Harping on the outfield

by Valatan on Mar 21, 2007 12:18 PM EDT in St. Louis Cardinals News

Cardinals play Orioles today in spring training action. Gameday link here.

Spring Training Leaderboard as of 3/21/07:
HR Duncan (5)
AB Duncan (53)
ERA seven tied at (0.00)
W Reyes (3)

Also, the team has announced that smoking will be banned at the stadium starting this year. I think this is actually somewhat silly. I would understand banning smoking in a domed stadium, but new Busch is open-air--the amount of secondhand smoke is pretty minimal, or at least it was for me when I went to Old Busch (I have yet to go to new Busch). If they wanted to create smoking and non-smoking sections, I could understand that a little more, but eh. It'll be a different atmosphere for me. I understand that a lot of you will disagree with me on this one.

Just a little over a week until the Cardinals play in the major league opener on Sunday, 1 April. The starters are staring to throw numbers of innings that actually resemble actual starts. People who have been reading for a while know that I am really one that loves to analyze Tony La Russa. In this week's edition of Cardinals game notes, I found the following gem regarding Preston Wilson:

he can be a key guy for us. Before we signed him there were 300 or 400 at-bats out there for the right guy, and we were looking for the right guy and we chose Preston. But somebody else can get them. He can get them, but he's got to be the guy that earns them.

This has a lot of the usual nonsense of Tony contradicting himself and talking both ways, but it sounds to me as if Tony is starting to get impatient with Wilson's lack of hitting. I doubt that the team heads north without Wilson on the roster, thanks to the injuries to Encarnación and Edmonds. Assuming that the team begins the season with twelve pitchers that leaves room for thirteen position players. Subtract off Pujols, Kennedy, Eckstein, Rolen, Molina and Duncan, and that leaves seven open spots. Bennett, Miles and Spezio are pretty much assured their spots as they are the only competent backups for the infielders, and that leaves four remaining spots will end up just going to Taguchi, Wilson, Schumaker, and Rodriguez (I don't see any other candidates that fit the bill on scout.com, and I've been having trouble finding a roster that takes into account the reassignments of Bozied and Ankiel.

If Wilson and Taguchi continue to not hit during the minor league stints of Edmonds and Encarnación, I really don't see what the combination of Taguchi/Wilson gives you that the combination of Rodriguez/Schumaker does, other than Taguchi's theoretical ability to play second. I think that Tony is slowly coming to this realization as well, though it is odd that he chose to single out Wilson, who has certainly done better than Taguchi's .150/.190/.150!! line this spring. But that's the vegetarian happy lawyer geinus for you.

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Comments

Grrrr...

Go outside of an outdoor facility to smoke?!? I rarely even smoke during games, but this new rule infuriates me just in it's nonsensicality!

The whole OF shakedown in the next week will be interesting -- who makes the cut, who doesnt. For the record, with JimmE and Juan out, I think we'll carry Dunc, So, PW, Skip, JRod (plus whatever Spiez is listed as). Who goes down when they come back, though is a total mystery to me.

And Eli will be down in Memphis, just waiting for someone (Yadi or Gary) to get hurt.

Cheers

by Alxfritz on Mar 21, 2007 12:29 PM EDT reply actions

It makes since to me.

I don't care if it is outside of the seating area. Saying that, just because it is an open air stadium doesn't mean you don't get innundated with it if you sit beside someone (or especially behind). It's a consideration thing and a lot of people don't have any. I brought my 2 year old kid to the ballpark last year and someone right beside him lit up and rested his hand (with the cigarette) about 2-3 inches from where my son was sitting (it was bleachers). Maybe I'm overly sensitive to it, but I had 2 grandfathers die of emphazema. (and that is not how you want to see your loved ones die).

Maybe the rule goes too far, but I'm all for it.

"It takes pitching, hitting and defense. Any two can win. All three make you unbeatable". Joe Garagiola

by MRCARD on Mar 21, 2007 1:59 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm seriously pissed

Smoking in the seats has been banned since '55, that dude who lit up near your kid was just a flat-out asshole.

This is about making people miss serious chunks of baseball game to walk from the upper decks down all the ramps to get outside the building when before they could have gone to the formerly designated areas in secluded spots of the top concourse.

This new policy is completely unreasonable and hostile to a minority of loyal fans and customers. I'll burn maybe two squares a game, one after each ice cold, frosty, $8.50 Budweiser, and I'll be damned if I have to decide between missing an inning or enjoying my $8.50 worth of beer less.

Announcing this new "feature" of the ballpark two weeks before opening day and two weeks after I bought a crapload of tickets is the latest in a long series of serious PR blunders the front office has made in the past few years. That's the last I'm going to say about this here, since this whole issue has me overly steamed.

by liam on Mar 21, 2007 2:20 PM EDT up reply actions

and I'm pretty sure

you won't be able to take that $8.50 budweiser with you to smoke ...

by jeff abs on Mar 21, 2007 2:31 PM EDT up reply actions

I feel your pain...

the whole stadium thing is so over-priced and over-regimented... better to watch the Cards on TV and take in the occasional minor league game in person.

