'Trop, Brady, and the Rest of You Cardinals Fans

[dhornjr1]

I have a bad feeling about this season. I hope I'm wrong but the pitching staff is such a huge question mark. And our once-potent offense has disintegrated the last couple of years.

Now, we hear that Pujols needs Tommy John surgery but is gonna try to play through it. Sheesh!

This could be a very long summer.

[neahogfan]

I agree.  Just to tell you how bad our pitching is, they watched Sidney Ponson throw the other day.  If or when Pujols go's down, the Cards could become one of the worst teams in baseball.  Its amazing how quickly things change.

[dhornjr1]

I agree.  Just to tell you how bad our pitching is, they watched Sidney Ponson throw the other day.  If or when Pujols go's down, the Cards could become one of the worst teams in baseball.  Its amazing how quickly things change.

I heard about them looking at Ponson. I thought my ears were playing tricks on me.

[Hogtropolis™]

If Pujols goes down, look for Duncan to move to 1B and for Rasmus to get called up before he is ready so that he and Ankiel will be everyday starters and Shumaker and Ludwick will platoon in LF depending on whether there is a LHP or RHP.

Anytime you lose a guy like Pujols, you know it will cost you a good number of wins that you could have gotten had he been there.

As far as the pitching goes, I am not nearly as worried about it as most.  I think by the end of May we could have a very solid starting staff.  Nothing great, but solid.

I think our biggest weakness will be SS and 2B.  I just don't see how those 2 positions are going to produce enough offense to keep us in ballgames.

It could very easily turn into a long summer and it could do it before summer even gets here.  Lets just hope TLR has a little magic up his sleeve this year.

[cardinalhawg]

I actually think that the Cards will surprise some folks this year, in a good way.  Not much is expected of them this year, but they do have some talented younger players who should be hungry.  Wainright and Looper have a year of starting pitching at the major league level under their belts, and the bullpen should be solid again.  I think that they will be better offensively this season, despite the losses of Edmonds and Rolen, granted shortstop and second are concerns.

If Rasmus has a good spring, he could make the club as the starting center fielder.  That would muddy the waters in the outfield with Schumaker, Ludwick, Barton, and Juan Gonzalez (rule 5 draftee) competing for outfield slots.  With Schumaker, Ludwick, and Barton having good springs and Gonzalez having a decent spring, Chris Duncan better return to form, or he may riding some pine this season.

Since they have a different look this season, that will provide some excitement, however, it could turn it to a long season, if the starting pitching falters, due to a lack of quality arms.

[dhornjr1]

You guys are a lot more optimistic than I am. For the record, I will gladly eat crow if they end up doing well this year.

By well, I mean at least challenging for a playoff spot, of course.

[Uncle_dad]

I agree.  Just to tell you how bad our pitching is, they watched Sidney Ponson throw a kegger the other day.  If or when Pujols go's down, the Cards could become one of the worst teams in baseball.  Its amazing how quickly things change.

Fixed that for you!

[Uncle_dad]

Unfortunately, one thing I've learned as a Cardinals fan is to take the good with the bad.  I remember the 70's all too well.  I'm expecting a lousy year, and hoping that new ownership steps in soon to return the team to competiveness.  In the meantime, I hope that Springfield has another great year, so I can at least have that to look forward to.

[neahogfan]

Pineiro is still having trouble with his shoulder; he had to stop another bullpen session short.  The rotation is looking a little weak now.  On the bright side, we could see some homegrown pitchers given a chance.

[Uncle_dad]

Just think, we could be royals fans and suck every year!

[IndyHog76]

Though I hate to say it, Pujols just needs to go ahead and get the surgery now instead of waiting for his elbow to completely blow out.  If he waits until sometime in the middle of the season, or so, he risks losing out on some of next year as well.  They're not going to fight for a championship this year so it would be a good year to miss.

[IndyHog76]

I'm sure he does.  However, if what alot of the media is saying is true, the elbow will not get better without surgery and will eventually go.  I would rather him miss a down year by the Cardinals instead of parts of two seasons.

As the Springfield media stated yesterday, every year Pujols has some sort of potential season-ending nagging injury going into the season but he always winds up with a better year than most. He's going into his 8th season with the Cardinals, I'm sure he knows his injury status better than any of us.

[dhornjr1]

Though I hate to say it, Pujols just needs to go ahead and get the surgery now instead of waiting for his elbow to completely blow out.  If he waits until sometime in the middle of the season, or so, he risks losing out on some of next year as well.  They're not going to fight for a championship this year so it would be a good year to miss.

I tend to agree with that line of thinking.

[dhornjr1]

Just think, we could be royals fans and suck every year!

If I was a Royals fan I would have killed myself a long time ago.

[Hogtropolis™]

I tend to agree with that line of thinking.

Me too

[DizzyHawgFan]

I hope to see a scrappy bunch play their butts off this year, even if they aren't in playoff contention.  That being said, I'll probably go to more Redbirds games then Cardinals games this season. 

[PiggyBack]

If I was a Royals fan I would have killed myself a long time ago.

Is it true that they retired Don Denkingers Jersey at Kauffman Stadium?

[dhornjr1]

Is it true that they retired Don Denkingers Jersey at Kauffman Stadium?

No, they buried Denkinger's jersey and a copy of this photo with Dick Howser.