2013 MLB Discussion Thread, Redux

[McCall]

7. That's a long list.

All from a post that originally had nothing to do with the Cardinals or its fans.

[DaRadniz29]

I don't understand all the hate for the Cardinals? Not just here but any site (Yahoo, espn etc). Cardinals are a classy team and organization. I can understand people hating on them for constantly contending but same goes for Boston. What gives? Am I missing something?

Any team that consistently contends will get hate, the Cardinals have consistently contended since the turn of the century. They've managed to do this yet somehow remain the 'small guy' in most of the media coverage, with the focus consistently managing to ignore that they regularly have one of the biggest payrolls in the league. They're also just a flat out irritatingly competent organisation, who always seem to magically produce some guy from the minor leagues to step up and do exactly the job required really rather better than anyone expected. On top of all this they also seem to be a persistent dream-killer in recent years, ending the seasons of so many actual underdog teams, whose fans were daring to dream for the first time in years, only to get steamrollered by the endless Cardinal juggernaut.

Then there's the smuggest, most self-congratulatory fanbase in all of baseball...

This is what I expected. It makes sense. True - any team that contends is going to be hated at least a little. As someone who isn't immersed in the St. Louis feeding frenzy of Cardinals baseball I don't get to experience it first hand. I kind of think that's a good thing as I don't look at the Cardinals as a small-market team, nor do I believe they are the "little guy" that I guess the majority of the media believes them to be. I guess maybe's it's a partial outside objective viewpoint.

While at this time of year the national coverage wears me out enough that I usually don't even start watching until first pitch, because of all the "Cardinals this, other team that" storylines. Don't get me wrong, they're okay in moderation, but it usually surpasses that quickly in the postseason.

In addition, I don't think i'm part of the Cardinals smug fan base, but I can definitely see it. I mean as a Cardinals fan, I'll celebrate the team's success as one should be allowed, but I try not to rub it in, just as long as others don't rub it in my face when their team has success.

Going back to one of the NLCS games at Dodger Stadium when some of the Cardinals talked about the Dodgers "Mickey Mouse" stuff. I don't have a problem with what the Dodgers were trying to do. They were trying to energize their team and fans. Adrian Gonzales' fist pump and such is and should be allowed. Excitement is part of the game. Even a little trash talk. Even when Puig hit the triple that he thought was a home run, I just shook my head, but if he wants to do that, he can. There's too much "unwritten rules and codes" in baseball. I think there's too much over-sensitivity in the world. I mean as long a celebrations don't become the likes of the Dallas Cowboys River-dancing in the endzone in unison after a Touchdown or something similar I think it's okay. The whole excessive celebration/taunting, trash talking is for another time though.

[Still MIGHTY]

Cardinals vs Red Sox?

Yeah. I've officially checked out. I'll be surprised if I even catch one full inning of this thing.

[cmm]

This is what I expected. It makes sense. True - any team that contends is going to be hated at least a little. As someone who isn't immersed in the St. Louis feeding frenzy of Cardinals baseball I don't get to experience it first hand. I kind of think that's a good thing as I don't look at the Cardinals as a small-market team, nor do I believe they are the "little guy" that I guess the majority of the media believes them to be. I guess maybe's it's a partial outside objective viewpoint.

While at this time of year the national coverage wears me out enough that I usually don't even start watching until first pitch, because of all the "Cardinals this, other team that" storylines. Don't get me wrong, they're okay in moderation, but it usually surpasses that quickly in the postseason.

In addition, I don't think i'm part of the Cardinals smug fan base, but I can definitely see it. I mean as a Cardinals fan, I'll celebrate the team's success as one should be allowed, but I try not to rub it in, just as long as others don't rub it in my face when their team has success.

Going back to one of the NLCS games at Dodger Stadium when some of the Cardinals talked about the Dodgers "Mickey Mouse" stuff. I don't have a problem with what the Dodgers were trying to do. They were trying to energize their team and fans. Adrian Gonzales' fist pump and such is and should be allowed. Excitement is part of the game. Even a little trash talk. Even when Puig hit the triple that he thought was a home run, I just shook my head, but if he wants to do that, he can. There's too much "unwritten rules and codes" in baseball. I think there's too much over-sensitivity in the world. I mean as long a celebrations don't become the likes of the Dallas Cowboys River-dancing in the endzone in unison after a Touchdown or something similar I think it's okay. The whole excessive celebration/taunting, trash talking is for another time though.

