Slezak & The Cardinals

by tville on Jul 1, 2008 3:04 PM CDT

Add Carol Slezak to the growing list of media types looking to act as apologist for the St. Louis Cardinals.

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/slezak/1032597,CST-SPT-carol01.article

She cautions not to mention injuries to the Cardinals, citing the number of players currently residing on their disabled list. What Slezak fails to do is scratch below the surface to reveal..............

Chris Carpenter - Went down in the first month of 2007 (that's right, last season) and had Tommy John surgery last July. The Cards have been praying to get him back by the 2008 All-Star break, but that seems unlikely.

Mark Mulder - Down for the last two seasons, twice under the knife for shoulder problems, but was hoped to meaningfully contribute by the 2008 AS break.

Matt Clement - A total reclaimation project, it was clear this guy was not going to be ready at the start of the season and he's yet to pitch at the MLB level in 2008.

Slezak then turns to the position players, highlighting how the Cards are "contending despite" the use of guys like Ryan Ludwick and Skip Schumaker.

Well, Carol, who's to blame for this "patchwork lineup" filled with "no-name players"? Who's responsible for a roster filled with pitchers that can't pitch?

Would it be okay for Jim Hendry to do nothing if Carlos Zambrano was known to be out for nearly two seasons? Uhm, no.

Would Cubs fans support a return of Jacque Jones and Matt Murton to the daily outfield grind? Err, unlikely.

But apparently in St. Louis, it's okay for a skinflint management team to cobble together a bunch of overachievers and pray for good things to happen. And it's even better for said management team when the media overlooks this lack of effort and allows "injuries" to disguise reality.

So please, sportswriters, dig a bit below an IR report before you release your sympathetic dribble. Applaud the Cardinals for what they have managed to achieve so far, but don't tout injuries to players who were never to be a part of the 2008 solution in the first place, nor highlight bench bums thrust into the limelight all because ownership was unwilling to put a better product on the field.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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~ Carol Sleestak says The 2008 Cardinals are nothing short of amazing!

"Yeeaaaaaaaaaaaasssssssssssssssssss!"
"Oh boy Patrick..."
"Because of that Home Run, Walgreens JD....donate...kids...to the needy fund...boy I'm just a little worked up." - Ron Santo

by IvyOnTheWall on Jul 1, 2008 3:14 PM CDT reply actions

Make STL Land of the Lost

I want St. Louis to be the Land of the Lost, the land of the team that lost to the Cubs in the 2008 NL Central race and the land of the team that lost to the Cubs in the 2008 NLCS. We don’t need any help from Sid and Marty Krofft for that.

"The big possum walks late." - Harry Caray

by memphiscub on Jul 1, 2008 3:39 PM CDT up reply actions

One of the Best Sat Sci-Fi Shows

Right there with Doctor Who and the animated Star Trek series. I still get a kick out of watching them today.

Eat More Katsui

by CaliCub on Jul 1, 2008 7:35 PM CDT up reply actions

I hate the stinking guts and livers of the Cardinals

But it is undeniable they more than survived the loss of Pujols, who you did not mention in your recap.

I Fear the Fredbird much more than I do the Brewers or anyone else.

Think of how stupid the average person is, and remember, half of them are stupider than that!

by DaBard on Jul 1, 2008 3:18 PM CDT reply actions

I didn't mention Wainright either,............

................and if reporters would stick to using the names of players that actually mean a difference to the Cardinals’ results, I could live with their columns.

I’m just sick of seeing these other players mentioned when it’s been clear they were not part of the solution in the first place.

"Happiness? A good cigar, a good meal, a good cigar and a good woman - or a bad woman; it depends on how much happiness you can handle." ~ George Burns

by tville on Jul 1, 2008 3:25 PM CDT up reply actions

Here are the two paragraphs in question

You want to have some fun? Check out the injury page on the Cardinals’ Web site. How can this team be challenging for the Central lead without a pitching staff? Chris Carpenter, Matt Clement, Mark Mulder, Jason Isringhausen, Adam Wainwright, Randy Flores—it seems like everyone on the staff has been on the disabled list at one point or another this season. Currently three pitchers are on the 60-day DL, and four others are on the 15-day DL. And let’s not forget that Albert Pujols missed 13 games in June, and Yadier Molina missed a week.
The Cardinals are contending with a patchwork lineup and a bunch of no-name players. The Cardinals are contending despite playing Ryan Ludwick in left field and Skip Schumaker in right. The Cardinals are contending despite relying on Cubs castoff Todd Wellemeyer for quality starts. The Cardinals are winning with an ace named Kyle Lohse, who bounced around baseball the previous two years with an astronomical ERA and has never won more than 14 games in a season. The Cardinals are contending without the help of a quality bullpen.

