Oracle,the problem with what you say about the Cards (having a poor record compared to others) is that you assume they could only have done as well as they did.I don't believe that.It is a veteran team that had trouble getting the fire going.The facts are that they knew what they had to do to get into the playoffs (as the winner of their division.)If you passed new rules forcing them to win more games in the regular season,then they would probably do what was required of them.You keep repeating that the best teams in baseball are those that have the most wins in the regular season.Well,the regular season is much different than the post-season.You should know that better than anyone else(because the Yanks usually have very little trouble making the post,but have been unsuccessful there lately.)There is a very good reason for that.The post is dominated by good pitching,and the regular season favors teams with the best hitting(Mets,and Yanks...hello.) I told you all season that the Yanks were gunna hit the hardwall come the postseason.I wasn't just talking smack or something.The pitching on the Yanks(at the moment) is not good enough to stop teams in the post.Their pitching works good enough to get ninety some odd wins in the regular season(where they get to unleash their hitters on bad pitchers......pitchers who are not around to beat up on in the post.) Obviously,if the best team in baseball was the one with the most regular season wins,then they would dominate other playoff teams.They don't,and that is because the teams that win the most games in the regular season don't play just playoff teams(they are facing a bunch of average/bad teams as well.)See,what is the Cards specialty,or best asset? Good arms? Well,good arms aren't gunna be good all season.Good bats often can be good for 162 games.Again,I say that the long 162 game regular season favors the big hitting teams.Look at the Dodgers and the Padres.The Dodgers don't have anywhere near their pitching staff,but the 2 teams had the exact same # of wins(again the regular season favors teams that can hit poor pitching..i.e. the Dodgers beat up on Colorado,and the Giants in the last week of the season.)Dodgers were quickly beaten in the post because their pitching is not appropriate for the post(it was,however, adequate enough to tie for a division in the regular season.)
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