Acquire any Established Major League Starter!

by guayzimi on Mar 21, 2007 3:42 PM EDT up reply actions

I don't get it either

It seems like people should be able to smoke in the upper deck concourses in designated areas away from the seats. Like area on the north-west side behind the vendors that overlooks the Lake of Ballpark Village - why can't people smoke there? I can't see any purpose for people to be there other than to smoke (or possibly make out). Are they worried about people below getting ashed on?

A much bigger problem - as CardNilly has documented before - than secondhand cigarette smoke is the exhaust that gets piped out of the vending areas in the upper deck behind home plate.

http://cardnilly.com/?p=322

"The exhaust from the concession stands on the upper level is vented directly into the stands, regularly making it difficult to see pop flies and leaving you with a wonderful lingering burnt-grease scent on your clothes."

Anyone know if the Cardinals have done anything about this problem?

by musial6 on Mar 21, 2007 2:22 PM EDT up reply actions

banning smoking...

Is supposedly good PR. If other facilities ban smoking, why not Busch? This seems to be the line of thought here; never mind that the new stadium is close enough to an interstate that exhaust fumes from passing automobiles creates a much bigger nuisance than anything cigarette smokers can muster.

It reminds me of a great quote from Mayor 'Diamond' Joe Quimby: "Well then, if that is the way the wind is blowing, let nobody then say I do not also blow..."

by matt reeder on Mar 21, 2007 3:15 PM EDT up reply actions

Highway isn't that close...

Exhaust isn't that close to the stadium to be really of any problem. Not saying that smoking is either (I have no clue where the designated areas were), but no way is car exhaust from the highway going to cause any problems.

So where were these smoking areas? My office building is smoke-free, but everyone goes down to smoke in parking garage right outside the basement doors. If people are smoking down there, I have to walk right through the smell of smoke. So depending on where the areas were, it definitely could have been a problem with people trying to get to a certain part of the stadium and having to go through smoke.

by saladdays on Mar 21, 2007 3:44 PM EDT up reply actions

Ooooh, we might have to walk

through smoke a few times during the season. Geez, that could reduce my life expectancy by what ... 4-5 seconds?

What a nightmare!

by MdRedbirdFreak on Mar 21, 2007 4:23 PM EDT up reply actions

Gates 2, 4, 6

Anyone leaving through those three designated gates are assured of walking past angry people smoking. This looks like it's just creating a new problem where there wasn't one before, aside from the fact that the designated areas didn't have televisions or even radio piped in. There will be Rooney and Shannon piped out to those gates, but no television.

And I predict there will be more complaints about mass lighting up during the post-game exodus, since what are the ushers going to do about it then after downing three or four beers without sparking one up, tell us to leave?

Glad to see this thread hasn't devolved into a flamewar yet...

by liam on Mar 21, 2007 4:32 PM EDT up reply actions

Excellent point

Now that you mention it, I can think of a time or two I saw somebody smoking on their way out of the stadium as the game was ending. Banning smoking throughout the stadium is sure to only increase the incidence of that, and at that point there's little if anything that can be done about it.

by john vb on Mar 21, 2007 5:34 PM EDT up reply actions

Voice of dissent

Apparently, there's not too many people here who applaud the Cardinals, but I certainly do. I'm asthmatic, and even the hint of smoke is terribly bothersome to me. I have to hold my breath any time I walk through smoke.

Hurray for the Cardinals! Long overdue. First decent thing they've done in the new place.

by tinstl on Mar 21, 2007 11:46 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm sympathetic

But their efforts would have been better spent improving the designated smoking areas, both in more clearly identifying where they are (a problem in both Busch II and III) and by installing TVs or at least radio so you don't miss the action for the few minutes you're back there.

Fix those two problems and there'd be far fewer people walking or standing around smoking in places they shouldn't be. Making people stand outside the gate just doesn't make any sense at all, especially for the folks in the upper deck.

It's a little bit like needing to use the restroom—sure you can hold it, but it's pretty damned uncomfortable, especially when beer's involved. I'm with you that people shouldn't be walking around (to continue the simile) pissing all over everyone, but just give us a few conveniently located places to do our business without offending other people and everyone's happy.

by liam on Mar 22, 2007 12:09 AM EDT up reply actions

I think

this is a GREAT decision by the organization, and should be applauded. Why should the MAJORITY of fans be annoyed by the vices of the minority? Makes no sense. This is a great move for the Cardinals, and I hope eventually all stadiums follow suit.

