A Strange Game

07/27/2012

Cubs 6 Cardinals 9

Dear 'birds,

This was not the type of start

Lance Lynn will write home about-- he coughed up

all six runs.  And he is the first starter since June

to not go at least six innings. But hey, Lance, 

at least your ERA is still under four.

The Cards took Cubs starter Travis Wood deep today. They knocked 

five home runs out of the park-- one for each of the first 

five innings. Matty hit one in the first, Yadi

in the second,  Puma in the third (right-handed!), Baby Carp

in the fourth, and Craig in the fifth. That's historic. A first

in franchise history.

Another thing: the wind wasn't blowing 

out today at Wrigley. Those balls were just hammered.

(And I'm sure that plenty of Cubs fans were the same

way during the course of the game.)

I love beating up on the Cubs. But mostly

I love winning all the time.

I wonder what kind of winning percentage we can

put up from here to the end of the season?

Til Later.

Catching Up

Dear Cardinals,

I have to play catch up today on THREE games. Why? Because I've been lazy. Sorry.

07/22/2012

Cubs 0 Cardinals 7

I am impressed that you guys swept the Cubs. They had been playing good baseball and you all hadn't been, so it left very good vibes. It was the second sweep of the season and first in the NL Central (which, by the way, we need to start playing better in the division, men). The first inning was entertaining with more of those "down the line" doubles from the seventh inning of the previous game.  We outscored the Cubs 23-1 in the series, which I still find hilarious days later. 

07/23/2012

Dodgers 5 Cardinals 3

I figured we were back to the same-old Cardinals after this game. Chad Billingsley hadn't been pitching well, but of course, we go out there and lose.  It was frustrating because it was something I've seen before.  After this game I determined that we weren't going to win a game in this series because this team just didn't want to win.

07/24/2012

Dodgers 2 Cardinals 8

Left-hander Clayton Kershaw, 2011's Triple Crown and Cy Young Award winner, started this game for the Dodgers.  He made the us look silly for four and two-thirds innings, the Dodgers had a 2 run lead that seem insurmountable, but then the we erupted for eight runs over two innings. The sixth inning was strange because the runs piled up quietly and quickly.  Talk about twilight zone. One second the game was tied, some guys reached base, and then somehow six runs touched the plate. Daniel Descalso, the only lefty in the line up, had the first two hits against Kershaw.  Adam Wainwright was batting .071 for the year, (An anomaly because he is a good-hitting pitcher. He has five career home-runs, one of which he hit in his first career at-bat) but he hit a double to bring home the first Cardinal run and a bases loaded walk.

Til Later.

Like a Soundtrack to a July Saturday Night

07/21/2012

Cubs 0 Cardinals 12

Dear Cardinals,

Cardinal's baseball is the soundtrack to my summer. My nights are empty, so empty, on days when the team doesn't play.  I love that there's always a game to keep me company, to occupy those hot idle, afternoon and evening minutes.

Seeing as the Cardinals are a constant  presence in my life, I always check in on the games.  Saturday night, I went to watch Nelly perform at Soldier's memorial for Fair St. Louis. (It was free and so much fun! My sister and I arrived early and got a spot about six rows from the stage. I'm on ear-rest right now, because it was LOUD and I forgot to buy earplugs.)  Before Nelly took the stage, I called my dad to see what was going on at the game.  (I don't have internet on my phone, people!)  He says, "It's nothing-nothing. Sixth inning."  I hang up the phone thinking, oh, it's going to be one of those nights, isn't?

While on the Metrolink after a spectacular show, I called my dad to check up on the game. Nelly had mentioned that the Cardinals had won but he didn't say the score. Here's the transcript:

ME: Hey dad, what did the Cardinals do?

DAD: They won, 12 nothing.

ME: THEY SCORED TWELVE RUNS! How did that happen? How did they do that, it was nothing-nothing in the sixth!

DAD: Yup, they scored twelve runs in the seventh inning.

ME: They scored twelve runs in the seventh! IN ONE INNING!

I watched the replay of the game.  The bottom half of the seventh went on for ages.  When dad saw me watching the game he says, "I feel asleep three times and every time I woke up it was still the seventh inning."

