TSF Morning Observations 06-08-05
« Your 1991 Cardinals Part 3 | Main | Whole Lot of Championships »Hi all. TSF (TedSimmonsFan) here. My first article for the Birdwatch has been a long time in coming, but I had two observations this morning that couldn't wait, regarding the Cardinals' home and away records and a couple of the interleague matchups taking place this week.
(1) As of last night's 9-2 victory over Boston, our guys are sporting identical 19-10 records at home and on the road. This prompted me to look at 2004, where the Birds were 53-28 at home, 52-29 on the road. I thought they had been more dominant at home and less so on the road last season, but the numbers don't lie, and they demonstrate a consistency that has been established on this team, even through injuries (Carpenter in '04, Izzy and Rolen in '04 and '05, etc.).
The businesslike approach of this team has been hashed out in many venues, but I see this as just another effect of that approach. As a side note, I'm glad TLR came back this year -- since taking the team to the World Series, there's been very little TLR griping here and in parts like this, which has pleased me. I credit TLR for the team's businesslike approach, and the subsequent results. I think the only thing that TLR could be hassled for thus far in 2005 is that he has allowed Roger Cedeno to take up a roster spot for as long as he did, and the (cough, cough) hamstring injury took care of that.
(2) Which do you think Dusty Baker thinks is more unfair?
(A) The imbalance of the early interleague matchups that pitted his poor Cubs against the mighty White Sox while the Cardinals drew the relative walk in the park in Kansas City against the Royals
-OR-
(B) The Cardinals' ability to take the first two from the defending World Series champion Red Sox while the Cubs were subsequently wilting under the oppressive might of the Toronto Blue Jays
Discuss amongst yourselves. :-)
Later,
TSF
HA! No doubt. The "unfairness" of it all. I doubt they'd be whining if the Chisox were mopping up the basement as in the past. Just so happened that they are the best team in MLB so far this year (but The Birds'll change that soon enough). Who woulda thunk it? Those Flubs, they have all the luck. Meanwhile, let's sweep these damn Bosox and complete the exorcism!!
Posted by: rockin redbird at June 8, 2005 11:45 AMIS IT REALLY HOT IN TORONTO AND IS THE ROOF OFF???!!!
IF SO, BURNITZ AND HOLLANDSWORTH COULD BE SUFFERING FROM THE SAVANNAH-LIKE HEAT INDEX THERE....
AS FOR TONY LARUSSA, MY ONLY COMPLAINTS ARE:
1.) HIS INPUT INTO PERSONNEL (WHICH IS EXCUSABLE AS LONG AS HE WINS)
2.) SOMETIMES, HE RUNS HIS MOUTH A LITTLE MUCH - I BELIEVE IT'S CALCULATED FOR THE MOST PART, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN A COUPLE OF TIMES THIS YEAR WHEN I THOUGHT "SHUT THE HECK UP, TONY"
Posted by: TOLAXOR at June 8, 2005 12:22 PMactually, they're playing at the pile of bricks in Chicago--which makes those two losses (and another probable loss today) all the more sweet. For us, of course.
Posted by: rockin redbird at June 8, 2005 01:00 PMTOLAXOR, right on about TLR running his mouth. But hey, as a counter-example, Torre didn't say a whole lot while he was manager of the Cardinals, and it was a little boring. Tony at least adds a little spice. :-)
For the record here, my commentary was aimed squarely at Dusty -- he's the one who made the comments about the unfair interleague matchups. He probably thinks Steve Stone and Chip Caray are the ones who made the schedule. I haven't heard any Cubs fans whine about the interleague schedule.
TSF
Posted by: TedSimmonsFan at June 8, 2005 01:50 PMRE home and away records.
If I remember correctly, the 2004 cards began the year (say, the first 2-3 months or so) with a absolutely horrible home record, and a ridiculously good away record. Things obviously evened out, but I wonder if there was ever an explanation as to why they began with such a lopsided winning percentage. This year, the trend kind of repeated, but not nearly to the same degree. Anyway, I agree that at the endpoints, the cards have come away as a very consistent team, but there have definitely been some fits and starts too.
Posted by: Jh at June 9, 2005 11:18 AM2004 record by month (from ESPN.com):
HOME AWAY
April 5-9 7-2 (started 1-6 vs. Milwaukee and Houston)
May 6-5 9-7
June 9-3 10-6
July 11-3 9-2
August 12-3 9-4
September 8-4 8-8
October 2-1 ---
2005 record by month thus far:
April 8-5 7-2
May 9-5 9-6
June 2-1 3-2
So Jh, I agree that they got off to a bad start at home in 2004. April below .500 and May just above .500 were not good.
Also, I stated that both Izzy and Rolen were out in 2004, and that was just wrong. Izzy was out in early 2003, and the team obviously didn't weather that very well, but he was not out in 2004. My bad. I'm surprised no one called me on that.
Speaking of 2003, I noticed the other day that our "old friend" Esteban Yan is still employed. I don't understand why -- he's not left-handed, and he's not old.
TSF
Posted by: TedSimmonsFan at June 9, 2005 12:01 PMYo, TSF--
If ya wanna read what Flubfans think of their interleague schedule vs the Birds', check out any of the Flublogs' archives from the 1st White Sox series (while the Birds were playing KC)--you'll find PLENTY of whining :-)