Ordained

From the College of Cardinals

Last Friday night, the Cardinals were victorious and won a hard fought see saw 7 game World Series.

Tony La Russa was elected from the College of Cardinals as their new pope.

Not by vote, as in the picture above, but by twitter, by blog, by fans, and by media alike. A little too much adulation for my liking, but in Saint Louis, where they take their baseball as seriously as they take their religion, winning their 11 th title in 2011 is not coincidental, it is divine right or rite.



The last game was not anything like Game 6, but had no chance of coming close. A brief Texas lead was erased, and then a melt down inning of gaffs and walks and then the walls caved in ultimately. Plus, and I am not in this corner, Ron Washington seemed to have been out managed by the Big Giant Head of LaRussa. 

Wash spurned any talk of a Derek Holland start in Game 7, despite the superlative 8 plus innings he churned out.  No, Matt Harrison would make this start, and come hell or high water ( there's that Biblical reference again ) he was not gonna waver.  No flooding of the Mississipi was observed either.

This series might go down as the sloppiest played by both teams, who at times looked like the 62' Mets, the Alphons and Gaston ( not Cito ), the you take I don't want it. And so far the numbers reflected a lack of interest in the north east and southwest ( NY and LA markets ).

What will be written about as people reflect back is the moves made by Cardinals in July, getting Ed. Jackson, Dotel, the Zepper , adding Rhodes and Furcal, and moving McLellan into the pen. Bold moves,indeed and when you look at their late August, and September run, they all fell into place. Of course the Braves foldup made all the whole thing possible or the Phills might have waltzed into the Classic.

A sign was held prior to the last fly out by Murphy  that said 11' in 11', and 5 in 12', a reference to winning their 11th title in 2011, and to keeping Pujols for 2012, and if there are baseball Gods, the Cards will retain their star, and he will retire along side Musial, Gibson, and other legandary greats to play in Saint Louis.

It is ordained.

Good bye Baseball season 2011, hello off season.

Game 7 - Time for Magic to Unfold

Freeze that moment.

It's the bottom of the 11th, 9-9 tie, several lead changes, comebacks galore. And then David Frees steps to the plate.

A high drive...a deep drive, and the ball lands on the grassy noll in dead centre with fans pouring from the bleachers to try and get to the ball.

High 5's, and hugs, in the Rangers dugout there is no smiles, just the thought that we had this one, twice in the bag.

I am sure the Phillies thought that in Rd 1, nope, did not happen. Then the Brewers were the favourite, nope, that didn't happen either.  Onto a World Series and another underdoggy position.

Last time if memory serves the Cards played a home game and it was a Game 7 was in '68.

Think the Twins series was in Minny, but I can proven wrong.

In '68, Gibson faced Denny McLain and was defeated. That year McLain had won 31 games for the Tigers, all Gibson did was finish with a modern era record for ERA at 1.12.

We won't have near the pitching match up this time, but it is a Game 7, and they usually do not disappoint.

There will be magic, in some form, maybe another walk off hit, another Napoli ket RBI, a Nelson Cruise Missle home run, a great performance from the man they call Albert.

If this the last game Albert Pujols plays in a Cardinals jersey, do you think he will have one for the ages.

Pitching tonight..acc to Washington it's Harrison, but I think it's a guy named WholeStaff, anyone available, and those that aren't. Like the cliche, there ain't no tomorrow, well there is, just no Game 8.

For those that will watch, myself included, I expect more magic.

Strap yourself in, let the Games begin.

World Series Time

Well what's happening in baseball these days, the Texas Rangers are making their second straight appearance and the wild card Cardinals have made it by beating the best team in baseball ( Philly ) and the the team they could not catch ( Milwaukee ) in their division.

Nothing else going on in baseball unless you consider Terry Francona leaving Boston, and the subsequent news that Theo Epstein is trying to join the Cubs, and drunken chicken eaters in the clubhouse, are worth talking about.
And the ownership of Red Sox was "not on board" with the Carl Crawford signing either.

The shenanigans in Boston have over shadowed the playoffs, to the extent it has become thee baseball story instead of the meeting of the 2 league champions.
Why is this happening ?

Well, partly because the Yankees bowed out, Sox never made it, no NY/ Calif major TV market has a team in the Series. No compelling stories, no 4 Philly rotation of the apocolypse , and not even the plucky Rays could garner any national attention.

Holliday, aka "moth man" has had large impact on Cards fortunes, along with David Freese, Lance Berkman, Yadier Molina, and a no name bull pen.

Rangers have a solid 1-9 line up, and deep bull pen, but starting pitching has been spotty for both teams, and that usually ends up mulitiple pinch hitting, and trips to the mound, double switches, so I won't insult you with who will win.



My personal bias is to my long time affection with the Cards, and the extra home game may play a deciding factor.  If so, Prince Fielder's winning RBI in the All Star game may prove impactful.


Unless the rains wash tonights game, it all starts tonight.

Yankees

Yanks depart the post season, pockets empty, promises unfulfilled and fans unhappy.  I guess a $180 million dollar payroll or whatever it is does not guarantee happiness.

The previous off season saw the Bronx Bombers unable to attract big name pitchers, but I suspect they will try and lure CJ Wilson, as will the Red Sox, Rangers and Cubs. All that guarantee is Wilson's family will be well taken care of.

