Solomon

Unfortunately for your argument statistics in baseball are a direct correlation to value. It's how the game works. Besides, when a guy has number that lead another in that many categories, how can you not say he is not the most valuable? You take Pujols out of the Cards lineup, and they win 85 games at max.

Ok, a few stats. Pujols is found here: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/stats?playerId=4574 Jones is found here: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/stats?playerId=3520 In comparion: Jones had one more triple, 10 more home runs, 11 more RBI, and 47 more strikeouts. Pujols scored 34 more runs, had 41 more hits, 24 more doubles, 33 more walks, 11 more stolen bases, batting average was 63 points higher, on base pct was 83 points higher, slugging pct was 118 points higher and OPS was 192 points higher. Argue what you want, the facts speak for themselves.

Actually, I think Ned Yost probably deserves it for taking that Milwaukee team and going .500 with them. Jones is going to win it. Pujols is a victim of outplaying what was expected of him early on, and much like Coach K never winning a Coach of the Year (I can't believe I just said that), will probably never win an MVP award because you just come to expect it of him and it's a bigger deal when he doesn't do it than when he produces. Same thing happened with Musial. If he played in Boston or New York, he's be considered one of the 5 greatest players of all time. Jones, however, is finally living up to the hype that surrounded him as the 18 year old playing centerfield in the World Series. The media has wanted this guy to be so good for so long that it is sad. And I don't care what you say, he's not been considered an elite player until this year. Good, but not elite. That's the bigger story, and he's going to get more press because of it. Oh yeah, and just to debunk the "value" theory, you take Pujols out of that lineup, even with everyone else healthy missing no extended games, and this is an 85 win team max. He makes team pitch different to everyone around him. That is value. But once again, just give me 10 more wins and Jones can have his MVP trophy!

I'm just saying that a team that has consistently been 1-10, 2-9 for about as long as I can remember has to earn it before they get respect. They win this weekend and they will probably deserve it.

Good grief, they've been horrible forever! Calm down, if they win this week then people will start taking notice.

Eh, if your a Cards fan you know that izzy is going to provide drama. Peavy is out for the playoffs for San Deigo with a fractured rib. This series just because a lot less stressful.

Also don't forget Jones hit .220 with runners in scoring position. If we're going to say Big Papi deserves it because of clutch ability, then should we not judge Jones on the same criteria?

And that is why the traditionalist in me loathes the wild card with a passion.

I read that during lunch. Some of their conclusions I agree with, others I don't. And I know that LaRussa probably told his guys to take it easy, and Walker had admittedly said he's not been pushing too much, but I would have liked to have seen Mulder and Carp's final starts go better. I just know that San Deigo is dangerous in this series just because they can throw a good 1-2 punch at you. Plus, we've played horrible during the day this year.

I am a little anxious. Neither Carp nor Mulder have looked great the last month, Morris scares me to death, and San Deigo has a nice little 1-2 punch they can throw at you. Granted I am the same guy that thre up double digit times in the NLCS games 6 and 7 last year too.

Funny thing is, Cards had more people miss more time to injury than Atlanta did. Plus, Pujols will take a base hit to right instead of trying to hit one out if he gets that pitch. Once again, it doesn't matter. Just give me 11 more wins!

In other news, the Cards wrapped up their second consectutive of 100 wins, first time since the 42-44 seasons. Nice feat, still means nothing unless we win 11 more games though. Interesting fact through, Cards went 50-29 against the Central and 50-33 against teams outside of the Central. Sounds pretty balanced to me. Also, second interesting fact, the Padres went 4-3 against the Cards, 5-1 against the Braves, and 3-4 against the Astros this season.

I was on my way back from Knoxville today during the game and just listened to it on the radio. Was the booing really that bad? What about Pac-Man? I quit listening when it hit 31-3, what did he do?

I could care less. All MVP/Cy Young awards are now are filler time for talk radio and newpaper columns until October baseball starts. It's just worse than normal because of who the two AL candidates play for. Who's even going to remember who won by the All Star break next season, or spring training for that matter?

