St. Louis Cardinals @ Houston Astros -- NLCS Game 5 LIVE THREAD

Fox TV | 10/17/05 | A Killer Bee

[Diddle E. Squat]

Bottom of 2nd, 1-0 Astro lead, good game with baserunners and a great tag out at the plate by the Cardinal catcher.

[over3Owithabrain]

I think it's over and the Cards will win. That Pujols homer was a killer blow, destined to change the course of baseball history. You don't come that close to winning, cough it up, and still survive. I'm a Braves fan and I KNEW when Leyritz hit that 1996 homer the series was over (even though it was only a tie game and the Braves were up 2-1 in the series). Ditto the Ausmus blast in this year's division series. It took 18 innings but the 'Stros were going to win no matter what. We have the same thing here - Houston had the bubbly all but uncorked and were devastated by that blast. They can speak all the cliches they want about only one game, etc. It is over and they are done.

[Cyclopean Squid]

Hey, let's not get ahead of ourselves! The Cards have to win Game 6 before there is a Game 7! And they got the monkey off their back in that they won a game in St. Louis this time around. Behind the same guy who's throwing on Wednesday.

[Cyclopean Squid]

Funny, anyone who said that St. Louis was done with 1 out to go was celebrating prematurely. You are saying Houston is done with 54 outs left. Thank you, but the 'Stros have been counted out so many times this season it's become a cliche in itself. They play the games for a reason. Kudos to Pujols but he won the game, not the series.

[Diddle E. Squat]

There was some talk about the Astro's mini celebration after game 4 on Sunday by Cards players. I think some of the Cards players and fans thought the Stros were celebrating just a little too much without the 4th win.

Which was nonsense. Tony can be a bit of a baby and drama queen.

[Gypssy]

This is deja vu from last year. As a Cardinal fan, I am stressed over how badly the Cards play in playoffs/series.

Astros seem to be the nemesis of the Cardinals. I was hoping for the Braves!

Go Cards!!!!

[ken5050]

Whoa..I did NOT write the Astros off..I merely said that Game 6 will be very hard for the 'Stros to bounce back from, especially after that depressing flight to StL, thoughts of "what might have been" and the incredible Cards fans...in Game 7..anything can happen..but if there is a game 7..the pressure is definitely on HOuston's back..

[Cyclopean Squid]

Same situation as last year...Houston leads 3-2 going back to Busch...I'm going to be a wreck until Wednesday.

[wordsofearnest]

Buddy of mine was sweating it. He had tickets he paid a lot more than face value for. I made to game 1 of NLCS.

[texasmountainman]

Let's win game six big and get this thing over with. These one run games are bad for my health.

[TravisBickle]

a Chicago St Louis world series would be an absolute war and I would look forward to it very much.

I'm kind of in the same boat. Grew up in Chicago, but have lived in St Louis for 18 years. I'll never forget moving here in July 1987, three months later they won the NL pennant, and I thought, Oh, so THIS is what it's like! I should have moved here sooner!

Of course, I grew up a Cubs fan, as the White Sox were almost like a team from a different city.

[SCALEMAN]

Which was nonsense. Tony can be a bit of a baby and drama queen.

While I'm not a Tony worshiper, I would never classify him as a baby and a drama queen. He is very traditional. No premature celebrations. His main point is focus and concentration, hence the 'no celebration until the number is zero'. Everything he does is geared to keep the goal in mind and keep focus on the immediate task at hand. His motto this year from spring training on has been 'Play a hard 9' and this Cards team exemplifies that.

[SCALEMAN]

By the way, Tony never said anything about the Stros celebrating. That was talk by Cards players, fans and broadcasters, so to attribute that to Tony then call him a drama queen and a baby is sorta off the wall.

[wordsofearnest]

Cards-Chisox equals the Cubbies World Series from Hell!

[rwa265]

Sandburg is telling Cubs fans to root for the Sox.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AooAoI26Bj2RKpJoMK0HYPM5nYcB?slug=rs-whitesox101705&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

[rwa265]

Oops. That should be Sandberg.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Yeah, I should have included the team and Card fans as whiners. If a single Astro had cracked a smile after Game 4, some of ya'll would have moaned about excessive celebration. Look at the Game 4 thread, plenty of petty carping, then hardly a single post from any Cards fans on the Game 5 thread until after that homer, then out comes the smack talk. Some Card fans are very wise about the game, some are the best, but others sure know how to moan. Also was not impressed with Tony's theatrics in his game 4 ejection.

[F16Fighter]

"This textbook managing drives me nuts. Keep the setup guy in, if he starts faltering, THEN bring in Lidge.

Ozzie Guillen has got the right idea...if it aint broke, dont fix it!"

I wish somebody'd tell Joe Torre while they're at it (although imo he's managed his last Yankee game) .

If a pitcher has his good stuff, let 'em ride it in.

[Libertarian444]

Not surprisinly, the BSG has a few thoughts about the game last night....

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/051018

[wordsofearnest]

Lighten up Francis !

[SCALEMAN]

Yeah, I should have included the team and Card fans as whiners. If a single Astro had cracked a smile after Game 4, some of ya'll would have moaned about excessive celebration.

It wasn't whining about excessive celebration, it was a comment about premature celebration. Knoledgeable fans, broadcasters and players, know that anything can happen and no lead is inviolate. As a contrast, when the Cards went 2 up on the Padres, they shook hands and walked off the field reminding each other that it ain't over til it's over. Walker made a comment after last nights game about looking into the Stros dugout and seeing them dancing and celebrating in the bottom of the 8th and top of the 9th. Hell even the broadcasters had the Stros in the WS after the 7th.

Look at the Game 4 thread, plenty of petty carping, then hardly a single post from any Cards fans on the Game 5 thread until after that homer, then out comes the smack talk.

Personally I don't get on the net during the game, I'm too into it or at the game. Hell I wasn't even home during game 4 and won't be home for game 6. I didn't even know I was pinged on this thread until after it was over.
There is always smack talk, no matter which team is playing and it's not just a Cards fans thing. Look at the past threads with all the BoSox, Yankees Indians smack talk.

Some Card fans are very wise about the game, some are the best, but others sure know how to moan.

As can be said for any team.

Also was not impressed with Tony's theatrics in his game 4 ejection.

Tony was just doing his job, which was to try and get the team fired up and let the Ump know that his strike zone was too variable. Any manager worth his salt would have done the same. After putting up with the changing strike zone all night, he had to do something. I would wager if the Stros had been behind and the same types of pitches were called there would have been some type of reaction by the Stros manager.