Cardinals

Pretender or contender: Contender, somehow.

After three paragraphs explaining that they're overachieving this is a bit of a cop-out, but I've seen a lot of similar sentiment from within and without the mainstream media. It's funny how rare it is to find someone willing to bet against a LaRussa team.

"Don't look now, but the Fish entered Tuesday with the same 23-15 record as the Diamondbacks and Cubs, creating a three-way tie for the best record in the NL. It's difficult to imagine the Marlins sustaining success with the league's third-worst rotation ERA. But you know what? The Phillies, Mets and even the top-ranked Braves have rotation concerns, too."

Top-ranked even though they're currently fourth in their own division, and tied for eighth in a sixteen-team league? Nice work if you can get it.

Didn't Dayn Perry recently write a column about how the Cardinals aren't for real? Since both Perry and Rosenthal work for FoxSports, maybe they need to have a point/counter-point column.

No, Robothal doesn't have algorithms for when someone opposes him.

Top-ranked even though they're currently fourth in their own division, and tied for eighth in a sixteen-team league?

I'm guessing they have the top-ranked rotation ERA.

One general manager dismisses the A’s as the “luckiest team in baseball

Another GM disagrees

jeez, thanks for that. insightful stuff.

Why are the Diamondbacks in the article? Didn't they have the best record in the NL last year?

One general manager dismisses the A’s as the “luckiest team in baseball


Another GM disagrees



jeez, thanks for that. insightful stuff.

Of course, that's not all that Robothal wrote. Why are you deliberately misquoting a couple lines?

Why are the Diamondbacks in the article? Didn't they have the best record in the NL last year?

Yes, but they don't have any "name" players, they're young, and they aren't in the East. So, people assume they suck.

Why are the Diamondbacks in the article? Didn't they have the best record in the NL last year?

Don't you know that you can't depend on a team where the best hitters are under 25? If Byrnes continues to struggle, it doesn't matter how many guys they have slugging around .500, they're going nowhere fast. As for pitching, I can't see how Arizona can safely depend on a rotation centered around Dan Haren & Brandon Webb.

The question the article asks is whether the D-backs are really the best team in the league, with the conclusion of "maybe." The "contender or pretender" schtick doesn't really work, but that question is not really asked about Arizona.

Did you guys actually read what Robothal wrote about the DBacks?

from the article:

Diamondbacks
...
Pretender or contender: Contender. And maybe the 2008 NL champions.

So what's the problem there?

Didn't Dayn Perry recently write a column about how the Cardinals aren't for real? Since both Perry and Rosenthal work for FoxSports, maybe they need to have a point/counter-point column.

Which one is the ignorant slut?

The question the article asks is whether the D-backs are really the best team in the league, with the conclusion of "maybe." The "contender or pretender" schtick doesn't really work, but that question is not really asked about Arizona.

I don't see why the question shouldn't be asked anyway. I mean, the Rockies won the league last year and are also full of promising youngsters. Is this April just a speed bump on their road to dynastic greatness?

This site is really a bizarre reflection of the baseball fan universe.

Ranking of fan bases on BTF, in terms of arrogance and entitlement

1. Diamondbacks
2. Red Sox
3. Yankees
4. Braves
(huge gap)
5. Cubs or Mets or Angels or someone, but even they predict doom at every pass
8. Every other team has no fans that are ever confident about anything.

Ranking of fan bases on BTF, in terms of arrogance and entitlement

1. Diamondbacks

Why, thank you. I'm glad to be able to drag my fellow brethren from the midst of abject obscurity and mediocrity. However, an anonymous BTF scout disagrees with your ranking.

I think the three series against NYM, PHI and CHN justify a question about the legitimacy of the Dbacks as a true contender, if not within the NL West, certainly in the NL. The Dbacks went 3-7 in those 10 games, so certainly the "pretenders" crowd would be justified to shuffle their feet. That being said, the Dbacks did play tough in all those games, and blew late leads against the Philles (once) and the Cubs (twice). As I wrote earlier, with a bit more luck, they could've been 5-5 or even 6-4.

