and when Looper pitched in the 8th that crowd was joyous at the sight of Looper entering the game and that's something I think would be a huge negative in a high-pressure NLCS game.

2.    The biggest key for this series for the Cardinal is continued bullpen success. This round will be tougher, with fewer off days, making it likely that the Met offense will get many opportunities to adjust to the Brats and very likely that the pen will need quality innings from folks like Thompson, Looper (if he is on the roster), and Hancock. Lets hope they are all up to the task.

3.    I know that Larry already shoved off plate discipline as a boilerplate key to the series, but I really think it deserves a lot more focus. All of us know that the Mets staff threw only approximately 13 and a third innings in the 3 game Dodgers series, for an average of approximately 4.5 innings a start. The remainder of those innings were thrown by the deep Met bullpen. In a 7 game series, with back to back games occurring regularly, that bullpen usage rate is a positive for the Cardinals, ensuring that the longer the series the more opportunities for Cardinal hitters to familiarize themselves with the Met bullpen, and everyone knows that familiarity is a relievers worst enemy.

This is where plate discipline becomes key. It is important for the Cardinal offense to keep the Met pitchers from going deep in games, taking pitches and wearing them out. Moreover, that discipline must carryover when facing the Met relievers, forcing Met relievers to rack up high pitch counts in their limited exposure, with the long term goal being to both become familiar with the pitchers, and to wear out the Met bullpen, especially during the 3 games in St. Louis. The Cardinals goal should be to get the Mets calling for the bullpen as often as possible over the course of the series.

4.    Finally, just from a series perspective, the Cards really do need a split of the first two NYC games. Without such a win, asking the Cards to take 4 out of 5 games from the Mets is a tall task. Better to spread out that order.

So long as the team is competitive and not blown out and embarrassed, like in 2000 and 2002, I will be happy with the series outcome.

As many others have pointed out, it seems that we may have a slight edge in starting pitching.  If we could steal away game 1, I think our chances of winning would be pretty good.  I have been impressed with Weaver's progress from his first couple of starts for us.  He seems to be rounding back into the competent pitcher he was prior to his LAAA days.

Getting to the Mets bullpen is both good news and bad news.  They have been very good.  But they also got a ton of work in the LDS.  In, I think it was Maine's start, Randolph used up half his pen getting four outs in the 4/5 or maybe it was 5/6 innings.  I thought for a bit he was going to run out of pitchers before the game ended.  If our starters can continue to go 7, I think this may end up another edge for the Cards.

Of course, the Mets lineup is scary.  I was very encouraged by Suppan's line against them, however.  If he is on, and our batters aren't bumfuzzled by the kid Maine, we might just have two wins there.

Lastly, please, oh please, let Reyes start game 4.  The Mets have never seen him, which gives him an advantage (at least it would if the Cards were batting against him, they seem to never do well against an unfamiliar pitcher.)  HWWNBN starting in Busch III would completely take the crowd out of the game.  Not something you want.

All in all, the Mets, certainly, are the favorites, but I hope, and think, that it will be competitive and we just might pull it off if a couple of things fall our way.

BTW, any word on whether Rolen ever took that cortisone injection?  It would seem to have needed to happen Sunday for him to be available Wed.

go cards!

Id love to See both NY teams out of it a small market world series...A's Cards or tigers cards would be great...