St. Louis Cardinals

[zack54attack]

fuck u guys.

 

[strahanfan92]

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/05/11/albert-pujols-explains-hug-with-cubs-general-manager/

Photo causing quite the stir:

Yesterday his pregame hug with Cubs general manager Jim Hendry made headlines, so today Albert Pujols explained the embrace to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post Dispatch.

Pujols told Strauss that he’s been friends with Hendry for a while now through former Cardinals GM and current Reds GM Walt Jocketty.

As an impending free agent determined to test the open market after failing to agree to a contract extension with the Cardinals during spring training Pujols also said he knew the hug would probably become news.

"I figured that would happen, that they would play with it. At the end, it’s not what you do on the field. It’s what kind of person you are off the field. That’s the kind of relationship you want to build with somebody you respect. He’s on the other side. I’m on our side. I just think it’s kind of ridiculous. Three writers came and talked to me about that and the contract. Are you serious? C’mon."

Strauss notes that Hendry also laughed off the whole situation when asked about it. Hendry apparently also hugged Ryan Theriot before the game, which didn’t rile up Cardinals fans quite as much for some reason.

Negational ploy for Albert?



Whatever whatever CARDS CUBS ON ESPN IN 30 MINUTES!!

 

[Kuzzy Powers]

Not just some hand shake hug.. full on hug son, and Albert looks in love. Its going down in the off-season!

 

[Woy]

Ugh, this team would be up like 8 games in the division with a decent bullpen. :irked:

 

[strahanfan92]

Fuck that shit... 10th inning was brutal to watch.

 

[strahanfan92]

CAN'T STAND THE REDS.

 

[strahanfan92]

 

[Woy]

Sweeping the Phils :smug:

 

[strahanfan92]

Dad who never texts me just texted, "How bout those cards, berkman MVP"





MY NIGGAH

 

[strahanfan92]

CINCINNATI -- Cardinals manager Tony La Russa doesn't like what Reds broadcaster Marty Brennaman has to say about his team.

“
He earned the right to get into the Hall of Fame. And now he ought to keep earning that respect instead of abusing it.
”
-- Tony La Russa on Marty Brennaman's criticism of Chris Carpenter
Brennaman criticized St. Louis starter Chris Carpenter and pitching coach Dave Duncan on the air Monday, a day after the Reds beat the Cardinals 9-7 to sweep their three-game series at Great American Ball Park. The game ended with Cardinals screaming at Reds closer Francisco Cordero, who then gestured to them in the dugout.

After the game, Carpenter was unhappy with the condition of the mound -- the game was played in a steady rain -- and smoke that lingered in the ballpark from the customary fireworks to celebrate a Reds home run.

On Monday, Brennaman called Carpenter a "whiner and excuse-maker" on the air. He also referred to Duncan as "infantile." Duncan was among those on the Cardinals bench yelling at Cordero during the game.

Brennaman said that the Cardinals "might be the most disliked team in baseball."

Before the Cardinals' game Tuesday in St. Louis, La Russa noted that Brennaman is in the broadcasters' wing of baseball's Hall of Fame.

"He earned the right to get into the Hall of Fame," La Russa said. "And now he ought to keep earning that respect instead of abusing it."

Animosity between the teams has built quickly in the past year.

Schoenfield: Bad Blood Boils Over

The Cardinals and Reds don't like each other. And that's made theirs the most heated and spellbinding rivalry in baseball, writes ESPN.com's David Schoenfield. Blog

Carpenter objected to the baseballs used for a game in Cincinnati last year, saying they weren't properly rubbed up. The series took a nasty turn in August after Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips called the Cardinals whiners.

The next day, Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina and Phillips got into it at the plate, touching off a brawl. Reds starter Johnny Cueto kicked Carpenter and catcher Jason LaRue during the scrum, drawing a seven-game suspension.

The angry words Sunday added to the rivalry. Cardinals players and coaches were angry that Cordero threw an 0-2 pitch inside to Albert Pujols, hitting him on the back of the wrist. Pujols wasn't seriously hurt, but Cardinals players and coaches repeatedly yelled at Cordero as he escaped the threat.

The Reds overtook the Cardinals as NL Central champions last season. They have three more series left this season, the next one July 4-6 in St. Louis.

Fuck the Reds.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

Chris Carpenter and Tony LaRussa crying about something again? You don't say!

Carpenter is so far beyond twat status at this point, its comical. He's either blaming baseballs, or his own fielders, or the mound, or the rain...never himself. Nobody even takes his act seriously anymore.

