First off, I would have thought they would have been cheering for the Marlins because of the Cubs but that wasn't the case!

 

From talking with a couple of Cardinal fans at The Cell, they would rather the Cubs make the playoffs then face the Marlins in a shortened series... I never would have thought the Cards would want the Cubs in the playoffs!

 

I guess the Pavano-Beckett-Burnett trio scares 'em a little bit!

I'll let you in on a little secret, the Cardinal organization was a little jealous with all the WS logo in Jupiter this past spring. remember they share the same facility for spring training. Its no wonder they had a chip on there shoulder this season. There a little envy in that other office down the hall in Jupiter that wouldn't want to see us in the playoffs. :whistle

Ha Im sure they're afraid of Beckett-Burnett-Pavano :lol :lol

 

They wouldn't wanna get owned by our pitching trio

Machiavelli said, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend".

 

There have been several commentaries written lately about the Cards not wanting to face the Marlins in the playoffs.

 

If you look at the schedule of remaining games for the division leaders and wildcard competitors (Atlanta closing out their season against the Cubs or St Louis next to last series against Houston as examples) assuming the Cards' 15 game lead on the Cubs is more or less intact or the Braves have a four game lead for the East Division going into that series, you can see where "tanking" a couple of games might be in either or both team's best interest, thus potentially depriving the Fish of a shot at the playoffs.

 

When I say "tanking" I don't mean playing to lose, rather, for example, starting a AAA pitcher instead of Ortiz or starting their bench against the Cubs for the series, all in the name of "resting" players.

 

I maintain the Marlins best single chance of making the playoffs is to win their division. Sweeping the Braves this weekend would go a long way towards that goal.

 

I believe it's ten times harder to win the wildcard with so many entanglements, so many other factors than to concentrate on knocking off Atlanta.

 

Go Fish !!

For the Cardinals:

If Cubs win WC, they will face LA/SF or Atlanta on the First Round.

 

If Fish win the WC, they will face us on the First Round.

 

They will be happy if we don't make it.

Machiavelli said, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend".

 

There have been several commentaries written lately about the Cards not wanting to face the Marlins in the playoffs.

 

If you look at the schedule of remaining games for the division leaders and wildcard competitors (Atlanta closing out their season against the Cubs or St Louis next to last series against Houston as examples) assuming the Cards' 15 game lead on the Cubs is more or less intact or the Braves have a four game lead for the East Division going into that series, you can see where "tanking" a couple of games might be in either or both team's best interest, thus potentially depriving the Fish of a shot at the playoffs.

 

When I say "tanking" I don't mean playing to lose, rather, for example, starting a AAA pitcher instead of Ortiz or starting their bench against the Cubs for the series, all in the name of "resting" players.

 

I maintain the Marlins best single chance of making the playoffs is to win their division. Sweeping the Braves this weekend would go a long way towards that goal.

 

I believe it's ten times harder to win the wildcard with so many entanglements, so many other factors than to concentrate on knocking off Atlanta.

 

Go Fish !!

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Good observation. Thanks God we control our destiny on the WC, with only one game behind on the lost column.

The division is a good goal, but not a likely one. The wild card actually looks like a pretty simple feat to reach.

The division is a good goal, but not a likely one. The wild card actually looks like a pretty simple feat to reach.

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We are seven games behind the Braves. Taking both ends of today's doubleheader and a loss to Al Leiter and the Mets by Atlanta would leave us 5 1/2 back. We have six games against the Braves left and four (4) more games to play than Atlanta (three after today's DH). I'd say we have as good a chance of catching and passing the Braves as climbing over four other teams to reach the top of the wildcard.

 

Go Fish !!