January 30, 200521 yr http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews...10773419.htm?1c Has he even written a positive article yet? In typical Le Bastard fashion . MIAMI - (KRT) - This is not an indictment of the Florida Marlins or the magnificent thing they did by acquiring Carlos Delgado. But let's be realistic here. Florida, on paper, is not quite as good as St. Louis. Almost, but not quite. Let's not diminish what the Cardinals did last season just because they spit up all over themselves in the World Series. They won 105 games last season, more than anyone in baseball, and added an ace this offseason in former Oakland A's pitcher Mark Mulder. Baseball Prospectus, a scientific and mathematical baseball publication, rates the middle of the St. Louis order the best in the modern era of baseball. POWER-PACKED In Albert Pujols, the Cardinals have one of the few offensive players in the world better than Delgado. And they have Jim Edmonds, Scott Rolen and Admin Walker, too. In other words, they have four hitters capable of putting up the kind of season Delgado routinely does. St. Louis won its division last season by 13 games over Houston, a playoff team. The Marlins finished 13 games behind the division-winning Braves. That's a lot of gulf to cross even with someone like Delgado carrying you across it. The Cards led the league in runs scored, and will do so again. The Marlins were closer to the bottom of the league in offense than the top, and Delgado doesn't cover all that ground. There is a pretty huge difference between 105 victories (St. Louis' total) and 83 (Florida's total). As a reference point, consider this: The difference between St. Louis and the Marlins last season was greater than the difference between the Yankees and Cleveland; Boston and Baltimore and Toronto; Atlanta and Cincinnati; Barry Bonds and Pittsburgh. So, amid all this deserved rah-rah for Delgado, it can't be forgotten that St. Louis won more games than any team last season - and added a dominant pitcher. A DIFFERENT STORY The Marlins may beat the Cardinals in a short series and may very well win the World Series. That's one of the beauties of baseball - that anyone who gets to a short series can win a short series. And the Marlins have earned that chance by purchasing Delgado, which is all you can ask of a team. Cote loves popular, easy arguments that play to the audience and allows emotion to cloud logic. But even with the Cardinals losing Edgar Renteria and having a weak middle infield and not having the defense or starting pitching that the Marlins might have, they were still too much better than Florida last season for one player to erase the difference with any bat that doesn't belong to Barry Bonds.
January 30, 200521 yr The only time I've seen LeRetard post anything positive was when Ricky retired. He congratulated Ricky for what he did. I can't stand that a**hole.
January 30, 200521 yr This was a Pro/Con column written in conjunction with Greg Cote doing the counter-point. I found LeBatard to be fair and reasonable in the position he was asked to take. At worst he was saying the Marlins are the second best team in the National League with every chance in the world to win a short series against the Cards. I don't know why anyone (and I'm not picking on you Accord at all) would suggest otherwise. BTW, you should read both sides of the argument in the Herald. No one bashes sports reporters/columnists more than me when the situation calls for it, but this is not one of those situations. In fact LeBatard goes out of his way in the opening paragraphs to exult the Fish for signing Delgado and the team generally. I enjoyed both points of view today.
January 30, 200521 yr Author It seems like people here only want to see a Pro-Pro argument. 672750[/snapback] No, it's mainly just who the article is coming from. LeBastard could not have been on the pro side of the article if his life depended on it.
January 30, 200521 yr Both Sides: IN MY OPINION Forget the Cards; Marlins on way up GREG COTE gcote@herald.com The Marlins look like the all-around best team in the National League right now, better than common pick St. Louis. It isn't about gaudy regular-season numbers, as the Cardinals and their fans sadly learned last year. It is about performing in a short series, such as the Cards miserably failed to do in the World Series. Florida has that ability -- led by superior, deeper starting pitching -- and that is what makes the Marlins a better bet to reign in the NL come October. Florida has a better overall rotation even with St. Louis' addition of Mark Mulder. (The Marlins' key added arm, Al Leiter, had a 3.21 ERA last year vs. Mulder's 4.43, by the way, for those scoring at home.) Florida also has superior defense, especially in the crucial middle infield. Against the Marlins' better pitching and defense St. Louis still wins the offensive comparison -- but by a significantly diminished margin since the Marlins signed top-shelf superstar slugger Carlos Delgado to stick in the order between Mike Lowell and Miguel Cabrera. HISTORY LESSON Dan Le BaCard up there seems overly impressed by the Cardinals' 105 wins last season, given what it suggests for this year -- what history tells us. I did a little research. Before St. Louis last year, 14 franchises had had 23 seasons of 105 or more victories. Here is how many of those 23 superteams had a better record the following year: None. In fact, those 23 teams were worse by an average of 11.3 fewer wins. The safest bet in American sports right now is that St. Louis won't be as good. Not that they were very good when it mattered most last year. MINIMAL DIFFERENCE This is another reason to surmise that whatever gap may remain between the Cards and Marlins -- however better St. Louis may be in the regular season -- shrinks to insignificance in the postseason. Consider how many World Series champions since 1986 have won more than 100 regular-season games. Answer: One. Consider, too: Florida's two championships followed seasons in which it won a fairly modest 92 and 91 games. The Marlins should improve into the 90s this year, while history tells us the Cardinals will slip into the 90s. Both may make the playoffs, and that will be where Florida's strong arms trump St. Louis' big bats. And: N MY OPINION With own addition, St. Louis still tops DAN LE BATARD dlebatard@herald.com This is not an indictment of the Marlins or the magnificent thing they did by acquiring Carlos Delgado. But let's be