The Cardinals are covered with Pujols, Rolen, and Edmonds

Three MVP candidates in the heart of the order. Amazing. Only the Cardinals' monster trinity wants rings not awards, The Mag's Jeff Bradley writes. So since they won't, we will. Albert Pujols is St. Louis' MVC. Why? He's the toughest out.

 

Starters good enough? | Vote: Cards year? | You rank 'em

 

Cardinals are Pujols team:

 

 

Pujols is on pace for 49 homers and 125 RBI.

 

The NL is chock full of MVPs this year. Any one of five guys -- Barry Bonds, Adrian Beltre, Albert Pujols, Scott Rolen and Jim Edmonds -- would easily win the award in the AL.

 

The problem for the three Cardinals is not just Bonds and Beltre; it's that they might cancel out each other's votes.

 

Not that it matters to them. Each adheres to the Cardinal rule: the most important thing is to play with hustle, diligence, respect and humility. "After all my years managing," said Tony La Russa, "I've learned you can run the best spring training, prepare as well as possible and run the games flawlessly, but having your best players play the right way is the most important asset a manager can have."

 

It helps when you have the best players, too. Since St. Louis has been baseball's top team for most of the season, the Cardinals' MVP is, by definition, the best of the best. How do the three of them stack up? La Russa won't touch that, so we will.

 

1. PUJOLS. He's the toughest out in the lineup; everything else revolves around him. Pujols, 24, is the best right-handed hitter in the game, arguably the best player through his first four seasons since Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams. His 1.072 OPS is fourth in the majors behind Bonds (1.439), Edmonds (1.110) and Todd Helton (1.073). But it's his Bondsian combination of power and contact (43 HRs, only 44 K's) that makes him the MVC.

 

He's no slouch in the field, either; Pujols won't win the Gold Glove in his first full year at first base because of Helton and Derrek Lee, but eventually, he will.

 

2. ROLEN. As the cleanup hitter in the NL's most potent lineup, Rolen is an RBI machine. All the runs are certainly helpful, but it's defense that's truly made the Cardinals dominant. The 29-year-old Rolen's presence at third base is so imposing, Jeff Bagwell compares him to the Empire State Building. On top of all that, his teammates feed off his intensity. "More than anything," said Pujols, "his value is in the way he plays, which he does sincerely. It rubs off on everyone."

 

3. EDMONDS. This may seem like a slight to Edmonds, who might be the best pure player of the three -- a brilliant center fielder with power and uncanny instincts. At 34, Edmonds has never quite gotten his due. In Anaheim, he toiled in the shadow of Darin Erstad, and when he got to St. Louis, Mark McGwire loomed large. Now he trails Admin Walker, Pujols and Rolen in the Cardinals' order.

 

Edmonds gets knocked for getting nicked -- he's been known to throw his body around in the outfield. And while he's blasted 40-plus homers for the second time in his career, he's also approaching 150 strikeouts. But that's nitpicking. Finishing third in this group is nothing to be ashamed of, not when your consolation prizes include a Gold Glove and, just maybe, a World Series ring.

 

(Finally getting some love :thumbup )

The middles of the line-up is the best in baseball, but the starters just aren't there outside of Morris. Pitching will cost them the WS.

 

As for finally getting some love, ESPN has been all over the Cardinals' dicks the entire season. Even insiuating the Cards are underrated or don't get enough coverage is absurd.

The middles of the line-up is the best in baseball, but the starters just aren't there outside of Morris. Pitching will cost them the WS.

 

As for finally getting some love, ESPN has been all over the Cardinals' dicks the entire season. Even insiuating the Cards are underrated or don't get enough coverage is absurd.

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We dont have a dominant pitcher that strike fear into a hitter and that's why we'll get swept in the 1st rd.. That's what everyone says.. I sure hope all the one's doubting that pitching will end up eating their words.. That would be great!

 

They have been have they? Maybe I havent been watching the same ESPN as yourself but last I checked they werent on the Cards dicks when we were 23-22.. It was all Cubs, Astros, and Reds..

 

They just so happened to be getting on the Cards dicks as they are 72-27 in their last games.. :lol

Cool

The middles of the line-up is the best in baseball, but the starters just aren't there outside of Morris. Pitching will cost them the WS.

 

As for finally getting some love, ESPN has been all over the Cardinals' dicks the entire season. Even insiuating the Cards are underrated or don't get enough coverage is absurd.

559883[/snapback]

 

We dont have a dominant pitcher that strike fear into a hitter and that's why we'll get swept in the 1st rd.. That's what everyone says.. I sure hope all the one's doubting that pitching will end up eating their words.. That would be great!

