Magic number for Cardinals to clinch the Central...

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 10:40 am

You're right. Anyone seen my Super Poli-Grip?

Take care,
PK

Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 10:47 am

I've really enjoyed the past 6 weeks watching the Pirates. They led the majors in total bases in May and led the NL in slugging percentage and HRs (and their HR leader from last year was on the DL for a good portion of the month). They are getting outstanding starting pitching almost every game (they've given up 16 runs so far on their current homestand vs. FLA/ATL). The bullpen has also been solid except for back-to-back blown saves vs. the Cubs a few weeks ago. They have arguably one of the best 1-2 lefty bullpen combos with Gonzalez and Grabow. It is also fun to watch them on defense as Wilson and Castillo are near gold glove caliber up the middle, Sanchez and Ward are solid at the corners, and Cota/Ross are good defensive backstops.

If the Pirates didn't have to play the Cardinals they would be in the wild card hunt...LOL.

The Pirates have done well in the beginning of seasons before, but I feel good about this team. They won't make the playoffs and it's probably a stretch to say the team will finish .500, but I really like the way they play and it is with younger players for the most part. I get sad when I think of how the lineup would look with Aramis Ramirez though

HipE · Post by **HipE** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 11:54 am

I agree Leebo, this has been a fun six week run to watch. With the schedule the rest of the month though, there is probably a good shot they could be a dozen games under .500 very quickly.

It's exciting to finally see the shape of the team coming together this year. This is the first year in a long time that they don't have players that you know they are trying to dump at the trade deadline because of bloated salaries. Their pitching is outstanding in the minors also, it has to be getting close to the time where they start trading some arms for some impact bats.

Speaking of impact bats, Ryan Doumit was called up yesterday, and it looks like he is going to be playing almost every day. I'm excited to see what he can do, his numbers in spring training and AAA this year have been unreal.

matthewk · Post by **matthewk** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 12:22 pm

My favorite part of the season so far has been watching the Yankees continually underachieve. Every time one of Steinbrenner's threats makes the news I can picture him having a tantrum on the floor like a spoiled kid.

Overall I really have been enjoying the division races. No one is running away with anything, and having a lot of underdogs ahead of favorites makes for some good drama. Will the Yankees come back and take the division? Who will hang on to win the NL East?

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 1:24 pm

The Yankees probably have the worst outfield defense in the league. They don't cover much ground and generally seem to take poor routes to the ball. Matsui in CF? Yuck.

They were swept by the Royals and then lost 2 of 3 to the Rochester Red Wings, who were subbing for the Twins this past weekend.

sfz_T-car · Post by **sfz_T-car** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 1:28 pm

HipE wrote: Speaking of impact bats, Ryan Doumit was called up yesterday, and it looks like he is going to be playing almost every day. I'm excited to see what he can do, his numbers in spring training and AAA this year have been unreal.

Hope springs eternal. Doumit has been tearing it up this year but his stats in the lower minors stats suggest the past two months are an abberration.

Hope he can put together a decent big league career without Lloyd McClendon messing with him too much.

jLp vAkEr0 · Post by **jLp vAkEr0** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 1:40 pm

HipE wrote:I agree Leebo, this has been a fun six week run to watch. With the schedule the rest of the month though, there is probably a good shot they could be a dozen games under .500 very quickly.

It's exciting to finally see the shape of the team coming together this year. This is the first year in a long time that they don't have players that you know they are trying to dump at the trade deadline because of bloated salaries. Their pitching is outstanding in the minors also, it has to be getting close to the time where they start trading some arms for some impact bats.

Speaking of impact bats, Ryan Doumit was called up yesterday, and it looks like he is going to be playing almost every day. I'm excited to see what he can do, his numbers in spring training and AAA this year have been unreal.

Hip:

Where's Adam Hzydu?

jLp vAkEr0 · Post by **jLp vAkEr0** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 1:42 pm

matthewk wrote:Who will hang on to win the NL East?

Mets baby!!

Look for Minaya to pull off a deal for a starter, a bat and bullpen help!

Hey, why not?

