***The OFFICIAL Cardinals vs. Astros NLCS Thread***

[CollinEstes]

[ QUOTE ]
1 of 3, Pettitte/Oswalt/Clemens. We all thought the Pettitte game v. Carpenter was going to be the most likely loss. Obviously, it was harsh to lose that way after getting to Carpenter. But, it doesn't change anything. I've been predicting Astros in 6 all along, and that's exactly what I expect to happen.

[/ QUOTE ]


This is mostly true but to lose in that fashion really swings the momentum back to St. Louis. I know hinesight is 20/20 and all that but if you walk/pitch WAY around Pujols there is no way Sanders can catch up to 97.

I do however understand that usually in baseball you would never want to put the winning run on base, but I think that [censored] needs to go out the window when you have the best player in the game up there.

[imported_The Vibesman]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
People from other markets...Who else is rooting for the Cardinals besides Cards fans and Yankee fans?

As a Yankee hater, (as much of non-Yankee fans are) I am rooting for Houston to win the whole thing to watch Clemens and Pettite stick it to the Yankees.

[/ QUOTE ]

I was rooting for Houston for the reasons stated above, but now I think I'd like St. Louis to storm back. It would be fascinating to see another group of fans (Astros fans) get a taste of the kind of pain only Red Sox fans really know. I saw the faces of the fans at Minute Maid and thought "yep, I know what that feels like."

I just read what I wrote and realized how sick it is. Posting it is obviously a cry for help.

[/ QUOTE ]

Red Sox won, dude. 2004. Don't know if you heard. They also are the only ball club in history to come back from deficits of 0-2 in a five game series and 0-3 in a 7 game series. Let's get over it already.

I'm rooting for the White Sox in the Series, because I always root for the team that eliminated my favorite club (Red Sox) from the playoffs, unless the eliminating club is the Yankees, the Canadiens, and probably the Lakers and the Jets. I can't bring myself to root for those clubs. That said, I was hoping for Houston to make it, both for the effect it will have on Yankee fans who are still upset that Clemens/Pettite spurned them, and because the Cardinals fans were, for the most part, so smug about their team going into this series. Also, I hate David Eckstein with the fire of a thousand suns. But I also wouldn't mind if it was the Cards who won, as their fans were actually great people (very gracious, congratulatory, not bitter at all) last year when the Sox won.

[DougOzzzz]

[ QUOTE ]
They also are the only ball club in history to come back from deficits of 0-2 in a five game series


[/ QUOTE ]

Other teams have done this, including the Yankees.

[Ulysses]

[ QUOTE ]
I know hinesight is 20/20 and all that but if you walk/pitch WAY around Pujols

[/ QUOTE ]

I was thinking the exact same thing when he came up to bat (not walk, but pitch way around him). However, I asked Clark and another two baseball savvy friends of mine, and they all seemed to agree that you have to pitch to him. Obviously, try not to give him a meaty hanging slider, but they thought pitching around him was the wrong move.

[imported_The Vibesman]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
They also are the only ball club in history to come back from deficits of 0-2 in a five game series


[/ QUOTE ]

Other teams have done this, including the Yankees.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry, was thinking of ALDS play. Too late to edit, so my idiocy stands.

[DougOzzzz]

[ QUOTE ]
Obviously, try not to give him a meaty hanging slider, but they thought pitching around him was the wrong move.

[/ QUOTE ]

It WAS the wrong move (walking him at least). I have a ton of respect for the awesomeness of Albert Pujols. Nobody is good enough to justify an IBB in that situation.

[djj6835]

[ QUOTE ]
This is mostly true but to lose in that fashion really swings the momentum back to St. Louis. I know hinesight is 20/20 and all that but if you walk/pitch WAY around Pujols there is no way Sanders can catch up to 97.


[/ QUOTE ]

I don't care who is up, you never pitch around a guy to put the tying run in scoring position. Especially when the next guy up has 12 RBIs in the postseason.

[astroglide]

[ QUOTE ]
I was at the game tonight and I can't describe the feeling of joy and anticipation with two outs in the 9th, and as soon as the ball touched Pujol's bat it was like "Oh my god this can't be happening". It was the most disgusting moment i've ever witnessed in sports.

[/ QUOTE ]

[CollinEstes]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
This is mostly true but to lose in that fashion really swings the momentum back to St. Louis. I know hinesight is 20/20 and all that but if you walk/pitch WAY around Pujols there is no way Sanders can catch up to 97.


[/ QUOTE ]

I don't care who is up, you never pitch around a guy to put the tying run in scoring position. Especially when the next guy up has 12 RBIs in the postseason.

[/ QUOTE ]


I disagree when you have a hitter like Sanders up who's biggest hole in his swing is is one of Lidge's best pitches (High 90s fastball high and inside). I am not advocating an IBB there but I would have bounced up a couple sliders in the dirt and or wasted some fastballs up and in trying to get him to chase. Obviously he didn't mean to hang that slider out there, but it should have been a foot of the plate and down.

[Clarkmeister]

Actually, Garner got one right for once. He said the mistake was not throwing right at Edmonds and letting him hit it out if he could. Walking him on 5 pitches there is definitely not smart. Of course, even less smart was Edmonds making the superhuman effort to avoid getting hit by Ball 3.