>>i suspect reyes will have a similar career. i doubt he will have it in st. louis.<<

Qualifier: if LaDuncan return.  Reyes will go mad attempting another year under LaDuncan.  He should be traded for whatever he can fetch should the tandem return for another campaign.  However, say Joe Girardi / Dyar Miller were the new Cards management team for 08, I like Reyes' chances of rebounding in the Lou.

1. He does not have an out pitch.  You absolutely have to have an out pitch to be a MLB pitcher who is worth anything.
2. Poor location.  It seems he has to throw alot of pitches because he does not have an out pitch.  The more pitches you throw to a hitter the greater the chance you will miss on location.

Anthony just is not showing signs of getting it yet.

For example Rich Hill made his debut in 2005 and since he has pitched 56 games making 49 starts.  Anthony made his debut in 2005 and has pitched 42 games while making 38 starts.  Rich Hill is leaps and bounds ahead of Anthony at this point.  Rich Hill has an out pitch, and seems to get ahead of a lot of batters.  Also Rich Hill is not consistently down 3-0 in the fist 2 innings of the games.  Yes Anthony has not gotten a lot of run support, but it is really hard to come back when your pitcher spots the other team 3 to 4 runs in first few innings of the game.  

I think the ball is in Anthony's court.  He flat out needs to step it up.  No excuses, he is the one who needs to fix the problem.  He is two years younger than Rich Hill and I want to see Anthony get things better.  Hell the Cubs are dissappointed with Sean Marshall.  Hell he has been way better than Reyes.

Does our line up have a chance? Did the first inning batters have good AB's?

thanks

8.15 ERA

I guess he just fits right in with our staff.  He has been absolutely terrible.

Just because you picked up Branyan and Cairo does not mean it is necessary to play them. I only play them if they are going to be on the team next year.  I can not see a reason that either one fits in the plans for next year.

"Who most deserves to be in the rotation for the final three weeks?"

After almost 11,000 votes,

Wells: 7%
Maroth: 6%
Reyes: 16%
Thompson: 27%
"why not a 4 man rotation?": 43%

That about sums up our rotation.

1. Wainer
   
2. Looper
   
3. Franklin
   
4. Izzy
   
5. Springer

It is pointless to argue because both would suck to have.

I will still follow the Cards but try to not to get too emotionally attached.

Heck maybe all the Cards need is some good ol' home cookin to get things going again.

If we have a starting pitcher go 4 innings and only allow 1 run, Tony needs to yank his butt.  There is only one starting pitcher who has proven over a season he does not implode out of no where.  That is Wainwright.  I thought the AZ move was good, don't ever get greedy with Kip and 90% of the staff.  Besides Wainer, Franklin, Izzy, and Springer our pitchers have show they have the ability to go to crap really fast.  Tony needs to start yanking guys. I don't care how they look.  Our pitchers have not earned the right to be give extra hitters.  If they are giving you more than you expected pull em.  There is enough data to prove it.  

Tony seems to get this soft side where he does not want to "hurt feeling" or "create wins".  This is not an individual game.  Your pitcher have no confidence anyway.  I think 4 innings would make Kip feel great at this point.

Is TLR maybe trying desperately here and there to wring an inning or 2 from the starter instead of letting everyone but Wainwright pitch 4 innings then destroying the pen?

Thompson's line:  2 IP, 13 pitches with 11 strikes, 5-1 GO-FO

Since Thompson hasn't given up more than 3 runs in the majority of his starts, and looking at his great stats today, I wonder if we would have won that game if he had been our starter?  

I also wonder where we would be if they had just left Thompson in the rotation when he was still pitching fairly well (better than any of the others)?  Bernie reported that Thompson's ERA in his last 6 starts was somewhere in the mid to upper 3.00 range.

This is no surprise, but I think Thompson needs a little more love.

A team that has gone through what the 2007 Cardinals have been through has no business being in contention in September regardless how bad the division is.  I think, more than in most recent years, we got to see in St. Louis a team that truly shows what it means to play Cardinals' Baseball.  They played a hard nine the whole season.  Very few of their losses can be chalked up to lack of trying.  I am proud of their character, their toughness, and their perseverance.  I believe this team has a bright future, whether it be with LaRussa or with Oquendo.  

Okay, now stop losing and go beat those damn cubbies!

So basically they'll have to be awesome and the Cubs and Brewers will have to be Capuano at the same time.

Yes...Capuano is a synonym for stinky.

Like BigMOman said.  The Cards have had a lot of success under this group of management.  Count your blessings.  You could be the Cubs, since Larussa took over the Cubs have been to the play offs 2 times? 1998 they got in by winning a play in game and got smoked by the Braves in round 1.  In 2003 they got in and had their hearts torn out by the Marlins!

I will take a bad year.  I think the only real offseason issue I need solved is the pitching.  I think position player wise we are OK.