Many amazing things happen in that inning.  Many record setting things happened in that inning. They tied a record for the most doubles in one inning with seven.  They had eight extra base hits, thanks to a Skip Schumaker triple.  They tied the franchise record set in 1926 for most runs in a inning. 

However, the craziest thing to me about that inning is the fact that EIGHT of the twelve runs scored after there were two outs.  Insane.

Til Later.

What does this team need?

07/20/2012

Cubs 1 Cardinals 4

Dear Cards,

WHAT DOES THIS TEAM NEED!?!

Last month we needed starting pitching. Now they are doing well.

And do we really need a starter with Jaime Garcia coming back sometime in August (is this still the case with him on the 60 day DL)?  When he comes back, hopefully he'll be strong enough to pitch well and deep into games, and we can move either Joe Kelly or Lance Lynn into the bullpen which would be a huge help.

But how much longer will Waino be able to pitch?  The Nationals are setting down Stephen Strasburg once he reaches the inning limit the doctor put on his surgically repaired arm.  (Though, now the Nationals are saying if they have a chance at the Series, he will still pitch).

If the Cardinals make the playoffs, will they be able to count on Adam Wainwright to be the workhorse Chris Carpenter was last season?

We need better relievers.  We need the offense to shake this funk they're in.  Last night was the first time since July 8 that the team has scored more than three runs.

I say this all the time, but sometime very soon everything will actually click and this team will roll along winning games like the machine they should be, right?

It will be so awesome if they emulated the 2002 Oakland A's and go on a 20 game win-streak.  I'll love to see that, especially through August, which has typically been the worse months of Cardinals baseball these last few years.

Til Later.

Walk Off Winner!

05/15/2012

Cubs 6 Cardinals 7

Dear Redbirds,

Yadi, you are officially out of the Mississippi River. That walk off hit yesterday afternoon was a thriller!

This was suppose to be a post looking at the numbers showing the ineptitude of the Cardinals this weekend, but that will probably come tomorrow... the game has just come on (West Coast start).

Til Later!

"Happy Flight!" meter:  7/10

Here's the problem

05/14/2012

Cubs 6 Cardinals 4

Dear Deadbirds Cardinals,

If the starters keep bowing out before the seventh or eighth inning, especially in the midst of playing 20 games straight, the arms in the bullpen are going to be in trouble. And ineffective!

The starters have been uninspiring. Pitching scared or something. I feel as though you all are not attacking the strike zone.  The walks are piling up, and they are hurting you!

Someone (or a few someones) in the rotation need to step up and play "stopper!"

The offense needs to start doing some situational hitting! Also, we keep failing to come up with the big hit.  Last night, Allen Craig had a lead off double and was stranded on second.  No one could  even moved him over to third! Come on. 

Does the pitching and hitting have to go bad at the same time? (Although, honestly, the offense is scoring enough runs to win ball games).

One more thing: The defense last night was horrible!

It has been horrible all home stand! Allowing runners to take extra bases because you throw to the wrong base!  Allowing TWO runs on passed balls. Throwing errors!

Remember: PITCHING AND DEFENSE WINS BALL GAMES!   BE AGGRESSIVE BUT PLAY SMART!

Meanwhile you all have lost FOUR straight.  Five games here at home, and thus far FOUR losses. FOUR.

'Til Later

Just saying...

04/25/2012
Cardinals 5 Cubs 1

Dear Lance Lynn,

You are a stud. Don't hate me for thinking that you wouldn't be this good.

Please continue to prove me wrong.

Do you know that you are moving up in fantasy leagues?  I think it's all the strikeouts and the sterling ERA.

I hope that whenever you run into a rough patch, if you run into a rough patch, that it isn't that bad and you are able to weather through it.


'Til Later!

"Happy Flight!" meter: 4/6

I have nothing*

04/24/2012

Cardinals 2 Reds 3

Final/10

Redbirds--

No, seriously. I have nothing. Nothing to say.  Due to last night's poorly written Whitney Houston* Glee episode (*see what I did there?) and the Cardinals team I've watched during this road trip, I am only filled with consternation.

Wait.

I do have a few observations:

1. Umpires SUCK!!

2. Wainwright pitched very well. (And he got a no decision, not a loss! So, we're getting closer to that big W each time out.)

3. Blown saves suck more than umpires, especially on back-to-back nights.

4. The "NL best offense" is currently looking like its worse.

5. Watch Holliday finally stop being the one black hole in the line up only to have all the rest of the guys become a big black hole of suck.

