2011 MLB Postseason

[OnWis97]

I don't know how reflective of the American sports fan the haters here are, but I had NO idea that there was such hate of the Cardinals. I could take 'em or leave 'em myself. I am just happy the series was entertaining and there are enough players on that team to be happy for that it's fine by me.

So, did anyone truly predict a Cardinals-Rangers World Series? I think that's why I like baseball so much.

I was close with my Brewers over Rays prediction, right?

[Quillz]

I don't know how reflective of the American sports fan the haters here are, but I had NO idea that there was such hate of the Cardinals. I could take 'em or leave 'em myself. I am just happy the series was entertaining and there are enough players on that team to be happy for that it's fine by me.

So, did anyone truly predict a Cardinals-Rangers World Series? I think that's why I like baseball so much.

I was close with my Brewers over Rays prediction, right?

I haven't seen much hate for the Cardinals myself (at least compared to Yankees hate), but I'm not surprised. For the most part, the Cardinals are a very successful, well-run franchise. (They have the second highest amount of championships.) Thus, I think it's a safe assumption that the Cardinals, along with any other predominately successful franchise is going to have haters. I think it just hasn't been observed as much because the Cardinals don't tend to get as much media discussion as the East Coast franchises. (Which does make sense.)

[Saintsfan]

Just a thing that's been bugging me. A lot of people have been carping about the Cardinals having home field despite being a wild card team. Season long record has never been a factor in deciding Workd Series home field advantage. Before the current, albeit eccentric, rule the AL and NL took turns to have home field advantage. So I don't think it's really anything to make a fuss over.

Congratulations to the Cardinals, a good example of a great team peaking at just the right moment.

[CS85]

Congrats to the cardinals for their title, as much as it pains me to say so. They earned it, won it, fought for it. Despite my bitter and contemptous nature as a Cubs fan, I tip my caps to them for another title well-earned. Enjoy it.

[Quillz]

Just a thing that's been bugging me. A lot of people have been carping about the Cardinals having home field despite being a wild card team. Season long record has never been a factor in deciding Workd Series home field advantage. Before the current, albeit eccentric, rule the AL and NL took turns to have home field advantage. So I don't think it's really anything to make a fuss over.

Congratulations to the Cardinals, a good example of a great team peaking at just the right moment.

I think leagues alternating HFA works only when all the games are played a neutral location. I don't see why baseball simply doesn't give HFA to the league champion with the better record (which would have been Texas, in this case.) It seems to be the fairest way of doing it.

I mean, how many members of the Rangers and Cardinals were even on the All-Star Roster, or played at all? The N.L. ultimately won this year on a Prince Fielder home run. Fielder didn't appear in the World Series at all. It just doesn't seem right to me to have what is ultimately a random game about halfway through the season be the sole factor in which team gets WS HFA.

[CS85]

I agree that the HFA system is botched, but that's got nothing to do w/ the Cardinals. baseball needs to figure out just what it wants to do. All star games are such a thing of the past that serve no purpose in the modern era, and HFA is a pretty drastic thing to put on an exhibition game that it's almost irresponsible.

[The_Admiral]

I don't know how reflective of the American sports fan the haters here are, but I had NO idea that there was such hate of the Cardinals.

The players themselves don't elicit any particular resentment--the next thought I have regarding Jon Jay, David Freese, or Marc Rzepczynski will be the first--but the greater media narrative wherein the team is painted as The Great Middle American Hope as led by The Smartest Manager Ever is as forced as it is fallacious, and quite frankly too much to bear. Being a Cubs fan magnifies it less than you think it does: while it means I might get a smidge more exposure to the whole contrived idea of Tony La Russa and the fans of St. Louis acting as some sort of career/spiritual rehab for wayward slap-hitting Quadruple-A white guys and various flavors of failed pitchers, this whole "the Oakland Raiders, if they were run by Ned Flanders" archetype is unavoidable, annoying, and sensibility-offending enough on its own merits that it would drive me up a wall if I were a fan of any team in the bigs, not just the one up the interstate. Just let a team be a team, gnome sayin brah? All this hack sportswriter fodder is dumb and/or false: Tony La Russa is an average tactician whose failed gambits outnumber his successful ones, the stories of career renaissances are to be taken with a grain of salt under a coaching staff arguably more inextricably tied to steroids than any other, people who by serendipity of birthplace follow the Cardinals are generally no better or worse than anyone else who really likes baseball, and all of these silly bit-player subplots are a whole lot easier to write out when one of the greatest hitters ever is on the team to win games for them. While you can't really blame the players, who generally come and go through St. Louis like anyone anywhere (maybe even faster), there is one notable constant, and just as with Tim Tebow, this mawkish sanctimony could easily be dismissed but is instead tacitly encouraged.