You ask that she mention players who make a difference—She mentions Pujols, Molina, Wainright and Isringhausen

I think the point is that the Cardinals are winning DESPITE putting a bad team out there. Watching Kyle Lohse win 10 games by July 1 while also watching Rich Hill struggle in Mesa is NOT fun for me. Maybe it is for you.

Whatever LaRussa is doing, it’s working. I despise that sleepyhead drunk hypocrite, but it is undeniable that he’s doing something good this year.

Hating on the reporter who points that out is bogus.

Think of how stupid the average person is, and remember, half of them are stupider than that!

by DaBard on Jul 2, 2008 10:29 AM CDT up reply actions

Why must it be something that LaRussa is doing?

The game of baseball works like this. You have a manager that hopefully is capable of managing a team full of talented (and less talented) individuals that bring to the table different personalities and experience. They need to make on and off field decisions that hopefully lead to wins.

In no way though, can we sit here and say something LaRussa is doing is comletely responsible for their success. When the players play well, they succeed. When they do not, the team fails. No amount of batting the freakin pitcher 8th, or berating the team when they lose will actually make them play better.

Talent is responsible for their success. the fact that there are less known players who are performing well is the reason they are staying in it despite injuries.

As stated above, there is to be no credit given to management for sitting on their arses while their team suffers injuries. They got lucky.

Credit from me goes to those players who have outperformed their prognosis. they are the ones keeping this team afloat. LaRussa simply wears his 70’s self tinting glasses and relies on his record to speak for him. Oh, and he drinks and drives too…

Calm down.

by Kinky Reggae on Jul 2, 2008 10:36 AM CDT up reply actions

So the manager has nothing to do with it?

Is it not him that makes decisions like the lineup, defensive positioning, substitutions, and bullpen usage, among other things? You know, putting players in to situatiions that gives them the best chance to succeed, like platoons?

Or is all that random luck?

by Tackle Box on Jul 2, 2008 5:10 PM CDT up reply actions

That's my point.

Feel free to speak of the legitimate injuries involving players who broke camp on the Opening Day roster, but don’t highlight players who were unavailable in the first place.

That said…....Randy Flores? How is this guy relevant? Again, she looked at the DL and threw out his name, notwithstanding the fact that he’s hardly a key cog in the Cards’ plans.

Molina misses a week? Really? A WHOLE WEEK? Actually Molina only missed four games, and that’s not worth mentioning.

They are winning despite fielding a weak team, but there’s no reason to give them credit for inconsequential BS.

"Happiness? A good cigar, a good meal, a good cigar and a good woman - or a bad woman; it depends on how much happiness you can handle." ~ George Burns

by tville on Jul 2, 2008 1:43 PM CDT up reply actions

I will give you this

The media is very good at saying “They are surprising” and “Overachieving” to cover up the fact that they were just flat-out wrong.

It is possible that the media, in making its pre-season predictions, did not give the Cardinal players enough credit. Nor did they imagine that even Duncan could make Kyle Lohse a winner.

So now, the media is talking about how they are “overachieving” instead of saying how the media maybe got it wrong to rank them so low to begin with.

So, in that sense, Slezak’s article is bogus.

I bow to no one in my hatred of all things Cardinal. But I think it is ludicrous to take a look at Lohse and Wellmeyer and not give some credit to Duncan and LaRussa.

Think of how stupid the average person is, and remember, half of them are stupider than that!

by DaBard on Jul 2, 2008 3:00 PM CDT up reply actions

Duncan fine...

LaRussa? Come on..the guy does not deserve credit for pitchers over achieving. Otherwise Duncan is out of a job.

Calm down.

by Kinky Reggae on Jul 2, 2008 3:07 PM CDT up reply actions

Great post

Slezak seems to represent the talk-out-of-both-sides-of-your-mouthedness that is typical in this town.

You’re exactly right- had the Cubs (or the White Sox, for that matter) put together a team with has-beens, nobodies and the walking wounded, Slezak would write an article about how the fans are deluded and should be waiting for the other shoe to drop. Because it’s the Cardinals, we are to believe that LaRussa and company forsaw this team playing WAY better than they should, and that all credit is due them.

I think the article speaks less to the facts presented in it, and more to the pinheaded, chicken little sports press in this town, more anxious to insult the local teams and sell papers than be consistent in their ‘analysis.’

Well done, tville.

*Synth intro to "Jump"*

by SouthsideCub on Jul 1, 2008 6:23 PM CDT reply actions

Well done yourself.

That was the most apt takedown of our local sports media I’ve seen in quite some time.