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 1:45 pm

jLp vAkEr0 wrote:Mets baby!!

Hahaha...if they can't figure out how to win a series against the Braves, they will never win the East. As that guy said last night in Sunday Night Baseball...the Mets play scared against the Braves. Always have, always will.

jLp vAkEr0 · Post by **jLp vAkEr0** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 1:56 pm

dbdynsty25 wrote:
jLp vAkEr0 wrote:Mets baby!!
As that guy said last night in Sunday Night Baseball...the Mets play scared against the Braves. Always have, always will.

Laughable statement.

Give the Braves some props, they just have the Mets number.
I don't think it has to do a lick about major league ballplayers being scared.

BTW, the way the Braves are playing (lost 7 of 10), the Mets might not need to beat them.

Hate as much as you want, but the Mets started 0-5 and look pretty bad at that time. Props to Willie Randolph for keeping the team afloat and setting them on a winning track even though the have had significant injuries..

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 2:05 pm

As soon as the Braves don't have 3 starters on the DL, things will be better. With Chipper, Hampton and Thomson on the DL, it makes it kind of tough to win a lot of games.

But hey...they are playing REALLY shitty in the past three weeks and yet they are still .5 games back. I'm not worried yet...but if there is any season that the Braves would be vulnerable, it would be this year. And Chipper is about to miss quite a bit of time.

And the Mets DO play scared against the Braves. Did you happen to watch the last series. They were a disaster defensively...and they didn't hit a lick. I think Floyd and Piazza were like 1 of 20 on the series. But then again, Beltran didn't play so the Mets weren't at full strength either so I won't hold that against them.

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 3:19 pm

Its a long season and every team has its ups and downs but I gots to say that White Sox loss yesterday made me lose a bit of confidence...

Winners dont lose games that way...It was 15 foot throw...

ahhh...Chicago baseball...No WS champs since White Sox 1917? and Cubs 1908...Talk about your losers...

On the bright side...Derek Lee...you is be FN amazing!!!! You go Boy!

No wait...I dont likethe Cubs...but I must admit I like them alot better now that the team dochebag moved to Baltimore...

Id love to see a Chicago team in the Series..talk about a town up for grabs

jLp vAkEr0 · Post by **jLp vAkEr0** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 11:25 am

jLp vAkEr0 wrote: Mets baby!!

Look for Minaya to pull off a deal for a starter, a bat and bullpen help!

Hey, why not?

Like clock work.

Peter Gammons reports the Mets sign Danny Graves.

I like the move, looks like Graves needed a change of scenery.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 11:32 am

I like the Graves signing as well...I was actually hoping the Braves would have picked him up because their bullpen is even worse than the Mets (somehow). I still don't think the Mets have enough in the middle infield. Reyes and Matsui have been terrible thus far (Matsui the biggest culprit)...and they really have yet to find themselves in the majors. The Braves have the same issue with Furcal and Giles right now...The whole NL East is just mediocre, which results in a bunch of .500 teams.

I think the Braves have too much starting pitching (my god Davies is awesome) for the rest of the division to contend with them for the entire season but I've been wrong before. It's going to be a good race.

jLp vAkEr0 · Post by **jLp vAkEr0** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 11:37 am

I think Matsui will be traded.

Reyes is just a kid, he's gonna be there for a while. He's starting to really drill the ball now.

I like the Marlins staff(and lineup too) over all NL East teams.

They are struggling, but still I think it's their division to lose.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 11:49 am

jLp vAkEr0 wrote:I like the Marlins staff(and lineup too) over all NL East teams.

They are struggling, but still I think it's their division to lose.

Ahh...the statement I was looking for. It's been said for 13 straight years now, and it has yet to materialize. However, you're probably right in that the Marlins are going to be the team that presents the biggest challenge to the Braves.

When you win a division 13 years in a row, you have a right to call it YOUR division to lose.

jLp vAkEr0 · Post by **jLp vAkEr0** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 12:07 pm

dbdynsty25 wrote:
jLp vAkEr0 wrote:I like the Marlins staff(and lineup too) over all NL East teams.

