slow clap

I love VEB because we can look at matchups and start a smart, logical discussion on why a move was made, why a move wasn't made, or why a move should have been made. I love it for the collection of characters who comment, each contributing in their own way. I love it for the respectful, inteligent, and witty dialogue that we have here.

Not for half-assed, immature pissing contests.

There are plenty of other places out there for that.

Now lets all be glad that we have one of the best pitchers in baseball taking the mound for us tomorrow and beat the damn Cubbies.

Thank you, LB, for beginning to clear the air.  There's an awful lot of venom flying around...and blame, too.  On some level, I guess it's understandable--that was a frustrating loss to our rivals, at a time when we need to win every game we can.  Worse, our manager made a questionable decision at a key point late in the game.  So I can appreciate why people are upset.  But the level of digust seems a little overboard, as does the finger-pointing.  

For my part, I'd take today's game over any of our lackluster losses to the Pirates.  With two of our starters not starting, we almost scratched out a win against a Cy Young candidate.  We fought hard, hit a couple homers, and only lost by a run.  Our new collective man-crush Chris Duncan continued to mash the ball.  And, despite all its frustrating moments, today's game was undeniably entertaining.  If Mike Shannon's call on Jimmy's mad dash to home didn't have you leaping out of your chair, well...you'd better check your pulse.  

About all the blame-placing, some of which seems almost mean-spirited (although that's surely the frustration talking), again, I can only offer my own opinion.  The problem is this:  in baseball, every event changes the state of the game--often drastically--so it's difficult to hold a single individual responsible for a single event.  Example:  I don't understand the anger at Taguchi for not catching that flyball.  Yes, he might have caught it if he had been playing shallower.  But if Sosa hadn't given up a hit to John Flippin' Mabry to lead off the inning, that situation might have never come up.  Yet I don't see anyone blasting Sosa.  I'll take it a step further--if Jim Edmonds had reported his post-concussion symptoms when they began, he might have been in the starting lineup today, and caught that ball.  Is Edmonds to blame?  My point is, that dying quail has a pretty complex history, and I'm not comfortable blaming any one person for it.  It dropped.  Which sucked.  Let's move on.

Sometimes, though, blame is easier to assign.  As far as we know, Tony acted completely on his own in allowing Juan to pinch-hit for Duncan in the ninth.  That decision lies solely with him.  Here, I feel more comfortable blaming Tony (and Juan, for failing to hit at least a sac fly).  But even here--just because we can blame Tony for this decision, can we really blame him for losing the game?  For this roller-coaster season?  For the fact that we haven't won a World Series in 24 years?  The rancor in the remarks today just doesn't seem in proportion to the mistakes Tony made.

I don't mind playing the blame game; in a sense, it's the way to critique a team's performance.  And criticism is good.  But it irks me when people assign blame without a lot of justification--it's unproductive, and often misleading.  

I'm not trying to tell people what they can and can't say on this blog (that's Mr. Borowsky's thankless job).  And I'm not trying to tell anyone how to root for their team (if that's anyone's job, it's Albert's).  I just think we should try to think a bit more before we let loose with the nasty comments and blame-placing.

Whew. Sorry for the length.  Let's get 'em tomorrow.

Remember...this was against Zambrano and the CUBS...peoples emotions are going to be a bit more tense and on edge for a game like todays. I think we all were thinking when the day started that we would have a good chance of losing this game.. top pitcher in the NL...a place that we haven't won all season...so when they went ahead 2 runs...well we all get our hopes up and got really excited..and well..perhaps say and voice some opinions that don't really make a lot of sense or stay in the boundries of good taste. Granted, I'm as guilty as the next guy here..but let us not judge all too severely okay?  Most of the comments today were just out of true frustration and loss, and not meant, I'm sure, to insult or demean this fine place. Everyone appreciates having such a great site to talk about and exchange information and ideas on the Cardinals...and I for one plan on making sure I do a much better job of offering quality writing and comments in the future.    Lets go get 'em tomorrow!  

Some of the comments today were way out of line- I was every bit as frustrated as anyone that TLR ph'd for Dunc in the 9th, with the bases loaded- but let's keep it civil, huh?

And Carpenter is on the mound tomorrow- Redbirds are going to win (I feel that way everytime he pitches)
And I like Spez's red soul patch- it looks ridiculous, but no more so than my "STL in a red heart tatoo"!( I hate explaining it to people that don't follow baseball!)

lboros-

I left an apology under the "apology" thread under diaries before entering this comment section. I hope you get the chance to read it. Again, sorry for any offense caused.

I'm glad to see this sort of admonition.  I like that more people are on this forum.  Those "FU TLR" posts are why I stay away from Cards talk.  This forum is different b/c, by and large, there is one intelligent, insightful post after another.  Great contributions from lboros and lots of regular posters who are knowledgeable and love the Cards.  The other screeds should be posted on some other blog.  Start a "I hate TLR" blog if you want.  This blog is different for a reason.

for my negativity today. No excuse for it, just extremely frustrated. Won't happen again.

to leave my ranting and raving for my own blog, but I can get carried away like anyone else. If I stepped over the line today, I sincerely apologize, lb. It won't happen again.

I dont mean to change the topic but is anyone else excited to see weaver pitch on tuesday, after his last performance i have found myself really excited to watch him pitch

I just want to say thanks for your committment to keeping this a quality blog that is above all the vulgarity and venom that is so common on most other blogs & message boards. That's why this is the only blog I visit on a daily basis.  

I was monitoring the last couple innings on Gameday with my kids, and I quickly discovered that I couldn't check this site without introducing a couple of words my six-year-old isn't ready for. And I agree that it's been building up for several weeks.

One thing I think everyone should be clear on: It's not the negativity that's the problem, but the tone. If you're down on the team like many of us are, by all means put together a thoughtful post explaining why LaRussa or Jocketty or Miles is screwing up like nobody else in the history of the game. But we can do without the mindless invective.

As the comments in this thread already indicate, I suspect your post will have a huge effect, Larry.

Sidney Ponson is available again.

... looks like Eddie Guardad might be injured. he left the Reds/Pirates game after throwing a pitch and feeling something wrong.

i don't know anything else about it.

...and I didn't realize how close to being a HR it was.  I thought it was kinda a liner hit up against the wall, but with that overhang netting at Wrigley, it was literally 8 inches from being a grand slam.

Props to you, El Hombre.

If Carp can go 7 innings tomorrow, give up no ER, and get 6 Ks, he would move into 2nd place in the 'Cy Young' predictor totals for the NL.

He would also get his ERA below 3 again and put pressure back on Webb to perform.

I'd love nothing more that through this medicore season, Carpenter shined to the point that he would tie Bob Gibson in Cy Youngs won.