Also, if this makes even one person rethink his smoking habit and eventually quit, then it's by far worth every inconvienced, pissed off smoker.

by Jhusk on Mar 22, 2007 1:45 AM EDT up reply actions

I'm not quite sure that nonsmokers

are a clear majority, actually.

by Valatan on Mar 22, 2007 2:36 AM EDT up reply actions

Butts

You couldn't smoke in your seats, you couldn't smoke in the bleachers, the party porch, hell you couldn't even smoke in the open area in LF/CF. There were designated areas for smoking in Busch II and Busch III. If you had an experience other than that, the people smoking were in the wrong and someone should have said something to them. What next, people have to stand across the street from a public park when they take their children to play?

by CardinalsfanIraq on Mar 22, 2007 5:03 AM EDT up reply actions

Where they were

The designated smoking sections in Busch II were right in the middle of the concourse, where you had to exit. When the consession lines were long, you'd be pushed right up against them.

by tinstl on Mar 22, 2007 7:36 AM EDT up reply actions

Wow

What an intelligent way to respond!

by saladdays on Mar 22, 2007 10:14 AM EDT up reply actions

good idea, but taken too far

Not only am I a non-smoker, but I hate cigarette smoke as much as I love the Cardinals, and I have to agree with the sentiment that this is unnecessary. I went to over a dozen games last year, and I don't recall ever being bothered by smoke, other than from the grills. I see nothing wrong with keeping some designated areas at the edges of the upper deck and on the ground level. I guess like somebody said, it's good PR, but is a smoking ban really going to sell any more tickets?

by john vb on Mar 21, 2007 3:47 PM EDT up reply actions

Well, it's good PR

to control freaks who like to ban things, and bad or indifferent PR to everyone else. It's definitely a good way to piss off a few people who might not feel such a need to spend their $$$ on the BoBs.

by MdRedbirdFreak on Mar 21, 2007 8:17 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm not a control freak....

who likes to ban things, but I maintain that banning smoking in the place is a good move. The smoking situation was not policed and not respected by the smokers I saw, even when it was brought to their attention. Besides, you all come back smelling like an ashtray and I have to sit next to you.

by Brock20 on Mar 22, 2007 5:47 PM EDT up reply actions

oooh

that's a good point. in fact, they should probably ban people who have smoked that day from entering the stadium at all, because some people find the smell unpleasant.

by soc on Mar 23, 2007 1:54 AM EDT up reply actions

Tags and Wilson...

give you RH bats rather than LH (Skip and Jrod). Considering that once Edmonds comes back we already have two LH OFer's (Dunc and Jed) I see the attraction of Taguchi and Wilson.

My only disagreement with your assessment of bench players regards Bennett. I don't see what he offers that Marrero can't provide and then some...leadership?

by cardzfanbub on Mar 21, 2007 12:30 PM EDT reply actions

LH vs RH

Splits are great and all, but I have little doubt JRod can't hold at least equal Taguchi's .340 OPS vs lefties.

by RedbirdRay on Mar 21, 2007 12:35 PM EDT up reply actions

I see the attraction...

don't necessarily agree that it holds water. I certainly think that JRod can outhit So against Lefties, but he can't play center.

Can Skip hit lefties better than So?

by cardzfanbub on Mar 21, 2007 1:24 PM EDT up reply actions

another TLR fixation

>>I certainly think that JRod can outhit So against Lefties, but he can't play center.<<

The times I have seen JRod in center (few), he looked better there than in left or right, was getting a better jump on the ball. Haven't seen a breakdown of his minor league career but I suspect JRod predominatel played in in CF (as a minor leaguer).

I wish those advocating that TLR will see the light on So T are corrected but I highly doubt it. TLR has a fixation on So T. It makes eminent sense that, when JED and Juan E come back, one of So T or PW get released ... especially given that we'll have Marrero down in Memphis as a spare bench OF who bats righthanded should the need arise. I'm not holding my breadth.

by jjray on Mar 21, 2007 4:15 PM EDT up reply actions

But Skip can play center.

by Valatan on Mar 21, 2007 5:08 PM EDT up reply actions

not always

facing, say, billy wagner, i'll take taguchi

by mattlo on Mar 22, 2007 6:03 AM EDT up reply actions

Wilson and LaRussa

I'm not sure it's Wilson's lack of hitting that LaRussa's objecting to as much as it his Wilson's approach to spring and the preseason that's got Tony riled up. I have no idea what Wilson's approach has been, but if Tony perceives that he's giving it less than his full effort, that's probably Tony's beef. I think he's also trying to send a message to everyone about being complacent now that they have their ring. In other words, Tony's message was meant for everyone, not just Wilson.

by chuckb on Mar 21, 2007 12:38 PM EDT reply actions

Wilson still has some real value

I wonder if Wilson has ever been challenged in the way that LaRussa has now "upped the ante" to him. Maybe odd that Tony sort of "called him out" via the media, but just imagine if Wilson was actually able to shorten his swing more often and learn to be a tougher out. LaRussa has the chips to push him in this manner. I certainly hesitate to second guess this manager's tactics on this one--not to mention glibly referring to him as "vegetarian lawyer genius." That's just silliness. Or am I out of line now, according to the "guidelines".....

watching from Belgium

by waffle on Mar 21, 2007 2:41 PM EDT up reply actions

That's just silliness

Kind of intentionally so. I have very mixed feelings about La Russa (One of my first posts here was about my relationship with what I saw as my two TLR archetypes, Crazy Tony and Genius Tony), and sometimes it shines through. He has a strong personality, and sometimes I like to play off of it. If it makes you feel better, I am also a vegetarian, and I came very close to going to law school.