They managed to cobble a rotation out of CC, Hughes, Nova, Freddy Garcia and Bart Colon, plus AJ Burnett. It was enough, bolstered by a deep pen, and relenting offense to win the division, but fell short of another series appearance.  Knowing the penchant for continual success, one would anticipate Brian Cashman looking at ways to dangle rookies ( Montero/ Betances ) to acquire veteran arms, or simply buy a pair. 

If the Yanks have serious trouble buying talent, I think they will ask the Federal Government to inspect their cash for fraudulent bills, since no one seems to want to take their greenbacks.

Arod made the last out trying to steal. Last time the Yanks lost a playoff game or series ender was 1926, when Babe Ruth tried to steal on the Cardinals, and was shot down. 1926 series was chronicled in Ken Burns BASEBALL as a series the Yanks were not supposed to lose, but 42 year old gin soaked Grover Cleveland 3 times defeated them, the last time in relief, supposedly still hung over from winning the previous game.

Pitching beat the Yanks, first by not getting any, and then by the Tigers, who as it was discovered, had just enough. 

Would not be suprised to see James Shields in a Yankees or Red Sox uniform next spring, if it's Boston, the Bombers may have to repeat the efforts of the 2011 squad. Which won't be easy.

Playoff Banter

 I like the last few days of the regular season because there was intrigue, drama, unlike the post season where seemingly predictable series should wind up shortly.

Rangers beat Rays, and their depth and there rested pitching staff was integral, plus a 1-9 hitting line up rivaled by the Yanks. Rays had little left in the tank, and will likely face another off season of concern. Home crowds were some of the worst attendance numbers in 30 years.  Rumors swirl that Shields , due to collect $ 7 million then higher in 2013, 14, will be next.  Is even David Price safe to buy in Tampa ?

 The Tigers will regret not taking AJ Burnett to the wood shed, as the Yankees are expected to advance to play Texas for the pennant. So a repeat of last year, advantage Rangers, even with no Cliff Lee.

The D Backs have done yeoman work, but winning is another thing, the Brewers and Phillies will survive scares and advance so that series will be a much better one than the AL version.

I see the Phils winning based on rotation depth, and experience and 2 starts from Doc. 

Lot's of Theo Epstein and Francona rumours at least until the Cubs name a successor, plus open jobs with the White Sox, and possibly Seattle, or the Mets. Expect to hear the name Bobby Valentine repeatedly, but there is no great fit for the BIG EGO that is Valentine.

If you listen carefully, Taps is playing in Boston and Atlanta

A Shakespearian tragedy has played out in two cities where baseball is played , and the locals are worshipped, while in the racous downtowns of St. Louis and Tampa Bay, they celebrate like it's Mardi Gras.

Tragedy is nothing new to Red Sox Nation, watching Scott Brosius and Aaron Boone and Bucky "Freakin" Dent. Somewhere Ben Affleck just used a swear word and RAys fans woke up saying " we can buy playoff tickets ? ", and then they won't.

Atlanta is not a stranger to Greek tragedy themselves, but for their lone World Series over Cleveland, they have had hearts broken as many times as the Buffalo Bills.

In Massechusetts, rabid fanatics are asking for sharp objects to be locked up, as Celts are very inactive, and beloved Sox went 7-22 in a meltdown rivalling 3 Mile Island. Maybe the Patties losing to the Bills is another omen, that this ain't your year Boston.

Sitting alone in his office deep in the bowels of Fenway, manager Terry Francona sits at his desk, with a bottle of Wild Turkey, and the record player on , with the strains of a Patsy Cline song "Crazy" playing in the background. 

Terry will not be canned, there are too many guilty faces in the locker room, Adrian Gonzalez, Daniel Bard, Josh Beckett and others had swoons at the worst time. We may hear about bogus injuries to help these guys save some face, but in the end, this not anything new in Boston.

Flags now flying at half mast in Boston.

How the mighty have fallen

Good God, I first must apololgise for the lack of content lately, damn bosses, too many projects, no support, and the damn new dog keeps needing to get up in the night to pee.

Guys shoes I don't want to be in right now,

Terry Francona - he will keep his job, I don't think that Theo Epstein is going to make rash moves, just blow up the pitching staff is all.
I think any rotation dependant on John Lackey, Dice K, and even Tim Wakefield was doomed to start with, and add in oft injured Eric Bedard, and that is a recipe for disaster.

Over in the National League, the Bravos are having their own issues, and I see hundreds of candles lit outside Turner Field, and hosannas were heard after the Astros dealt the Saint Louie's a near fatal blow. Cards are still only 1 back, so there's hope and the Phils are just sending out Lee, Oswalt, I mean Atlanta must think, give us Blanton, give us a raw rookie, but nooooo, the Phillies are playing this right the end, getting their major league leading 100 the victory.

Oh and the rumours are now true, The Oz is out on the south side of Chicago, and his new address is Miami Beach, to manage the 2012 Marlins.

Prayer never worked in Chicago Oz, you better have a plan for managing a low budget crew.

Second last game for the home squad, and with injuries, and surgeries, and new borns, it has been hard to field a decent line up .

My 83 game prediction is now toast, but according to Paul Beeston we have most of the building blocks in place, just asfew tweaks...and hold on a second..a few tweaks...we got holes at second, maybe centre field, 3 fifths of the rotation, the entire bullpen except Janssen, and left field is still a question mark. But that is what the off season is for, optimism.

Upcoming blog will be my review of Moneyball.