NLCS: St. Louis Cardinals vs. New York Mets

[Brett Favre 0]

It seems like you're not giving the Cardinals any credit. My point is, the Cardinal pitching staff isn't that good, and the Met pitching staff isn't THAT bad. The Mets have sucked ass with their inconsistent offense while the Cards have put up runs when it counts. It's not like they've killed the pitching either. Other than Game 2 and 3 (3 not so much because the Met offense again didn't do it's job), they've won close games.

[naiwf 0]

The Mets pitching isn't that bad, yet in 4 of the 5 games to date the starter hasn't reached the 6th inning. In 3/5 of the games they couldn't go more than 4 and Trachsel got lit up in Game 3. Darren Oliver put in more innings than any of our last 4 starters. I don't see how starters averaging 4.1 IP isn't "that bad". For Christ's sake, Jaret Wright goes deeper in games than that and that's including Glavine's gem in Game 1. Take that one out and the Gm 2-5 starters have gone 3 2/3 on average. Awesome.

 

The Carpenter game is the equivalent of the Cardinals losing that game to the Bears on Monday and last night's game was winnable as well. The offense hasn't been great but the pitching lost 2 swing games and no matter how good you are, you're not going to be able to beat a playoff team 5 or 6 times in a 7 game series and that's what the Mets have made of this series. The Cardinals have played well enough to have a 3-2 lead, but also have played poorly enough to have lost this series 4 games to 1 if the Mets could have played up to par by holding leads or had their big guns available.

 

When Maine gets pulled after about 3 1/3 tonight down 5-1 it'll be an appropriate end to the series.

[Brett Favre 0]

Even with their pitching, the Mets could have won Game 2, Game 3, and Game 5. The pitching hasn't been horribly bad. The offense, thats really good, needs to step it up. Both teams have mediocre starters, but the Cardinal lineup is taking more advantage of it.

[NYU 0]

Even with their pitching, the Mets could have won Game 2, Game 3, and Game 5. The pitching hasn't been horribly bad. The offense, thats really good, needs to step it up. Both teams have mediocre starters, but the Cardinal lineup is taking more advantage of it.

 

No, no. You see, Game 2 was winnable if they didn't have horribly bad pitching. This lineup you trashed scored 6 runs -- a good amount in the postseason. Unfortunately, their pitching choked enough to give up 9 runs. If Pedro or Glavine or El Duque had started that game, would the starter and the bullpen give up a combined 9 runs? It's unlikely. I don't consider Game 3 a winnable one for the Mets since Suppan gave up no runs -- and of course, no matter how good the Mets pitcher was, he wouldn't have been able to help his team win if they didn't score anything. Game 5? I'm on the fence with this. It's very possible Pedro or El Duque could have held on to a 2-0 lead, or at least kept it to a 2-2 tie...but it can't be said with certainty.

 

Either way, at the least, the Mets should be up 3-2 in this series at this point. If not having already won 4-1. Their pitching staff was their huge downfall, and though you can give the Cards credit for their timely hitting, you need to consider that they're hitting off the weakest rotation in the entire playoffs. Furthermore, you can rail on the Cards rotation...but consider that LaRussa has been able to weigh the strengths and weaknesses of his starting pitching staff for the whole season. He knew what he was going into. Back in September, you think Randolph had any idea this would be what he had to deal with? If he did, I doubt he'd be playing a game of Russian Roulette with deciding if he wants Oliver or Trachsel in a potential Game 7.

[devo 0]

Can't we have this conversation in, say four hours from now or so? It's kinda pointless at the moment.

 

Edit: I've never seen an episode of Bones, but I imagine it's profoundly stupid.

 

"Tee hee! The fun never stops when you're doing forensics!"

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

One thing is overlooked in regards to an upset. The Cardinals won 105 and 100 games the last two years, with a healthy portion of their current lineup and rotation. Their long term record would indicate that they're a better team than they've showed this year.

[naiwf 0]

Maine = shit.

 

Why Endy didn't throw to 2nd there I'll never know. Not a good start.

[Guest Felonies!]

The Mets are wearing their real hats!

[devo 0]

Maine has his off-speed stuff workin' tonight. Control's still shaky, though. At this rate, he'll probably be going about six innings.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

It's funny how most of the Met fans here come out of the woodwork when the team's losing, and hide when the team's winning.

 

On another note, that "everybody clap your hands" riff at Shea Stadium is the second most annoying ballpark prompt I've heard, next to Day-o.

[devo 0]

Aw, c'mon. It's no worse than Rally Monkey.

[NYU 0]

It's funny how most of the Met fans here come out of the woodwork when the team's losing, and hide when the team's winning.

 

I've never been the type to leave a post like "OMGGGGGG REYEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!"

 

I'll leave thoughts when the game is over.

[Brett Favre 0]

But you're one to post "FUCCCCCCCCCCCKING WAGNER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

[NYU 0]

Yes, as the game was effectively over.

 

You're a slow one, Mr. Cena's Writer.

[Brett Favre 0]

Well, I don't remember. But you're posting now..so stop.

[Slayer 0]

I'm not a Mets fan, so I can say whatever I want

 

Yeah!

[devo 0]

Well, it took him three tries, but man did Maine turn in a good performance tonight. Like the commentators said, if nothing else, pitching this long left Randolph's options open for a possible Game 7.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Someone remind me why Rolen's in the lineup.

[strummer 0]

How many 2 strike hits do the Cardinals have in this series? That's another reason I think for the upset, Met pitchers not being able to close the deal with 2 strikes

[devo 0]

I don't quite understand Valentin's love of bunting in wildly inappropriate situations.

 

Edit: Wow, I don't think I'll ever see Molina throw the ball away on a pitchout again.

 

Edit the second: And that rarest of mistakes comes back to hurt the Cards, as Lo Duca hits an amazingly well timed single to drive in two runs and put the Mets up 4-0.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Good call taking down Carpenter.

[The Man in Blak 0]

Braden Looper is the fucking worst.

[Brett Favre 0]

Especially with that stupid smile on his face. I know it's not a smile, but still.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Uh oh. We may be seeing three times as many posts in this thread within the next 10 minutes than we've seen all day.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Didn't last year's NLCS only go six games?

[Guest Smues]

Did Joe Buck just say that the NLCS has gone 7 games each of the last 4 years if the Mets win tonight? Was the 6 game NLCS of last year just too long ago to remember?

[NYU 0]

My head is ready to explode.

[NYU 0]

Guys, Billy Wagner is awful. Just like I said after Game 2. For fuck's sake, he's So Taguchi. Not Joe DiMaggio.

 

John Maine was amazing though. What a clutch performance.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

I guess that lady praying to that cross in her hands paid off.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Guys, Billy Wagner is awful. Just like I said after Game 2. For fuck's sake, he's So Taguchi. Not Joe DiMaggio.

 

John Maine was amazing though. What a clutch performance.

It doesn't matter that they won, does it? Let's hope Wagner pitches two scoreless innings in a tied game tomorrow night, only to see the Cards win it in extras off someone like *draws random name from hat* Roberto Hernandez. They'll have lost the series, but at least Wagner will have been clutch, essentially making it a wash.