6. What team is going to show up this weekend versus the Brewers? Will we begin May out of first place?

Whoops. Number six is questions... oh well. That is all.

Wait.

I have a suggestion: Win today and make this a .500 road trip. Got it? Cool.

'Til Later

*Meanwhile, I've two song title posts in a row! Whitney killed this song in The Bodyguard:

Enjoy! Maybe it'll brighten up what has been a lousy week in the baseball department.

Don't Stop Believing...

04/23/2012

Cardinals 2 Cubs 3

Dear Cards,

Seriously, boys? Is this how our/your string of consecutive series going to end? At the hands of the Chicago Cubs?

I know, I know there are two more games to play in the series.  It isn't over yet, the fat lady isn't singing, don't stop believing.

Well, I can hear the fat lady running through her vocal exercises.  No offense to Adam Wainwright, but he isn't the same pitcher.  It's not his fault.  He probably won't be the Adam Wainwright of yore until August.

I am hopeful he can hold back the Cubs offense just enough that we can score enough runs to win, but the NL best offense is currently not clicking on all cylinders. (Although, maybe we are.  Yesterday's pitcher, Matt Garza,  is a good pitcher and good pitchers have the annoying tendency of shutting down good hitting.)

We really need to win this game tonight, Wainwright.  Offense, you all need to do your thing tonight (no, not the striking out and leaving a ton of men on base,  the other thing-- getting loads of hits and scoring most of the men who get on base). 

Tonight is MUST WIN if you want to have a rubber game tomorrow, if you want a chance of keeping the streak alive and winning a series tomorrow. (To state the obvious).

Adam was better last time, hopefully he'll improve even more.  Maybe this time you hitters can actually score runs while he's on the mound, too.

I feel like this is the first big test of the season-- a mid-term, if you will. It's like everything else-- Berkman going on the DL, center fielders running into walls-- were quizzes.  Although, Chris Carpenter being out indefinitely is a test.

'Til Later!

PS I hope I'm happy later tonight and not bombed out. 

Baby Birds are Making Noise, Causing a Ruckus

There are three types of ballplayers: those who make it happen, those who watch it happen, and those who wonder what happens. -Roy Campanella

04/15/2012

Cubs 3 Cardinals 10

Dear Baby Birds (previous members of the Memphis Mafia), 

You are awesome! You make it happen.  Last year, Jon Jay wound up playing in 159 games-- the most of any Cardinal.  When David was injured, Daniel Descalso played third base so well that he was a gold glove nominee.  Allen Craig and David Freese became a large part of the post season offense.  Lance Lynn excelled in his playoff bullpen role and has been an awesome starter so far this year.

On Sunday, Matt Carpenter had possibly the greatest day of his professional career-- he went 4 for 4 with five RBIs, a triple and a home run.   I say he was a pretty good sub for his childhood hero, Lance Berkman.

It came to Cardinals Nation's attention that Matt Carpenter will need a nickname-- simply because he shares two names with rather prevalent members of the St Louis Cardinals, Matt Holliday and Chris Carpenter.  A few suggested names (courtesy of St. Louis Post Dispatch's Cards Talk members) were Little Carp, Lil Carp, MC Hammer, T.O. (the other) Carpenter.  My favorite suggestion is knuckles. It definitely fits because he doesn't wear batting gloves!

My favorite thing about the Baby Birds/Memphis Mafia is the fact that you guys have experienced success together in the minor leagues and are now making memories together in the majors.  Plus, Puma says that the thing he likes about the Cardinals young players is that they all come up knowing how to play.  

'Til Later

P.S. Please win tonight-- I'll be in attendance! GO CARDS!

Tossed into the 'ssippi (i.e. those "in the dog house"):

Matt Holliday- Matty hit a long flyout Sunday, he was  warned.
Tyler Greene-  Ugly error on what looked to be a easy, routine play.

Now, that was better...

