(08-23-2009 06:08 PM)MemphisTiger15 Wrote:  My God- how bad are the Padres??? They cant hit John Smoltz when he had an 8+ ERA in the AL?

Part of it is the lack of a Designated Hitter in the National League, and the other part is the San Diego Padres flat out suck as a Major League Baseball team. When San Diego starts the season, I guess for the Padres winning a division and getting to the playoffs is their goal, but I cannot see them having a goal of winning a World Series.

The Padres ownership change ruined a well run organization. They have to be careful with where they spend their money, and when you completely eliminate that spending then you get a AAA team posing as a MLB team.

Bartlett- I didnt say anything that wasnt true. Smoltz got pounded in the AL. He got lit up something fierce by the best team in baseball in his last start prior to today. His Braves teams were 0-2 in the World Series vs the Yankees.


Bring him on in October! If he's pitching vs NY, you can put the banner up in the Bronx now!!!!! He sucks.

(08-23-2009 10:18 PM)MemphisTiger15 Wrote:  Bartlett- I didnt say anything that wasnt true. Smoltz got pounded in the AL. He got lit up something fierce by the best team in baseball in his last start prior to today. His Braves teams were 0-2 in the World Series vs the Yankees.


Bring him on in October! If he's pitching vs NY, you can put the banner up in the Bronx now!!!!! He sucks.

I know Smoltz is not even the same pitcher he was five years ago. John Smoltz will be used as a middle releiver in the playoffs or as a spot reliever against righthanders in the playoffs. The pitchers staff goes to 4 pitchers only in the playoffs anyway. Yes, he absolutely did get lit up against the Yankees this year. Their is a chance the Yankees will not make the Fall Classic, by the way.

(08-23-2009 09:29 PM)cwise Wrote:  The Padres ownership change ruined a well run organization. They have to be careful with where they spend their money, and when you completely eliminate that spending then you get a AAA team posing as a MLB team.

The San Diego Padres are the worst hitting team by average in the National League, which is saying a lot considering the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Cincinnati Reds are in the NL as well. San Diego Padres deserves a better owner who will spend the money to keep a good team their, and trading Jake Peavy to the White Sox shows their lack of committment of winning.

Ha ha.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=290823125

So maybe it was the Padres, but 9 strikeouts in 5 innings (7 in a row at one point) doesn't look washed up to me. Three hits, no runs allowed.

Theo Epstein goes into the Red Sox owner's office.

"So, Theo, I see the Cardinals now have Smoltz and Julio Lugo, don't they?"

"Uh, yes sir."

"It says here that Lugo's hitting .300 for them, and Smoltz just pitched five shutout innings yesterday."

"Yes sir."

"I also see that we're still paying the two of them $13 million dollars this year."

"Well, yes, but we had to move some people. We did get Chris Duncan for Lugo, and, uh, the Cardinals had to pick up $100k of Smoltz's salary."

"100k, eh. That'll cover Big Papi's salary through lunch...Duncan? Who's this Duncan guy"

"Dave Duncan's kid."

"Oh...you mean the Cardinals' pitching coach's kid? Wasn't he batting about .210 for them, with no power? Well, where is he now?"

"He, ah, didn't do so well in Pawtucket, so we shipped him down to AA."

"I see...Say, who's the Cardinal's GM again?"

hilarious bubbapt! I get so tired of hearing ESPN and the likes go on and on and on about what a Boy Wonder that Theo is and the Dead Sox farm system. I laughed my a$$ when they signed Smoltz and Penny this past offseason. Neither of them in their awful rotation now. "Lester and Beckett and 3 days of ****-ett". Now his latest acquisition -- Billy Wagner!!! Can you say Gagne Part 2???????

(08-24-2009 07:00 PM)MemphisTiger15 Wrote:  hilarious bubbapt! I get so tired of hearing ESPN and the likes go on and on and on about what a Boy Wonder that Theo is and the Dead Sox farm system. I laughed my a$$ when they signed Smoltz and Penny this past offseason. Neither of them in their awful rotation now. "Lester and Beckett and 3 days of ****-ett". Now his latest acquisition -- Billy Wagner!!! Can you say Gagne Part 2???????

He does some bad moves this past offseason, not every move a team owner will not always be successful. Have you forgotten about Chin Ming Weng, Yankees fan. Sometimes you get 21 sometimes you get 12 on the first cards of blackjack.

La Russa had discovered that Smoltz was tipping his pitches. With that correction Smoltz struck out 9 and 7 in a row in just 5 innings. That plus Duncan is a great pitching coach. I see great things ahead for Smoltz and the Cardnials.