And as long as you're being substantive, you aren't violating anything.

by Valatan on Mar 21, 2007 5:23 PM EDT up reply actions

The Gooch

may be saying "Sayonara" soon. How can you keep J-Rod off the roster, even with (improved but) suspect defense? Rodriguez is slugging .467! That's .317 more than Taguchi. Takes an awful lot of errors in the field to overcome that kind of hitting deficit.

by Red in Chicago on Mar 21, 2007 1:08 PM EDT reply actions

And another thing

These guys need to understand the concept of sunk cost. Springer, Taguchi and Wilson all look like contract losers. They should write off the damn cost and go with winners. Who cares if their "veteran" signings? The AAA, league-minimum guys are eating their lunch.

by Red in Chicago on Mar 21, 2007 1:10 PM EDT reply actions

Lets see..... go with winners

So vs. Wagner, to name just one of his key contributions during the playoffs. And Preston, although aggrevating to some during down time, was money when it counted.

by Yadier on Mar 21, 2007 1:20 PM EDT up reply actions

Statistically

so is still getting a hit 1.5 times out of every ten. Just because a hit is timed well doesn't mean a guy is worth keeping.

by RedbirdRay on Mar 21, 2007 1:27 PM EDT up reply actions

No matter what

I think PDub's spot is secure, unless he really goofs up over the last two weeks. He's pretty much the only power right handed bat on the bench, as Spiezio's power is mostly from the left side. Defensively, I'd rate him below Schumaker, about even with Taguchi (now that the Gooch has lost a step) and above Rodriguez. In other words, he's a right handed replacement for Duncan.

Taguchi really should have retired after the WS win, imo. I love the guy to pieces, and the way to end your career isn't to be cut for Skip Schumaker. I think his career is heading that way, however, as he can't hit his way out of a wet paper bag and is losing on defense to Schumaker. If Skip continues to rake once the club breaks camp, So's days are numbered.

I really don't know what to make of John Rodriguez. By all accounts, his defense has improved somewhat, the power numbers are back, but it just seems like there's no place for him on the club. PDub has more pop in his bat off the bench, and Schumaker plays better defense, leaving Johnny Rocket once again out in the cold.

Skip has always been a plus defender, and the offseason work he's done with McGwire has seemed to help out his anemic swing. The kid who posted a 730 career minor league OPS is now over 1100 for spring training, and while that's only 30 some at bats, it's a big enough difference to get my attention. If he continues to hit, they'll find a place for him.

The real competition for the fourth and fifth outfield spots won't happen until the first two weeks of the season, as Edmonds and Encarnacion are both likely to start on the DL. Then, we'll find out if Skip's offense is a fluke, if Preston can still run without his knees collapsing, if So is still scared of line drives, and if JRod has healed from his injury last season. My early pick has Wilson and Schumaker staying with the club.

by Phyrkrakr on Mar 21, 2007 1:15 PM EDT reply actions

Can Edgar V. field?

I've been impressed by his hitting this spring (Edgar V. Gonzalez I'm talkin about), and with his career .372 OBP in the minors, plus the bit of pop he seems to have shown, I wonder if he might be a better guy to carry on the bencg than the punchless (except vs. Lidge) Aaron Miles. Sure Miles is a switch-hitter (Edgar is a RH), but that .654 OPS as a lefty last year isn't much evidence of that being a positive thing...

by salvomania on Mar 21, 2007 1:24 PM EDT reply actions

no

In fact, he was rated as the worst defender in the entire minor leagues a while back:

http://baseballanalysts.com/archives/2006/12/the_worst_minor_1.php

He's booted a couple of balls in spring training as well, including a gimme-double-play ball that caused us to tie the game last week against somebody (score ended 6-6 if someone wants to look up which game that was). It's a shame, because the guy is a great hitter.

"God is back in the National League. Matter of fact, he is staying at my house." -Joaquin Andujar

by SleepyCA on Mar 21, 2007 2:42 PM EDT up reply actions

talk about synchronicity...

