Okay, I have only written posts like this once or twice. Maybe just once, before Boggs left the Cardinals. I am sitting here, in Kansas City, in denial of the last two nights of baseball. This cannot be happening! Not to my beloved Cardinals! Not to the team that I cheer for! I only cheer for winners!
To reference the above paragraph, I live in Kansas City. I’m a die-hard Cardinals’ fan. My classroom, where I spend 75% of my life is decked out in Cardinal gear. My kids are decked out in Cardinal gear. My dogs both have Cardinal collars. For any holiday I have to buy my husband something, it’s usually centered around at least one gift that is Cardinal-based. I have to hear all the smack talk from those around me, giving me grief about where I live, who I should cheer for. Long story short, I like the smack talk. I can give as much as I get. However, these last two games have (almost) left me speechless. And that, my friends, is a feat in itself.
Now that I have those words off my chest, let’s get down to business. The Cardinals have been playing pretty gosh darn mediocre as of the last two days. You may want to disagree with me and tell me it’s been longer, they looked better last night, whatever, but I’m saying it–mediocre. What’s going on with this team? Better yet, how is it going to be fixed?
Let’s start (pun intended) with the pitching. Particularly that of the starters (there’s the pun). The Cardinals have 3 strong starters in Waino, Wacha, and Lynn. What’s going on with Miller? I know, his numbers don’t look THAT bad, but when you compare them to the other three, his 6-6 record with 4.06 ERA is not exactly stellar. Plus, he allowed 4 earned runs to the Royals. I just threw up in my mouth a little. Jaime Garcia started strong yesterday, but gave up 6 runs in 5 innings to the ROYALS. And that inning with all the doubles? Seriously? Could we move the defense back a little? How’s about you get somebody up in the bullpen to help a guy out? My complaint to my husband in my rant after the game last night: Why in the world would you take a guy who has been a year removed from the game–give or take–due to injury, and expect him to have incredible starting power? You may choose to agree or disagree. I am an enormous Motte fan. He also has been out of the game for some time. They didn’t bring him back to be the primary closer. I’m baffled.
To stay optimistic here, I’m going to give kudos to Kolten Wong. Congrats on the slam, Wong. The Cards were not shut out. In fact, they scored quite a few runs. If the lineup heavy hitters would all have decent to good games every other night, things will begin looking up.
Here’s some other good news–I will be in attendance in both of the next two games. I’m planning on bringing some good karma to my boys. I will not allow myself to be prepared to even see them down a run at Kauffman. Yeah, that’s my challenge. I’m going to run my mouth a little here and say that Taveras is going to start showing us exactly what he is made of in KC. Yadi is going to start swinging the bat. I’m hoping that my kids can catch a home run tonight from either Holliday or Craig. I’ll give John Jay a little pep talk in the outfield.
One other bit of good news–I get to go with my dad tomorrow night. It’s his birthday. He grew up an enormous Stan fan (hence my love of Cardinals’ baseball). They have to pull out the sweep then, because I said so. I’m not giving up on them.
As always…Go Cards!
Photo: dalje.com
12 comments
I’m a Cardinals fan too in Royal Country! Go Cards!!! My daughter & I will be wearing our red tonight at the K sending the same Mojo to the boys with the bird on the bat as you will!!!! Play like a Cardinal!!!!
Okay I’d say stating we have been MEDIOCRE for TWO YEARS is well absolutely ridiculous. However we have been lately I notice you didn’t focus on during this 2-7 stretch that our OVERALL starter ERA is over 5, if memory serves me correctly here we have only had ONE quality start by any starter in those 9 games these things will change for sure. It is barely 2+ months into a six month season and we are only 5 games back of Milwaukee who is not running away with the Central. We will recover.
She didn’t say 2 years, she said 2 nights. however the rest of your comment i agree with. All of our starters are in a serious funk that needs to be broken, and soon.
Totally misread it, thanks for pointing it out. I just can’t panic this early in the season. Am I concerned? Yes. Do I believe we won’t make the playoffs and this year is a wash? Not even fucking close. Cardinals fan since birth and forever.
My sentiments exactly, how many games down were we 2 seasons ago when they rallied for a month straight to come back and make the playoffs and eventually win the world series? Too many for me to be comfortable. But, they proved that they are never too far down. Also a Cards fan since birth.
A lot more than 5 and that was a late season push as well. What about the 06′ season as well? Worst two playoff teams (record wise) made the WS
Totally misread it, thanks for pointing it out. I just can’t panic this early in the season. Am I concerned? Yes. Do I believe we won’t make the playoffs and this year is a wash? Not even fucking close.
The pitching has been the problem. I understand that getting shutout is on your lineup, but giving up seven runs in the same game doesn’t exactly help with morale. If they were losing games 2-0 or 3-0, I’d be upset with the hitters, and I know that most of the power guys aren’t being powerful enough. But the past three games, the Cardinals bullpen and starting pitching has given up at least 6 runs. If I were a hitter, I’d look at the score and call you nuts if you asked me to go out there and act like we weren’t losing. That’s a pretty big deficit, 6 runs. They aren’t doing good because Matheny is being too soft with them. I’d scare them by trading someone big, like Shelby Miller. That way, they’d be scared into doing better and throwing more strikes and getting guys out, that way they won’t get traded to a lesser team than the Cardinals.
hey so we are in a slump not worried. don’t get worried till after the all star break my family has been cardinal fan.. dad made us set in the floor and listen to cardinals we are cardinals nation..we love our cards
They will pull through, just hitting a rough patch, but we usually do this time of year though, then we turn the heat up in June barreling toward the All Star game.
There are two constants in the universe:
1) The Cubs will collapse after the break.
2) The Cards will get their shit together after the break.
If we’re still mediocre in August, I might start gnashing my teeth. 🙂
I agree, the Cards always stuck in June and July. May is usually a crapshoot, but they get their shit together in August. I’m seeing another postseason for the Cards as a wildcard spot.
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