 

They have been have they? Maybe I havent been watching the same ESPN as yourself but last I checked they werent on the Cards dicks when we were 23-22.. It was all Cubs, Astros, and Reds..

 

They just so happened to be getting on the Cards dicks as they are 72-29 in their last games.. :lol

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the cardinals are the best team in baseball. However, the best team hardly ever wins.

The lack of a true ace is a big weakness for the Cards. That could kill you in october

A lack of a true ace will hurt the Cardinals? May happen but there isnt exactly dominating pitching rotations in the NL tho.. Let's look at the starting pitchers for each team..

 

Potential Cards 1st Rd Opp:

 

Giants - Jason Schmidt, Brett Tomko, Kirk Rueter, Noah Lowry, Brad Hennessey, Jerome Williams

 

Braves - Russ Ortiz, Mike Hampton, John Thomson, Jaret Wright, Horacio Ramirez, Paul Byrd

 

Dodgers - Odalis Perez, Jeff Weaver, Jose Lima, Kaz Ishii, Hideo Nomo

 

Padres - Jake Peavy, David Wells, Brian Lawrence, Adam Eaton, Ismael Valdez

 

Marlins - Carl Pavano, Josh Beckett, Dontrell Willis, A.J. Burnett, Ismael Valdez, Brad Penny - Stands out the most

 

Wont See in 1st Rd:

 

Astros - Roger Clemens, Roy Oswalt, Carlos Hernandez, Brandon Backe, Pete Munro, Brandon Duckworth

 

Cubs - Mark Prior, Kerry Wood, Carlos Zambrano, Greg Maddux, Matt Clement, Glendon Rusch

 

Cards Starters:

Matt Morris, Chris Carpenter, Woody Williams, Jason Marquis, Jeff Suppan, Dan Haren

 

-- BTW I know some had spot starts and whatever but I still included them if they had a start :confused

 

(Not exactly any scary rotation besides the Marlins and Cubs if the Cubs are on. We'll see come playoff time though which rotation is showing up the most when needed)

A lack of a true ace will hurt the Cardinals? May happen but there isnt exactly dominating pitching rotations in the NL tho.. Let's look at the starting pitchers for each team..

 

Potential Cards 1st Rd Opp:

 

Giants - Jason Schmidt, Brett Tomko, Kirk Rueter, Noah Lowry, Brad Hennessey, Jerome Williams

 

Braves - Russ Ortiz, Mike Hampton, John Thomson, Jaret Wright, Horacio Ramirez, Paul Byrd

 

Dodgers - Odalis Perez, Jeff Weaver, Jose Lima, Kaz Ishii, Hideo Nomo

 

Padres - Jake Peavy, David Wells, Brian Lawrence, Adam Eaton, Ismael Valdez

 

Marlins - Carl Pavano, Josh Beckett, Dontrell Willis, A.J. Burnett, Ismael Valdez, Brad Penny - Stands out the most

 

Wont See in 1st Rd:

 

Astros - Roger Clemens, Roy Oswalt, Carlos Hernandez, Brandon Backe, Pete Munro, Brandon Duckworth

 

Cubs - Mark Prior, Kerry Wood, Carlos Zambrano, Greg Maddux, Matt Clement, Glendon Rusch

 

Cards Starters:

Matt Morris, Chris Carpenter, Woody Williams, Jason Marquis, Jeff Suppan, Dan Haren

 

-- BTW I know some had spot starts and whatever but I still included them if they had a start :confused

 

(Not exactly any scary rotation besides the Marlins and Cubs if the Cubs are on. We'll see come playoff time though which rotation is showing up the most when needed)

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but of all those teams, the Cards have the weakest #1 pitcher and #2 pitcher. True, the Cards may arguably have the deepest rotation, but in the playoffs, especially the first round, strength at the top is what's most important and that's what the Cards lack.

I see what your saying and understand that.. We'll see what happens come playoff time though..

I see what your saying and understand that.. We'll see what happens come playoff time though..

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anyways, the playoffs go to whoever's the hottest team at the time.

In addition, the Cards have the heavy favorite curse. The last few years, the best teams have been eliminated in the first round, and there's a reason for that. Many times, when a team is such a heavy favorite as the Cards will be when they face the Giants or Dodgers, they look ahead, and next thing you know they're down 2-0 or 2-1 and the other team has all the momentum with just one win to go. Last year people were debating who would win, Giants or the Braves, and both were eliminated in the first round. The year before, it was A's and Yankees. In 2001, the Mariners almost got caught up in it but were still able to hold on and win in the first round just because they were so much better, but it got to them in the ALCS. In 2000 it was the Giants and Braves.

No one's a shoe in after The Mariners debacle in the playoffs. I think that back side of the lineup is weak and the pitching is of course not superb but their still the favorite.