2006 MLB Thread

[Neal Pomea]

I wouldn't mind going back to the olden days, but as noted there's too much money to made with the current system.

Economics? Lower volume, higher prices. It's a formula that works all over, not unrealistic.

If you don't want 11% Nielsen ratings, shorten the season 10-20 games, raise ticket prices in the regular season because the games become more meaningful, shorten the playoffs, and watch ad prices in September increase to make up the difference once the drama is restored and the competition is less.

ISBY

[Dan Gould]

Dan,

I've been trying to stay out of this, but lets face it, if it's not the Cubs or the Red Sox, you're going to bitch. You complained that the White Sox won last year, even though they had the best record in the American League.

I was pissed at my team's three and out "defense" of its title but I'm pretty certain that I gave credit where it was due (even if I clung to the "cursed for eternity" last line of defense a bit too long ).

The simple fact is that if the Cards had won five more games in the regular season, the worst I would have said was that they were fortunate to be in a crap division. But c'mon, injuries are no excuse, even as I curse what befell the Red Sox in August. They fall under 'shit happens' and as Massarotti said, the long season is designed to weed out the mediocre and the brittle.

I fully understand the idea that less worthy teams can win in an expanded playoff system. The motivating force behind the Red Sox philosophy is that sometimes it takes luck and good fortune to win those last 11 games, so the idea is just to get to the playoffs and believe that eventually, you'll win one, and I think they have it exactly right.

[Dan Gould]

Pick a story and stick to it.

I already explained that - it was a list of faults that one can find with past champions. It was for illustrative purposes, not necessarily that I believe all of those were cases of poor champs.

Then you should have made it clear in your initial post that you don't believe these championships are all tainted. Your wording was hardly clear in this regard.

[Quincy]

Pick a story and stick to it.

I already explained that - it was a list of faults that one can find with past champions. It was for illustrative purposes, not necessarily that I believe all of those were cases of poor champs.

Then you should have made it clear in your initial post that you don't believe these championships are all tainted. Your wording was hardly clear in this regard.

Hmm, I thought I had included a sentence doing that, but I see I didn't. Also, the line about the White Sox's not counting because they faced the Astros was intended to be sarcastic.

But honestly, I've heard complaints about every World Series on that list. Even when the 2 best teams met in the series, namely because the Yankees came out on top.

[Quincy]

Another thing I enjoyed about this year's playoffs was how each of the final 4 teams had last won a World Series in the '80s. Don't get me wrong, seeing the virginal Astros in it last year again the almost-virginal (huh? - what's an almost-virgin?) White Sox was fun too, but I felt about 20 years younger this October.

[Soulstation1]

Ask any MLB player if any WS rings are tainted....

[Big Al]

I bet this thread is still going strong when the 2007 season starts....

[Brad]

This whole discussion seems rather inane. Yes, they're the World Champions and yes, they had the worst record of any champ but what of it? That's just the way it is. I don't hear anybody asking the 2000 Yankees or the 1987 Twins to give back their rings.

As far as calling the 73 Mets pathetic, I don't see how any team beating the Reds of that era can be called pathetic. Just like the Cards, they played by the rules and won their division. Should they have given that back? I don't think so. It was only some poor pitching decisions by Yogi that kept them from claiming the WS title.

Let the Cardinal fans on this board enjoy their championship and let's move on to the off season. Doesn't seem like a lot to ask

[Quincy]

Anyone ever read the Dugout?

They cover the Cardinal "problem" in their usual weird way. If you're not familiar with the blog you might want to use the player index on the right side. (Scroll down past the ads to get to the features.) The ones involving Thome were pretty goofy. Some are better than others. I'm sure the site will annoy many but maybe some of you will like it.

[sheldonm]

Anyone ever read the Dugout?

They cover the Cardinal "problem" in their usual weird way. If you're not familiar with the blog you might want to use the player index on the right side. (Scroll down past the ads to get to the features.) The ones involving Thome were pretty goofy. Some are better than others. I'm sure the site will annoy many but maybe some of you will like it.

Never seen that before, that's some funny stuff!!!

m~

[sheldonm]

Baseball not broken!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15478070/from/RS.2/

[sheldonm]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15475917/

[BERIGAN]

Ex-star Harold Reynolds claims contract breach, seeks millions

[PHILLYQ]

Ex-star Harold Reynolds claims contract breach, seeks millions

We'll probably never know the truth, but I wonder what really happened in Reynolds' case. Was he too touchy-feely, did he say something he shouldn't have, etc? I've heard(possibly even here), that Reynolds is quite the womanizer, perhaps he got a bit carried away? It also seems rather ironic when ESPN at times pushes sleaze in its programming and attitude.