An article on this very subject is on the cards mlb web page today:

http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070321&content_id=1853437&vkey=spt20 07news&fext=.jsp&c_id=stl

"God is back in the National League. Matter of fact, he is staying at my house." -Joaquin Andujar

by SleepyCA on Mar 21, 2007 8:39 PM EDT up reply actions

Extra innings on Cable

pre AP:

Wednesday, March 21, 2007
MLB to look into iN Demand's 'Extra Innings' offer

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Associated Press

NEW YORK -- Baseball's "Extra Innings" package of out-of-market games might wind up staying on cable television.

IN Demand said Wednesday it will offer to match the terms of DirecTV's $700 million, seven-year deal with Major League Baseball on behalf its owners, who are affiliates of the companies that own Time Warner, Comcast and Cox cable systems.

As part of the offer, iN Demand also said it would carry The Baseball Channel when it launches in 2009 to at least the same number of subscribers who will get the channel on DirecTV.

"As the current home for 'Extra Innings' for more than 200,000 cable subscribers, we have extended ourselves to do our best to be able to continue to provide this package to baseball fans and our customers," iN Demand president Robert Jacobson said. "This offer meets all the conditions set forth by MLB last week.

Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer, said he would have to find out details of iN Demand's offer before commenting.

"Extra Innings" had more than 500,000 television subscribers last year plus about 60 percent more on MLB.com, the sport's Web site.

EchoStar Communications Corp.'s Dish Network also has carried the "Extra Innings" package. There was no immediate word whether Dish also would match the offer.

IN Demand is owned by Time Warner Entertainment-Advance/Newhouse Partnership, Comcast iN Demand Holdings Corp and Cox Communications Holdings Inc.

Walk your dog, not Pujols.

by Hardcore Legend on Mar 21, 2007 1:35 PM EDT reply actions

Ei in HD?

Are all Extra Innings games offered in HD of they're originally broadcast on Fox Sports Net? I've watched a ton of FSN basketball games in analog on my new plasma TV and they look like shit. I can't imagine having to watch my Cardinals play on anything other than HD. At least I can see HD baseball games on Fox and ESPN.

Bench Juan Encarnacion!

by STLCardinalsFan on Mar 21, 2007 2:08 PM EDT up reply actions

HD

I think you have to pay an extra 10 bucks a month for the MLB EI superfan package in order to get the games in HD. This will be my first year with HD for EI games and I am curious as well. I have investigated superfan just a little.

by sweet number 5 on Mar 21, 2007 2:16 PM EDT up reply actions

Did you not know

that watching non-HD programs on a HD TV sometimes looks worse than watching on a non-HD one?

by saladdays on Mar 21, 2007 3:47 PM EDT up reply actions

yes and no

i have a hd capable tv but i don't have hd and the picture looks great...so much so that i haven't bothered with hd because it isn't worth it to me to spend the extra money. my brother has an hd tv and his picture is horrible without hd.
the thing about the ei superfan package is that it looks like there are only 2 channels of hd programming and they advertise a chance to see up to 10 games a week....so that means, what?...8 yankee games and then a couple of random games for us dolts in the rest of the country?

by sweet number 5 on Mar 21, 2007 3:53 PM EDT up reply actions

tsk, tsk Hardcore

You obviously haven't read the new guidelines - something about using the entire article as your post...
you should look under this heading:
Respect for copyright:

Dont make me report you to The Guideline Enforcement Comittee.

j/k

by _pistol_ on Mar 21, 2007 5:08 PM EDT up reply actions

pistol, that's exactly

the kind of bullshit post that adds nothing to the site, and that nobody wants to read.

i know you think it makes you look clever, but it doesn't.

by lboros on Mar 21, 2007 5:52 PM EDT up reply actions

having said that

yes --- hardcore, please respect the copyright laws moving forward.

by lboros on Mar 21, 2007 5:55 PM EDT up reply actions

My apologies

I thought since it was a wire story that it was free to disperse.

I'll snip it next time.

Walk your dog, not Pujols.

by Hardcore Legend on Mar 21, 2007 8:21 PM EDT up reply actions

the wire service stuff

does end up being de facto public-domain copy, because it's so widely dispersed --- but you're supposed to pay them a fee for the rights to their stuff. since VEB is not an Associated Press subscriber, we shouldn't reprint their content in full.

a couple graphs and a link is fine though

thanks

by lboros on Mar 21, 2007 8:25 PM EDT up reply actions

lboros

did you not see pistol's j/k (or just kidding)? i think it was obvious sarcasm on his part, and that he wasn't making fun of the new guidelines, which were obviously needed, just my two cents

Pujols is the greatest Cardinal in my lifetime.

by bigcardsfan5 on Mar 21, 2007 11:21 PM EDT up reply actions

i saw the jk

but the guidelines aren't a joke. the board isn't a joke. i wish we didn't have to have them, but we do. they're for the good of the site and the community. they're not intrusive --- and nearly every well-run large site has something similar.

maybe i was heavy-handed in responding to pistol; maybe i misread him. but i didn't want anyone reading his post to get the idea that the board/guidelines were just something to laugh at.

by lboros on Mar 21, 2007 11:35 PM EDT up reply actions

Here is an update

MLB rejected the deal. InDemand is fully prepared to now go before the Senate and contest the entire situation.

