ESPN Power Rankings

[Ouchyfish]

2004 POWER TEN: Week 19

Rank Team Rec.
1 Cardinals 73-38

Comment

Try getting through Walker, Pujols, Edmonds, Rolen, and Renteria unscathed. Can't be done. (Seven first-place votes.)
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4th week in a row atop first place in the rankings. In the series with the marlins, they broke from tradition proving they had the pitching even if the batters don't show up.

[Rzail]

Cards are sure having a hell of a year. Rolen and Edmonds are having career years, always a good thing. See ya in October

[Ouchyfish]

It's awesome. I started seriously following them in 1985 and I can't honestly remember a better team. The 87 club was good, with Jack Clark, Ozzie, etc, but they only won 95 games if i remember correctly. I think this team is poised to shatter that.

I just hope Jocketty grabs more bullpen help before it's over. Ankiel is supposed to be rejoining the team in the expanded rosters, but I wonder if he'll ever be the same. (That game where he went Bull Duram against the Braves was the craziest shit I've ever seen in MLB.)

[Xaiveir]

That game against the braves was some of the funniest shit ive ever seen, but i did feel for him.

Reports are that ankiel has regained his control, and confidence and should be a good addition to the team.

First place in the power rankings is definatly correct, they are the best team in baseball at the moment. I think this post season is shaping up better than last years post season wich was very fun to watch.


Xaiveir Tanthalas
Forest Stalker of the Nameless

[Ouchyfish]

It does look interesting as hell. I just kinda wish they could set up a playoff system more like the NFL. Make it best of 3 for the wildcards, best of 5 for everything else other than championship series/world series.

I mean, think of the money making opportunity here and so many fans could get excited about the post season.

I think it could be win-win but haven't really mulled over the details.

[Xaiveir]

Acouple of problems with that. First, Alot of purist baseball fans would hate that idea. There are so many that were outraged on extending the playoff format to what it is now.

Second, it cheapens the regular season if you allow more teams in now. Past the 1 wild card spot we have now, we would be getting .500 teams making the playoffs.

Third, baseball players already play 162 regular season games, and then have the potential to play 19 post season games, extending that would be a bad idea. Hell the regular season is already going into Oct. this year. Expanding the playoffs more, we might have thanksgiving day world series, in between the cowboys and lions game!


Xaiveir Tanthalas
Forest Stalker of the Nameless

[Ouchyfish]

Acouple of problems with that. First, Alot of purist baseball fans would hate that idea. There are so many that were outraged on extending the playoff format to what it is now.

Second, it cheapens the regular season if you allow more teams in now. Past the 1 wild card spot we have now, we would be getting .500 teams making the playoffs.

Third, baseball players already play 162 regular season games, and then have the potential to play 19 post season games, extending that would be a bad idea. Hell the regular season is already going into Oct. this year. Expanding the playoffs more, we might have thanksgiving day world series, in between the cowboys and lions game!


Xaiveir Tanthalas
Forest Stalker of the Nameless

I am a baseball purist and even I have to admit the game as it was is now gone. Look at the ERAs, look at the home runs..Japanese players!! The game has allowed itself to become a whore and now there's no turning back.

As for players playing more games in the post season its not as bad as you make it out to be. Remember the vast majority of these games can be played on the same day, etc just like regular season. Who wouldn't want a chance to fatten their wallet with some post season incentives not to mention a shot at the world series?

Also, how does it cheapen the season any less than the fucking eternity marathon in NBA or the post season in NFL?

[Lyion]

I really think the Cards pitching will hurt it in the postseason....

[Xaiveir]

Here is the problem. Right now you have 4 teams making the playoffs, im assuming you want to extend that to 6. If you make it like a football bracket you have the top 2 teams taking the first round bye. Now if you say have it a 3 game series for the wildcard, you would play 2 games in the higher seeded teams home, then travel on the road for .......a game.

Now hypothetically speaking after a rigorous 162 game season, spanning from february (including spring training) to Oct 3rd. You would then play your first game 2 days after the season, (scheduled this way incase there is a division tie and there needs to be a 1 game playoff) that brings you to Oct. 5th. You then play on the 5th, 6th, travel day on the 7th, play on the 8th if necessary. 9th is another travel day if you advance to now play the opponents that have had a bye.

Now the team that recieved a bye in the first round has now not played a game in 7 days, in baseball that is very detrimental....VERY. Its not like football where you get people healed up, you get prepped for the other teams offensive and deffensive schemes.

So now on Oct 10th after not playing for a week you now play 2 games at home. 10th and 11th, travel day the 12th, play the 13th and 14th, and then another travel day (if necessary back home to play one more game on the 16th.

Now you are in the LCS (league championship series) 17th was a travel day, and now you are only playing 5 games for an LCS? That alone is horrible. In short you play untill the 24th, and wind up finishing the WS in November?

Now i dont know if you have ever played baseball in sub 40 degree temps, hell sub 50 degree temps. Its horrible, not fun to watch, not fun to play, and even worse to pitch. Now i dont know about you, but i dont want to be playing baseball in late Oct, early November in say Boston...or New York, or Chicago. No thanks. In cold temperatures, especially in baseball where there is not constant motion, and activity it is so easy to tear muscles, get sprains or or pulls.

Now baseball players have been playing from February, to November. 9+ months of baseball, 3 month rest and then at it again. No thanks.

Those are some reasons why it would be much differnt than say football that only plays for a maximum of 6 months of the year, and only 16 games of the regular season. NBa only plays what? 82 i think.


Xaiveir Tanthalas
Forest Stalker of the Nameless

[Ouchyfish]

Then you shorten the season.

As for the time off waiting for wildcards...no byes..