GDT 9/8/15-Cubs (Hammel) @ Cardinals (Wacha) 7:15 CDT

[Jmodene]

Have you ever looked at the games-played totals for earlier seasons? Julian Javier, Ken Boyer, and Bill White each played 161-163 games a season on multiple occasions. Maury Wills played 165 one year.

I understand getting tired, but they're being paid to be out there. But today, even 130-140 games is too much, apparently.

If they don't want to play 162, fine - but then they shouldn't get paid for 162.

[go birds]

Vidor are you "Bean"?

No! I didn't say anything really silly, like claiming we'd be in second place by the end of the West Coast road trip.

Those athletes are too darn coddled. Make 'em ride in ox carts.

oh please youve said ALOT of silly things on the subject.

Im convinced you wont be content until a pitcher's arm literally falls off on the mound and the news outlet reporting doesn't give a spoiler warning.

and the way both teams were playing at the time, it was certainly feasible that we came back home in 2nd place.

[Cheddar Tom]

Have you ever looked at the games-played totals for earlier seasons? Julian Javier, Ken Boyer, and Bill White each played 161-163 games a season on multiple occasions. Maury Wills played 165 one year.

All without the help of amphetamines I'm sure.

The point is that they are human beings who get sore, tired and mentally exhausted like anyone else with a normal job....which makes performing their very challenging job even harder to perform at the high level it demands. Seasoned MLB players understand how to take care of their bodies and condition them for 6 month season and longer....younger players have to figure out the best way for them. It's a process.

[Vidor]

Maybe we should start letting them take amphetamines again.

[Jocephus]

Derrick Goold ‏@dgoold 9m9 minutes ago

Michael Wacha, rainmaker. #stlwx #cardinals

[jerbyrd25]

Have you ever looked at the games-played totals for earlier seasons? Julian Javier, Ken Boyer, and Bill White each played 161-163 games a season on multiple occasions. Maury Wills played 165 one year.

I understand getting tired, but they're being paid to be out there. But today, even 130-140 games is too much, apparently.

If they don't want to play 162, fine - but then they shouldn't get paid for 162.

If everyone is playing 150-160 games a year, then, by comparison, our players aren't getting any more 'wore out' than other teams' players.

If, in today's game, other teams are resting their players more often than we are, our players will, by comparison, look fatigued.

If I play six pick-up basketball games in a row and someone else of equal talent comes in fresh, they are going to kill me. In baseball, this happens all the time with fresh players coming up in September.

[Jmodene]

I'm sure amphetamines helped maintain energy levels over the course of a season.

OTOH, yesterday's athletes didn't have the advantages of better nutrition and year-round conditioning, to say nothing of all the advances in medical care compared with then.

As I said on the other thread, the problem is that nobody, with rare exceptions like Molina, wants to play 150 games any more; they don't want to be out there if they're feeling less than 100% which is almost never.

We need to either cut the season down to 110 games to cater to the modern, pampered athlete, or expand rosters to 35 players, so you'll have enough guys to avoid playing anyone more than 100 games and wearing them out.

[MinorLeagueGuy]

Derrick Goold ‏@dgoold 9m9 minutes ago

Michael Wacha, rainmaker. #stlwx #cardinals

So now there's going to be rain? I hope Wacha can weather a few more hours rest in top of the 10 days he's already had..

This is a must win game. Standings be *rammed. We can't allow our rivals to continually bend us over, especially at home.

Edit: *damned. "Rammed", really spellcheck?

[Cheddar Tom]

As I said on the other thread, the problem is that nobody, with rare exceptions like Molina, wants to play 150 games any more; they don't want to be out there if they're feeling less than 100% which is almost never.

Last season 56 players played 150 games or more...in 1965 when players were tougher, 52 players played 150 games or more.

[fanforever]

Chicago

1. Austin Jackson (R) CF
2. Starlin Castro (R) 2B
3. Chris Coghlan (L) LF
4. Anthony Rizzo (L) 1B
5. Kris Bryant (R) RF
6. Miguel Montero (L) C
7. Javier Baez (R) 3B
8. Jason Hammel (R) P
9. Addison Russell (R) SS


St. Louis

1. Matt Carpenter (L) 2B
2. Stephen Piscotty (R) LF
3. Jason Heyward (L) RF
4. Yadier Molina (R) C
5. Brandon Moss (L) 1B
6. Mark Reynolds (R) 3B
7. Greg Garcia (L) SS
8. Jon Jay (L) CF
9. Michael Wacha (R) P