[quote=orionquest;6778251]So, what's your take. Do you think there's any shot at iNDemand getting the package? It does feel a bit like tampering to me.[/quote]

Just listened to MLB Live and they had a guy from the Business of Baseball:

*InDemand matched every monitary condition of the agreement.

*They also agreed to match subscribership availibility person for person with DirectTV.

*However, here is the catch. Direct TV is offering 85% of their subscribers as part of the package. This equates to about 1/4th of the cable companies basic cable subscribers.

*MLB wants InDemand to match 85% of their basic subsribers, which would be almost 3 times that of what DirectTV has.

*InDemand now has a leg to stand on. The death blow for MLB is this part ownership of the new channel that DirectTV gets. It creates an unfair business practice for MLB to offer DirectTV ownership for the same money, less subscribers and not give the same to InDemand.

*The guy from Business of Baseball said that unless MLB agrees to InDemand's new offer, the liklihood of the MLB Extra Innings to DirectTV passing any kind of Senate approval is almost nil.

*From the impression I got, InDemand backed MLB into a further corner than they were to begin with. Now it can go before Congress, pointing out the apparant unfair business practices to create a monopoly over the content.

*Another wrinkle is that Cox Cable offered all 2006 MLB EI subsribers a free year of MLB.TV that would be paid for by Cox. MLB told them they could not buy subscriptions in bulk and that they would fight any attempt for an end around in that way.

*The Senate hearings are on Tuesday. MLB is essentially screwed because when InDemand stands before Kerry and ilk and says "We've offered them the same rewards that DirectTV is giving them and they are giving us less", MLB will have no defense.

Walk your dog, not Pujols.

by Hardcore Legend on Mar 21, 2007 8:24 PM EDT up reply actions

Ignore the [quote] part

I copied my own update from another site.

Walk your dog, not Pujols.

by Hardcore Legend on Mar 21, 2007 8:26 PM EDT up reply actions

Oh Lord

The dreaded BOLD monster has arrived!

by Red in Chicago on Mar 21, 2007 1:52 PM EDT reply actions

it deserved it

not only is this a huge story, it's also a big "fuck you" by cable to satellite - and, vicariously, by us to whatever amalgam of suits we each hold responsible for almost taking those games away from us.

by nycbirdo on Mar 21, 2007 1:57 PM EDT up reply actions

The truthfulness of inDemand's statements

notwithstanding, it really is a 'don't try to spin this on us' by the cable companies. MLB seemed to have this Ponchus Pilot 'do with it what you want, we've wiped our hands of it' approach with the clause they put in.

Basically, they tried to make it look like inDemand was going to be unreasonable in not matching the demands of MLB and that inDemand would be the bad guy. If the offer is legit, MLB has no choice but to except it or look like even bigger fools than had they just gone exclusive to begin with.

Walk your dog, not Pujols.

by Hardcore Legend on Mar 21, 2007 2:07 PM EDT up reply actions

How exactly would

one go about slugging .150? Is he bunting every time he gets to the plate? Methinks this is a more amazing stat than Pujols' zero k's from Springs past.

by sjoshi on Mar 21, 2007 2:32 PM EDT reply actions

Wow, this means he

hasn't even had one of those excuse-me bloop doubles behind first base. Hard to do.

by MdRedbirdFreak on Mar 21, 2007 8:19 PM EDT up reply actions

If it's .150

it shouldn't be allowed to be called "slugging". Once it gets below .300, it should be called "tapping", "happenstance", or "holy shit, ____ actually reached base safely!".

by chuckb on Mar 21, 2007 9:12 PM EDT up reply actions

LOL! Yeah, kids

in tee-ball slug better than .150.

by MdRedbirdFreak on Mar 21, 2007 11:21 PM EDT up reply actions

Izzy time

Looks like Izzy's coming in. Just waiting for him to walk the bases loaded and then somehow get out of it, followed by a bunch of "looks like Izzy is in midseason form" comments.

by mikedallas23 @ Viva El Birdos on Mar 21, 2007 2:32 PM EDT reply actions

Anyone have the Gameday Link?

I can't seem to get it right.

by Carps on Mar 21, 2007 3:14 PM EDT reply actions

see above

It is at the very beginning of this post.

by sweet number 5 on Mar 21, 2007 3:28 PM EDT reply actions

Some Ugly Defense

In today's game. Those three errors understate the problem.

by liam on Mar 21, 2007 3:38 PM EDT reply actions

ESPN Commentator and former GM

Steve Phillips has once again annoited an NL Central team as champs and claimed the Cardinals 'really don't have the pieces to win it'.

Phillips, famously held on to the Reds as NL Central Champs all the way into September.

Makes me feel better about the upcoming season.