And why is LaDoucha concerning himslef with broadcasters? Nothing Brenneman said is any different than what EVERYBODY sayd abour Carpenter and the Cards. They ARE the most hated team in the NL. This is a story?

The Cardinals are the only team on the planet that would whine about a fucking 0-2 pitch hitting a batter who represents the tying run in the 9th inning. You can't make it up!

 

[strahanfan92]

No comment on Brennamen calling Duncan a baby?

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

No comment on Brennamen calling Duncan a baby?

Did you see Duncan's behavior after the HBP?

'Infantile' was a pretty good description, if you ask me.

 

[strahanfan92]

I guess this isn't unusual behavior for Marty, using "shock jock" comments is his forte.

On June 12, 2007, Brennaman made an on air apology during the Cincinnati Reds Radio Network broadcast for a comment he had recently made comparing an upcoming road trip to the Bataan Death March. The Reds, who at the time held the worst record in the National League, were set to face the Oakland Athletics, the Seattle Mariners and Philadelphia Phillies on the road trip.[3]

On April 17, 2008, during the top of the eighth inning of a game between the Chicago Cubs and the Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Brennaman made comments about Cubs fans and the Cubs team.[4] His statements were aired over the Reds Radio Network broadcast of the game on 700 WLW (AM).

"This is the kind of thing, quite honestly, right now, that makes you want to see the Chicago Cubs team lose. Among all baseball fans, and I can't attest to the Yankees or Red Sox, because we don't see them with any degree of regularity unless it's inter-league play, but far and away the most obnoxious fans in baseball, in this league, are those who follow this team right here. Throwing 15 or 18 balls onto the field, there's absolutely no excuse for that, and that is so typical of Chicago Cubs fans. It's unbelievable."

"You simply root against 'em. Ya'know, I've said all winter they talked about this team winning the division, and my comment is they won't win it, because at the end of the day, they still are the Chicago Cubs, and they will figure out a way to screw this whole thing up." [5]

On April 18, 2008, Brennaman appeared in an interview on Chicago sports radio station WMVP-AM 1000 in which he reinforced his position on Cubs fans, and compared Chicago Cubs fans to rival St Louis Cardinals fans.

"If they can't understand what happened Wednesday night was completely over the top, then I'm sorry," Brennaman said. "I said how tough it is to root for the Cubs. I think a lot of people feel the same way I do, but they won't articulate it. I'm not afraid to say what I think."

"[Compared to Cubs fans] Cardinals fans are hands down the best in baseball. They respect the game. They don't go to the game to do stupid stuff."

"The Cubs have some great baseball fans. But the ones who act like idiots (ruin) it for people like me." [6]

On February 5, 2010, Brennaman was chastised for commenting that Marshall University's president must be "queer" for softball at the university's baseball banquet and fundraiser. Brennaman stated, "I probably could have made a better choice of words, but in no way does that reflect my opinion about gays at all. It's just a comment I made about the president of the university." [7]

Also that evening, Brennaman critiqued the storied Pittsburgh Pirates franchise by saying:

"There's no light at the end of the tunnel for that franchise. There really isn't. I don't think it has great ownership, I don't think it has great baseball expertise in its front office, and is strapped for finances, which is probably the single biggest problem. I feel bad for them. PNC Park is one of the fine ballparks in Major League Baseball." [8]
[edit]

As a professional broadcaster its time to grow up. Broadcast the game and don't call out other teams and players..

I guess this is just be a Reds thing lately over the last year, maybe jealous of the Cards-Cubs rivalry so you even have broadcasters adding fuel to the Reds created fire. You swept us. Congrats Marty. I'm glad we left such a bad taste that it carried over into your next series.

 

[strahanfan92]

I agree with most of those comments. I like a broadcaster with some balls that isn't always worried about losing his job. He's been around for awhile so he is obviously good at damage control.

OF course he isn't losing his job (not that he should anyway) he's in the Hall of Fame.

 

[Goober]

It's funny to me that everyone in baseball recognizes how ridiculous the Cardinals are, except of course their delusional fans.

 

[strahanfan92]

What's the deal with the Cardinals and grumpy old broadcasters?

First we heard from Houston's Milo Hamilton, yelling something about Lance Berkman's physical conditioning. And then the Cincinnati curmudgeon, Marty Brennaman, insulted pitcher Chris Carpenter and pitching coach Dave Duncan with an acrid blast of hot air during a broadcast diatribe Monday night.

What's next? Is ornery Chicago White Sox broadcaster Hawk Harrelson going to show up and holler at the Cardinals to get off his lawn?
The entertaining Brennaman pretty much rips on every team, including the Reds. But Brennaman also claimed the Cardinals are the most disliked team in baseball, which is interesting.

