mulder!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Go Cardinals]

he's back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! if he stays healthy.............. cards ws champs in 08? cards vs rays? :)

[KCGHOST]

If the Cards could win it all with the team they had in 2006 anything is possible.

[StanTheMan]

Wainwright and Carpenter returning (soon and at full effectiveness) are MUCH more critical than Mulder, who could not get ANYONE out during his minor league rehab stint.

[hubkittel]

If the Cards could win it all with the team they had in 2006 anything is possible.

My immediate response to this was "Truer words have never been spoken" but I'm not so sure. The 2006 team was the remnants of a great team that had never gotten over the hump (kind of like the Royals in 85). What people forget about the 2006 team was that they were on pace to win 90+ games until the collapse in September. The core of that team had plenty of playoff experience and the bright lights of October wasn't a new experience for them.

This team is different. Lots of new pieces and not too many guys with October experience. 2008 was supposed to be a rebuilding year in anticipation of contending in 2009. The fact that it's July 1st and they have the second best record in the NL, lead the Wild Card, and are within a series sweep of the Cubs of taking over the division is simply amazing. I don't know what to make of these guys but they're fun to watch.

As to Mulder, I'm not getting all that excited. He pitched well, had command, and was throwing with better velocity than we've seen in a long time. But one outing does not a season make. I'm hoping for the best because we can sure use him right now.

[hubkittel]

Wainwright and Carpenter returning (soon and at full effectiveness) are MUCH more critical than Mulder, who could not get ANYONE out during his minor league rehab stint.

Last I heard was that Carp wouldn't be back until late August. I also heard last week that Wainwright has yet to pick up a baseball so I would think that early August would be the earliest he could make it back (in a best case scenario). And Clement probably isn't going to make it back at all this year.

I don't think the calvary is coming. Or Mulder is the calvary.

[Senior skittles]

you have to win on the road in the playoffs...and the cards have the second best road record in MLB....1st in the NL! As for mulder...lets wait and see....

[Seattle1]

[StanTheMan]

That's a weird looking picture of Ichiro.

[Go Cardinals]

look:

ankiel, ludwick, and shumaker are all very underrated. This is one of the best lineups that we have had in a while.....


skip, ankiel, ludwick, pujols, glaus..... that's good. Then add molina, ryan, and miles/ kennedy


Also, our pitching has been better then it has in years.....

add a healthy carpenter (one of the best pitchers in baseball)
add a healthy wainwright
add a healthy mulder


I know that's a lot to ask for, but it could all happen.... it could all fall in place, its possible

we would have the greatest problem that a team could ever have.... too many good pitchers (more importantly, starters).

Also, we could trade, because we have a lot of depth this year

[redbirdma]

That strikes me as a recipe for Redbird success in 2009 NOT one for a championship in 2008. I'm just enjoying the hardnosed playing this year, but my hopes are really pinned on next year when those three returning starters should give the Cards one of the best rotations in the big leagues.

[StanTheMan]

I'm hearing the Mulder will start on Wednesday?!?!?!?!?!?! I'm not too excited about this one (just like I was not too excited about this team at the start of the year) so expect a shutout from Mark!!

[hubkittel]

Derrick Goold, over at Bird Land (http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/bird-land/bird-land/2008/07/mulder-returns-to-rotation/), reported today that Mulder is indeed starting on Wednesday against the Phillies. Good move? Bad move? Desperation move? Who knows? I'm just kind of shrugging my shoulders.

[wilkerson_rulz-06]

Derrick Goold, over at Bird Land (http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/bird-land/bird-land/2008/07/mulder-returns-to-rotation/), reported today that Mulder is indeed starting on Wednesday against the Phillies. Good move? Bad move? Desperation move? Who knows? I'm just kind of shrugging my shoulders.

They need to get him back in there as soon as possible, so I say good move.

[hubkittel]

I want to believe. It's just that we've been down this road before. I certainly wish Mulder the best and hope that he's truly healthy. If he can be effective then it's great for the team. If not then we can cut bait. We'll just have to wait and see how he pitches on Wednesday.

[wilkerson_rulz-06]

I want to believe. It's just that we've been down this road before. I certainly wish Mulder the best and hope that he's truly healthy. If he can be effective then it's great for the team. If not then we can cut bait. We'll just have to wait and see how he pitches on Wednesday.

Did this over my lunch break, can be used as a wallpaper (only 1024*768, couldn't find a better res for either Mulder's pic or the background).

[hubkittel]

That's pretty cool. But if we're going to have an X-files themed thread, why did the Cardinals have to get stuck with Mulder? We'd have much more enjoyable pictures if we had an injury-riddled, over-the-hill pitcher named Scully. Of course, I doubt that thread would remain PG and would end up quickly being shut down by a mod.