How anyone could look at the starting pitching we have and how it has performed in ST and think that it will be worse than an injured Mulder, Sydney Ponson, Jason Marquis and August Jeff Weaver, I don't know.

Walk your dog, not Pujols.

by Hardcore Legend on Mar 21, 2007 3:54 PM EDT reply actions

Philips

That's why he's a former GM.

by saladdays on Mar 21, 2007 4:13 PM EDT up reply actions

I haven't seen...

any numbers on this, but I bet ST performance has no bearing on what happens during the season. I don't see how anyone at this point can be confident Looper, Kip, Reyes, and AW can string together QS after QS. Sure they COULD do it, but they also have huge bust potential.

As for whining about ESPN columnists, you'd better be careful... you don't want to get an email in the middle of the night from the Guideline Enforcement Committee!

Acquire any Established Major League Starter!

by guayzimi on Mar 21, 2007 4:14 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm not whinning

I think we can all appreciate that Steve Phillips is the new wave of Joe Morgan and Tim McCarver, no matter who he works for.

He speaks or makes decisions not based on anything really than 'gut feeling', IMHO.

They certainly have bust potential. But they are starting to face 'legit MLB lineups' on a nightly basis in ST and they've held it together.

Walk your dog, not Pujols.

by Hardcore Legend on Mar 21, 2007 4:20 PM EDT up reply actions

I know..

I'm just giving you a hard time... It's been long established that Phillips is a doush. He ran his own team into the ground, and now gets paid to take potshots at other far more competent regimes.

That said, the Cards official '07 rotation is easily the wackiest bunch ever assembled in the LaRussa-Jocketty years... Between the inexperience, the injuries, and the sheer nuttiness of Braden Looper as a starter, you have to be a true believer to not be a little nervous.

The only reason the sky isn't falling in Cardinal Nation right now is because we won 11 of 16 last October, which won't help us in the least bit come April.

Acquire any Established Major League Starter!

by guayzimi on Mar 21, 2007 4:39 PM EDT up reply actions

Wow

Complaining about the guidelines already? I thought they seemed perfectly reasonable.

by john vb on Mar 21, 2007 4:26 PM EDT up reply actions

No, not complaining...

gotta have rules and rule enforcement... I will say however the first thing I thought of when I read "Community Enforcement Board", or whatever, was the grim Committee of Public Safety. Let's hope no one loses their virtual head!

Acquire any Established Major League Starter!

by guayzimi on Mar 21, 2007 4:54 PM EDT up reply actions

Heh.

I could change my login to 'Robespierre'...

by Valatan on Mar 21, 2007 5:16 PM EDT up reply actions

there are plenty of sites

that have no rules or guidelines, for them that wants 'em . . . .

by lboros on Mar 21, 2007 5:54 PM EDT up reply actions

At least we know

they're being read!

by chuckb on Mar 21, 2007 9:13 PM EDT up reply actions

That's just silly

Reyes and Wainwright are young, but quite solid. Wells has got to be better than Mulder last year. And Looper should equal or better Marquis. The only question is whether the three "rookie-plus" starters can pile up 180+ innings on average.

And, if they need help come mid-season, there's $10-15MM worth of help available from the front office and the bench.

by Red in Chicago on Mar 21, 2007 4:53 PM EDT reply actions

Soooooooo

still has some value.
-We have no speed on this team,
-he can catch and throw it
-his hits are timely.
-he makes a great late inning substitution to try and cath the laser shots Isringhausen will be giving up all year.
-an OF with Duncan and Jrod is a potential nightmare

and His HR in the NLCS was one of my favorite moments as a cardinal fan. TLR's devotion to him is nothing compared to his crazy devotion to isringhausen who was back at it today loading up the bases in a non pressure situation

by rvacardsfan4ever on Mar 21, 2007 7:15 PM EDT reply actions

Sooo finished

So has to get on base to use his speed, which may or may not be tremendously valuable to the team anyway. He doesn't get caught much, which is nice, but who cares? Currently, he's not hitting shit.

Yes, he can catch and throw a baseball, as can many other men who play the sport professionally.

I seriously doubt any batter has much control over how "timely" his hits are. If So's .150 is timely, I'll gladly take a more respectable UNtimely bat.

I love the guy, too, but I think he's done contributing.

by baw on Mar 21, 2007 7:56 PM EDT up reply actions

What speed?

He has already been thrown out stealing 2 or 3 times this spring.

by OCCardsFan on Mar 21, 2007 11:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Well,

a CS doesn't always indicate lack of speed... but yeah. Skip is faster anyway.

by baw on Mar 22, 2007 3:43 AM EDT up reply actions

"Timely"? If he becomes a

better hitter when a "timely" hit is needed, why can't he just pretend he's in a pressure situation every time he's at the plate?

by MdRedbirdFreak on Mar 21, 2007 8:24 PM EDT up reply actions

Can't you say all that about Skip Schumaker?

