Peanuts in the Outfield: 2011 LCS Open Thread
Submitted by Sarah D. Bunting on October 8, 2011 – 10:41 PM13 Comments
Another Suds Series! The Rangers get another shot at a ring! And the shit-talk is already underway with Greinke’s comments about Carpenter? Awwwwwesome.
The LCSes could get pretty crazy; discuss everything from CJ’s unsuitable celebrity crush to the Busch Squirrel’s Twitter feed, right here.
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Tags: Chris Carpenter CJ Wilson let's get ready to rrrrrumble the Busch Squirrel Zack Greinke
I remember the first time I saw Greinke, when the sportscasters would not stop yammering on about his social anxiety problems, and I thought “man, that is the last thing the poor guy needs.”
Despite his having the Tigers’ number, I’ve liked him ever since. I like that he won the Cy Young in defiance of the dumbasses who harped on the win stat like it actually means anything. I definitely like that he switched leagues.
And now? I think I’m in love.
As for Detroit/Texas, with the rain delay: is this what blue balls feel like? Aaaaarrgh.
What a brilliant idea by Old Zach, there. Insult Carpenter after one of the most dominant performances in the playoffs over the last few years. He basically won that game for the Cardinals.
After Friday, Carpenter’s teammates will be ready to go to war for him in this series, and you can bet that La Russa will have that shit on every player’s mind every second of Game 1. Say what you want about Tony, but he’s always been able to motivate his players beyond what their record seems to indicate. For reference, see the 2006 World Series.
It’s funny – Nyjer Morgan, while not taking back all the nonsense he talked about on Twitter this year, expressed the desire to move forward and confessed his respect for the Cards this year today. Yet Zach couldn’t keep his mouth shut. Would not have picked that to happen. Cardinals in six. (Yes, I am a Cardinals fan, so I’m completely biased.)
Nyjer Morgan is rapidly overtaking Brian Wilson as the guy for whom I will sprain my neck lunging for the remote when his face appears on my TV. Question for the masses: Which of them will appear on a reality show first, post-baseball? Because heaven knows neither one can survive without a camera on him.
And wow, if I had to pick the one guy I LEAST expected to smack-talk pre-LCS, it would have been Greinke. I was a huge fan of his when I lived in KC and he was literally the only reason to go to the ballpark. I am also heavily influenced by the great sportswriter Joe Posnanski, who wrote a wonderful article about the mystery of Greinke some time ago. (You’ll have to Google it, I don’t know how to embed links here. Go read everything he’s ever written because he’s AMAZING.) But dude, going after Carpenter? Really? When he basically singlehandedly won the NLDS by outduelling Roy Mothereffing Halladay and beating the best team in baseball 1-0? Really? I still like Greinke, but he seems to have already absorbed some of the dickishness of the Brewers. If he starts calling himself G-Money and throwing chew at people, I will abandon him forever.
In the piece I linked to, there’s a fuller accounting of Greinke’s remarks in the comments section. Greinke has, I think, a reputation for putting it out there and not BS-ing reporters, which is part of it, and I’m not saying it was The Editing, but if you look at the question(s) he was asked, it’s not quite as black and white as him busting out unprompted with “yeah, Carpenter’s a cock.”
If you can’t find it, let me know and I’ll post it. I don’t find the Brewers’ whole T. Plush, arm-gestures whatever whatever that dickish; I’ve seen the show before (see: ’04 Red Sox), and other people’s private jokes are never as interesting to the outside world as they assume, but it doesn’t bother me that much. That said, I don’t think Greinke’s comment is really of a piece with any of that. Maybe the Brewers are dicks, maybe Greinke’s a dick, but I’m not sure one has anything to do with the other, in the event. (And I think the Crew is just young and cocky, which is fine, and ZG’s a little different, which is fine too.)
What is a “phony attitude” anyways? Whatevs. I sort of like weird little Zach Greinke, sitting in the clubhouse reading his Kindle while the Crew is spraying champagne everywhere. Boy after my own heart.
Watching this Brewers-Cardinals game…wow, the Cards outfielders are SLOW.
On a scale of 1 to Zambrano, how ticked off do you think Verlander is right now? First the rain after an inning in New York, then he starts in Texas and they have rain in that area for the first time in God knows how long? Not to mention he’s not pitching his best to begin with. Guh.
