VICTORY!!!!!!!!!!

[kshoe]

Maybe if you look at the season as a whole, but Carp has been dominant in September. Also, he has been very good against Philly this season (2-0, 0.60 ERA) and hasn't been savaged by the long ball too much (16 HR allowed in 237.1 IP).

Now, Jackson has been pretty good for us, but he has also been dogged by the homer since joining the Cards (8 in 78.1 IP) and he is a flyball pitcher. Does seem like a potential issue with the bandbox that is Citizens Bank Park. Also, this move allows us to use Carp twice in case the series goes to 5 games.

I agree that it is a gamble. But I'd rather gamble with Carp than anyone else. He has shown the ability to log tons of innings, throw tons of pitches and come thru when needed.

This move is all about having Carp for game 5 if necessary. I could go either way on the decision but if we get to a game 5 I'll sure be glad to have Carp on the mound instead of Kyle...

[jbizzle09]

I like the decision. I think we really need to try to win one in Philly but even if it backfires and we lose game 2, we would have Jaime pitching at home in game 3 and Jackson in game 4 and then we could go with Carp again in game 5.

If this was LaRussa's plan though, I wish he would've taken Carpenter out with a big lead against Houston. I understand that he was trying to save the bullpen in case we had to play a playoff game against Atlanta, but with that big lead he could've used somebody like Brandon Dickson to give 2-3 innings in relief.

Obviously, this wasn't TLR's plan, as he already reversed fields as he initially had Jackson going in Game 2. Also, I don't care if there is a big lead in that last game, you pitch Carp all the way through just like they did. Didn't you see the Rays come back from 7 down to win? Or that the Cards themselves came back from 5 down in the previous game? This was for all the marbles...there is no such thing as a 'safe' lead.

Sure, the 'Stros look like they didn't care and wanted to go home. But if you throw in Cleito or Dickson and act like you are home free, do they take that personally? Do they try a little harder? Possibly. No way you take Carp out the way he was cruising. Best to just win dominantly and wait for Atlanta to lose, just like they did.

[slufan13]

Obviously, this wasn't TLR's plan, as he already reversed fields as he initially had Jackson going in Game 2. Also, I don't care if there is a big lead in that last game, you pitch Carp all the way through just like they did. Didn't you see the Rays come back from 7 down to win? Or that the Cards themselves came back from 5 down in the previous game? This was for all the marbles...there is no such thing as a 'safe' lead.

Sure, the 'Stros look like they didn't care and wanted to go home. But if you throw in Cleito or Dickson and act like you are home free, do they take that personally? Do they try a little harder? Possibly. No way you take Carp out the way he was cruising. Best to just win dominantly and wait for Atlanta to lose, just like they did.

Ok you're right about that. Anything can happen in baseball and TRL has already lost games when he's taken Berkman or Holliday out too early.

I still like the move, and like kshoe said, it's all about having Carp available for Game 5.

I don't want to see Garcia start on the road at all. He got smacked around by a triple-A team in Houston.

[joe_davola]

I hate when people refer to him as a HOF manager. Is it a smart move by the guy with the 2nd most wins of any manager, or a bad move by the guy with the 2nd most loses? Clearly I'm not a TLR fan, however, we are in the playoffs while losing one of the top 5 or so pitchers in the game and I don't believe we made it despite him, so he does deserve credit for steering this team here.

I hear ya Skip, but nothing about that statement is untrue. He will be a hall of famer.

You obviously give credit where it is due...some people hate the guy so much that they can't get past it. I'm a fan yes...but I also know he has his flaws. His flaws are just outnumbered by his positive qualities. Plus Tony is Italian so it's a plus

[slufanskip]

I hear ya Skip, but nothing about that statement is untrue. He will be a hall of famer.

You obviously give credit where it is due...some people hate the guy so much that they can't get past it. I'm a fan yes...but I also know he has his flaws. His flaws are just outnumbered by his positive qualities. Plus Tony is Italian so it's a plus

Where we disagree is that I believe his flaws outweigh his plusses. The worst thing for me though is just the style of play and his inability to find a way to make it work with players that don't fit his mold. I just hope we do whatever it is that helps him decide to move on.

[BACKHANDtheRICAN]

Where we disagree is that I believe his flaws outweigh his plusses. The worst thing for me though is just the style of play and his inability to find a way to make it work with players that don't fit his mold. I just hope we do whatever it is that helps him decide to move on.

I am with you Skip. Once Pujols and TLR move on...Backhand will return to Busch Stadium.

