2019 NLCS - Here come the Cardinals!

[stealyerbase]

Drop it down Annibal!

[stealyerbase]

Did I break it?
 

[bluestreak]

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/11/sports/nlcs-nationals-cardinals.html?action=click&module=RelatedLinks&pgtype=Article

I has no idea about this.

ST. LOUIS — His team’s hometown is a hotbed of espionage, but even by Washington standards, this is a bold surveillance operation. While the Nationals face the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Championship Series, one of their top scouts will be staying at the home of the manager of a potential World Series opponent.

The scout is Bob Boone, and the manager is his son, Aaron, who guided the Yankees to the American League Championship Series. Bob Boone, a vice president and senior adviser for the Nationals, will track the Yankees’ games against the Houston Astros in the A.L.C.S. He will do it by commuting to the games in New York from Aaron’s home in Connecticut.

[DCFan]

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/11/sports/nlcs-nationals-cardinals.html?action=click&module=RelatedLinks&pgtype=Article

I has no idea about this.

Hey New York - be afraid, be very afraid. 

[Slateman]

We should just have all our starters pitch 7+ innings. Makes the bullpen easier to manage

[bluestreak]

We should just have all our starters pitch 7+ innings. Makes the bullpen easier to manage

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/12/sports/baseball/cardinals-nationals-anibal-sanchez.html

We may never again see a series like the 2005 A.L.C.S., when the Chicago White Sox got four complete games and used their bullpen for only two outs in a five-game series en route to a World Series title. But on consecutive days in these playoffs, Walker Buehler threw a career-high 117 pitches for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Gerrit Cole worked eight innings for the Astros and Sanchez nearly threw a no-hitter.
Sanchez’s game was already the ninth this postseason in which a starter had lasted at least seven innings. That matched the total for the entire 2018 postseason.

We may never again see a series like the 2005 A.L.C.S., when the Chicago White Sox got four complete games and used their bullpen for only two outs in a five-game series en route to a World Series title. But on consecutive days in these playoffs, Walker Buehler threw a career-high 117 pitches for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Gerrit Cole worked eight innings for the Astros and Sanchez nearly threw a no-hitter.
Sanchez’s game was already the ninth this postseason in which a starter had lasted at least seven innings. That matched the total for the entire 2018 postseason.

[bluestreak]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/10/12/juan-sotos-shuffle-will-draw-more-scrutiny-than-ever-against-st-louis-cardinals/

Seems like he’s in their heads, even if they are getting him out.

[vicki4471]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/10/12/juan-sotos-shuffle-will-draw-more-scrutiny-than-ever-against-st-louis-cardinals/

Seems like he’s in their heads, even if they are getting him out.

The Cardinals are a sensitive bunch aren't they? Seriously though , its all fun and games until he gets plunked and can't finish the series.

[DCFan]

The Cardinals are a sensitive bunch aren't they? Seriously though , its all fun and games until he gets plunked and can't finish the series.

The Cards are sticklers for the unwritten rules and making sure everyone adheres to them. Be interesting to see if he is plunked and if so what we'll do about it.

[bluestreak]

Can the Nats stay on the road? This is their 4th straight road playoff win.

[varoadking]

Can the Nats stay on the road? This is their 4th straight road playoff win.

Takin' a page from the Caps master plan...

[RiotAct]

Can the Nats stay on the road? This is their 4th straight road playoff win.

3rd, right?  (Games 2 and 5 in L.A., then last night)

[spidernat]

they won game 4 in Chicago in 2017

[Natsinpwc]

The Cards are sticklers for the unwritten rules and making sure everyone adheres to them. Be interesting to see if he is plunked and if so what we'll do about it.

I keep googling those unwritten rules and can’t find them.

[Elvir Ovcina]

I keep googling those unwritten rules and can’t find them.

I wonder about the one about wearing a Kevlar plate on an elbow and then sticking that elbow into the strike zone to intentionally get hit by a pitch.

Oh, wait, that's actually against a written rule.  All makes sense.

[Natsinpwc]

I wonder about the one about wearing a Kevlar plate on an elbow and then sticking that elbow into the strike zone to intentionally get hit by a pitch.

Oh, wait, that's actually against a written rule.  All makes sense.

We need Robles back in the lineup. Arm him with all the Kevlar he needs.

[Slateman]

We need Robles back in the lineup. Arm him with all the Kevlar he needs.

Kevlar doesnt fix a hammy

[varoadking]

Kevlar doesnt fix a hammy

He can crawl to 1st...

[djbaseball13]

I know conventional wisdom is to pitch Scherzer and Strasburg as much as possible, but with Sanchez pitching this well, might an alternative strategy be to go with a four man rotation and use one of the big three out of the pen on their bullpen day?

I like your thinking on the 4 man rotation.  I think that Corbin (despite his previous game 3 dud) could be utilized out of the pen later in the series if needed.   Rainey, Hudson, & Doolittle should be enough if our starters keep bringing it! So the starters can plan for their starts, and we don't have to go into panic mode just yet. Another win tonight will re-enforce this as the best plan.

[vicki4471]

After Sanchez dominated last night, the fact that Scherzer and Stras  were next and we were going home for 3, I lulled myself into a somewhat sense of security. Then I read  comments from a cards fan on one of the MLB threads that said the Cards dominated Stras and Scherzer this season. Truth???

[KV]

Great game last night...but 21 LOB?   Better not make that a habit.

[blue911]

After Sanchez dominated last night, the fact that Scherzer and Stras  were next and we were going home for 3, I lulled myself into a somewhat sense of security. Then I read  comments from a cards fan on one of the MLB threads that said the Cards dominated Stras and Scherzer this season. Truth???

No.

[RiotAct]

Great game last night...but 21 LOB?   Better not make that a habit.

wasn’t it 11?

[Natsinpwc]

Great game last night...but 21 LOB?   Better not make that a habit.

13 LOB. 

[spidernat]

After Sanchez dominated last night, the fact that Scherzer and Stras  were next and we were going home for 3, I lulled myself into a somewhat sense of security. Then I read  comments from a cards fan on one of the MLB threads that said the Cards dominated Stras and Scherzer this season. Truth???

no, they split against Scherzer but the loss was a game the bullpen blew late, after Scherzer exited the game. Strasburg won the first game against them and then had a no decision in which they only scored 2 runs in 5 innings against him. Don't pay attention to what their fans say. Imagine someone paying heed to what some of the posters here say.