Cardinals

Is The Sky Falling Or Am I Getting Taller? Probably Neither

Dathan Brooks

Let me get this straight: Cardinal nation (in general) feels we’re still in the hunt to win the division if we’re 5 games out on August 10th, but 3 games out in mid-April, and the sky is falling? Looking up in the standings at the Pirates before we file our taxes, and we’re seriously nervous about that? Wait, don’t tell me. “It isn’t THAT we’re losing games, it’s THE WAY we’re losing them.”, right? 

Look, I get that we’re not scoring runs the way we need to be. Stringing hits together hasn’t happened much, and we’ve already squandered some good pitching performances by being stingy with run support. And I know about the way Albert’s season has started. I’m not saying there aren’t issues (I haven’t even mentioned the bullpen), I’m just saying: We’re two weeks into the season. A dozen or so games out of 162. More than 92% of the season remains to be played. Do you worry about the way a game is going to end before the 2nd out is recorded in the top of the 1st inning? Because it’s the same thing (worrying 1.998 outs into a 27-out game, to be exact).

Facts about Major League Baseball from Tuesday evening, April 12:

  • Only Houston is behind the Cardinals in the National League Central Divsion
  • The Baltimore Orioles are in first place in the American League East
  • Chris Narveson is tied for the league lead in ERA
  • Pat Burrell is tied for the league lead in HR
  • Matt Kemp is hitting over .440
  • The Red Sox have a sub-.200 winning percentage

I’m not saying the Cardinals aren’t without problems. But, think of those mid-September wild card races: It isn’t so much what’s going on with your team as it is how that relates to what’s going on with the other teams. If a team is 3.5 games behind in the wild card race, that’s one thing, but it doesn’t really tell you much. If there are four teams bunched ahead of that team, two of which are in the same division…well, NOW you have more perspective on the gravity of the entire situation. What I’m saying is: the rest of the teams in the National League Central aren’t exactly bulletproof. Lineup, bench depth, bullpen questions, injuries, starting rotation–other teams have questions too. Remember the 2005 Padres? They won their division with a record of 82-80, and sure they were swept in the NLDS, but I think you get my point. 

I don’t like it any more than you do, but let’s give these guys the respect they deserve. Albert pretty much locked himself into the Hall of Fame during the first years of his career in such a way that eligibility has been the only thing keeping him “out” for the last couple of years. Do we really think he’’ll be hitting below the Mendoza line for long? Every time he steps to the plate, it’s like a ticking time bomb…and when (not “if”) he does snap out of it–it’s gonna be a lot of fun to watch!

This team is going to come around, and I think we’re all in for an exciting summer of Cardinals baseball. Just sayin’…give up on them too soon, and start waiting for the NFL season to start, and you just might be waiting a while!

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