Geez, how big is that St. Louis/San Diego series going to be? Immense, for a bunch of different teams.

Here's my dream scenario: Houston (or Cincinnati, I guess) ties with St. Louis for the Central. Philly wins the wild card, which means the Mets would play the Central winner in the NLDS. The Cards are forced to use Carpenter in the one-game play-off, and they win. He is then unavailable until Game 4, and he gets only one start.

I can dream, can't I?

Ugh. I was hoping the Cards might do damage to the Padres.

Is Angel Hernandez umping the Cards/Padres series? If not, our odds of winning a few games go up tenfold easily.

Is Angel Hernandez umping the Cards/Padres series? If not, our odds of winning a few games go up tenfold easily.

You can say the same thing about C.B. Bucknor.

AO

The Cards are forced to use Carpenter in the one-game play-off,

You're also forgetting that the Giants and Cards will also have to make up a rained-out game - if that game turns out to have any meaning for the playoff standings.

I'm not sure when they would make that game up... the Cards play every day until season's end - so that game would have to be next Monday, I guess.
THEN a one-game playoff, if needed.

I'm not sure when they would make that game up... the Cards play every day until season's end - so that game would have to be next Monday, I guess.
THEN a one-game playoff, if needed.

And then they would have to play Wednesday and Thursday. I like this scenario.

St. Louis had an 8.5 game lead over Houston on Sep. 17 (a week ago)...

REMAINING SCHEDULES:

Houston (3.5 GB):
MON: @PHI (make-up game)
TUE-THU: 3 @PIT
FRI-SUN: 3 @ATL

Cincy (4.5 GB):
MON: vs. CHC
TUE-THU: 3 @FLA
FRI-SUN: 3 @PIT

St. Louis (magic number is 5):
MON-WED: 3 vs. SD
THU-SUN: 4 vs. MIL
MON(?): vs. SF (make-up game if nec.)

Wow...hadn't even paid attention to the Central because I thought it was over. It would be amazing to see the Cardinals blow this thing.

And a nice standing blowvation for Trever Miller...as he blows career game/win #58 for Roger Clemens.

8 more and you catch Jeff Reardon...ohh, he was already caught.

The Cardinals are heading downwards at an amazing speed of Mauch 64.

If San Diego goes into St. Louis and sweeps and plays a large role in ending St. Louis' season, that would be some payback for their embarrassing playoff series last year. At least I would think so if I was a San Diego player or fan. They were just crushed last year, two-out hits galore, homeruns, outpitched. That was the most lopsided playoff series I had ever seen.

well

i was at the games. the cards look cooked. their bullpen sucked BIG time, albert hit some singles and Kd a lot, rolen didn't hit, eckstein got hurt.

weaver is lousy marquis is lousy, reyes is lousy, carpenter is tired. no closer, no lefty worth ****, no reliable hi leverge guy.

i have a hard time believeing they have won this much.

they looked a lot worse then they did just a week ago.

one of the cards fans sitting next to me yesterday she said BEFORE the game - we gonna lose - we can't beat roy oswalt anyhow. lance berkman they give him the same middle name as redsox fans give bucky dent

so yeah, in the playoffs the cards might could win a game with carpenter but after that forget it

It's not likely but:

if (A) the Cardinals lose the rest of their games, including the make up game with SF
and (B) Houston only wins 3 more or Cincinnati only wins 4 more (and the other wins fewer)

every team in the NL Central would end the season under .500 (since a win in the tiebreaker game would give the winner a 81-82 record).

boy, that was a microcosm of the past 2 years for Clemens.

I'm not sure when they would make that game up... the Cards play every day until season's end - so that game would have to be next Monday, I guess. THEN a one-game playoff, if needed.

If at all possible, I wonder if they would do those two as a double-header in St. Louis? Anybody know if they've done the whole coin-flip thing? If St. Louis is scheduled to host either Cincinnati or Houston in the tie-breaker, then they could play San Francisco in an afternoon game, and then the tie-breaker (if necessary) Monday night. But if St. Louis lost the flip, then they'd have to host the Giants, then fly to either Houston or Cincinnati for a game Tuesday. Ouch.