[Chalupa]

Strange that the top two U.S. cities rated the "most dangerous" should also finish #1 & #2 in baseball.....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...6103000108.html

http://www.morganquitno.com/cit07pop.htm#25

[BERIGAN]

Strange that the top two U.S. cities rated the "most dangerous" should also finish #1 & #2 in baseball.....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...6103000108.html

http://www.morganquitno.com/cit07pop.htm#25

I heard Jay Leno say once again, St. Louis beat Detriot!

[BERIGAN]

Peter Gammons on the series... and no, I didn't steal it from espn insider, it was on a Cards site

ST. LOUIS -- In the end, Adam Wainwright, who said he didn't know if he'd make the team out of spring training and hadn't closed before September, finished the World Series for the Cardinals, who (censored) near blew a 12-game lead, and the final game was won Jeff Weaver, who was designated for assignment in Anaheim because he lost his job to his younger brother. Oh, true, the Cardinals had the lowest winning percentage of any champion, and there were all those mudstains from Tiger pitchers whose throws went bump in the night ...

But who is left standing at the end is not about wrong or right, but good -- and bad -- and the convergence of time and place. And this wet, frigid World Series will forever stand as testament to the rusted signs we ignore throughout our lives, choosing the shiny ones instead. It's not about the best player at every position. October baseball is like March college hoops -- random, streaky, proof that most of the sport's predictions are invalid and intellectually dishonest.

Some baseball and media officials groused when the Cardinals opened the gates in the eighth inning and allowed thousands of fans to come in out of the street to see the Cardinals -- those Cardinals most of their grandparents loved -- win. Two years earlier in the fourth (and final) game of the 2004 series, that same management opened the gates at the old Busch Stadium so more than a thousand Red Sox fans could finally see their team win the World Series.

When the Cardinals get their rings next spring, no one will care about 83 wins or whether elitists dismiss them; that's what it is. Their fan base, a rich part of baseball history as the most western and southern franchise for more than half of the 20th century, never lost its blind faith that is so contrary to the metabolisms of the coasts to either side.

Their Cardinals are world champions, no matter what the Mets and Yankees and Red Sox spent. Their symbol and MVP, David Eckstein, was a walk-on at the University of Florida, designated for assignment by the Red Sox for Lou Merloni, released by the Angels for Orlando Cabrera and has now been the driving wheel of two of the last five world champions.

The Cardinals are proof that, in the end, the games are played by people and that the biggest, richest and best don't necessarily win. "So much," says Scott Rolen, "has to do with who gets hot at the right time." Aching shoulder and all, Rolen got hot at the right time, rising himself above any cold war that had developed with Tony La Russa. The same holds for Jim Edmonds.

Some final thoughts:

• Starting pitching won for the Cardinals, as it did for the White Sox in 2005, the Red Sox in 2004, the Marlins in 2003. In three series, the Cardinals' starters were 8-4, 2.63. In the series, they allowed nine earned runs in 35 innings in five starts with a 28/5 strikeout/walk ratio.

During the regular season, Cardinal starters were 61-54, 4.79, with 588 strikeouts in 941 2/3 innings and 74 quality starts. Only three National League starting staffs had a worse ERA, three staffs struck out fewer, four had fewer quality starts.

• It doesn't matter if it was Trenton, Anaheim or St. Louis, the David Eckstein Effect -- that energy he exudes -- fuels his teammates. La Russa calls him "the most intense player I've ever managed," and while Eckstein was too untalented to get a scholarship at Florida, play on The Cape, avoid being designated by Boston or junked by the Angels, his end result is that of a star player. There is no doubt that he was the best free-agent shortstop signed in the 2004-2005 offseason in which he, Nomar Garciaparra, Renteria and Cabrera hit the market. Do not underestimate the help Eck has gotten from coach Jose Uquendo, who may be right there with Bud Black in the Padres' managerial search.

• Walt Jocketty is one of the most respected executives in the game, if not the most liked, so this was a great moment for a baseball lifer. He has had to scramble the last couple of years. When one looks at Chris Carpenter, Eckstein, Weaver, Ronnie Belliard, Wainwright, et al, one sees a huge body of creative work. Jocketty has a long winter in front of him as Mark Mulder, Jason Marquis, Weaver and Jeff Suppan all become free agents. Wainwright might start, Anthony Reyes may too, but it will take more creativity. You can bet the Cardinals will be right in it next year.

• The nation saw what everyone in St. Louis knows -- that Carpenter is simply a great pitcher. The pride of Raymond, N.H., thrives on pressure and adrenaline. He admitted he couldn't "wait for (his first series) start to begin," and before Thursday's rainout was asked if he knew if he were pitching Games 6 or 7. "I don't know and don't care. When they hand me the ball, I'll pitch," he answered. "I just want to get out there. No excuses here."

• That's seven different series winners in seven years of the 21st century, which has never happened in the NFL, NBA or NHL. The last six winners have come from the NL West, AL West, NL East, AL East, AL Central and now the NL Central. Take the Dodgers in 2007.