[billiken_roy]

I know skip and ik believe had skip managed that oakland team, he would have won at least 3 more A's championships. Had skip managed the cardinals the last twenty years we'd have more than 1 world championshp. Lagenius has been fortunate enough to have had loaded rosters wherever he has been. He managed to manage down the talent enough to only win twice. Plus tony is a d!ck. Skip would have did all the press conferences and interviews like the prince of a man we all deserved

[For-DaLove]

I know skip and ik believe had skip managed that oakland team, he would have won at least 3 more A's championships. Had skip managed the cardinals the last twenty years we'd have more than 1 world championshp. Lagenius has been fortunate enough to have had loaded rosters wherever he has been. He managed to manage down the talent enough to only win twice. Plus tony is a d!ck. Skip would have did all the press conferences and interviews like the prince of a man we all deserved

Hahahahahaha good post, Roy.

[brianstl]

Did i just here Kyle Mac didn't make the roster? Sucks for him.

[brianstl]

Nm

[brianstl]

I don't understand only keeping 11 pitchers and five of them being starters.

[Cowboy]

So you'd rather have Jackson go instead? No playoff experience whatsoever.

-yep, but i hope the carp decision works

[joe_davola]

-yep, but i hope the carp decision works

I think we can all agree on hoping it pans out. Let's hope the tlr haters give him credit if it does because they sure love to blame him when we lose.

[joe_davola]

Where we disagree is that I believe his flaws outweigh his plusses. The worst thing for me though is just the style of play and his inability to find a way to make it work with players that don't fit his mold. I just hope we do whatever it is that helps him decide to move on.

Fair enough

I can see how people get worn out with him and his style. He will always have those that like him and those that don't. Nothing wrong with that! Go birds!

[jbizzle09]

Please don't tell me its true that they are keeping Westbrook on the roster yet still going with 11 pitchers. While we hear that Kyle will be placed on the sidelines due to 'dead arm' (i.e. ineffective down stretch), how does keeping Westbrook on help the staff? Knowing that Motte, Salas, Dotel, Rzepzsinski and Rhodes, that means keeping Westbrook on keeps off either Sanchez or Boggs, both way more effective in a relief role than Westbrrok. Color me not impressed.

[slufanskip]

Hahahahahaha good post, Roy.

I don't believe Roy meant to be funny or sarcastic. Just stating the facts.

Sorry but I'm out of this discussion. Off on a 7 day hike of the Ap Trail through the Smokey's. Hope the Cards and TLR are still playing when I return

[Bay Area Billiken]

The Philadelphia Phillies hold the dubious distinction of having lost the most games of any team in the history of American professional sports.

May history continue to repeat itself.

Go Cards!

And a rainout today would not hurt at all, given that TLR is rolling the dice and pitching Chris Carpenter on 3 days rest in Game 2. Rain is in the forecast for Saturday afternoon in Philly, but I would expect MLB will go to all lengths to have this game played on Saturday.

[BACKHANDtheRICAN]

Box- were at fieldhouse watching the game...where are you?

[Bobby Metzinger]

Box- were at fieldhouse watching the game...where are you?

He had to run to the store to get guacamole.

Loshe looks good so far, which is more than you can say about my boy Craig Sager.

** Well, sorry about that. Went from a 5-game series to a Phila. sweep in one inning. Yikes. Loshe was in cruise control. The Frese error killed any chances. Way to nonchalant that play, Frese.

[Bay Area Billiken]

He had to run to the store to get guacamole.

Loshe looks good so far, which is more than you can say about my boy Craig Sager.

** Well, sorry about that. Went from a 5-game series to a Phila. sweep in one inning. Yikes. Loshe was in cruise control. The Frese error killed any chances. Way to nonchalant that play, Frese.

Freese error really fouled things up- gave PHI its first run, and moved the batting order so Rollins led off dispositive 6th. TLR supporter here, but I don't always agree with him. I wonder why he didn't have a lefty up in the 6th; could see that carnage coming from 3,000 miles away. Lohse is a #4, #5 starter, not a #1. Three times through that PHI order is asking a lot from him. He hung 2 change-ups and got burned.

Howard (.253) and Ibanez (.245) can be pitched to. But Cards have never figured out how to get Howard out. Duncan should throw out his book on him. He can't hit high heat, and he can't hit sliders from lefties. But throw him a hanging change-up, after other change-ups, and look out. I've seen other teams, like the SF Giants, make Howard look very bad at the plate.

[jbizzle09]

Freese error really fouled things up- gave PHI its first run, and moved the batting order so Rollins led off dispositive 6th. TLR supporter here, but I don't always agree with him. I wonder why he didn't have a lefty up in the 6th; could see that carnage coming from 3,000 miles away. Lohse is a #4, #5 starter, not a #1. Three times through that PHI order is asking a lot from him. He hung 2 change-ups and got burned.

Howard (.253) and Ibanez (.245) can be pitched to. But Cards have never figured out how to get Howard out. Duncan should throw out his book on him. He can't hit high heat, and he can't hit sliders from lefties. But throw him a hanging change-up, after other change-ups, and look out. I've seen other teams, like the SF Giants, make Howard look very bad at the plate.