Speaking of God hating the Tigers, players are dropping like flies. Does anyone want to take bets on whether or not Magglio’s career is finished? Considering he and Delmon were two of the only guys hitting in the last series, I’m more than a little nervous.
As for the NL, I may be in the minority here, but I kind of love the Brewers. Their insane enthusiasm is fun to watch and, seriously, a giant stuffed Sully from “Monsters Inc.” in a Prince jersey? Sold.
Cards fan, so I’m a little biased. I don’t think the Brewers are a bunch of dicks. There’s been some back and forth this year, so it make sense to read Greinke’s comments in the flow of that cross-division chatter.
I’ve admired Greinke for a few years, and I think he honestly perceives Carpenter’s in-game behavior as a bit of gamesmanship (given that ZG has such a different personality). But I don’t think Carpenter is amping up on the mound for effect; he’s got a reputation for that kind of display (cursing and self-talk) in non-game situations. Just part of who he is, along with being a pretty amazing player. I wonder what Bob Gibson would say about the matter?
The beast thing irritates me, primarily because I see it when my team has given up a run, failed to make a play, etc. It’s like sprinkling a bit of salt in the wound, but I don’t think it’s poor sportsmanship– I think it’s just a team excited about good outcomes. Can’t hold that against them.
On to Game 2.
As bummed as I am about the Phillies imploding in the NLDS, :(( so did the Yankees, so the Lord giveth and taketh away! Best of luck to the remaining teams! The season ain’t over yet!
I’m a Brewers fan but I’ll admit the whole T. Plush thing is a kind of obnoxious. I can also see how their celebrations might rub others the wrong way, but you have to remember this is a franchise that’s only been to the playoffs once since 1982. It is not meant to be mean-spirited.
I’ll also say that I don’t think that the Brewers are poor sports, because that would be hypocritical to the nth degree after Albert stopped for about 3 hours to admire his moonshot in the first tonight. The Cardinals are no better or worse than just about any other team when it comes to showboating, etc.
What I meant to say in my above post is that it wasn’t…well, smart. You’re the Brewers; you’re new to the postseason, you’re a young team. You’ve already got a hotdog reputation among quite a few major league teams, especially with the whole ‘beast’ celebration thing. And you’re facing the St. Louis Cardinals, who’ve won more postseason games than any team in the National league in the last decade, who just beat the team with the most wins in the majors in a series they were supposed to lose off of a complete game 1-0 win.
And one of the first things that your game 1 starter decides to open his mouth about is how much everyone hates the pitcher that just threw that amazing game?
It’s just not an intelligent move, and giving La Russa more ‘they don’t respect you guys’ material is just outright dumb. It doesn’t make Zach a dick, but in Game 1, we ripped him for 5 runs; they were ready for him. If Garcia hadn’t just imploded, we might have had a real chance to win that game. Combine that with the waxing we gave them today, there was at least a semi-decent chance that we could have won both in Milwaukee. We dropped 18 runs on the Brewers in 2 games in their own house. If we keep up that pace, this series never makes it back to Milwaukee.
As a Cards fan, I think it’s the choice of “phony” that most mystified many of us. No one will really argue with you about Carp being intense-borderlining-on-asshole at times (this is a guy who allegedly gave one of his own teammates a blackeye after said teammate was laughing about blowing a save after a tough Cards loss). But he’s definitely not faking it.
Still the only Brewer I actually can’t stand is Morgan. I took WAY too much pleasure in watching him flounder in the outfield last night.
I don’t know what the Tigers ever did to Nelson Cruz, but I wish they would appologize to him so we could all move on with our lives. Nice to see them actually hit the ball tonight, though. I just wish we could have one game that didn’t have me sitting on the floor rocking and biting my nails.
I miss Terry Francona on the Fox commentary. He was a trip! Also, did anyone catch the interview with Verlander when they asked Verlander about the double play turned behind him, then Fox showed the TIGERS grounding into a double play, followed by Verlander pumping his fist. . . . really?
Wow. WOW! As a Cardinal fan, I couldn’t be happier. Congrats to the Brewers on a great season!