Luvofthegame
09-27-2006, 03:27 PM
Ken Rosenthal / FOXSports.com
The 1964 Phillies, the gold standard for late-season collapses, soon could get a reprieve.
Yes, the 2006 Cardinals are flopping that badly.
The team's meltdown already might have cost first baseman Albert Pujols the National League MVP award and right-hander Chris Carpenter the Cy Young.
The Cardinals' recent struggles could cost Albert Pujols the NL MVP award. Such trifling disappointments won't be the extent of the fallout if the Cardinals fail to win the NL Central; manager Tony La Russa, threatening to become the heir to Gene Mauch, might be embarrassed enough to walk away.
The '64 Phillies blew a 6½-game lead with 12 to play. The Cardinals had a seven-game lead over the Reds with 12 remaining — and an 8½-game lead over the Astros with 13 to play.
What's more, the '64 Phillies were caught by a Cardinals team that won 93 games, then beat the Yankees in a seven-game World Series.
The '06 Cardinals are being run down by an Astros team that is one game over .500 and a Reds team that is one under.
Carpenter's 7-5 loss to the Padres on Tuesday night marked the Cardinals' seventh straight defeat, reducing the team's lead to 1½ games over the Astros and 2½ over the Reds.
The Astros, who have gained an astonishing seven games in seven days, could be a scary team in the postseason due to their top three starting pitchers — Roy Oswalt, Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte.
But let's not get ahead of ourselves.
If the Cardinals lead or trail by a half-game after Sunday's play, they will need to make up a rained-out game with the Giants on Monday in St. Louis.
If a one-game playoff with the Astros is then necessary to determine the division title, it will be played Tuesday at Houston's Minute Maid Park.
That's right, the Cardinals might lead by a half-game after the scheduled end of the regular season, then lose to the Giants and Astros and miss the playoffs.
And if the Reds end up tied for first place?
Major League Baseball hasn't gotten that far, but presumably it will conduct Reds-Cardinals and Reds-Astros coin flips in the coming days.
The remaining schedule benefits the Cardinals: They are home through Sunday, facing the Padres one more time, then the Brewers in a four-game series.
The Astros finish on the road, playing two against the Pirates and three against the Braves. The Reds also finish on the road, playing two against the Marlins and three against the Pirates.
Carpenter isn't scheduled to pitch again for the Cardinals until the season finale on Sunday. Right-hander Jeff Suppan, Saturday's starter, has a 2.59 ERA in four starts this season against the Brewers. But the Cardinals' bullpen, without injured closer Jason Isringhausen, is a disjointed mess.
As of now, rookie right-hander Anthony Reyes would start Monday's game against the Giants, if necessary, and right-hander Jason Marquis would start Tuesday's potential playoff against the Astros.
That's right, Jason Marquis, whose 5.80 ERA is the highest in the National League among pitchers with enough innings to qualify for the ERA title.
Are we having fun yet?
While Astros manager Phil Garner probably has saved his job by leading another second-half rally — this one is occurring rather late even by the Astros' usual heart-stopping standards — La Russa is threatening to become a latter-day Mauch.
It's understandable that La Russa stuck with Carpenter for a season-high 122 pitches Tuesday night, given the state of the Cardinals' bullpen. But Carpenter blew a 5-2 lead in the Padres' four-run seventh, and another defeat Wednesday night will give the Cardinals their third eight-game losing streak of the season.
While recent injuries to Isringhausen, left-hander Mark Mulder, shortstop David Eckstein and center fielder Jim Edmonds clearly have had a major effect, La Russa's intense, demanding style surely would come under scrutiny if the Cardinals failed to win the division.
Of course, there would be plenty of blame to go around.
General manager Walt Jocketty, whose contract recently was extended, failed to make an impact move before the July 31 non-waiver deadline, adding only right-hander Jeff Weaver and second baseman Ron Belliard.
And ownership reduced the Opening Day payroll from $92.1 million last season to $88.9 million this season, in part due to the debt it incurred by financing much of the new Busch Stadium.
This all can turn quickly, if the Cardinals just get their act together. But a team that won 100 and 105 the past two seasons remains stuck on 80.
Here come the Astros. Here come the Reds.