What the heck. This thread's been crying for a good Scully pic. "Mulder?"

[wilkerson_rulz-06]

That's pretty cool. But if we're going to have an X-files themed thread, why did the Cardinals have to get stuck with Mulder? We'd have much more enjoyable pictures if we had an injury-riddled, over-the-hill pitcher named Scully. Of course, I doubt that thread would remain PG and would end up quickly being shut down by a mod.

What the heck. This thread's been crying for a good Scully pic. "Mulder?"

I was thinking of making some Mark Mulder/Scully avs but the size here at BBF is too small to do anything worthwile.

How about a shot of Mark Mulder pitching to "Scully" at the plate? haha, I don't think I can find a pic like that though.

[hubkittel]

Today is the day. Mulder vs. the Phils. Are we excited yet?

A couple of good Mulder-related posts out there in the ether today-one from Derrick Goold (http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/bird-land/bird-land/2008/07/opening-line-on-mulders-return/) (who predicts 4 1/3 ip, 4 er) and one at Cardinals Diaspora (http://www.cardinalsdiaspora.com/?p=2437) (asking the question "Which of these things is not like the other?"-see photo below and mentally sub Harden for Zimbrano).

[StanTheMan]

Struck out the first.... walked the next two, left the game injured. Good Lord. I knew it.

Ankiel came in and pitched, getting the final 26 outs and preserving the no-hitter.

Insert X-File Photo here that I can't be bothered to even save and post.

Bryan

[Steve Jeltz]

Mulder on his early exit from the game: “I just couldn’t get my arm up. I couldn’t get it to work. I wouldn’t throw right.”

Doesn't sound good.

[hubkittel]

I feel strangely disappointed-all of this for 1/3 ip, 16 total pitches, and another trip to the DL. Under no circumstance will the Cards pick up his option for next year so why don't we just get it over with now? I honestly don't want to hear Mulder-related rehab reports anymore. Two years of this is enough. I don't need to hear it for the rest of the summer.

From Espn.com:


The oft-injured pitcher left his comeback start with more pain in his shoulder after throwing only 16 pitches and recording one out in the first.

The Cardinals said Mulder had left shoulder discomfort and will be evaluated on Thursday.

"It's like a tease because you think everything is OK," Mulder said.

Mulder, coming back from two shoulder operations, made his first start since September and hasn't won a game in 25 months. The former 20-game winner struck out Rollins to start the game but then walked Shane Victorino and Utley.

He was quickly visited by a trainer and manager Tony La Russa. After a brief talk on the mound, Mulder left the game.

Mulder said he felt something wrong on his last pitch to Rollins.

I don't know whether to laugh or cry. But as Dylan once said, "It takes a lot to laugh, it takes a train to cry." I don't know what that means but it seems to fit the absurdity of the moment.

[hubkittel]

Insert X-File Photo here that I can't be bothered to even save and post.

Let me help.

[StanTheMan]

Yep.... the truth is out there indeed, and the truth just might be that "He is Done."

[hubkittel]

Yeah, he's done. Larry Borowsky wrote something interesting over at Viva El Birdos (http://www.vivaelbirdos.com/2008/7/10/568633/marked-down) today. In a nice piece about the aftermath of all of this, he wrote that in the three seasons since Mulder originally got hurt there has been six "incredibly ill-advised c’mon-mulder starts" and that this one did the least damage. While he didn't give up 20 runs or really impact the game, losing your starter after 1/3 or an inning does overextend your bullpen and the effects can impact games for a week or so. We're lucky the all-star break is coming up.

[STLCards2]

Yeah, he's done. Larry Borowsky wrote something interesting over at Viva El Birdos (http://www.vivaelbirdos.com/2008/7/10/568633/marked-down) today. In a nice piece about the aftermath of all of this, he wrote that in the three seasons since Mulder originally got hurt there has been six "incredibly ill-advised c’mon-mulder starts" and that this one did the least damage. While he didn't give up 20 runs or really impact the game, losing your starter after 1/3 or an inning does overextend your bullpen and the effects can impact games for a week or so. We're lucky the all-star break is coming up.

Aw, come on. If he can just get that one successful start to "prove' to himself that he can still do it...that is all he needs. Just one start will do it!:crazy:laugh;)

[StanTheMan]

Aw, come on. If he can just get that one successful start to "prove' to himself that he can still do it...that is all he needs. Just one start will do it!:crazy:laugh;)

Said our Center Fielder....... :eek:

[Senior skittles]

I dont honestly know if the guy will ever make it back...and if he does he probally wont be a cardinal...time to move on...I really liked the guy though