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STL sports chat with Jeff Gordon

Submit your Cardinals, Rams, Blues and Mizzou questions NOW; join columnist Jeff Gordon for a live discussion starting at 11 a.m.

by Mike Smithon Sep 21, 2012 at 11:30 AM

I was at the game on Saturday. It was very disappointing. The Missouri fans do not travel well and neither did the team. They were not ready to play. The gameplan was poor and there were no adjustments made. We have to give Pinkel credit for getting the program to this point, but the question is whether he is the right coach to take them any further.

by HiltonHeadMatt 9/24/2012 4:01:23 PM
The Gamecocks were bigger, faster and stronger. The adjustment the Tigers needed to make at halftime was to get a lot bigger, faster and stronger.

by Jeff Gordon 9/24/2012 4:02:11 PM
Assuming Berkman retirement and Lohse goes elsewhere, where do those guys' 20-some-odd million go? 2013's payroll obligations as of now are about 92m, 2012's is about 112m.

by david l. 9/24/2012 4:03:04 PM
Several players will get big raises in their current deals, which is reflected in the '13 commitment. Freese will cash in big with arbitration. So will Motte. Boggs will get a big bump. Rzepczynski will get a raise, even with a so-so year. The team will try to extend Adam Wainwright, which could add a bonus to the '13 pile. That will take up the bulk of it.

by Jeff Gordon 9/24/2012 4:06:13 PM
Gordo, Never have been a fan of Dyar Miller, could it be that some of the bullpen inconsistencies are due to lack of good bullpen coaching?

by Hoolie Hoosier 9/24/2012 4:06:34 PM
Motte saves 40 games, Boggs emerges as a nice eighth-inning guy, Mujica pitches much better here than he did in Florida, Freeman and Rosenthal arriving well ahead of schedule to chip in . . . that is pretty good. Bullpen coaching not a problem here.

by Jeff Gordon 9/24/2012 4:08:32 PM
Gordo, After 2 games in the SEC do you believe that MIZZOU will have to change from the spread offense? These 2 games show the real distance between the Big 12 an SEC. The SEC is more like the NFL an the spead doesn't work well in the NFL.

by Bob 9/24/2012 4:08:40 PM
Mizzou will need to recruit bigger, faster and strong players, especially at running back. They can keep some spread elements, but they need to be able to muscle up.

by Jeff Gordon 9/24/2012 4:10:28 PM
Gordo, how would you see the postseason pitching staff shaping up, assuming we make the NLDS? I've got Lohse, Carp (assuming health), Wainwright, Garcia, Lynn, Kelly, Motte, Boggs, Mujica, and Scrabble as givens. Rosenthal, Miller, Freeman, and Salas are the candidates. I'd go with Rosenthal and if he throws well, Freeman. What do you think?

by Justin 9/24/2012 4:10:41 PM
Westbrook's demise makes it pretty easy. I like Rosenthal in there. I'd take Salas for his experience. The fact the team can set one roster for the play-in game and change it for the NLDS if it wins creates some intrigue. The Cardinals may go with fewer pitchers for that one game, for instance, and put more position players in the mix. You could see something funky.

by Jeff Gordon 9/24/2012 4:15:21 PM
Gordo, Since Wong went to the AFL do you believe he will get everychance to be the startig 2B next yr ? Also do you believe the Cardinals will try to acquire a SS in the offseason like a Andrus from Texas ? What would it take to acquire Andrus ?

by Bob 9/24/2012 4:15:30 PM
Wong will have the same chance to move up that Matt Adams did, following the same path. He could jump up to the bigs next year as needed. Will the Rangers trade Andrus? We'll see, Texas tends to destroy pitchers with Nolan Ryan demanding high pitch counts, so the Rangers figure to demand pitching of they. And trading pitching for a position player doesn't excite me. I wouldn't trade Miller, Rosenthal, Kelly, Lynn, Martinez or Boggs. Pitching is too important.

by Jeff Gordon 9/24/2012 4:18:10 PM
Two games up in the loss column over Milwaukee....take two of three from Houston....we usually play tough against the Reds, two out of three?.....so I'd say that the Washington series is make or break. Win only one and we tie/loose the WC to Milwaukee. What's your take?

