Apparently, Mike Matheny is a four-time Gold Glove catcher who’s never managed. I guess Tony Francona was too experienced? What do I know. When I heard Matheny’s name as the replacement for La Russa, I thought they had hired Pat Metheny.
Posts Tagged ‘Cardinals’
And The Cardinals’ New Manager Is….
Sunday, November 13th, 2011WS Game 7: Congrats, Cardinals
Friday, October 28th, 2011This one didn’t have much drama compared to last night’s game – how could it? – but big hat tip to the Cardinals for coming back from the dead yet again.
(Hey, it’s almost Halloween. Might as well post a creepy pic.)
When the Rangers jumped out to the early lead, I figured they were determined not to let another championship slip through their fingers. But the Cardinals came right back and never let up. And that was basically that. They were improbable contenders and now they’re improbable winners, not unlike the Giants were last year. They played with a lot of heart and, while not always perfect in their execution, they scored runs when they needed to.
I’m sad that baseball is officially done, although I won’t miss Buck/McCarver saying over and over: “This could be the last time we see Albert Pujols wear a Cardinals uniform.” We had a joke in my house. I kept saying to Michael: “This could be the last time we see Albert Pujols eat sunflower seeds in a Cardinals uniform” and “This could be the last time we see Albert Pujols sit in the dugout in a Cardinals uniform.” (You get the picture.)
Now we can move on to Yankees business. First up: CC.
Happy Almost Halloween.
OMG! That Game 6 Was A Classic!
Thursday, October 27th, 2011
Photo: Chris Lee/Post-Dispatch
I did my usual half-assed job of watching tonight’s game – in the beginning. Both teams were playing sloppy baseball and I figured whoever made the fewest errors would win.
But then things got really interesting and I couldn’t look away even if I’d wanted to. Talk about an insane, amazing, unbelievable battle. It was the stuff that classic World Series games are made of.
And after watching those bullpens, how much did everybody appreciate Mo? I pray he never retires. Seriously.
The Rangers got to within seconds of their first championship – more than once – and they couldn’t make it happen. The Cardinals wouldn’t let them. Freese was the walkoff hero, but how about the former Fat Elvis?
I’m glad I wasn’t in the Texas clubhouse after that one. FOX kept showing Nolan Ryan (including the shot where he appeared to be sucking his thumb). I thought the Rangers would win it after Josh Hamilton played the Kirk Gibson role, but no. They gagged.
And now we fans get a Game 7. Oh boy!
Game 6 Rained Out Without A Whole Lot Of Rain
Wednesday, October 26th, 2011Okay, I’m sure I’ll get an argument about this, but why would MLB and the Cardinals/Rangers cancel a World Series game because rain was in the forecast? I just went on Weather.com and here’s what their forecast is for St. Louis as of right now (it’s 6:30 pm here in California):
Through 2am: Light rain. The rain will come to an end by 8pm. Cloudy with temperatures steady or falling to near 49F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.
“The rain will come to an end by 8pm.” That’s what it says.
So my question is, would it have been the worst thing in the world to play under those conditions? Or play and have a delay? Isn’t weather an aspect of the quest for a championship? Don’t teams have to battle the elements as well as each other?
I get that rain is no fun for the fans who paid good money to attend the game. I get that it can cause injuries to the players if the field is slick. I get that it’s a drag on the starting pitchers if they can’t come back out after a delay and the pen is taxed. But isn’t all that part of earning a ring – that whichever team can overcome adversity deserves to win?
WS Game 5: Talk About A Momentum Change
Monday, October 24th, 2011I thought the Cardinals had this game won, despite the setting. But once the score was tied, it was a matter of time before the Rangers did what they had to do.
As I watched Napoli, both offensively and defensively, I kept wondering if the Angels had trader’s remorse.
Photo: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
Why would you get rid of this guy? And for Vernon Wells? Maybe he’s not the best catcher in the majors, although he’s been more than decent in the postseason. He’s a professional hitter and always has been. I’d take him.
Moving on to the Yankees, does anyone have any interest in Roy Oswalt? I do. Sort of. I’d rather have C.J. Wilson but even he doesn’t thrill me. Mostly, I just want the CC business settled. Could we please have news about the opt-out already?
WS Game 4, Etc.
