Cardinals/Astros NLCS Thread

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Let me repeat what I said at NMB. This series is a mismatch, and the Astros do not have a prayer. The Astros finished 11th in runs scored in the league, in a hitters' park. The Cardinals finished third. The Astros' rotation is impressive, and they did lead the league in least runs allowed. The Cards finished second and unlike the Braves, they feature the best bullpen ERA in the National League. Jason Marquis's 4.14 ERA was the highest ERA on the team, and he hit .310 to make up for it. Whereas the Astros have the big names, the Cardinals have a low-walk staff and a highly effective defense that makes it difficult for the opposition to score runs no matter who is on base. And the results show the difference here. The Cardinals won 11 of 16 head-to-head meetings this year between the two teams.

[BruiserKC 0]

As a Cardinals fan I would love to say that the Astros are our bitch and that they'll be lucky to win one game. However, I was more concerned about facing them in the NLCS than Atlanta.

 

Pitching becomes a great equalizer in post-season play. You have Clemens...arguably the best pitcher of this generation and one of the greatest of all-time. Pettite had a reputation in New York of being a big-game pitcher in the postseason and his appearance in game 1 of the NLDS plays that out. Oswalt will eventually become that. When Lidge comes out of the bully, you have that feel the way we did in the late 90s when Rivera came out for the Yanks, or Eckersley for the A's in the late 80s...time to fire up the bus this one's over.

 

Even though they don't have Beltran this year and Bagwell is just a pinch-hitter, they still have some dangerous parts of their lineup. Biggio, Berkman, Ausmus...they match up very well against the Cardinals.

 

Cardinals in 7...it won't be easy and will be a fight every step of the way.

[Vern Gagne 0]

Cardinals in 7...it won't be easy and will be a fight every step of the way.

 

That's how I see it has well.

[MikeJordan23 0]

I will be disappointed if this goes 6.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

This team isn't the Astros of 2004. They made fairly quick work of Atlanta, but all things considered, they were one of the weaker playoff teams. I don't expect this to go more than six games.

[Just John 0]

One thing to consider is this years Astros pitching is much better than what the Cards saw last year. Obviously Pettitte back in the starting rotation, but this year's pen is way better (look to their 8 innings of work yesterday). There will be no Dan Miceli to give up late HR's to blow leads like last year. Dan Wheeler has become a quality setup man, so it won't just be starter to Lidge anymore.

 

The Astros will at least take the Cards the distance, and pitching wise, they have a much better chance to win this year.

 

The Cardinals won 11 of 16 head-to-head meetings this year between the two teams

 

And most of those wins were during the Astros shitty early season. They're only 3-2 against Houston after the all-star break. Remember the Braves dominated Houston in the regular season too...

[Bruiser Chong 0]

That last series featured Cardinals-lite.

[Bored 0]

The Cardinals really should steamroll everyone on the way to the title but doesn't always workout that way. They are head and shoulders above everyone else and I'd think it'd be a major dissapointment for them if they don't win it all. LaRussa ufortunently has past experience in that department though.

[sfaJack 0]

They're only 3-2 against Houston after the all-star break.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, and the three they won were games started by Pettitte, Oswalt, and Clemens so it isn't as if they haven't beaten the Astros with those three guys on the mound. And, as Bruiser said, the two they lost were as much due to their coasting to the playoffs as anything else.

 

One concern for the Cards is Al Reyes being out--that will hurt. Otherwise, the only position on the field where the Astros clearly have the advantage is third base...and that's only because Rolen is out. And Lidge is better than Isringhausen, but I'll take the whole of the Cards bullpen over Houston's.

[BruiserKC 0]

The Cardinals really should steamroll everyone on the way to the title but doesn't always workout that way. They are head and shoulders above everyone else and I'd think it'd be a major dissapointment for them if they don't win it all. LaRussa ufortunently has past experience in that department though.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Cardinals won 105 games last year and were supposed to steamroll through the World Series...look what happened. That and the East Coast media bias begged for the Red Sox to win.

[Gert T 0]

Well as a Cards fan I'd like a 4 game sweep, but I think the Cards will take it in 6 games. I think the Astros win 2 games in Houston.

 

I agree though that the loss of Alan Reyes will be big in this series.

[The Czech Republic 0]

Some of last year's NLCS wasn't even nationally televised, right? I seem to remember it getting bumped outright for Yanks-Sox some nights and put on the FSNs.

[the max 0]

If it's not on FOX, it's on FX. It all depends on where you live. If you live in St. Louis or Houston, it'll be on FOX and the ALCS game will be on FX.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

Both are on Sportsnet here.

 

I miss the old days when one game was on at 4 and the other at 8.

[Guest I miss Test.]

I thought baseball said they'd try their hardest to show us every out of every playoff game. So much for that.

 

I remember the days in the 90's when every game was at 8pm, and everyone cried.

[Precious Roy 0]

these schedules are so fucked up. Can someone please explain why the ALCS started before the NLCS when it was set a day later?

[Guest I miss Test.]

I'm guessing because the Yanks series was supposed to end Sunday, but rain delayed it... and they already agreed with Fox to start the ALCS on Tuesday.

 

If there's 2 game 6's, then the NLCS is on at 4pm... I'm not sure why they're not doing that for today...

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

The ALCS and NLCS dates were set well in advance. The divisional series ended late because of the rainout.

[Guest *KNK*]

I'm still confused about which game is on what network...

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

I'm still confused about which game is on what network...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

It depends on what part of the country you are in.

[sfaJack 0]

Steve Lyons saying "Bee-gee-o" all series is going to drive me crazy. It's "Bidge-e-o."

 

How hard is it to say the guy's name right? Shit.

[The Czech Republic 0]

Steve Lyons saying "Bee-gee-o" all series is going to drive me crazy.  It's "Bidge-e-o." 

 

How hard is it to say the guy's name right?  Shit.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It could be worse. He could be Brandon Arroyo.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

And here I thought Bob Brenly's voice was gone until April.

 

Watching the Cards makes it tough to be a Cubs fan. I don't think I ever saw Grudz be part of a squeeze.

[The Czech Republic 0]

Wait, did Jarrod Washburn give Joe Buck strep? He sounded really bitchy about "some people being exposed to strep throat...thanks a LOT, Washburn."

[Guest I miss Test.]

Thanks, Jarrod.

 

Maybe McCarver can do PBP now.

[The Czech Republic 0]

Piniella and Brenly should switch places so as to quarantine the suck.

[Just John 0]

Ugh, the Stros are just pissing away every opportunity they get. The Cards have come through twice. That could be the difference in the series.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

I was thinking the difference in the series was the Astros have no offense and the Cards do.

[Precious Roy 0]

nm

[MikeJordan23 0]

It's not healthy having Izzy as your closer. He gets the job done more times then not, but yikes, he definitely makes games more nerve racking then they need be.