What's Gonna Happen Next?

JL21 · Post by **JL21** » April 20 07, 8:45 am

GatewaySnayke wrote:Nope, instead we're thinking that our chances at a World Series are growing even further.

Yeah, too bad we won the WS last year.

longhornbaseball · Post by **longhornbaseball** » April 20 07, 8:49 am

RC21 wrote:
GatewaySnayke wrote:Nope, instead we're thinking that our chances at a World Series are growing even further.
Yeah, too bad we won the WS last year.

I giggled.

JL21 · Post by **JL21** » April 20 07, 8:53 am

longhornbaseball wrote:
RC21 wrote:
GatewaySnayke wrote:Nope, instead we're thinking that our chances at a World Series are growing even further.
Yeah, too bad we won the WS last year.
I giggled.

I just wish I could be more optimistic about this team right now. If only they hadn't won it all last year... Last year's WS title is ruining the 2007 baseball season for me.

BenNX74205 · Post by **BenNX74205** » April 20 07, 9:00 am

Cronos69 wrote:...I don't care nearly as much this year if they make the playoffs or not. They won it all last year; they've achieved what I wanted to see once in my lifetime. I'm good for at least a couple years, and eager to see the kids get time and start playing.

This is pretty much how I feel. It seems the Cards are committed to developing this round of young talent for a few years down the line. They have a competitive team as constructed. I still want the Cards to win just as much as last year, but I will not be as upset if they don't win the World Series, since I finally got to see them do it once. That doesn't mean they have carte blance to let the entire team fall apart around them. And I don't think they have. We won't really have a good idea of what kind of team the Cards are until Memorial Day.

There's some good to great young talent on this team, and more hopeful prospects on the way. Pujols, Rolen and Carpenter are locked-up for a good long time. What's happening is a changing of the guard, and if they can stay competitive while doing it, that will be enough for me personally.

For the next couple years, any way.

Secret Weapon · Post by **Secret Weapon** » April 20 07, 9:13 am

But we really only have 3 young players on the ML roster with the potential to develop into above average players in Wainwright, Reyes, and Duncan.

We are starting to get old as a team but hopefully our lower level prospects will continue to develop and help to reinforce the big club in the next couple years. It would be nice if we could develop another All Star type player, but that seems a long way off.

Post by **Radbird** » April 20 07, 9:16 am

RC21 wrote:Last year's WS title is ruining the 2007 baseball season for me.

Of all the reasons to have a season ruined......

Leroy · Post by **Leroy** » April 20 07, 9:28 am

I love a good 'I was right on the internet' post from time to time.

GatewaySnayke · Post by **GatewaySnayke** » April 20 07, 10:44 am

Leroy wrote:I love a good 'I was right on the internet' post from time to time.

I am glad.

GatewaySnayke · Post by **GatewaySnayke** » April 20 07, 10:48 am

RC21 wrote:
longhornbaseball wrote:
RC21 wrote:
GatewaySnayke wrote:Nope, instead we're thinking that our chances at a World Series are growing even further.
Yeah, too bad we won the WS last year.
I giggled.
I just wish I could be more optimistic about this team right now. If only they hadn't won it all last year... Last year's WS title is ruining the 2007 baseball season for me.

A sarcastic shot aimed at me?

Post by **Bo Hart** » April 20 07, 11:15 am

It's just too early in the season to start worrying too much, thats all I'm saying.

We are, right now, averaging 2.82 runs per game. TWO POINT EIGHT TWO! The most anemic offense in the league last year was the Pirates. Their average? 4.26 runs a game.

But hey, maybe we're historically bad? During the worst offensive season of all time, the Dodgers managed just 3.38 runs per game (548 runs) over the course of an entire season.

Of the 16 players that logged over 100 at-bats, just five of them had an OPS over .700; Brett Butler led the team with an OPS of .804.

.804 was their team-high OPS. Pujols will eclipse that. Duncan will eclipse that. Rolen will eclipse that. Edmonds is a good bet to be around that, if he doesn't eclipse it.

Currently, we have four position players who will get 100 or more at-bats that have an OPS over .700: So Taguchi, Chris Duncan, Gary Bennett and Albert Pujols.

Our offense will improve. Significantly. Maybe it will at / below league average when it is all said and done, but from our current state its going to improve big-time. And yes, our pitching will fall back to Earth... but the fall its going to have is less than the leap our offense is going to make, I think.

The point I'm trying to make is that its too early to be especially pessimistic. Barring Rolen, Edmonds, Duncan and Pujols all experience monumental drop-offs in production from their career, thereby leading this offense to become historically unrivaled, things will improve and we will at least show semblance of competitiveness -- something that doesn't really seem to be existent right now.

I am frustrated like everyone else, but I'm also aware that we aren't even 10% done with the season.

You have to take the entire Dodgers comparison with a grain of salt because the league OPS in 1990 was .704; by comparison, it was .778 last season.