"I've always felt that starting pitching is the most important part of the rotation." - Joe Morgan, Sunday Night Baseball 8-12-07

by gary varsho on Jul 1, 2008 6:31 PM CDT up reply actions

Very well stated, Southside.

I’m just sick of this Redbird “pity party” from the media. Cardinals managment knew from Day One they’d be trotting out “Albert Pujols & His AAA Teamates”, yet the press continues to point readers in the wrong direction.

Slezak’s not alone. Just watch “Baseball Tonight” or any other sports media outlet and they’ll all be feeling sorry for the team from StLoser.

"Happiness? A good cigar, a good meal, a good cigar and a good woman - or a bad woman; it depends on how much happiness you can handle." ~ George Burns

by tville on Jul 1, 2008 8:46 PM CDT up reply actions

Slezak is an idiot

She goes on these rants about topics without putting any substance into it. There’s A REASON why she works for the phamphlet “publication” where she’s currently employed. Actually, there’s a number of reasons and they go up by one every time she blathers a new column.

She’s one of the first to jump on a bandwagon, any bandwagon that would make people think she’s progressive.

Because she is totally incapable of writing ANYTHING of intelligence about ANY of our pro sports teams (and I’ll include the Rush & Wolves in that list), she decides to prop up one of the city’s enemy teams. Next I expect something about the Twinkies, Tribe or Cats, then the Packers, Vikings or Lions, then the Red Wings or Blues, finally topped off with the Pistons or Pacers.

Sweet Lou for Mayor in '11.

by blackhawk24 on Jul 1, 2008 7:54 PM CDT reply actions

And the Cards are ahead 3-1

These guys are like vampires

Think of how stupid the average person is, and remember, half of them are stupider than that!

by DaBard on Jul 1, 2008 8:02 PM CDT reply actions

Not any more.........

"Happiness? A good cigar, a good meal, a good cigar and a good woman - or a bad woman; it depends on how much happiness you can handle." ~ George Burns

by tville on Jul 1, 2008 8:41 PM CDT up reply actions

Carol Slezak

I just read her column about the upcoming series in St. Louis. I thought maybe she was a red turd fan the way she kept going on and on about the almighty red turds. She asked “How does La Russa do it”? I honestly thought I would find pictures at the end of the article of her blowing…I mean, hanging out with the red turds!

by centerdrive on Jul 1, 2008 11:30 PM CDT reply actions

Slezak

Her nickname is Sleezebag.

Remember how she went ballistic on the Sox having an interesting doll in their PRIVATE CLUBHOUSE?

Go Cubs

by puckishcubsfan on Jul 2, 2008 3:19 PM CDT reply actions

It's not private

The media gets to go in. Ozzie and A.J. can do whatever they want to dolls in the men’s bathroom.

But when you have a room that other people use, it is good form to pick up the dirty stuff.

Think of how stupid the average person is, and remember, half of them are stupider than that!

by DaBard on Jul 2, 2008 3:28 PM CDT up reply actions

It is private.

Without a press pass or credentials of some kind, one does not get in. And in reality, it’s the closest thing players have to “home” during the season.

"Happiness? A good cigar, a good meal, a good cigar and a good woman - or a bad woman; it depends on how much happiness you can handle." ~ George Burns

by tville on Jul 2, 2008 9:26 PM CDT up reply actions

+1

n/t

Sweet Lou for Mayor in '11.

by blackhawk24 on Jul 3, 2008 6:35 AM CDT up reply actions

Maybe you have that kind of thing in your home...

when guests come over, but my momma raised me better

Think of how stupid the average person is, and remember, half of them are stupider than that!

by DaBard on Jul 3, 2008 1:16 PM CDT up reply actions

Guests?

If you’re a guest, you’ll get proper treatment, but if you wander in, caveat emptor!!

"Happiness? A good cigar, a good meal, a good cigar and a good woman - or a bad woman; it depends on how much happiness you can handle." ~ George Burns

by tville on Jul 4, 2008 12:24 AM CDT up reply actions

Cards = NCAA Powerhouses

StL reminds me of Ohio State and Florida in football, and Duke and UCLA in basketball. When other teams play them, they’re not going up against another team so much as they’re going up against a system or program (or whatever you want to call it). Hard to say if LaRussa or Duncan or the front office is the one who developed the program, but it’s built on a proven formula that players are able to buy into lock-stock-barrel.

Are they invincible? No way. Are they assured a playoff spot? Not in the least. A system is a powerful force to reckon with, but not so much at the professional level of sports. In the end, talent trumps all. As long as the Cubs stay healthy and avoid the egregious mental lapses on the bases and in the field, the Cardinals will not pass them up to win the division. All that said, of course, as simply my humble opinion.

Eat More Katsui

by CaliCub on Jul 2, 2008 8:34 PM CDT reply actions