Things Smackie Thinks You Need to Know...

[shemptiness]

Right, that's why I said 3 of 4.  The Cardinals are just annoying because their fans think they invented baseball and are the best in the world.  But they do seem to win a lot, damn them. 

[vansmack]

But they do seem to win a lot, damn them. 

I think the Cardinals are the best franchise in baseball right now.  Every time they lose a top free agent they replace them without issue from their farm system.

And damn can they draft pitchers.....

[vansmack]

So what's your take on the Final 4?  I noticed that 3 of the 4 teams are in the top 5 in payroll.

Verlander being back to being Verlander makes the Boston series competitive, but that team is going to have to hit better.

I hate this Dodger team more than most Dodger teams I've hated in the past.  And they're only going to get better in the next few years.

Unless you're from Boston, Detroit or LA, you have to be rooting for the Cardinals for the sake of baseball.

[Julian, Bespoke SEXPERT]

I'm at a tipping point with the Cards where I ideologically enjoy their small market success and brilliant front office, but if they were to win another WS this year, I'd be sick of them and their fans and want them to suck for a while.

[vansmack]

I'm at a tipping point with the Cards where I ideologically enjoy their small market success and brilliant front office, but if they were to win another WS this year, I'd be sick of them and their fans and want them to suck for a while.

Exactly where I am after the 2004 Red Sox....

[vansmack]

Because when I get in the batter's box,  I think first pitch cutter every time.  Jesus Christ.

[Julian, Bespoke SEXPERT]

Second straight series Tigers relievers have wasted an absolute gem by starting pitching. This is going to cost us a series eventually. Jesus.

[hutch]

Second straight series Tigers relievers have wasted an absolute gem by starting pitching. This is going to cost us a series eventually. Jesus.

I don't have that big an issue with Benoit coming in but how can you throw Papi a fastbball down the pike on the first pitch.. you got to pitch around him in that situation and if you walk in a run its better than 4..

did the pitch not end up where Benoit wanted it or was that realy what him and Avila where going?

I feel the Tigers just gave that game away...

[stevewizzle]

Unless you're from Boston, Detroit or LA, you have to be rooting for the Cardinals for the sake of baseball.

yeah fuck that.  i'll take anyone but the cardinals.

sorry, but west coasters loathing the dodgers is not the pulse of the rest of country.  they're a likable bunch.  and anyone who hates on what detroit and boston has done this year is truly not a baseball fan.

[Julian, Bespoke SEXPERT]

I agree with that. I really have no dislike for this Dodgers team. Boston's fans are far more annoying than anyone on their team. The beard thing is stupid, I guess, though.

I really would only be irked if St. Louis wins it all.

[sweetcell]

big papi is big.

[vansmack]

I don't have that big an issue with Benoit coming in but how can you throw Papi a fastbball down the pike on the first pitch.. you got to pitch around him in that situation and if you walk in a run its better than 4..

did the pitch not end up where Benoit wanted it or was that realy what him and Avila where going?

I feel the Tigers just gave that game away...

That's just it.  McCarver said it was a fastball but it wasn't. 

It was 86 miles an hour so either he didn't put enough on his cutter or he threw his changeup too hard (I think the latter).  No one goes up thinking cut fastball to start unless you're facing Mariano, so that's what I would have thrown, low and away.

Instead he hit the spot with his changeup, but threw it about 5-10 mph too fast without first showing him the fastball and it was like BP for Big Papi.  Huge mistake.

You can be assured that Benoit will now have a crisis of confidence for the rest of the series. 

[vansmack]

sorry, but west coasters loathing the dodgers is not the pulse of the rest of country.  they're a likable bunch.  and anyone who hates on what detroit and boston has done this year is truly not a baseball fan.

I've got 241 million reasons why everyone who wasn't a Dodgers fan before 2013 should hate the Dodgers.

I think there are 3 guys on their 25 man roster that they drafted, 2 guys they bid for in the International market and the rest they dealt for or signed as free agents.

Contrast that with the Cardinals.... 

[stevewizzle]

sorry, but west coasters loathing the dodgers is not the pulse of the rest of country.  they're a likable bunch.  and anyone who hates on what detroit and boston has done this year is truly not a baseball fan.

I've got 241 million reasons why everyone who wasn't a Dodgers fan before 2013 should hate the Dodgers.

I think there are 3 guys on their 25 man roster that they drafted, 2 guys they bid for in the International market and the rest they dealt for or signed as free agents.

Contrast that with the Cardinals.... 

i mean, contrast that with the sox? they've got homegrown talent, the core of their team is homegrown talent.  pedroia, ellsbury, lester, bucholz, middlebrooks, salty and lets throw ortiz in there since they are the first team to let him play every day. 

i'm not familiar with the cardinals full roster, but i know matt holliday and carlos beltran certainly aren't homegrown talent.

i'm not suggesting that it's a reason to root for/root against a team, but to say that the cardinals are the best team to root for because they have homegrown talent is a stretch.

[vansmack]

i mean, contrast that with the sox? they've got homegrown talent, the core of their team is homegrown talent.  pedroia, ellsbury, lester, bucholz, middlebrooks, salty and lets throw ortiz in there since they are the first team to let him play every day. 

I agree, but as was pointed out elsewhere, their fans have forgotten all about their past and have become completely unbearable.  Since I can't have beers with Pedroia, Ellsbury, Lester, Bucholtz or Middlebrooks and can only have beers with Red Sox Nation, they're unlikeable despite the wonderful turnaround from last season, which I recognize to be incredible.

PS: Salty was a Brave, traded to Texas in the Teixeira deal, which might have been THE deal that turned the Rangers franchise around:  Salty, Elvis Andrus, Neftali Feliz, Matt Harrison and Beau Jones (minors) to the Texas Rangers for Ron Mahay and Mark Teixeira.  The Rangers then dealt him to Boston for nothing, the Braves dealt Teixeira to Anaheim for Kasey Kotchman and some reliever, and when he signed for New York, Anaheim drafted some kid named Mike Trout with the compensation pick.