Assuming the "in St. Louis" scenario, and the double-header idea: That would require Houston/Cincinnati to be in St. Louis Monday in case the game needs to be played (either because they are a half-game behind or a half-game ahead), awaiting the outcome of the afternoon game, perhaps never to play at all and head out of town, to New York or San Diego or LA or to hibernate for the winter, depending on what happens with the Giants and Cards.

Thank heavens the Giants are pretty much out of it. Could you imagine if the West (or the wild card) were ALSO riding on that make-up game? Nobody would have any idea where they were going or whom they were playing. What a mess.

This team makes me want to ingest large amounts of ipecac and go
Peter Griffin all over my living room.

A tiebreaker between the Reds and Cardinals would be held at St. Louis. The coin flip for Cardinals/Astros hasn't been held yet, as far as I can find out.

-- MWE

Of course, as long as we're dreaming, why not have the Reds and Astros end up tied, one-half game away from the Cardinals. Would that mean that Houston and Cinci play on Monday also, for the right to either go to St. Louis for a one-game playoff or be the Wild Card?

And what if the coin flip for the case of a three-way tie says that St. Louis has to play one of the other teams for the right to play the third? Does that mean we get the make up game on Monday, the first one-game playoff on Tuesday and the second one-game playoff on Wednesday?

Can anyone produce a scenario that stretches this out to Thursday?

So, hypothetically, what would occur if, in Bud Selig's revenue-sharing wet dream, every team went 81-81?

well seems like phil is thinking of getting our big 3 starters to go on short rest this whole week. this way if we get to the playoffs we have all tired out starters

our team sucks, the cards suck, the reds suck

whoever gets the title gonna lose in 3 or 4 games anyhow so it don't matter

Sam:

"The Cards are forced to use Carpenter in the one-game play-off, and they win. He is then unavailable until Game 4, and he gets only one start."

In this scenario, isn't it that Carpenter gets no starts?

In this scenario, isn't it that Carpenter gets no starts?

Do NOT tempt the fates with such talk, Howard. I fear we will be penalized fifteen yards and loss of series for unsportsmanlike conduct (specifically: imitating a Yankee fan) . . . . ;-)

"Do NOT tempt the fates with such talk, Howard."

Far be it from me to assume this. However, you did call it a dream scenario. Being a Carpenter start away from an elimination game is not my dream scenario.

I simply meant that Carpenter would be available for at most one start. Yes, ideally the outcome would be that he never takes the mound at all because the Mets would win three straight. When painting optimistic scenarios, my take is: talk only about the way the series sets up in the best possible way for your side, not how it might turn out. The latter speaks for itself.

i have a hard time believeing they have won this much.

Well, they've got the best hitter in the league, and possibly the best pitcher in the league. Even if you surround them with a deep layer of crap, that can often be good enough to get you a .500 team. Ask the 1996 Florida Marlins.

Assuming no crazy scenarios, what is the order of teams you'd prefer to see in the playoffs? I think any of these teams could beat the Mets, or vice versa. Frankly, people who think we definitely do want to play the Cardinals who are slumping, or don't want to play the white-hot Phils- what a difference a week makes. (And the Mets wouldn't face Philly, regardless, for two weeks!)

I'll take what comes, and just hope we don't play the Padres. I want to demonize our opponents.

DCW3

i was not being disrespectful. i was amazed. (i won't agree that carpenter bettern oswalt or webb. but uncle he is the MAN. yes.)

we have one of the 5 best hitters in the league and one of the 3 top pitchers. plus roger for 20 starts. and our bullpen is a leeeeetle bettern yours. and we have done a LOT worse. well, ok yall got eck and rolen who are bettern willy/biggio and anyone else who hit cleanup after april

but i think tlr outmanages phil 90% of the time and that is a LOT of the difference

i think it would be the upset of the decade if st louis beat any mets/dodgers/padres in the playoffs with carpenter and and and, um

i think it would be the upset of the decade if st louis beat any mets/dodgers/padres in the playoffs with carpenter and and and, um

Suppan has been on fire since the All-Star Break.

what is the order of teams you'd prefer to see in the playoffs?

I'd rather face the wild card since that series would start on Wednesday instead of Tuesday.