I want him to do something like that when he faces my team. Let him turn a triple into a double or a double into a single because he's busy showboating. Better yet, let him get thrown out scrambling to get a base he should have had easily.

[Sport]

Cardinals vs Red Sox?

Yeah. I've officially checked out. I'll be surprised if I even catch one full inning of this thing.

Least appealing world series matchup imaginable.

It's sort of like that second Patriots-Giants super bowl. It was a rematch nobody asked for, and in the end it feels like it didn't really even happen.

I'm not watching any of this World Series.

[McCall]

Yankees-Mets in 2000 was far worse.

[Sport]

Not even close. That was a great matchup. It gave us younger than 60 folks a chance to see what it was like in the days when the Yankees routinely met the Dodgers and Giants in the world series. That a mediocre 87 win Yankees team "cardinaled" their way to another World Series win was just an unfortunate side effect.

Now you have non-deserving fanbase A versus non-deserving fanbase B. Cardinals or Red Sox will win. The rest of the country loses.

[The_Admiral]

What a difference nine years makes, back when cheering on Boston didn't feel so filthy and the Cardinals were just a successful and popular sports franchise.

[FGM13]

What a difference nine years makes, back when cheering on Boston didn't feel so filthy and the Cardinals were just a successful and popular sports franchise.

Amazing what two World Series in 9 years does to fans and the perception of a team.

[The_Admiral]

I wonder what the BFIBs would do today if they saw a team whose best players included an infielder who did backflips, a drug-abusing slugger, and a pitcher who aimed high-speed projectiles at people's heads. Probably tell them they should be classier so perhaps they can be applauded for *~d'awwww even their good plays!*~

[CDixonDesign]

Leyland stepping down. Press conference at 11:30.

[-kj]

"Non-deserving"? Look, you can lob a lot of apt putdowns at the fan base, but I'm not sure non-deserving is one of them.

[Sport]

Two world series wins since 2006, 6 NLCS appearances in the last ten years, the team is always good and has given you a ton to cheer for. You've already won a lifetime's worth. You don't need more.

That's what I meant.

[-kj]

Well, there was most of the 90s, but I get what you're saying.

Doesn't mean I'll apologize for enjoying it, though.

[FiddySicks]

Leyland stepping down. Press conference at 11:30.

I had a really strong feeling that Leyland was going to be out of Detroit after this season. I thought he was going to get canned, but one way or another, I didn't see him returning. I thought they'd do the really foolish thing and not offer him a contract extension with the excuse that they "needed to change things up a bit".

Either way, this is a bit of a bummer. Leyland has long been one of my favorite managers. Unfortunately for Detroit, I don't see them ending up with a better manager, and unfortunately for everyone else, I don't see Leyland managing again.

[Lights Out]

Cardinals vs Red Sox?

Yeah. I've officially checked out. I'll be surprised if I even catch one full inning of this thing.

I'm with you. The thought of either team winning is pretty nauseating.

Yankees-Mets in 2000 was far worse.

That would have been a great matchup if the Mets had won - the "little brother" finally getting one over on their "big brother." The fact that the Yankees won ruined it.

[Alex Houston]

What would be the worst matchup, interest wise, that could happen in the WS?

Jays - Padres?

Orioles - Marlins?

Diamondbacks - Rays?

Rockies - Royals?

A's - Nationals?

White Sox - Reds?

I think all of those would get a lot of groans from outside fanbases.

[The_Admiral]

Cardinals - Red Sox

[Lights Out]

What would be the worst matchup, interest wise, that could happen in the WS?

Jays - Padres?

Orioles - Marlins?

Diamondbacks - Rays?

Rockies - Royals?

A's - Nationals?

White Sox - Reds?

I think all of those would get a lot of groans from outside fanbases.

I would take all of those matchups in an instant over what we're getting.

[vmd9]

What would be the worst matchup, interest wise, that could happen in the WS?

Jays - Padres?

Orioles - Marlins?

Diamondbacks - Rays?

Rockies - Royals?

A's - Nationals?

White Sox - Reds?

I think all of those would get a lot of groans from outside fanbases.

Anything involving the Rays, Jays, Nationals, Marlins, Pirates, or A's would interest very few fans.

I don't like the Red Sox but I think we're in for an exciting World Series. Both are good evenly matched teams. Take fanbases and history out of it and I think we got the best matchup possible.