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From: dpb@philabs.UUCP (Paul Benjamin)
Newsgroups: net.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: Red Hot Runnin' Redbirds
Message-ID: <480@philabs.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 19-Oct-85 14:13:19 EDT
Article-I.D.: philabs.480
Posted: Sat Oct 19 14:13:19 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 22-Oct-85 07:18:54 EDT
References: <12800005@uiucuxc>
Organization: Philips Labs, Briarcliff Manor, NY
Lines: 32

>    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)?