Alot of the questions that are posed on this board are very good but almost unanswerable until the fans know what direction the cards are goint to take.  If they're this close at the break are they going to go all in to win it or are they going to continue to rebuild?  At the begining of this season everyone had the Cards dead last noone expect this kind of record or the play on the field.

This question came up when discussing the Cards with a buddy of mine the main topic was "Lohse to keep him or trade him?"  Needless to say arguements could be made for both:  He's pitching well but only averging 5 2/3 innings per game.  His ERA is right at 4 and a 1.3 WHIP.  He would bring a second baseman or a top prospect from a team in  need of pitching trying to make a run.  But you also give up a starter and thiers no gaurentee

I just wanted to drop a line and give a little heads up on the Astros season opener.  First it was an increadable game even though the Cards came up short.  I guess there is something about the Cards ripping an Astros closer but all in all well pitched on both sides and late inning fireworks and a walk off homer.  Everything as a fan you want in a game right?  Well, unless you were actually there as a Cardinal fan.  I have been to Cardinal games in a number of stadiums around the league both AL and NL when attending these games I expect a certain level of good natured ribbing even a little grief.  I have been attending Astros/Cardinal games in Houston for the last five years but this was a little different. 

I started off the pregame at a bar across the street from the stadium in Cardinal red and the obligitory STL hat.  I was at once met with a chorus of boos, too be expected.  I then settled in with a couple of AB products and met up with some friends and exchanged some banter with Astros fans, again no big deal.  Once I entered the stadium though it was a different story.  Inside it went from boos to groups of people yelling Cardinals suck at everyone wearing Redbird gear.  This include kids, women and older people.  I swear I've been to less hostile envirnments in Philly and Chicago. 

The 'Stros fans seem to believe that we have a rivalry.  As the evening wore on the fans got more ridiculous in thier jearing and relentless chants of Cardinals suck.  After roughly of two hours of listening to a bunch of idiots I just reminded them of the number of WS titles.  But the one that got them was "The Cubs are our rival, your just another whistle stop in the season."  That seemed to shut them up for a while.  All in all the worst fan exerience I've had in Houston or any other city for that matter.  Maybe I'm just bitching alittle much about it but man it really got to me.  The Astros fans are going off the deep end.  It's too bad because it went from a somewhat knowledgable baseball town with hospitable fans to bunch of drunken idiots that lash out at the Cardinal fanbase because thier team can't get it done on the field.  Yankee, BoSox, Philly and Chicago fans I expect to act like a bunch of a**holes I guess now I need to expect it out of Astro fans.