(08-24-2009 08:58 PM)olegus Wrote:  La Russa had discovered that Smoltz was tipping his pitches. With that correction Smoltz struck out 9 and 7 in a row in just 5 innings. That plus Duncan is a great pitching coach. I see great things ahead for Smoltz and the Cardnials.

As do many of us.

(08-24-2009 08:32 PM)BARTLETTTIGER Wrote:  

(08-24-2009 07:00 PM)MemphisTiger15 Wrote:  hilarious bubbapt! I get so tired of hearing ESPN and the likes go on and on and on about what a Boy Wonder that Theo is and the Dead Sox farm system. I laughed my a$$ when they signed Smoltz and Penny this past offseason. Neither of them in their awful rotation now. "Lester and Beckett and 3 days of ****-ett". Now his latest acquisition -- Billy Wagner!!! Can you say Gagne Part 2???????

He does some bad moves this past offseason, not every move a team owner will not always be successful. Have you forgotten about Chin Ming Weng, Yankees fan. Sometimes you get 21 sometimes you get 12 on the first cards of blackjack.

CMW got hurt. Smoltz and Penny just suck. It really doesnt matter what Boston does. They'll ALWAYS play 2nd fiddle to the Yankees. 26-7 and NY has knocked them out of postseason 3 times (1978, 1999, 2003) to Boston's eliminating NY once (2004).

Why you guys reply to this person is beyond me...Smoltz sucks...lmfao yeah, right

(08-24-2009 09:45 PM)Tiger.J Wrote:  Why you guys reply to this person is beyond me...Smoltz sucks...lmfao yeah, right

Smoltz started 8 games in the AL. He never pitched more than 6 innings and gave up 5 or more earned runs in 6 of his 8 starts. He pitched against a glorified AAA team (as most of the NL is) in SD and shut them out.

I just hope the Yankees get one more chance to face him in the WS. It'll be like 1996 and 1999 all over again.

A Cardinals-Yankees World Series would be epic. It'd go seven games with the winner decided by the flip of a coin. I would never bet against 'blood and guts' Smoltz, especially in the World Series. If Carpenter wasn't available, I'd have no problem giving the ball to Smoltz for game 7.

(08-24-2009 09:45 PM)Tiger.J Wrote:  Why you guys reply to this person is beyond me...Smoltz sucks...lmfao yeah, right

$100,000.

Getting Smoltz was perfect for the Cards because even if he doesn't work out as a starter then he'd certainly help shore up our pen. You can't help but be encouraged by his start but we have to realize that it was against the Padres who have like a .240 team BA. I'll buy the tipping pitches story for now but what happens when he faces a real team and gives up 4 runs, then what do they say? Cautiously optimistic.

For $100,000, i dont care if his arm falls off. The Cards are going to win the central and he'll be worth that just helping the young guys develop into the postseason as basically a bullpen coach.

(08-26-2009 01:34 PM)Chitown Tiger Wrote:  Getting Smoltz was perfect for the Cards because even if he doesn't work out as a starter then he'd certainly help shore up our pen. You can't help but be encouraged by his start but we have to realize that it was against the Padres who have like a .240 team BA. I'll buy the tipping pitches story for now but what happens when he faces a real team and gives up 4 runs, then what do they say? Cautiously optimistic.

Giving up 4 runs to a real team is still no worse than running Boggs or Wellemeyer out there. Plus, he has better stuff even at his age than those guys ever will. This was a steal. Provided the Cards hold on, he will be invaluable in the pen for the playoffs.

(08-26-2009 01:48 PM)MemphisCC Wrote:  

(08-26-2009 01:34 PM)Chitown Tiger Wrote:  Getting Smoltz was perfect for the Cards because even if he doesn't work out as a starter then he'd certainly help shore up our pen. You can't help but be encouraged by his start but we have to realize that it was against the Padres who have like a .240 team BA. I'll buy the tipping pitches story for now but what happens when he faces a real team and gives up 4 runs, then what do they say? Cautiously optimistic.

Giving up 4 runs to a real team is still no worse than running Boggs or Wellemeyer out there. Plus, he has better stuff even at his age than those guys ever will. This was a steal. Provided the Cards hold on, he will be invaluable in the pen for the playoffs.

Yeah I agree, I just hear a lot of people saying he's "back" like one good start against the Fathers is a real test. I'm stoked by the pickup and know he's going to help us win as either a starter or reliever. Didn't intend to sound so down on him, just trying to be reasonable.