by mdpnoh 9/24/2012 4:18:23 PM
Can't lose to the Astros, for starters. Baker dislikes the Cards, so I don't see him pulling the chute in that series. Washington may take it easy at the end, we'll see about that. Milwaukee figures to keep winning, so the Cards better maintain a "can't lose" approach from here on out.

by Jeff Gordon 9/24/2012 4:19:44 PM
Jeff, will the Cards most likely recive a compensatory draft pick if Lohse exits the team as is expected?

by Mark D. 9/24/2012 4:20:14 PM
Yes.

by Jeff Gordon 9/24/2012 4:24:56 PM
Did our offense just get exposed as weak? We did ok against what now look like poor defenses, and horrible against a good defense. Given the level of defenses in our division, should we be worried?

by Shepdog 9/24/2012 4:25:12 PM
If the Rams can't block, then moving the football will be problematic. And, yes, there are some great defenses in the NFC West. Rams fans SHOULD be worried. That is why I did not budge off my six-victory projection after last week's victory.

by Jeff Gordon 9/24/2012 4:26:28 PM
Jeff: Always look forward to your chat. Thanks. Fans are rightfully upset with the play of the Rams against the Bears. That game was theirs to take, save for some mind boggling play calling, an O-line that couldn't block, and WR's who couldn't get open or catch. The NFL is a copy cat league, so look for Rams opponents to adopt the same philosophy as the Bears. Rush three or four and drop the rest back. The Rams can't cover a simple screen pass, so look for a lot more of those. And the Bears always run a lot of screen passes. You'd think they'd have been ready for those. They are a young team and it showed. They are also devoid of a lot of talent and that showed as well. It will be a long season for them. At least the Redskins lost again.

by CuriousGeorge 9/24/2012 4:26:46 PM
If most teams rush just three or four, they won't get the same pressure the Bears did. Chicago has the personnel to get great pressure in its base look, as Andrew Luck found out. As for the Rams defense, it allowed just 274 yards in a road game where the Rams offense died. That is a strong showing.

by Jeff Gordon 9/24/2012 4:29:29 PM
Why does motte sniff his hat all the time?

by swga 9/24/2012 4:29:39 PM
Everybody has habits. He likes to take off the cap and rub his head.

by Jeff Gordon 9/24/2012 4:30:04 PM
Good Monday Jeff. Jeff I really like Coach P. and appreciate what he's done for the program. However I do not know if in the long run he is the man to take it even higher in the SEC. Sure we need more talent. That's a given but what about an upgrade in coaching talent? I am not a big fan of his staff.

by mightymike 9/24/2012 4:30:14 PM
Mizzou will have to improve its talent base and its tactical range to get to the high side of .500 in this conference. Best players and many of the best coaching staffs as well.

by Jeff Gordon 9/24/2012 4:31:12 PM
I've lived near Atlanta 7 years now, and for the first 3 or so I talked up the big 12. But now I am a believer. The SEC is the best. When Alabama comes calling, it won't be pretty.

by swga 9/24/2012 4:31:21 PM
No, it won't.

by Jeff Gordon 9/24/2012 4:31:29 PM
What are your thoughts on Mizzou basketball. Big time recruits looking at the program, with a few already commited. Are the tigers a definite national championship contender in your mind?

by Jack 9/24/2012 4:31:37 PM
Yes. The Tigers have excellent and experienced guards running the show and an army of scorers and big men. Frank Haith upgraded his coaching staff, too, so Mizzou should be able to sort it all out.

by Jeff Gordon 9/24/2012 4:32:43 PM
The Tigers need to really step up recruiting - and that means getting away from Texas and focusing on the southeast. The move to the SEC shouldn't have been a big surprise after what has been going on in the Big 12 for several years, so I have to wonder why Mizzou hasn't put more resources into the southeast, especially since the area has been so dominant for so long. If you want to win don't you go where the winners come from instead of trying to compete for the TX/OK leftovers - and I think the SE leftovers are still better pickings in the long view. Your take?