I was at a sports bar, buzzed at F***, and I knew that Howard was going to go long that AB. I didn't call it prior to him coming up, but after Howard worked the count and fouled pitches off. You just knew that there was going to be a meatball served up for Howard to devour! Worse was that Lohse was allowed to pitch to Ibanez 2 batters later. He already showed that he didn't have any confidence left, yet he was allowed to throw another fatty right over the plate for Raul to crush!

I will say this, I liked how the Cards battled in the 9th to make it semi-interesting. Chmabers had a nice hit, and we did score 3 in that inning. Mostly, you just saw that the Cards don't necessarily give up and once Halladay was gone, they didn't seem intimidated by the Phillies relievers. Hope the Carp experiment works tomorrow...this was the very reason TLR placed Carp in this position!

[Bay Area Billiken]

I was at a sports bar, buzzed at F***, and I knew that Howard was going to go long that AB. I didn't call it prior to him coming up, but after Howard worked the count and fouled pitches off. You just knew that there was going to be a meatball served up for Howard to devour! Worse was that Lohse was allowed to pitch to Ibanez 2 batters later. He already showed that he didn't have any confidence left, yet he was allowed to throw another fatty right over the plate for Raul to crush!

I will say this, I liked how the Cards battled in the 9th to make it semi-interesting. Chmabers had a nice hit, and we did score 3 in that inning. Mostly, you just saw that the Cards don't necessarily give up and once Halladay was gone, they didn't seem intimidated by the Phillies relievers. Hope the Carp experiment works tomorrow...this was the very reason TLR placed Carp in this position!

Howard post-game said he knew Lohse was not going to throw him a fastball. Change-up is a pitch of deception. If opponent knows it is coming, it gets hit, especially if it is hung out on a T like that.

TLR is rolling the dice pitching Carpenter on 3 days rest. But TLR knows Cards are big underdogs against PHI, with no Wainwright, and that the only way to win this series is for Carpenter to start 2 games in it. This is especially the case given that 3 of the 5 would be played in that silly bandbox in South Philly. I didn't like the idea of starting Edwin Jackson, a fly ball pitcher in that bandbox. Jamie Garcia has been better at home. Westbrook, who has really struggled of late and drives this poster nuts with his nibbling, may have been actually been a better choice against this particular team in this particular ballpark.

SF Giants beat Philly in last year's NLCS with outstanding starting pitching. Guys like Howard (.253) and Ibanez (.245) can be pitched to. Ibanez, frankly, should be more of a liability than asset to Philly. The fastball is still the best pitch. Use it. "Be not afraid."

[jbizzle09]

Nice win by Cards tonight. Carp wasn't sharp at all, but the bullpen came through with 6 solid innings and the offense battled back against Lee, getting 12 hits off of him. Agree or not with pitching Carp on 3 days rest, we at least get him back on regular rest for a potential Game 5.

[kshoe]

Nice win by Cards tonight. Carp wasn't sharp at all, but the bullpen came through with 6 solid innings and the offense battled back against Lee, getting 12 hits off of him. Agree or not with pitching Carp on 3 days rest, we at least get him back on regular rest for a potential Game 5.

Great freaking win. Let's take care of business at home and not even head back to Philly!

[Bay Area Billiken]

Outstanding, truly outstanding managing effort by TLR, from going on national cable TV from the dugout to call out the HP Umpire's dual Pro-Philly strike zone, to outstanding managing of the bullpen.

I said in my pre-series breakdown to our own little email corner of Cardinal Nation that one advantage the Cardinals have is in the dugout.

Well done, Redbirds. Philly now has to go to The Lou and the real Sea of Red. Let's make sure this series does not return to that ridiculous bandbox in South Philly and the worst Phans in all of professional sports.

Yesterday, the Phans booed the Cardinal trainer. They booed Duncan and Yadi for visits to the mound. And TLR should have been wearing a Santa Claus outfit in the 8th. TLR had to be eating that up, 4 pitchers in 1 inning, and TLR's pitching changes worked to perfection.

This Phillies team is aging, suspect, and can be had, irrespective of how many games they won in the regular season. The regular season means virtually nothing now. Now the Cardinals have the home field advantage.

Halladay and Lee are not nearly as invincible as this absurd TBS broadcasting team (consisting of East Coast Dick Stockton, Cardinal Objector Bob Brenly, and the Human Test Pattern Craig Sager) would make them out to be.

Did you see that bullpen set-up with the Phans standing right above the elevated Cardinal bullpen behind the RC wall? That has to be among the biggest bush league planned structures among all the new parks, ranking right up there with the Crawford Boxes and Tal's Hill in Houston, and with the parks of antiquity: the hot water going out in the visiting clubhouse at Wrigley and the old walk across the field from the 3B visiting dugout to the door in the wall to the visiting clubhouse down the RF line at Candlestick Park. For some time there was no toilet in the visiting dugout at Candlestick.

Question from Twitter- what do they call Hoosiers from Philadelphia?