...::::Official 2010 MLB N.L. Central Thread::::...

[wisconsin 4 life]

Time for Hoffman to hang it up.  4th blown save, 14.00 era.  I don't care how good your command is if your fast ball tops out at 84mph and your old as **** you're done.  You're not getting to 600 saves, sorry pal. 

I was at the game and I booed the **** out of him.  That first home run McCutchen hit was a bomb btw. 

 

[pacmagic2002]

Originally Posted by FIRST B0RN

[h3]

[h3]Comeback Cards: Molina a hero again[/h3]Four-run sixth helps St. Louis stun Atlanta one more time


By Matthew Leach / MLB.com

04/28/10 12:59 AM ET
Box >
ST. LOUIS -- Maybe there's no such thing as a clutch hitter. That's what research seems to indicate. But if in fact the elusive animal exists, the picture next to the dictionary entry might well be of Yadier Molina.

The Cardinals catcher made it two big hits in as many nights, and innumerable key knocks over his seven-season career, when he smacked a two-run, tie-breaking single in the sixth inning of the Cardinals' 5-4 win over the Braves on Tuesday night. It was the second consecutive game in which Molina drove in the go-ahead in a comeback win by the Redbirds.

"I [can't] really tell you what it is, because I don't know," Molina said. "I just come through in those situations because I'm confident in myself, I think."

For many Cardinals fans, not to mention Molina's teammates, the definitive Molina big hit is his home run in Game 7 of the 2006 National League Championship Series, but it's far from the only one. He seems to get chance after chance, and he seems to deliver time after time.

"He's a great player all around," said starter Chris Carpenter, who received the win. "Everybody talks about his defense, the things he does behind the plate, to throw and block balls but also handle the staff. But also, he's no slouch in the batter's box, and he never was. He seems to come up with a lot of big hits. You can go back to '06 with one that was pretty big in the playoffs. He has a knack for doing that. He's done some great things so far in his career and he continues to do it, and it's exciting to watch him play."

For his Major League career, Molina is a .250 hitter with a .327 on-base percentage and a .368 slugging percentage. With runners in scoring position, he's hit .294, and though his slugging percentage is identical, his OBP is obviously much higher. In "close-and-late" situations, he entered Tuesday's game with a lifetime .286 average and .389 slugging percentage in such scenarios.

"He likes to be in that situation," manager Tony La Russa said. "It starts that way. He's got a very good stroke that uses the whole field. So the ball in he can pull, and the ball away [he can hit to the opposite field]. But I think a lot of it has to do with the combination of liking to do it and having a lot that he can be successful with."

With the Cards trailing, 2-1, in the sixth, Brendan Ryan kickstarted the winning rally with a single. He moved to second on Skip Schumaker's groundout, and Ryan Ludwick doubled home the tying run. The Braves walked Albert Pujols intentionally, and Matt Holliday beat out a potential double-play ball. After a walk to Colby Rasmus, Molina singled to second to put St. Louis on top. David Freese followed with an RBI single, capping a four-run inning in which the Cardinals collected three singles, a double and two walks but no home runs.

Both nights, Rasmus walked in front of Molina before Molina delivered the winner. On Monday, it was an intentional walk, but either way, the Braves may soon rethink their strategy.

"We got the ball up both times," said Braves manager Bobby Cox. "Breaking ball up [on Monday]. Tonight, it was a fastball up. I thought we could get the ball down, get a ground ball and be out of the inning."

Carpenter pitched six effective innings for the win. Carpenter allowed RBI singles to Melky Cabrera and opposing starter Derek Lowe in the second inning but was not scored on again. Carpenter allowed only two baserunners over his final four innings and was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the sixth.

"He makes a bad throw, makes the adjustment," La Russa said. "It's something that younger pitchers have trouble with until they get some experience. He adjusts on the fly."

The Cardinals have won three in a row for the first time in 2010, while Atlanta has dropped seven straight. St. Louis leads the National League Central by 3 1/2 games.

Matthew Leach is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs. 

[/h3]

I haven't been watching any  baseball while the NHL playoffs are on and probbaly won't until after the SC finals, but I do keep my eye on the ticker and I see the Cards have won 3 in a row. It appears Carp adjusted after he gave up 2 runs, once he gets in the zone we should be straight. pacmagic, how many games have you watched this season and or attended?

