Congrats to CNY Tim and the St. Louis Cardinals

[Windy City Walleye Hunter]

Hey Tim,

Congrats on clinching your division. It could not have come at a better place nor against a better team. Thank you. Good luck in the playoffs. Here's hoping we meet in the Series. Let's call it, "The Double Nickle Series" since there will be many cars heading up and down I-55 to see the last World Series in Busch Stadium. We look forward to joining the Red Birds in clinching our division but it looks like it may take us a week or two longer. Good things come to those who wait. Again, Congrats, hearts are breaking up in "boys town" once again.

YOU CAN PUT IT ON THE BOARD...YES! Windy

[SledNeck]

I predict the Indians win the central and the sox miss the playoffs. Also predict the sox will not have a 20 game winner.

[CNY Tim]

Well Windy thank you very much for the congratulations. It's the first step in a strive to get back again and show the country what the St. Louis Cardinals are about. I will not be satisfied until they win it. There phioloshy has been to win series all season, i.e... 2 out of 3 and 3 out of 4. The only team in our division that's been able to thwart that is the Cubs. Suppan pitched well last night until he gave up that smash by D. Lee and that was with a driving rain and the wind blowing in 20 miles an hour in from centerfield. Morris will try to cinch it so they can un cork the bubbly but I for one will admit that the Cubs have absolutely feasted off Morris and Rusch is pitching better as of late. So I think the champagne will remain on ice another day unless the Astros take a dump tonight. Morris will be going for his 15th win and I know he will be pumped last season we had 4 starters with at least 15 wins. Magic Number is 1.. Cards win 6-1 "That's a winner"

[genegodawa]

Tim,

Don't let the Flubs "rain" on your parade.

[CNY Tim]

Thanks but I knew the parade would be postponed, you own us this year... Had a feeling Morris couldn't do the job he's tom much of a dancer now-a-days instead of challenging guys.. Will try again with Mulder today... BTW fished last night and caught 4 nice walleyes for the table...

[fishpepin]

Congrats and good luck Tim. The Cards are, in my opinion, the best team in baseball and should go all the way.

[CNY Tim]

Thanks and I hope they can finish the job this year. Solid game they played today in there 5-1 win over Maddux and the Cubs, I think it was fitting in the clubhouse after the game today that Abraham Nunez and most of you maybe saying "Who's he?" well here is a guy who had played for the last place Pittsburgh Pirates for a few years and came on as a walk on in spring training and fought for a reserve back-up infielder roll to basically fill in for Rolen, Eckstein and Grudz on days off. Well everyone knows we lost Scott Rolen for the year early on in the season, and Abe stepped in those big gold glove shoes for Rolen and filled in quite admirably and his numbers show for it not to mention he's a solid defender as well with a remarkably strong arm for a little guy.

So it was keeping in Tony's tradition for LaRussa and Albert Pujols to give Nunez the first bottle of champagne to kick off the team celebration, first with a speech by Nunez and a pop of the bubbley. So fitting that Abe Nunez with all the years of struggles with the Pirates and the overwhelming words of praise that LaRussa gave him before handing him that celebatory bottle, an overwhelmed tear faced Nunez had to take a few moments before he could even speak.

It brings a tear to my eye when I think of what this means to him and with role players like So Taguchi and a 31 year old AAA call-up named John Rodriquez (J-Rod). It's been something special.. Reggie Sanders missed alot of this season as well and Larry Walker with the problems he has had with the herniated disc in his neck all year and taking those painful cortizone shots to prolong this hall of famers great career and contributing when healthy. This is why the St.Louis Cardinals are a baseball cult and not just a bunch of over priced prima donna's they play the game the right way, as a team, out after out, small ball suicide squeezes, hit and run the little things that nobody notices. It's been my pleasure to be a fan since I was a little boy.

I was worried to in the beginning of the season to with no Renteria, Matheny or Womack, other than Pujhols a new infield and a rookie catcher to boot with Yadier Molina. Well I followed this team from game one and here we are at game 150 and with all the problems and new faces it's the same old winning Redbirds... It's been an amazing year..

If I had to say what was the most key important part of this team that has been eye boggling was the ability of the 2005 Cardinals starting rotation, to stay healthy and to put up the numbers they have in all statistical categories dwarf the best 5 man rotations in the major leagues. Carpenter, Mulder and Suppan will be the Cards front three in the post season with Marquis or Morris fighting for the 4th spot. Yes I'm pleased they got in but this just the first step the post season is next... Let the games begin!

[CNY Tim]

Our magic number for homefield advantage for the NL playoffs is now at 2. Next Cards win and Atlanta loss and that's done. Marquis pitched well 7 strong innings, one earned and 3 K's. Taguchi and Eckstein go deep for a 5-1 win...

"That's a winner!"

[genegodawa]

Where did Eckstein get those muscles he's been flexing lately?

[CNY Tim]

Eckstein matched his season high with 8 home runs he did that with the Angels a few years back. Clinched homefield lastnight even though we lost the big concern was how Morris pitched and he pitched well allowing 1 run on 1 hit over 6. What concerns me is fat @$$ Ray King and an inept Julian Tavares. I think whomever the Cards pick as the 5th starter will be working in the pen trying to get it Izzy. Our main pen guys stink and it's a concern. I think Marquis has the make up out of the other starters to be there choice in the pen if Tavarez and King don't get there shtuff together. Heck it's not like they have even been overworked. The Cards bull pen because of great starting pitching has had a vacation all year. Hopefully Carp can get his 22nd win tonight. Sanders has been hitting like dump and Edmonds hasn't been much better as of late. Walker took another injection in his neck the other day so he should be o.k. through the post season. Grudz is starting to hit and should be in the 2 hole behind Eckstein who's been on a tear. Edmunds strikes out to much to be in the 2 hole.

[buzzsaw]

This may be old news, but I just heard Rolen was done for the year. Thats not good for cardinal fans! Sorry

[CNY Tim]

Buzzy where the heck have you been that's month old news bub... Nobody talks about it because Nunez has filled the position quite nicely. No worries will have Rolen ready next spring as we embark on hopefully another playoff hunt. They have been pretty consistent over the last few years and with LaRussa and Jockety we have trust...

[buzzsaw]

I have been watching AL baseball I guess, I just saw it scrolling across ESPN and figured it must be recent news or it wouldn't be on TV. I guess I was wrong. Glad to hear that Nunez is filling in admirably! Who's going to challenge the Cards in the NL??

[genegodawa]

I don't know, but I'll bet Tim is glad it ain't the Cubbies.

[CNY Tim]

Well we handled the Braves, Marlins and Houston but did not handle the Phillies, Padres and got man handled by "gulp" Geno's Cubbies...

[genegodawa]

Nothing to be ashamed of Tim, considering:

A. The lineup includes Lee and Ramirez (Starting All-Stars), Walker and Perez and Burnitz (solid players), and the most overrated staff in history. Barret was up and down, Murton is our rookie of the year who has good potential for next year. (Sound familiar - "next year")?

and don't forget about No-mahhh.

AND

B. You still are 20+ games ahead of them.