FAKE EDIT: mark this post down as the only time anyone will ever refer to being born in Carlinville, Illinois as "serendipitous"

[the_fan]

Awesome job Cardinals! You guys rock!

By the way, anyone else excited for the 2012 Atlanta Braves season?

[Saintsfan]

I don't know how reflective of the American sports fan the haters here are, but I had NO idea that there was such hate of the Cardinals.

The players themselves don't elicit any particular resentment--the next thought I have regarding Jon Jay, David Freese, or Marc Rzepczynski will be the first--but the greater media narrative wherein the team is painted as The Great Middle American Hope as led by The Smartest Manager Ever is as forced as it is fallacious, and quite frankly too much to bear. Being a Cubs fan magnifies it less than you think it does: while it means I might get a smidge more exposure to the whole contrived idea of Tony La Russa and the fans of St. Louis acting as some sort of career/spiritual rehab for wayward slap-hitting Quadruple-A white guys and various flavors of failed pitchers, this whole "the Oakland Raiders, if they were run by Ned Flanders" archetype is unavoidable, annoying, and sensibility-offending enough on its own merits that it would drive me up a wall if I were a fan of any team in the bigs, not just the one up the interstate. Just let a team be a team, gnome sayin brah? All this hack sportswriter fodder is dumb and/or false: Tony La Russa is an average tactician whose failed gambits outnumber his successful ones, the stories of career renaissances are to be taken with a grain of salt under a coaching staff arguably more inextricably tied to steroids than any other, people who by serendipity of birthplace follow the Cardinals are generally no better or worse than anyone else who really likes baseball, and all of these silly bit-player subplots are a whole lot easier to write out when one of the greatest hitters ever is on the team to win games for them. While you can't really blame the players, who generally come and go through St. Louis like anyone anywhere (maybe even faster), there is one notable constant, and just as with Tim Tebow, this mawkish sanctimony could easily be dismissed but is instead tacitly encouraged.

FAKE EDIT: mark this post down as the only time anyone will ever refer to being born in Carlinville, Illinois as "serendipitous"

I think that what draws some ire is the idea of St Louis as baseball's town. It's really only such a baseball town because it's other sports have been so mediocre over the raise (if they've even got to that standard.) other possible baseball towns balance out that with other decent enough franchises (be it the Raiders, Eagles, Celtics or Bulls for example). Although the Cardinals have been the best NL team, the fanaticism for baseball comes as much from a lack of other sports teams to celebrate.

[Dexter Morgan]

I would like to congratulate the Cardinal fans on here, and thank both the Cardinals and Rangers for giving us a hell of a World Series.

....but now with the threat of snow in the Northeast today, it's HOT STOVE TIME!

[Dexter Morgan]

Congrats to the Cards for winning it. The people I'm happy for winning it:

6. Rafael Furcal. One of my fave Dodgers over the last couple of years.

5. Albert Pujols. One of the greatest players of all time is past the Peyton Manning/Julius Erving/Teemu Selanne/Mike Modano status of one-and-done champs.

4. David Freese. Becomes WS hero in his hometown. Enough said.

3. StLgent. The dude on here who does the "All-Sports Sig Champions" banners for us.

2. Arthur Rhodes. 42 years old and he gets his 1st ring. Would have gotten one anyway from either team, but being in the winners' locker room makes it a whole lot sweeter.

1. The die-hard, knowledgeable and classy fans from St. Louis, Missouri. Earned it. Unlike those from Philly, Boston or NYC...

Yes, because there are no die-hard, knowledgeable and classy fans from Philly, Boston, or NYC. Only LA has those.

[Dexter Morgan]

One thing I learned watching the last two World Series: if a team wants to win it all, it must hire a bearded closer and that's all!