by Tony Albers 9/24/2012 4:32:58 PM
Mizzou did shift some focus to the Southeast once the move was final. But for a while, at least, they will be fighting for leftovers. It will take take time to establish a brand. Meanwhile the Tigers better find ways to win some games.

by Jeff Gordon 9/24/2012 4:33:53 PM
All kidding aside, Kroenke should really consider hiring a third party to draft WRs for the Rams. Sure, maybe it is the fact that the last three regimes have targeted such receiver hotbeds as Hawaii, Houston, UC, App State, but how many more misses can one team have? WR is the new TE, in terms of Rams' draft fultility.

by Tackleberry 9/24/2012 4:34:07 PM
Fans have written off Givens and Quick three games into their career. A little soon for that.

by Jeff Gordon 9/24/2012 4:34:38 PM
It seems clear that the Rams offensive line needs to be a priority in the off-season. They protected Bradford fairly well and opened running lanes for Richardson and Jackson in the Redskins game and we see how efficient the offense was then. They did not in the Bears game and we see the result. The defense played fairly well, especially in the second half and seems to be improving overall. So, while games like yesterday may be frustrating in the short run, it seems that significant strides have already been made in improving certain position groups. It's just not possible to completely remake the team in a single off-season, I just think a little patience is in order. The coaching staff's approach is sound we're just going to see ups and downs from week to week until they can address the offensive line in the coming off-season. My biggest concern is Sam Bradford's health over the course of the season.

by Craig 9/24/2012 4:34:53 PM
The Rams lost three offensive starters to long-term injuries -- and the group was a juggernaut to start with. Fisher's coaching staff is in for a stern test. The Rams can't repeat what happened Sunday too often this season or else the W-L record will resemble last year's failure.

by Jeff Gordon 9/24/2012 4:37:01 PM
It's disturbing to read that Bradford wasn't looking off his receivers. The Bears D said Bradford started at his receivers every time. Is this an issue?

by Shepdog 9/24/2012 4:37:10 PM
If they said he was locked in, then it was an issue. Part of that could be the lack of confidence in remaining upright while going through the progressions. When he got protection -- in Detroit and at home against Washington -- he was one of the league's top-rated passers.

by Jeff Gordon 9/24/2012 4:38:20 PM
Jeff: How can a guy who has only played two games in a tough professional sport have the gall to berate his opponents style of play when his own teams does the same? I wonder what RGIII thinks of the way the Bengal's played?

by CuriousGeorge 9/24/2012 4:38:30 PM
Some hard lessons ahead. RGIII is a talent, for sure, but he is also a target.

by Jeff Gordon 9/24/2012 4:38:56 PM
Harsh dose of reality on Sunday. The Bears knocked the Rams back into it. We are not talented enough to overcome dumb penalties and botched big play chances yet. The O'line is what it is. If there is any bright spot in the loss it's that once again the Rams had a chance to win another game in the 4th. Hate to see us loss but the ship is sailing in the right direction.

by mightymike 9/24/2012 4:39:07 PM
As long as the Rams can keep the losses from snowballing, then they can stay on a generally constructive course.

by Jeff Gordon 9/24/2012 4:39:36 PM
Jeff: What's your over/under on the NHL having a season this year? Why should fans even support the wacko group of big market owners?

by CuriousGeorge 9/24/2012 4:39:44 PM
If the NHL doesn't play, you could see wholesale ownership turnover and possibly contraction. So I believe we'll see at least a partial season.

by Jeff Gordon 9/24/2012 4:40:19 PM
Turning a double play is like eating apple pie...and..uhhh...hugging Grandma" Is Mike Shannon awesome or what

by Gross 9/24/2012 4:40:27 PM
Keeps you guessing.

by Jeff Gordon 9/24/2012 4:40:36 PM
How much has Pete Kozma enhanced his standing with the big club? Do they now see him as a viable back-up and insurance policy for Furcal, and they will back off on their pursuit of a SS, or do they see him as just another guy who has made an impact early in his career only to fade later? (i.e. Bo Hart)

by Justin 9/24/2012 4:40:47 PM