Is that true?

"I would have to say that is 180 degrees opposite the opinion of other clubs in both leagues starting at the ownership level, going to the front office, going to the players, coaches," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said before Wednesday's 5-1 win over Houston.

"Over the years I've been here I've heard more compliments from general managers, coaches, managers, players. They tell us, 'You guys try hard to beat us, but if you get beat, you tip your cap to the other side.' That's why it's such a clueless comment."

I doubt that the Cardinals are the most disliked team in baseball, not with the Yankees and Red Sox around.

I think the Cardinals are probably high up on the list. But that shouldn't come as a surprise.

And the Cardinals are definitely the most disliked team in Cincinnati. Absolutely. The favorite sport in the Queen City is pro football. The second-favorite sport there apparently is hating on the Cardinals. The first-place Reds were averaging only 23,368 per home game before drawing another pathetic crowd (16,543) for Wednesday's 5-0 loss to visiting Pittsburgh. The Reds are an outstanding team. They deserve better fan support.

If the Cardinals rank high on the list of most disliked teams, it's for a simple reason: jealousy.

Rather than be offended, the Cardinals should take it as a compliment.
La Russa's most egregious offense is being successful.

Moreover, La Russa doesn't back down from opponents, and he's been standing up to foes for 33 years. That tends to produce some baseball enemies. But only to a point. Most of this is just professional.

When La Russa took a leave to receive treatment for his shingles, one of the people who left him an encouraging voice mail was Reds manager Dusty Baker. It was a classy gesture by Baker.

But on the field, tension is inevitable.

When La Russa managed Oakland for nearly 10 full seasons, the A's won the most games in the American League. Since hiring La Russa in 1996, the Cardinals rank second to Atlanta in the NL in regular-season victories and No. 1 in postseason wins. And the Cardinals are No. 1 in the NL in both categories since 2000.

Wouldn't you get sick and tired of losing to the Cardinals and La Russa? I saw the same thing growing up as a fan in Baltimore; competitors took special delight in beating feisty Orioles manager Earl Weaver. He was the best. His team won more games than anybody over a decade. And the Orioles were the source of envy.

This is pretty simple; long-term success brings out the haters.
TLR disagrees.

"I don't know how you can figure that would be sensible in any way," La Russa said. "I wouldn't want to get beat all the time. But there's more to it. For example, I complimented the way the Yankees played during their heyday with Joe Torre there. They did not beat you and put their noses in the air or do dances and try to humiliate you and make you feel lesser than what you already felt after losing to them.

"And I don't think we do that to teams when we win. There's a right way to win and a right way to lose. And everywhere I've been that's been preached to me by my bosses. And that's the message you send down to the players."

Earlier this season, Berkman, the former Astro, explained what it was like to face La Russa as an opposing player. Berkman's most expansive comments came during an interview with radio station KFNS.

"I love the guy (now)," Berkman said. "And when I played against him I wanted to fistfight him, but it's totally different than you would think. I've always respected him and the way that the Cardinals have approached the game. They always play with an intensity that I think you can attribute directly to his influence and to the tone that he sets.

"And I think too that the Cardinals were so good that you always, for me — I just couldn't stand the whole organization. I was like, 'Man, these guys are our No. 1 rival, always winning the division and if you wanted to do anything you had to beat them.' Almost like a big bully. They play with an attitude of superiority, which is helpful when you're on their side, but playing against them it rankles you. So that's the kind of thing that you sense as an opposing player, but it sure is great to be on the same side."
Cincinnati won the NL Central last season — congratulations — but between 1996 and 2009 the Reds ranked 13th in the NL in winning percentage. The Cardinals were No. 2. The Cardinals won 39 postseason games during that time; the Reds won none. The resentment makes sense.

And there's another element to this: La Russa is combative. His teams don't initiate bean-ball battles. But La Russa readily acknowledges that if an opponent wants to throw down, the Cardinals will offer the appropriate response. And their pushback is often intense.

This old-school baseball doesn't always play well. The Cardinals can be smug and arrogant. And trying to view this from a Cincinnati perspective, it does seem that the Cardinals have been more whiny in reaction to the Reds than any other team. Why? Because the Reds -- after being down for so long -- are a threat to the Cardinals. The Cardinals are feeling pressure after going through a relative dry spell of only one postseason appearance over the past four seasons. The Reds' rise and the Cardinals' downturn invites trouble, especially given the potent mix of volatile personalities on both sides.