They are struggling, but still I think it's their division to lose.
Ahh...the statement I was looking for. It's been said for 13 straight years now, and it has yet to materialize. However, you're probably right in that the Marlins are going to be the team that presents the biggest challenge to the Braves.

When you win a division 13 years in a row, you have a right to call it YOUR division to lose.

It's not about the Braves. I just think that the Marlins have the best team, top to bottom in the NL East.

Doesn't mean they will win the division. I'm still hopefull that the Mets can make a run if managment can pull off some moves.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 2:25 am

F*CK...Chipper is out at least a month. If he doesn't have surgery...he's out 3-4 weeks at least...if he has surgery, he's out 8 weeks. The Braves are screwed.

Badgun · Post by **Badgun** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 7:53 am

XXXIV wrote:Its a long season and every team has its ups and downs but I gots to say that White Sox loss yesterday made me lose a bit of confidence...

Winners dont lose games that way...It was 15 foot throw...

ahhh...Chicago baseball...No WS champs since White Sox 1917? and Cubs 1908...Talk about your losers...

On the bright side...Derek Lee...you is be FN amazing!!!! You go Boy!

No wait...I dont likethe Cubs...but I must admit I like them alot better now that the team dochebag moved to Baltimore...

Id love to see a Chicago team in the Series..talk about a town up for grabs

oh how quick Sosa went from media darling to team d*****bag. It seems like only yesterday that he was blowing kisses to the sky.

jLp vAkEr0 · Post by **jLp vAkEr0** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 9:00 am

What a performance by Pedro last night.

CG, 12k(struckout the side in the 9th), 2 hits, 1 run.

Filthy.

Sully · Post by **Sully** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 9:32 am

Hey, the Phillies are playing some good baseball! We're starting to hit the ball, but our bullpen might be the worst in the league. The starting pitching still doesn't have me convinced. Lieber is struggling, Lidle is up and down, and Padilla is awful. Wolf has pitched pretty good lately, and Myers is becoming the ace they desperately need.

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 10:25 am

It's time to sweep the Bosox and get them the f* out of St. Louis.

Todd

Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 10:54 am

Sully wrote:Hey, the Phillies are playing some good baseball! We're starting to hit the ball, but our bullpen might be the worst in the league. The starting pitching still doesn't have me convinced. Lieber is struggling, Lidle is up and down, and Padilla is awful. Wolf has pitched pretty good lately, and Myers is becoming the ace they desperately need.

I'm stuck between Philly and Pittsburgh, so I've been able to watch a lot of Phillies games on Comcast. I also end up listening to a lot of Phillies games on the radio since I can only pickup the Pirates during the day if I face a certain direction (I'm not kidding...I enjoy listening to the Bucs while mowing the grass and I have to mow a certain direction to hear them...LOL) or at night after 9:30PM on KDKA (no sense in doing that since I have MLB EI).

Since MLB has basically killed the great Phillies/Pirates rivalry (they play 6 times a year), I end up rooting for both teams so I've really enjoyed the past 6 weeks.

The Bucs had a great comeback last night to comeback from 5-0. Watching Jose Castillo and Jack Wilson turn double plays is almost worth the price of MLB EI alone.

Jayhawker · Post by **Jayhawker** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 11:41 am

MizzouRah wrote:It's time to sweep the Bosox and get them the f* out of St. Louis.

Amen, Brother!

What's the over/Under on HBPs tonight?

How funny was it that after Mantei nailed Grud, he then threw over to first about 8 times to keep him close, only to have him steal second without a throw. After the eruption from the fans, I knew Walker was going to get it for the second time. Weird that they didn't immediately throw Mantei out, though.

Just an update for all of you new Cub fans (ie: Cardinal haters), the Cardinals are now on a pace for 106 wins and the Cubs still suck.

Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 11:59 am

I've always heard great things about the Cardinals' fans and how great it is to see a game in STL even as a visiting fan. I certainly don't get that feeling by reading this board. I didn't know Cardinals' fans were so arrogant. It's actually changed the way I view the Cards.