I'm not a Skip mega-fan, but it seems like he has the exact skill set that So has (minus the theoretical ability to play the odd inning of 2B), but is likely to get better with more mlb experience, while so is likely to just age more and lose more ability.

by Valatan on Mar 21, 2007 8:25 PM EDT up reply actions

O Soooo real

Like it or not, We'll see So in the regular season. I still like him as an option over Shumaker. His numbers are horrible this spring but I still like him better standing in the outfield in a close real game with Izzy or the rest of our pen trying to protect a lead. If he continues to suck in the regular season then make the change. I admit I don't know anything about skip and I like Jrod...but I want to give the guy a chance to contribute.

I guess you guys are right but sometimes you just hate to see things end...

It's weird how TLR is so loyal to certain players (izzy, dennis eckersly, mcgwire, taguchi) but then totally shit on a Stl legend (who defnitely still could contribute) as soon as he got here.

by rvacardsfan4ever on Mar 21, 2007 8:41 PM EDT reply actions

my thoughts on smoking

i diddn't read all the posts but if i smoke at a public place i usually do it as far as away as possible...last year at new busch this was on the concourses...i'm upset with the total ban if this is what this basically comes down to...some smokers do realize that people don't want fumes in their face all day and walk away when they need a smoke

by johnstjc @ Viva El Birdos on Mar 21, 2007 10:45 PM EDT reply actions

No shit

I'm a (pack a week or when I'm drinking) smoker and I go out of my way to avoid people when I smoke. In fact, I hate it when people smoke in my face as much as the non-smoker, as little sense as that makes. I even like bars that have gone no-smoking, because I could give a rat's ass about walking outside to get my fix, in fact I end up smoking, and stinking, less then I would otherwise at the end of the night.

All that being said, the last thing I want is to have a few beers at the game and have to go to whatever gates I need to go to smoke. There had to be a better solution. I've only sat up high a few times at new Busch, but it seems like there is a whole helluva lot of unused space where you could rope off the future cancer victims or whatever. At least put some TVs outside. Christ.

St. Louis is such a pro-smoking town too.

by plh903 on Mar 22, 2007 12:41 AM EDT up reply actions

There you have it

The tyranny of the majority reigns. Besides, it's good for you.

You know who you are...

by Red in Chicago on Mar 22, 2007 2:06 AM EDT reply actions

hearings,

hey hardcore, where did you find the info about the EI hearings next week? usa today was the only site i've checked so far and they had nothing about hearings.

as much as i want MLB to bite the bullet big time on this, i've allready made my point more than once i'm not swithing to directv from dish network for anything, i have no faith in our government to stop this deal. it's going to happen. only thing that could stop it would be, and i only bringing this up because i read on fox sports when the deal was announced that a member of congress threw this idea out, that congress might drag the nfl into this. if the nfl has to defend their deal with directv, all hell will break loose. mlb does not want the governtment on there butts about roids and a bad tv deal, imagine what would happen if the nfl started in on them for screwing up their tv deal?

The 2006 St.Louis Cardinals. WORLD CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD. And That's A Winner!

by gdm426 on Mar 22, 2007 4:46 AM EDT reply actions

never mind

i need to stop reading so freakin late at night when i can bearly keep my eyes open.

The 2006 St.Louis Cardinals. WORLD CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD. And That's A Winner!

by gdm426 on Mar 22, 2007 4:52 AM EDT reply actions

Did anyone hear the story??

about LaRussa getting a DUI last night?
early this morning, he was found alseep at the wheel, stopped at an intersection in Jupiter.

by _pistol_ on Mar 22, 2007 8:08 AM EDT reply actions

heard the story on espn news

i've been looking for an online story, but can't find anything yet.

by _pistol_ on Mar 22, 2007 8:10 AM EDT up reply actions

check the diaries

Cheers

by Alxfritz on Mar 22, 2007 8:23 AM EDT up reply actions

Bonds Home Run... definitive answers

It all depends on how many games you expect he will play and how often he hits them out.

Over the past three years he has played 291 games and hit 76 homeruns. That is a rate of 3.83 games per homerun. Since he is currently at 734 homers, he needs 22 to reach 156. That means it would take him 84 games.

If that rate sounds high, then consider over the past two years he has hit 31 homers in 144 games or 4.65 games per homerun. That would mean it takes 102 games.

If the former sounds low, look back to 2004. That was his last truly healthy season when he slugged 45 in 147 games, or 3.27 games per homerun. That equates to 72 games.

Now consider Bonds is 42 and last year he only played 130 games. Even going back to 2004 he only played 147 games. If he misses games at an even rate, that will extend his time to 22 homers by 10-20%. Finally it's probably a safe bet he breaks the record at home.

This brings me to my matrix answer. Pick his home run rate, number of games played and whether he is willing to play on the road for a potentially historic day and then pick your date: