kenf@uiucuxc.CSO.UIUC.EDU (10/16/85)
The "Wizard of Oz" becomes the latest Redbird Hero with a dramatic
one-out, two-strike homerun in the bottom of the ninth to give the
red hot runnin' Redbirds a 3-2 edge over the misplaced Brooklynites.
The Cardinals go back to LA hoping the demented Dominican (Andujar)
can return to early season form. If not, Tudor should be able to pitch
after 3 days rest so game 7 (if necessary) will probably be Tudor vs.
Reuss. So much for Dodger pitching superiority.
It's time to debunk this "career year" nonsense that non-believers
use to explain away the beginnings of DYNASTY in St. Louis. SPEED is
the name of the red hot runnin' Redbird game, and SPEED unlike slugging
percentage or batting average doesn't come and go. SPEED means great
defense and total confusion for the opposing defense( 2 pick-off throws
to center field in the LCS). Willie McGee may not hit .360 next year
but he'll still cover more ground in center field than anyone else in
the game, Vince Coleman (Rookie of the Year, hands down) can only get
better at the plate and should be the Gold Glove in left field THIS{
year. Terry Pendleton,(3 games too many last year or HE'D be a rookie)
will certainly improve and definitely did NOT have a career year, nor
did Jack Clark, Andy Van Slyke, Darrell Porter, Tito Landrum or Walking
Underwear(oops I mean Joaquin Andujar). The "career year" folks may have
had Tommy Herr in mind and he did hit 20 points over his career stats
but one player hardly qualifies the Cardinals as a "career year" team.
The "WIZARD" is by far and away the finest shortstop to ever step between
the white lines and his batting average has CONSISTENTLY increased year
after year. His .280 mark this year is just a small step above last year
which was just a small step above the year before etc.
The Cardinals don't depend on the long ball for offense and they always
seem to have someone different to step up and be the hero of the day.
Remember speed does not have slumps or career years. The Cardinals will
be the best defensive team in baseball for years to come and that's going
to make the pitching staff appear better perhaps than they deserve. The
Redbirds have been underrated from the first day of spring training and
the "career year" people are just the latest in a long line of non-
believers who just cannot understand how a team can be the best in the
world without hitting home runs. Just watch.dpb@philabs.UUCP (Paul Benjamin) (10/19/85)
> It's time to debunk this "career year" nonsense that non-believers > use to explain away the beginnings of DYNASTY in St. Louis. SPEED is > the name of the red hot runnin' Redbird game, and SPEED unlike slugging > percentage or batting average doesn't come and go. SPEED means great > defense and total confusion for the opposing defense( 2 pick-off throws > to center field in the LCS). Willie McGee may not hit .360 next year > but he'll still cover more ground in center field than anyone else in > the game, Vince Coleman (Rookie of the Year, hands down) can only get > better at the plate and should be the Gold Glove in left field THIS{ > year. Terry Pendleton,(3 games too many last year or HE'D be a rookie) > will certainly improve and definitely did NOT have a career year, nor > did Jack Clark, Andy Van Slyke, Darrell Porter, Tito Landrum or Walking > Underwear(oops I mean Joaquin Andujar). The "career year" folks may have > had Tommy Herr in mind and he did hit 20 points over his career stats > but one player hardly qualifies the Cardinals as a "career year" team. I agree that speed is not as susceptible to slumps as other factors, although injuries can slow down speedsters, too. But Tudor was quoted in a paper (USA Today) as saying that the reason the Cards won this year was because "five or six guys had career years", including himself. So he disagrees with you. I don't think anyone doubts that the Cards are going to be serious contenders for years to come, with their excellent nucleus of players. But saying they are a dynasty is going too far. That's what they said about the Tigers last year. Anyway, in your posting, you do not take account of other teams. The Cards may be excellent next year, but get beaten out by some team whose players DO have career years. Note that the Cards did not finish all that far in front of the Mets. Also, the Cubs were eliminated this year by a horrible rash of injuries. What if the same happens to the Cards next year (they lose all their starting pitchers)?