Sunday, October 23rd, 2011I didn’t watch any of tonight’s game (I was at a friend’s birthday dinner), but the Cardinals’ offense certainly was shut down, wasn’t it? What a difference a pitcher makes.
Joe Torre announced that he, on behalf of MLB, will be “looking into” the drinking in the Red Sox clubhouse. Will he investigate the chicken eating too?
In other Red Sox news, Theo Epstein bid farewell to the fans in a full-page Boston Globe ad.
If Cashman doesn’t get re-signed by Hal and Co., will he take an ad in the NYT thanking us? I would certainly hope so.
WS Game 3 Thoughts
Saturday, October 22nd, 2011Actually, I don’t have many thoughts – just these, in no particular order of importance:
What a stupid fan who threw that ball on the field and interrupted play. Jeez.
With all due respect to the serviceman who sang “God Bless America” tonight, I really prefer it without the “American Idol” trills. I don’t need the “and the homeemememememememe of the braaaaaaaave.”
The Rangers must be wondering how it’s possible that they’re not the ones scoring all those runs.
It would be refreshing if FOX/MLB would advertise to women instead of just giving us commercials for cars and Viagra.
Albert Pujols reminds me of Bluto in the Popeye cartoons.
Is it spring training yet?
If I’m The Cardinals, Ouch!
Thursday, October 20th, 2011
I had all but turned off the TV in the ninth when the Rangers staged their surprising comeback. Well, it’s not surprising that they can hit. It’s surprising that the Cardinals’ pen allowed the runs and that Albert Pujols couldn’t make that play on the relay. I said out loud, “Tex would have had that.” Which only made me miss the Yankees more. Sigh.
It’s Time For A Female GM
Wednesday, October 19th, 2011I watched bits of tonight’s World Series opener while I was making dinner. It looked like a tight, well-played game for the most part and I congratulate the Cardinals on the win.
The piece of news that really grabbed my attention though was the story on MLB.com and elsewhere that the Angels are interviewing Kim Ng for their GM position.
Photo: MyNCAA.org
Ng was Cashman’s assistant GM before she went west to fill the same spot for the Dodgers and now works in Torre’s department in the Commissioner’s Office. She’s interviewed for GM jobs with plenty of teams and keeps getting passed over for a guy. Will she break the glass ceiling this time around?
I really hope the Angels aren’t just talking to her because she’s a woman and, therefore, they’d be fulfilling their obligation to interview minorities. Somebody someplace will step up and make her the first female GM so it might as well be the Angels.
Did anybody see ESPN’s E:60 special on Dwight Gooden tonight? I was all set to watch it but finding it on my stupid Cox cable lineup was harder than I imagined. Gooden tweeted that the show was on at 8 pm, as did ESPN’s web site, so I figured that meant eastern time; I turned on the show at 5pm my time. Nope. Not on. Okay, I thought. Maybe it’s 8 pm nationwide. Nope. Not on then either. I checked Cox’s web site and discovered it was on at 6pm here. Does that make any sense? Why advertise your original programming, ESPN, and then make it impossible for viewers to find it?
I did find a clip of the special. Oh, Doc. It’s one thing for those silly Red Sox pitchers to drink beer in the clubhouse, but did you really have to do cocaine during the Mets’ ticker tape parade?
At least he’s sober now and seems to have turned his life around.
Rangers Vs. Cardinals in WS
Sunday, October 16th, 2011Personally, I don’t care which team wins.
But if I were to pick a favorite, here’s how I would weigh things:
I still have some anti-Rangers sentiment because they beat the Yankees so recently and there was all that silly business about our fans being mean to Mrs. Lee, not to mention the even sillier Antlers and Claws worn by the fans in Arlington.
On the other hand, I’m usually a rooter for the American League team, which would put me squarely in the Rangers’ camp, plus I’m not big on the Wild Card team winning it all; I think the teams that win divisions should play each other.
All that aside, Friend of the Blog Jeff is a Cardinals diehard. He commented here the other day that he plans to go to his first ever World Series game. How can I root against his guys?
On the other hand (apparently, I have more than two), Jeff trashes A-Rod way too much on his blog, so why should I root for Pujols?
As I said at the top, I’m pretty neutral. May the best team win.
P.S. There’s been technical trouble with the blog again, so if you can’t comment the first time, try again!