04/12/2012

Cubs 1 Cardinals 5

Well, Matt Holliday--

Matty, if you hit one more flyout to the warning track, I am tossing you into the 'ssippi river.  (Metaphorically, of course, because you have nearly a foot and a good 120 pounds or so on me.  Also, we need you.)  Usually, I am good judge of whether a ball is staying in the park or not, but in Saturday's game you hit three balls (I think) that had me prepping for my "kiss it goodbye" and "go crazy, folks" routine.  Do you know what it does to one's heart to watch a ball fly 370-ish feet only to die in a fielder's glove?  My heart stops, Matty, and the adrenaline and dopamine and whatever else chemicals that were released for my heart to pump overtime through my body are confused and disappointed.  My entire body is gearing up for a huge, juvenile celebration that my brain shuts down because it's not a home run.  My heart is left in a perilous position-- free falling from the edge of ecstasy.  Basically, your warning track power flyouts could inadvertently kill me one day, Matty. 

Hey 'birdos, we avoided a three game losing streak!

'Til Later

Seriously?

04/13/2012

Cubs 9 Cardinals 5

Cards--

Two straight losses.  One to the Cubs.  Really?

Bye....

'Til Later

P.S. I feel like this could be a disastrous home stand at the moment.

The Boys are Back in Town!

I'm playing Thin Lizzy's "The Boys are Back in Town" on repeat because THE CARDINALS ARE PLAYING AT BUSCH FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE GAME 7 THE VERY LAST BASEBALL GAME THAT TOOK PLACE IN 2011!  (Sorry for yelling. I'm stoked.)  I always relate this song to the return of baseball.  My favorite lines:

The nights are getting warmer, it won't be long

Won't be long til summer comes

Now that the boys are here again



But, of course, the best song I'll hear today plays when the Cardinals parade around Busch Stadium--Budweiser's "Here Comes the King."  My favorite ballpark song.  Ernie Hays, former Cardinals' organist, plays it in the following video.  Mr. Hays retired after 2010, his 40th season playing the ballpark organ.

Okay, birds! Git 'er done!  Please win your first game at home this year, especially since it's against those lousy north siders.

'Til Later

The Rise and Fall of Carpenter = The Rise and Fall of the Cards

Observe:

• 2003: The Cardinals sign Chris Carpenter, hoping that he'll be able to pitch by mid- season. He is not able to compete because of a muscle tear in his shoulder.
• The Redbirds finish third in the division. (They'd won the division in 2002).
• An aside: I'm not too sure this year should count, since he wasn't on the 40 man roster. 
• 2004:  Chris Carpenter re-signs with the Cards. He finishes the season with a 15-5 record. Unfortunately, a nerve problem in his bicep prevents him from pitching in the postseason.
• The Cardinals win the NL pennant, earning their first World Series appearance since 1987. 
• 2005:  Carpenter wins the NL Cy Young award with a 21-5 record. 
• Cardinals lose to the Houston Astros in the NLCS.
• 2006:  Carpenter finishes the regular season with 15-8 record.  He is healthy and pitches in the postseason.
• Cardinals win their first World Series since 1982.
• 2007: Carp pitches on Opening Day, the only game he pitches this season.  Tommy John surgery in July places him out of commission until mid-season 2008.
• Cardinals finish under .500 at 78-84, behind the Cubs and Brewers.  
• 2008: In July, Carpenter returns and makes his first of three starts before being shut down again.
• The Cardinals finish behind the Cubs, Brewers, and Astros with a 86-76 record.
• 2009: Carpenter wins NL Comeback Player of the Year, and is runner-up in the Cy Young voting.
• Cardinals win the division and lose to the Dodgers in the NLDS.
• 2010: Carp becomes an All-Star for the third time and wins 16 games.
• The Cardinals finish second in the division to Reds.
• 2011:  At the beginning of the season, Carpenter pitched well, but receive little run support. He finishes the season with only eleven victories.  He logs the most innings of all major league pitchers, when the post season is taken into account.
• Cardinals finish second in the division, and enter the post season as wild cards.  They win their eleventh World Series.
• 2012:  As of today: Carpenter is out indefinitely due to nerve irritation in his right shoulder-- sources are reporting it's similar to the shoulder discomfort he dealt with in 2008.  According to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post Dispatch, Carp will have to let his shoulder recover, then restrengthen it. This can take a matter of weeks or months.
• What will the Cardinals do this year?  I still think they'll be pretty good.  Hopefully, they'll do what they did last year when an ace went down-- accept it and move on.  I don't want to hear anything about "treading water" until Carpenter comes back.  This team can win without Carp, just like they won without Wainwright last year.    
 
tl;dr:  With the exception of 2010, every year that Carpenter was healthy and able to pitch, the Cardinals played in the post season.  And every year he wasn't able to pitch, they didn't make the post season. 
 