The Cardinals can definitely get under the skin, as was the case Sunday in Cincinnati when catcher Gerald Laird upset Reds closer Coco Cordero by shouting warm thoughts to the mound after Cordero nailed Albert Pujols in the wrist with a runaway pitch.

The Reds' broadcast media had a fit when La Russa used a weather report to outmaneuver Baker before the teams met at Busch Stadium on April 22. La Russa didn't break any rules, and Baker should have been paying closer attention to the weather forecast. If he had been, perhaps the Reds would have saved their scheduled starting pitcher (as La Russa did) for after the inevitable rain delay.

The Cardinals annoyed the Reds late in 2009 by making a post-game fuss over slippery baseballs at The Great American Ball Park. (John Smoltz, in particular, protested a bit too much.) Then again, if you thought the home team was messing with the baseballs to get an unfair advantage, what are you supposed to do? Zip it? Again, I think Smoltz went too far. But the Cardinals weren't out of bounds to raise the issue.

Anyway, diplomacy ensued. The matter was settled quietly early last season after a closed-door sit-down between La Russa and his friend, Reds GM Walt Jocketty.

And La Russa famously refused to make a scene in Game 2 of the 2006 World Series. Detroit Tigers pitcher Kenny Rogers, obviously working with a foreign substance under the bill of his cap, pitched eight shutout innings in the Tigers' 3-1 win. La Russa had a low-key discussion with the umpires but never asked them to check Rogers' cap. (At one point the umps did ask Rogers to clean the gunk off his pitching hand, which he did.) Back in St. Louis, fans and media ripped La Russa for not pushing the issue to try to get Rogers ejected.

La Russa calls it "the toughest decision of my career."

"We could have undressed Rogers on the mound in Game 2, and we didn't," he said. "I knew if we lost that Series, that game would be a part of the reason. But you have to revert back to what you believe, and what I was taught. You should play the game between the white lines, and whoever wins, it's because they played better than you did. You don't pull chicken-manure moves."

But if you want to play rough, Don Tony's teams are game. And after all,
Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips initiated all of this last August by calling the Cardinals a name usually associated with a female canine. Game on. And now that the Reds understand the rules of engagement it makes for a heated, terrific rivalry.

Back in the AL days, Toronto pitcher David Cone drilled Oakland's Mark McGwire in the head. Later in the game, the A's retaliated by hitting Toronto's Joe Carter in the hip. The action was true to La Russa's baseball code.

"It's always a revenge thing with Tony," Carter said after the incident. "He's been that way all his career."

Don Tony hardly disputes that.

"Always protect the family," he said. "The family comes first."
And this baseball family has finished first in the NL Central more times than each of its division rivals since La Russa became manager. If the Cardinals are disliked, that's the No. 1 reason.

:wave: haters

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

I guess this isn't unusual behavior for Marty, using "shock jock" comments is his forte.





As a professional broadcaster its time to grow up. Broadcast the game and don't call out other teams and players..

I guess this is just be a Reds thing lately over the last year, maybe jealous of the Cards-Cubs rivalry so you even have broadcasters adding fuel to the Reds created fire. You swept us. Congrats Marty. I'm glad we left such a bad taste that it carried over into your next series.

LOL@ "shock jock".

Outside of the "queer" comment, nothing in that article was out of line, or even untrue.

And the Reds created the fire? Ok buddy. Troll face Molina got in Phillips face, all because Phillips said he didn't like the Cardinals. Typical boorish, whiney, Cardinal behavior, and the reason everyone hates them.

Go re read the thread from last year, only the Cards fans put more blame on the Reds for that nonsense.

And the Cardinals were out of line for shouting down Cordero. And Duncan was carrying on like a child. So Brennaman, again, said nothing unture.and Carpenter was Carpenter, bitching and crying as usual. So what exactly did Brennaman say that was so out of line?

The issue is your manager, who for some odd reason is paying attention to out of town broadcasters. And whining about it. There is a saying in business, that employees will "do as their leader does". Uh huh.

 

[mcstl25]

The best always get hated on. The Cardinals have been the most consistent, and arguably the best team in the NL during the 15 year span since Tony took over. Meanwhile, the Reds have been one of the worst until last year. I personally love everything about this new rivalry and can't wait until July when they meet again. The only thing that I think has been way out of line was Cueto kicking people in the head and back with metal spikes like a scared little woman. F that guy -- I'm disappointed that the cardinals took the high road last week and didn't throw at him. His actions ended a player's career.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

Cardinal fan reaction when this stuff comes up should be:

"Yeah, we're arrogant, and our players & manager can be a bit petulant, but fuck you we win."