Game 136 Open Thread: 6 September, 2007

Playball!

Even if the team isn't able to pass the Cubs and Brewers, I'm excited about seeing the new and improved Mark Mulder.  We won't see it tonight, or likely, the rest of the regular season but I'm glad to see him back on the mound in a Cardinal uni.  Down the stretch, if he just gives us reason to hope he might be good next year, he will have accomplished something!

The man has to learn how to pitch all over again.

If he can go 5 with 4ks and <3 ERs I'll be thrilled.

"Hey come and see my one man play. It's Pulp Fiction. My take is that it takes place in this guys mind."

So you're like "Well I liked Pulp Fiction."

and you're thinking the whole time your driving to the Theatre. "Man I don't even know what to hope for."

You're hoping that it's good but at the same time you just don't want anyone to be embarrased.

This game has every possible emotion. Hope, fear, excitement, caring and much more.

I mean, I don't think it really hit me until about 20 minutes ago but if everything breaks our way tonight, you could wake up being the fan of a 1st place ballclub, something that hasn't happened in over 157+ days.

I'll drink to that!

Youneverknow, but I'm rooting for all I'm worth!

In a matter of a few months, they've gone from most reviled team since the '85-'87 Mets to eliciting something close to sympathy.

come on Marky Mark. just go 5 or 6 innings of 2 run ball and the O should take care of the rest.

keep your fingers crossed every one.

Looks like the surgery worked but Mulder is not quite conditioned enough.

Ugh.

I'm beginning to say that name with the same tone that Jerry Seinfeld uses for 'Newman'

Now Pujols needs to get off the stick and hit one over the wall.

ANKIEL!!!!

And that question poses this question:

What does it say about me if I have two man crushes?

He looks smooth and the velocity may well be there.

If a few more bats than Hobbs can pick it up, we're in this thing.

Meanwhile the stros and the dodgers are just packing it in, no help there.

Tony get Welley warming up now. no use to let Marky Mark take a drilling on his first start back.

when did the Cards lose the ability to beat the pirates? didnt they use to be our bitch?

And don't forget Ludwick. A powerhitter with above average defensive skills.  Another strike against Chris.

Not looking forward to see how many hits/runs they can get off Maroth.

Hell, I think even Odalis Perez shut us down once.

McRae should be the pitching coach, cause he seems to have a knack of creating a gameplan to turn terrible pitchers into Cy Young.

Value Over Replacement Poster

We really can't afford to lose 3-4 from the Pirates.

I think Tony should strongly consider having Wellemeyer start tomorrow or at least be ready to pitch if Maroth gives up 3 runs early in the game.

Some good lines, even though the guy is pretty annoying.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvTI6rcov2g

Looks like we will be back to 2 games out here soon.

I gotta watch another half inning of this crap?

gotta do what ever it takes to get the split tomorrow. Cards can not lose a series to the effing pirates. they just cant.

but if we can't score, it won't matter.

He was already throwing up redflags as a pitcher but most of those were in regards to his back/hip.  I wonder if that shot did any real damage to his shoulder.

Tonight, he still wasn't throwing free and easy.  He still was herky jerky, but atleast it had better velocity.  It wasn't a good start, but with a more than competent LF, Laroche's hit doesn't fall in and Paulino doesn't score when Duncan bobbles Wilson's double.

He was pitching completely to contact, not really missing many bats.  He seemed to rush himself and lose his mechanics.  He'd reach back and try to throw a fastball by someone and bounce it in the dirt.

Does anyone know what pitches he was throwing today?  Curveball and fastball obviously, but was he ever throwing a changeup, slider, splitter, etc?

He should have been taken out as soon as his velocity started to diminish. His problems were really more of an endurance issue.

IMHO, they should consider going with a 12 man rotation.  Wainwright, Piniero, and Looper starting normally. Then for the other 3 games, have Mulder, Wellemeyer, Wells, Reyes, Thompson, Falkenbourg, Maroth, Cavazos and Jimenez throw 2 innings apiece.