And that, folks, is what I call Kate-analysis!  I know, I know, very hard hitting stuff.  You may hold your applause.
 
'Til Later
 
 

Stealing Home!

The Cards beat the Mets 7-1 in a spring training game today.  Apparently, Waino was fighting his mechanics, but he still threw 3 scoreless innings.  His velocity was down, but no huge deal there ( I hope), because he's a stud and studs win even without their best stuff. 

The Cardinals scored those seven runs using power and speed.  Yes, speed.  Tyler Greene STOLE HOME!  I really want to see this during the regular season.  A few times.  Definitely once or twice against the Cubs.

I cannot wait to see the decisions Matheny make this year, I think he'll be more of a risk taker than La Russa in some areas.  If spring training is any indication, the 2012 Cardinals are going to bring more excitement to the base paths than previous years. 

Although, I suppose one could say that watching Yadi attempt to score from first on a double is exciting.  Or that watching Joe Thurston hit a double and get called out because he didn't tag first during that epic, everlasting July 2009 game against the Dodgers was exciting. (I almost broke the remote.)  And in 2010, when David Freese tripped over third whilst running home, breaking his ankle, I suppose that counts as excitement, too.  (I now think anyone rounding third is going to blow out a wheel.  Irrational fear?  Maybe.  Okay it is.)

I am looking forward to having excitement on the bases because of speed and good base-running and not because of lack of speed or bad base-running!  This team is long overdue.

'Til Later

Mercurial Missives

"A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings"  Earl Wilson

The 2011 Cardinals' season was a crazy, emotional ride for me.  I mean, I was more bipolar than usual over the course of a season (and I've had some dark baseball moments over the years).  August was the lowest month because my team had so much talent but was not playing up to par, my team had shown so much heart-- fighting back after losing their Ace to Tommy John, overcoming deficits in late innings, rebounding after blown saves (second most in the league)-- only to die on the metaphorical field of battle after being swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers in late August.

From NLDS Game 4 Post Game Interview (as I heard on Fox Sports Midwest):

Reporter: How many times has this team been announced dead by the proper authorities?

Lance "Puma" Berkman: A lot, I mean, but y'know, that's what we're here for-- entertainment purposes.



I didn't lose all hope, but the Cards certainly looked officially dead, so I and anyone else with proper sense declared them as such.  Of course, gladiators that they are (supreme entertainers), the Cardinals revived themselves (again), played a brilliant month of baseball and with the help of the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs closer Carlos Marmol (according to Cubs fans), and Cardinal Nation (according to Tony La Russa) the Cardinals claimed the National League Wild Card.

It is because of that September rush and the thrill of "Red October," that I have decided to blog my experience of watching Cardinals baseball.  At first, I was unsure exactly what I was going to focus on-- some blogs go into player and game analysis, others are vendettas railing against the front office.  I want this blog to be a reactionary blog-- reacting to all the funny and frustrating things that occur over the course of a season.  The best way to do this, I think, will be to write letters to the team after each game.  I believe baseball fans would agree when I say that one develops a strangely close and personal relationship with the team you follow throughout Spring Training to those first wary, exciting days of April, and through the dog days of summer to the stretch run.  You understand their weaknesses, marvel at their strengths, you watch the team evolve as they take hits but stay resilient. You share 162 nights with your team, and the team and the personalities it encompasses become an intimate friend-- granted, one you occasionally yell at -- but a friend nonetheless.  This is why I will frame my reactions in the form of a letter-- because I will be addressing a friend.  They will be "mercurial missives"-- I am sure my views in some letters will directly oppose one another-- but that is because I am a bipolar fanatic!  And that's okay.  It's that silly (and occasionally pathetic) perspective that makes the season fun, because it makes a triple in the bottom of the ninth, down by two runs, with two-on, two-out, and two-strikes one of the best moments of my life. 

So... in this space I will write letters to my Redbirds, letters "for the birds"--  meaningless little ramblings in the world's view, but special missives in my view, in my world. Take a peek through my lenses and stay awhile!

'Til Later