I really saw him going to an AL team to DH. At least the Card's lineup is comparable to the Yanks ... but sadly even the Yanks have better starting pitching.
Originally posted by Tony StewartI really saw him going to an AL team to DH. At least the Card's lineup is comparable to the Yanks ... but sadly even the Yanks have better starting pitching.
Just curious, have you been watching the same Cardinals I have all season?
Cardinals:
Chris Carpenter (12-4; 3.73; 142.1 IP in 21 Starts) Jason Marquis (11-4; 3.67; 132.1 IP in 21 Starts) Matt Morris (12-7; 4.71; 149 IP in 22 Starts) Woody Williams (8-6; 4.06; 128.2 IP in 21 Starts) Jeff Suppan (9-6; 4.08; 128 IP in 21 Starts)
Yankees:
Javier Vazquez (13-6; 4.12; 148.2 IP in 22 Starts) Kevin Brown (9-1; 3.86; 95 IP in 15 Starts) Jon Lieber (7-7; 5.06; 106.2 IP in 17 Starts) Mike Mussina (9-6; 5.20; 107.1 IP in 18 Starts) Estaban Loiza (9-5; 4.97; 146.2 IP in 22 Starts) (CWS)
At worst I'd say it's a wash, but actually I give the nod to the Cards here, even when you through Orlando Hernandez's 3-0 start into the mix for New York.
As for this trade, it's pretty damn awesome. Left field is the only soft spot in this lineup, and I guess now Reggie Sanders will move over there to make room in right for Walker. This lineup is DEADLY.
You have to remember that the hot trend this summer is to bash The Best Team In Baseball's pitching, especially the starters, since no one can figure out why they're so good. New guys often emerge and we crown them King of Pitcher Men; Jason Marquis finally figures out that he needs to pitch low and not worry about overpowering guys, and he's "getting lucky."
That's not to say that the rotation isn't a little over its head right now. But not much. Suppan's coming down to Earth, and Morris is stuck in a temporal causality loop that forces him to alternate good-bad starts (in his next game he will give up eleven runs before he records an out; the following start will be a fifteen-inning perfect game.) That being said, Carp and Jason are for real, and Woody, with less work early in the season (all of five innings pitched in spring training,) should not tire out as soon as he did in past seasons.
That bullpen...*swoon* I will have Ray King's babies.
Forget the starters. The biggest story regarding the Cards' pitching staff should unquestionably be the impending...
RETURN OF RICK ANKIEL!
Oh, the humanity.
It'll be interesting to see where #33 bats. If you stick Walker second or sixth, you preserve the Pujols-Rolen-Edmonds 3-4-5 that's ruled the NL with a cruelty usually found only in the worst dictators. But that's L-R-R-L or R-R-L-L, and if you put Larry between Albert and Scotty Ro you get R-L-R-L, which should cause opposing managers' heads to explode in late innings.
Larry Walker might not be in Colorado anymore, but he'll see a lot better pitches - you gotta pitch to one of the four.
I still like the Yankees rotation better. I'll take a fresh and playoff tested Brown and Mussina to go with Vasquez and a sizzling El Duque (who is the fucking MAN in the playoffs) over the Cards over and under achieving staff.
Overnight, the Cardinals organization has become my personal savior and Favorite Team Ever. Thanks to St. Louis, I no longer have to hear "Crazy Train" three times a a game. I no longer have to see Walker go 2 for 3, his team lose 6-11 and hear him say "I got my hits, eh". Or see him stand there with one out and a runner on third...and work a walk. Or see him sit below the right field scoreboard between innings, while the rest of his team is in the dugout.
Bitterness aside, it was simply time for Walker to advance his career. He's been in a cushy position since 1999 and hasn't had any real motivation. He'd become stagnant. The Rockies treated him like he was the John Elway of their team. He was given a free ride and was allowed to roam free. The team cut him so much slack it was pathetic. He was allowed to come and go as he pleased. This was a guy who missed an entire WEEK of the 2001 season to have a tooth pulled. Or take a few games off to go see an eye doctor. I guess in a way he was their Elway...only without the wins, stones, durability, toughness, championships, leadership ability, respect, impact and importance. I hope Walker remembers what it's like to play the game and helps out the Cardinals.
This also gives the Rockies payroll flexibility and allows them to resign Jeromy Burnitz. Burnitz isn't a hall of famer by any means, but Coors Field is the perfect park for him. They can lock-up Jason Jennings and Shawn Chacon, who will be arbitration eligible. Also, the Rockies are now rumored to be interested in re-signing Shawn Estes, Joe Kennedy and Royce Clayton. Denny Neagle's contract is expiring soon, as well.
Oh by the way... Todd Helton, the Rockies' record book is now your own personal property. Good luck.
Originally posted by estragand...This also gives the Rockies payroll flexibility and allows them to resign Jeromy Burnitz. Burnitz isn't a hall of famer by any means, but Coors Field is the perfect park for him. They can lock-up Jason Jennings and Shawn Chacon, who will be arbitration eligible. ...
If only they could have every game played at Coors, Burnitz would hit 100 homers. If he ever realises he is allowed to hit away from home as well he'd be amazing. Do they really want to keep Chacon? Do they want their manager to have a closer induced heart attack?
This may not turn out to be quite "nothing" for the Rockies. Rumors are that one of the Players To Be Named Later is John Gall of Memphis, the Cards' top minor leaguer the past several years who has never seen a level of professional ball he can't hit .300 at. He was actually called up earlier this year when the club went to Texas, but Walt Jocketty changed his mind at the last minute because they're still concerned with Gall's defense (he's a natural first baseman and, well, the Birds have a guy at first that's, you know, kind of, uh, good.) This could be a big loss for the Cardinals if Gall turns out to be as good as the scouts say...although I'd still make the deal in a heartbeat, since all Gall does bring is promise, nothing certain.
Originally posted by MercIf only they could have every game played at Coors, Burnitz would hit 100 homers. If he ever realises he is allowed to hit away from home as well he'd be amazing. Do they really want to keep Chacon? Do they want their manager to have a closer induced heart attack?
I'll take those 50 homers a season from Burnitz.
Yes, they want to keep Chacon. Clint Hurdle insists he's a closer... but everyone NOT named Hurdle wants to see him back in the starting rotation. Hurdle's justification for moving the team's only homegrown All-Star pitcher to the closer role? "He's never won after July". Considering Chacon was a rookie in 2001, was banished to Triple A in August 2002 and was injured for the second half of 2003...Chacon's never had a real chance to "win after July". It's tough to base a guy's career on his rookie season. If so, then Kevin Maas would have been on the way to Cooperstown.
How strong a lineup when Walker is hitting second, he had a great game last night by hitting a 2-run homer and stealing 2 bases... Ahh why do all Blue Jay pitchers (Woody, Carpenter) after they leave the organization.
smark/net attack wienerville advisory is raised to YELLOW alert - Elevated (JBL is the new WWE champion, good gawd hide under the desk. But Benoit is World Champion allowing some safety in the IWC)- 6/28
Originally posted by PetersTorkThis may not turn out to be quite "nothing" for the Rockies. Rumors are that one of the Players To Be Named Later is John Gall of Memphis, the Cards' top minor leaguer the past several years.
Turns out the rumors regarding John Gall were just that, rumors. According to this article (stltoday.com)(scroll all the way down) the trade has now been completed, with the Cards sending Chris Narveson and Luis Martinez to the Colorado Rockies. As an aside, the article refers to the two as "righthanded pitchers"; Luis Martinez (mlb.mlb.com) and Chris Narveson (smokiesbaseball.com) are, in fact, lefthanded.