The other issue here is that the Dbacks don't have to win the NL east or NL central, they just have to end up with the best record in the NL west, and so far the Dbacks have been beating their NL west "opponents" into pulp. They are 19-5 so far in the West, and given the Giants hitting problems, the Rockies pitching problems, and the Padres problems, period, the Dbacks true problem in the West might be the Dodgers, who all of a sudden are without a reasonably healthy shortstop.

The Dbacks do need more from RJ, a meaningful contribution from Doug Davis, another hot streak from Mark Reynolds, and, for the love of god and all furry animals, any #### contribution from that #### pathetic excuse for a left fielder they're strutting in the lineup every ##### day. I don't know how much of Erica's suckitude a reasonable man can stand. You would've thought Jeff Moorad learned from the Russ Ortiz and Shawn Green fiascos, but hell no. #### ####

Why are the Diamondbacks in the article? Didn't they have the best record in the NL last year?

I was wondering that too, they were my pick before the year to win the pennant, but I think he reasons because of their low payroll, they are "surprising" some people. Which is silly considering they had the best NL record last year AND added Dan Haren.

Ranking of fan bases on BTF, in terms of arrogance and entitlement

1. Diamondbacks

Why, thank you. I'm glad to be able to drag my fellow brethren from the midst of abject obscurity and mediocrity. However, an anonymous BTF scout disagrees with your ranking.

I hate to agree, but you're letting Levski skew those rankings a bit too much, he's no worse than many Yankee or Redsox fans, he just stands out because usually non Yankee or Redsox fans* do not act like that.


*Ok, many Met fans act like that, but they get counterbalanced by the doom and gloom Met fans...

Which is silly considering they had the best NL record last year

They were more lucky than good, however--in case you missed all those articles last year.

true problem in the West might be the Dodgers, who all of a sudden are without a reasonably healthy shortstop.

Nomar got hurt *again*?

Of course, that's...all that Robothal wrote. Why are you deliberately [quoting] a couple lines?

So you agree? 8-)

or the love of god and all furry animals, any #### contribution from that #### pathetic excuse for a left fielder they're strutting in the lineup every ##### day.

Hey, they had their chance at Jim Edmonds and they blew it.

I think Crispix is allowing his pro-Philly bias to show when he mentions the Braves in the top 4. I guess you have a problem with Sam H? Most other Braves fans here are pretty reasonable IMHO. At the very least, there are no Braves posters here who write weekly columns on SNY about how Jair Jurrjens just might win the Cy Young Award and get them linked here.

Every other team has no fans that are ever confident about anything.

O's fans have been pretty confident that everything is and always will be misery. Though even that is starting to change among some of us.

or the love of god and all furry animals, any #### contribution from that #### pathetic excuse for a left fielder they're strutting in the lineup every ##### day.

The answer is clear: Micah Owings, LF.

Chad Tracy, LF, might be an option before long. Even though a straight Salazar/Erica platoon would be a major improvement for the time being.

Of course, Erica would get her feelings bruised and her hair all messed up. And her pouting would affect her catwalk on the runway out there in LF

It's funny how rare it is to find someone willing to bet against a LaRussa team.

I think someone needs to be handed the Cardinal Fan Handbook. It was explained to us just the other day that Tony LaRussa is not appreciated, that he is at fault for the world's ills and how nobody gives him his due credit.

Gonna cause all kinds of problems straying off message like that.

Chad Tracy, LF, might be an option before long. Even though a straight Salazar/Erica platoon would be a major improvement for the time being.

Is this any more likely than Tracy at 3rd with Reynolds in LF?

Dan, no. Tracy can't throw.

I'd love for the Royals to get Tracy. Want Joey Gathright? He's really fast and can jump over a car. Or Mark Teahen? He can walk a bit and hit lots of cool groundouts.