Maybe Papelbon must let his beard grow alone... :-P

Clean shaven baby!

[winghaz]

I was rooting for the Rangers in this Series, but I've always liked the Cardinals. Not loved, but liked.

I remember how in 1967 when Roger Maris went to the Cards, and he was treated the total opposite of how he was treated in New York. Cardinal fans appreciate good players and have always appeared to be classy, and they treated Maris well. Obviously, so did the organization, as he ended up with an Anheuser Busch distributorship.

And I have to admit, I'm also happy for good ol' Stan Musial, being able to see one more Cardinals world championship. Talk about one of the nicest guys to have ever played the game.

[floydnimrod]

One thing I learned watching the last two World Series: if a team wants to win it all, it must hire a bearded closer and that's all!

Maybe Papelbon must let his beard grow alone... :-P

Clean shaven baby!

Don't recall him playing in either of those series haha

[Swiss]

One thing I learned watching the last two World Series: if a team wants to win it all, it must hire a bearded closer and that's all!

Maybe Papelbon must let his beard grow alone... :-P

Clean shaven baby!

Hahahaha! But now the beard is trendy so Mariano must raise a good old beard from now so he will pick one ring more.

[Viper]

OK, I finally got around to making a WS championship sig for the Cardinals.

[McCall]

I don't know how reflective of the American sports fan the haters here are, but I had NO idea that there was such hate of the Cardinals.

The players themselves don't elicit any particular resentment--the next thought I have regarding Jon Jay, David Freese, or Marc Rzepczynski will be the first--but the greater media narrative wherein the team is painted as The Great Middle American Hope as led by The Smartest Manager Ever is as forced as it is fallacious, and quite frankly too much to bear. Being a Cubs fan magnifies it less than you think it does: while it means I might get a smidge more exposure to the whole contrived idea of Tony La Russa and the fans of St. Louis acting as some sort of career/spiritual rehab for wayward slap-hitting Quadruple-A white guys and various flavors of failed pitchers, this whole "the Oakland Raiders, if they were run by Ned Flanders" archetype is unavoidable, annoying, and sensibility-offending enough on its own merits that it would drive me up a wall if I were a fan of any team in the bigs, not just the one up the interstate. Just let a team be a team, gnome sayin brah? All this hack sportswriter fodder is dumb and/or false: Tony La Russa is an average tactician whose failed gambits outnumber his successful ones, the stories of career renaissances are to be taken with a grain of salt under a coaching staff arguably more inextricably tied to steroids than any other, people who by serendipity of birthplace follow the Cardinals are generally no better or worse than anyone else who really likes baseball, and all of these silly bit-player subplots are a whole lot easier to write out when one of the greatest hitters ever is on the team to win games for them. While you can't really blame the players, who generally come and go through St. Louis like anyone anywhere (maybe even faster), there is one notable constant, and just as with Tim Tebow, this mawkish sanctimony could easily be dismissed but is instead tacitly encouraged.

FAKE EDIT: mark this post down as the only time anyone will ever refer to being born in Carlinville, Illinois as "serendipitous"

I think that what draws some ire is the idea of St Louis as baseball's town. It's really only such a baseball town because it's other sports have been so mediocre over the raise (if they've even got to that standard.) other possible baseball towns balance out that with other decent enough franchises (be it the Raiders, Eagles, Celtics or Bulls for example). Although the Cardinals have been the best NL team, the fanaticism for baseball comes as much from a lack of other sports teams to celebrate.

Yeah, you couldn't be more wrong. St. Louis is just a town obsessed with baseball. The knowledge and respect for the game is just unbelievable. Even when the Rams had the Greatest Show on Turf, if the Cardinals had been playing, they would've been the bigger draw. It's just how it is. I'm not saying everyone has to like it and I'm not gonna criticize anybody who doesn't. But to say it's just due to other bad teams in town is just shortsighted.

[The_Admiral]

I have no problem acknowledging that St. Louis is among cities that care more deeply about baseball than other cities, because it is true. What I won't stand for is the moral high ground lazily ascribed to their base.

[McCall]

Well that's your opinion and you're entitled to it.

[Cujo]

Of course a Chicago fan and Lights Out hate the Cardinals. Jealousy, it's quite the bitch.

Well, not all of us can have a dozen favorite teams....