And here come the '64 Phillies, ready to be absolved, once and for all.
The 1964 Phillies, the gold standard for late-season collapses, soon could get a reprieve.
Yes, the 2006 Cardinals are flopping that badly.
The team's meltdown already might have cost first baseman Albert Pujols the National League MVP award and right-hander Chris Carpenter the Cy Young.
The Cardinals' recent struggles could cost Albert Pujols the NL MVP award. Such trifling disappointments won't be the extent of the fallout if the Cardinals fail to win the NL Central; manager Tony La Russa, threatening to become the heir to Gene Mauch, might be embarrassed enough to walk away.
The '64 Phillies blew a 6½-game lead with 12 to play. The Cardinals had a seven-game lead over the Reds with 12 remaining — and an 8½-game lead over the Astros with 13 to play.
What's more, the '64 Phillies were caught by a Cardinals team that won 93 games, then beat the Yankees in a seven-game World Series.
The '06 Cardinals are being run down by an Astros team that is one game over .500 and a Reds team that is one under.
Carpenter's 7-5 loss to the Padres on Tuesday night marked the Cardinals' seventh straight defeat, reducing the team's lead to 1½ games over the Astros and 2½ over the Reds.
The Astros, who have gained an astonishing seven games in seven days, could be a scary team in the postseason due to their top three starting pitchers — Roy Oswalt, Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte.
But let's not get ahead of ourselves.
If the Cardinals lead or trail by a half-game after Sunday's play, they will need to make up a rained-out game with the Giants on Monday in St. Louis.
If a one-game playoff with the Astros is then necessary to determine the division title, it will be played Tuesday at Houston's Minute Maid Park.
That's right, the Cardinals might lead by a half-game after the scheduled end of the regular season, then lose to the Giants and Astros and miss the playoffs.
And if the Reds end up tied for first place?
Major League Baseball hasn't gotten that far, but presumably it will conduct Reds-Cardinals and Reds-Astros coin flips in the coming days.
The remaining schedule benefits the Cardinals: They are home through Sunday, facing the Padres one more time, then the Brewers in a four-game series.
The Astros finish on the road, playing two against the Pirates and three against the Braves. The Reds also finish on the road, playing two against the Marlins and three against the Pirates.
Carpenter isn't scheduled to pitch again for the Cardinals until the season finale on Sunday. Right-hander Jeff Suppan, Saturday's starter, has a 2.59 ERA in four starts this season against the Brewers. But the Cardinals' bullpen, without injured closer Jason Isringhausen, is a disjointed mess.
As of now, rookie right-hander Anthony Reyes would start Monday's game against the Giants, if necessary, and right-hander Jason Marquis would start Tuesday's potential playoff against the Astros.
That's right, Jason Marquis, whose 5.80 ERA is the highest in the National League among pitchers with enough innings to qualify for the ERA title.
Are we having fun yet?
While Astros manager Phil Garner probably has saved his job by leading another second-half rally — this one is occurring rather late even by the Astros' usual heart-stopping standards — La Russa is threatening to become a latter-day Mauch.
It's understandable that La Russa stuck with Carpenter for a season-high 122 pitches Tuesday night, given the state of the Cardinals' bullpen. But Carpenter blew a 5-2 lead in the Padres' four-run seventh, and another defeat Wednesday night will give the Cardinals their third eight-game losing streak of the season.
While recent injuries to Isringhausen, left-hander Mark Mulder, shortstop David Eckstein and center fielder Jim Edmonds clearly have had a major effect, La Russa's intense, demanding style surely would come under scrutiny if the Cardinals failed to win the division.
Of course, there would be plenty of blame to go around.
General manager Walt Jocketty, whose contract recently was extended, failed to make an impact move before the July 31 non-waiver deadline, adding only right-hander Jeff Weaver and second baseman Ron Belliard.
And ownership reduced the Opening Day payroll from $92.1 million last season to $88.9 million this season, in part due to the debt it incurred by financing much of the new Busch Stadium.
This all can turn quickly, if the Cardinals just get their act together. But a team that won 100 and 105 the past two seasons remains stuck on 80.
Here come the Astros. Here come the Reds.
And here come the '64 Phillies, ready to be absolved, once and for all.