Ive only missed 3-4 games because i was either at work or doing somethng...........But ive listened to every game on the radio when im in the car or at work.

I just went to my first game of the season on tuesday.....I plan on going to the reds game this weekend (pujols mvp canvas day

)

 

[DownByLaw]

Originally Posted by pacmagic2002

Ive only missed 3-4 games because i was either at work or doing somethng...........But ive listened to every game on the radio when im in the car or at work.

I just went to my first game of the season on tuesday.....I plan on going to the reds game this weekend (pujols mvp canvas day

)

Good stuff, I heard on the radio the Cards blanked the Braves yesterday

  

 

[pacmagic2002]

bras yea they did.....garcia is gonna take carpenters spot one day.....he is doing great this year.

 

[pacmagic2002]

SWEEP!!!!!!!!!!! first of the year......yea buddy!!!!!

 

[CP1708]

Just when we start to play well, then we go back to normal. 

 

[DownByLaw]

Originally Posted by CP1708

Just when we start to play well, then we go back to normal. 

You're the Cubs, what did you expect?

Cards with the

 

[tylerdub]

Baseball is such an up and down season. I am going to try and stop myself from living and dying with every game. I need to start focusing on the season in 10 game increments.

 

[DownByLaw]

Originally Posted by tylerdub

Baseball is such an up and down season. I am going to try and stop myself from living and dying with every game. I need to start focusing on the season in 10 game increments.

Or just choose to not pay attention while the Blackhawks are winning the cup.

 

[pacmagic2002]

Damn rain delay.........SMH. The umps know they shoulda called a delay before the damn inning got started.

its a shame that Penny got the loss in this game......he was pitching pretty good until it started raining and he couldnt throw a strike. We had out chances with runners on 2nd and 3rd but colby struck out and freese hit into a freggin double play......Damn, we had this game too.

Lohse is pitching tomorrow.......were gonna loose that game too.

 

[dacomeup]

Cueto and Bruce

 

[pacmagic2002]

C`MON YOU BREAKFAST RESTAURANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lohse needs this win.....he deserves it (probably gonna loose anyway)

 

[jdcurt2]

Scrubby @!% bullpen with 4 walks in the 8th inning. Smh.

 

[pacmagic2002]

Damn........The reds walked 3 in a row to score another 2 runs with the bases loaded (why are they leaving ryan franklin in the game to bat with bases loaded and a 6-3 lead tho???)

 

[pacmagic2002]

Phillies are gonna sweep us tho.........I guess everybody will get to see the Halladay/pujols match-up they've always waited for.

 

[arstyle27]

Nice comeback win for us today.

 

[pacmagic2002]

LOL........@ the Announcer saying "If i were dusty baker, i would walk albert pujols here with the bases loaded......call it, damage control".

Then albert proceeds to his a double to deep left/center to clear the bases...........

 

[arstyle27]

Cubs win their third in a row again. I swear, we're so up and down.

 

[arstyle27]

And Soriano is on fire right now. I swear this guy goes on crazy tears like this every year.

 

[tylerdub]

Sori mustve gotten motivated by the benchings. When this guy is good it is impossible not to run him out there.

 

[CP1708]

Sori got motivated by that thread I made callin him a damn failure. 

 

[pacmagic2002]

Whew...........Jaime Garcia was KILLIN em today.

Oh yea........ freese > Heyward

 

[jch3]

Originally Posted by pacmagic2002

Whew...........Jaime Garcia was KILLIN em today.

Oh yea........ freese > Heyward

Jaime Garcia is on another level right now. That boy is straight DEALING! Very impressed with Freese so far as well.

Freese - .358, 3 HR, 19 RBI, .404 OBP, .543 SLG (team is 18-

Heyward - .272, 7 HR, 23 RBI, .388 OBP, .580 SLG (team is 11-14)

Cardinals now 18-8, half a game behind the Rays for best in the league.

 

[jonfarr]

Freese and Rasmus have been looking pretty darn good so far.

 

[sickickz23]

Nice to see Soriano hitting.....if Lee and Aramis don't show any power in a couple of weeks, then I'm officially worried.

Pathetic offense today. 12 stranded? VS the Pirates? Embarassing...