realistic here. Florida, on paper, is not quite as good as St. Louis. Almost, but not quite. Let's not diminish what the Cardinals did last season just because they spit up all over themselves in the World Series. They won 105 games last season, more than anyone in baseball, and added an ace this offseason in former Oakland A's pitcher Mark Mulder. Baseball Prospectus, a scientific and mathematical baseball publication, rates the middle of the St. Louis order the best in the modern era of baseball. POWER-PACKED In Albert Pujols, the Cardinals have one of the few offensive players in the world better than Delgado. And they have Jim Edmonds, Scott Rolen and Admin Walker, too. In other words, they have four hitters capable of putting up the kind of season Delgado routinely does. St. Louis won its division last season by 13 games over Houston, a playoff team. The Marlins finished 13 games behind the division-winning Braves. That's a lot of gulf to cross even with someone like Delgado carrying you across it. The Cards led the league in runs scored, and will do so again. The Marlins were closer to the bottom of the league in offense than the top, and Delgado doesn't cover all that ground. There is a pretty huge difference between 105 victories (St. Louis' total) and 83 (Florida's total). As a reference point, consider this: The difference between St. Louis and the Marlins last season was greater than the difference between the Yankees and Cleveland; Boston and Baltimore and Toronto; Atlanta and Cincinnati; Barry Bonds and Pittsburgh. So, amid all this deserved rah-rah for Delgado, it can't be forgotten that St. Louis won more games than any team last season -- and added a dominant pitcher. A DIFFERENT STORY The Marlins may beat the Cardinals in a short series and may very well win the World Series. That's one of the beauties of baseball -- that anyone who gets to a short series can win a short series. And the Marlins have earned that chance by purchasing Delgado, which is all you can ask of a team. Cote loves popular, easy arguments that play to the audience and allows emotion to cloud logic. But even with the Cardinals losing Edgar Renteria and having a weak middle infield and not having the defense or starting pitching that the Marlins might have, they were still too much better than Florida last season for one player to erase the difference with any bat that doesn't belong to Barry Bonds.
January 30, 200521 yr Oh God, Lebabababababatard said the Cards are better than the Fish, and the Fish MIGHT only beat them in a short series. The lil prick!!!! Forget this, lets all just give the Marlins the championship now, because we all know, the favorites on paper ALWAYS win.
January 30, 200521 yr The cards without Womack and a leadoff hitter will be good team not a great team a good team while the marlins without Delgado were an ok team with him are a very good team with great team potential
January 30, 200521 yr Considering LeBatard is always wrong, it'll be scary when the day comes and he writes something positive about the marlins. :whistle
January 30, 200521 yr Can't say that he's totally wrong. The Cards will have a healthy Chris Carpenter and they added Mark Mulder, and Matt Morris has somethign to prove...that team is scary. We've got a ton of pieces, but we need to see how it all comes together, and we need to remember that this team will only go as far as Beckett and Burnett take us...
January 30, 200521 yr Can't say that he's totally wrong. The Cards will have a healthy Chris Carpenter and they added Mark Mulder, and Matt Morris has somethign to prove...that team is scary. We've got a ton of pieces, but we need to see how it all comes together, and we need to remember that this team will only go as far as Beckett and Burnett take us... 672766[/snapback] You're gonna get thrown on the lebabababababatard bus! Or maybe under it.
January 30, 200521 yr the fact that they'd even consider doing a pro/con about whether or not the marlins are better than the cards is very favorable to the marlins. there's no way in hell we're better than the cards. in fact, i didn't even think lebatard argued his position--that the cards are better than the marlins--as well as he could have.
January 30, 200521 yr Can't say that he's totally wrong. The Cards will have a healthy Chris Carpenter and they added Mark Mulder, and Matt Morris has somethign to prove...that team is scary. We've got a ton of pieces, but we need to see how it all comes together, and we need to remember that this team will only go as far as Beckett and Burnett take us... 672766[/snapback] You're gonna get thrown on the lebabababababatard bus! Or maybe under it. 672769[/snapback] I dare you to say one positive thing about the Marlins in your next post. Anyways ya I would still put the Cards ahead of us along with the Braves(just because they have to be beat before we should be put ahead of them on paper), but bottom line this team will contend come September/Oct.
January 30, 200521 yr I dare you to say one positive thing about the Marlins in your next post. 672774[/snapback] They will be better than at least one team one game this year, mark it down.
January 30, 200521 yr Considering LeBatard is always wrong, it'll be scary when the day comes and he writes something positive about the marlins. :whistle 672765[/snapback] i hope that never happens cuz then were screwed,we might start losing hes a freaking idiot.
January 30, 200521 yr It's negative just because he doesn't pick the Marlins as the best team in the NL? sheesh.... you guys are demanding.
January 30, 200521 yr It's negative just because he doesn't pick the Marlins as the best team in the NL? sheesh.... you guys are demanding. 672788[/snapback] Don't you get it. All they want to hear is "the Marlins will win the world series" from every single commentator and their moms this side of the galaxy. Meanwhile people seem to forget the teams the experts usually pick lay eggs.
January 30, 200521 yr what a retard. well, there are people like that everywhere. pity that they arent very smart. but like the old elementary skool saying "sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me". childish, but true. his words dont amount to anything in my book.
January 30, 200521 yr Lets not forget the cards lost Renteria, Matheny, Womack and Woody Williams or was it Carpenter im not sure. So imo the marlins are much better than them but im still scared of their 3-4-5 hitters
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