Florida. One of about three games that Zook actually resembled a coach on the sidelines.

FSU in 98 FSU in 00 Nebraksa in 01 LSU and OU in 03 FSU made it in front of another one-loss Miami team that had beaten FSU earlier that year. Nebraska lost their last regular season game against Colorado and didn't even play in the Big 12 title game and OU got drumed by K-State in the Big 12 title game and still both made it. Go figure.

Big weekend in Beantown. I say they are playing on Monday.

Simple as this, ask any Cards fan who they would have rather played last year in the NLCS or who we would rather play this year. 95% or higher will will say Atlanta over Houston.

This has no chronoligical order. That LSU game in Red Stick would have been Mr. Suggs. Casey played one series in the first half that game. I also remember him leading us back from a 31-15 deficit in the 4th quarter to go to OT and then rolling out to his left and throwing over everyone in the endzone. The Auburn game we fell behind 21-0. Our defense couldn't stop a middle school team in the first half. It was 14-0 before I had time to blink. And the final was 28-21, so we would have been driving for the tie. Considering we threw the ball every play in the 2nd half, I'll allow one pick. SEC title game - 7.2 YPP average. And I do believe he threw for closer to 400 than that. Still, not too shabby. Once again you conveniently forget both Stephens' and Stallworth's fumbles in LSU territory late in the game. And the fact that LSU's backup QB and RB led them to a come from behind victory because our defense never adjusted. Aganst those games agaisnt ND and Bama sophomore year, I forget how many 3rd down and long cenversions we completed. I don't feel like researching it. Both times at Florida, we won. Shuler, Manning, and Martin all couldn't. Casey did. In 01 it was one of the biggest wins in UT history. One again, stats don't always tell it all. Stephens was the hero, but again Casey made some clutch throws. And also his stats might have been a little better had Whitten been able to hold onto the ball that day. And oh yeah, if you've ever tired to do any activity other than walk with a broken collar bone, much less throw a football, then you will understand how impressive him playing against Arkansas, Miami, or Bama was, no matter what his stats were. Trust me, I've broken arms, sprained ankles, and had cortizone shots in my back for spasms, and I have never had as much pain as a broken collar bone. He was no Manning, but as of now I'll rank in the top 5 UT QBs of all time.

Which is why I am shocked he went there.

Please excuse my one mistake, the OT game against SC was soph year, not senior. My mistake.

Do what? He led what, 4 4th quarter drives to win his freshman year? Vandy, Memphis, South Carolina. Ok, excuse me, only 3. Sophmore year- led the comback against UGA (Mustang defense was the culprit that day), led combacks at Bama and Notre Dame, won for the first time at the swamp in 30 years, threw for 400 yards in the SEC title game with no picks (thank you Stephens and Stallworth for key fumbles and the defense for quitting when Davey and Toefield went down), Junior year- played and won a 5 OT game with a broken collar bone, Senior year- won at the swamp (again), won OT against SC, threw for another 400 yards against Auburn and just about led the comeback, then beat Miami? I can think of three bad games he had. K-State his freshman year, Florida his junior year, and UGA his senior year. Sorry, Casey was about as cool as they came under pressure. Apparently that family has ice runnin through their veins.

Congrats. If this was your goal, then you achieved it. Personally, after the first couple, anything less that a Series appearance or win would be a diappointment for me, but hey, whatever makes you happy. Personally, if the Cards don't win the Series, then everything this year was meaningless.

The best part was when he basically told all the LSU fans, and I think Fulmer as well, that they could kiss his @$$ on national television. How can you not like the guy after that? Now if Davies could only say his name right...................

If there is a tie, they play Monday at Yankee Stadium. If there is a three way time, they play Monday at Yankees stadium, loser gets Cleveland or Chicago Tuesday. If there is 2 two way ties, both games are Monday, losers play Tuesday Every scnerio is found here. They had to have a second flip because Boston has allowed themselves to get in this mix. http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/press_r...t=.jsp&c_id=mlb http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/press_r...t=.jsp&c_id=mlb