My Favorite Guys, The Bullpen

I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.
Bob Lemon

08/12/2012

Cardinals 7 Phillies 8
F/11

Dear Redbirds,

A lot of things went right for the offense Sunday 

afternoon. We continued our hot-hitting (14 hits!) from Saturday and finally

scored more than four runs.

The problem came when my favorite guys, the bullpen
came into the game and proceeded to do their their favorite thing, which is blow.

I wish Lance freaking Lynn would start going deeper into his starts,
it is getting annoying.  And Jaime better figure out how to go deep
into games when he returns.

Pitching Inconsistency: the bane of the Cardinal's existence, amirite?

Til Later

The Thing Is

08/11/2012

Cardinals 4 Phillies 1

Dear Cards,

The thing is I thought I had written

this post because I had thought it all out in my head.

I guess I was too tired Saturday night to put

the words on paper... or in digital... or whatever 

this is called.

The offense FINALLY rediscovered how to use

their bats.  Ten hits  and  four runs scored.  Three 

run home run by Matty.  

I love that man. Matt Holliday.  He's in the line-up everyday

and he's never not hitting for long.  

It reminds me of  the time last offseason  Matty called in to a St Louis radio show 

(THE PRESS BOX) and told the host that he was incorrect

in saying that he was injury-prone.  That shut down was grand,

but its even better due to the way he has performed this year (exactly like all the other years in his career: as an elite hitter.)

Til Later

Just had to go and Lose

08/10/2012

Cardinals 1 Phillies 3

Dear K-LO,

It is not your fault that the team didn't win last night. You

were outstanding.

To figure out who to lay the lame the blame on, lets

see what last night's box score reveals: hmm...  in one

inning of work a certain Barrett Browning gave up two hits 

and the winning runs.  You, Kyle only gave a run and four hits

over SEVEN innings of work.  We apparently still need better

relief.  Or a manager  to wise up on managing the bullpen.  

The trusty box score also reveals that the offense only had four hits

last night. Two hits in the first EIGHT innings (it was Roy Halladay, so maybe

I should be lenient, but the problem is this non-hitting has been going on for a few

days now) and two hits in the ninth inning (which might mean the bats are waking

up or that Papelbon didn't have his best stuff.)

Win this series, boys!

Til Later.

Second Straight Win for Waino (Bueno)

05/27/2012

Phillies 3 Cardinals 8

Dear 'birds,

Your Memorial Day game versus the Braves has just started.  Tell me how, you have the bases loaded with NO OUTS in the first inning, and can't get anyone home?

On second thought, don't.  Let's just go over yesterday's game.

 Yesterday was a happy flight from the Lou to "Hotlanta" or whatever they're calling themselves nowadays... the A? Whatever.

We scored all our runs via the home run: a grand slam, a three-run shot, and a solo shot. I loved the silent treatment ya'll gave Matt Adams after his first major league home run.  Hilarious. 

Wainwright  did amazing in the stopper role, going 6 innings and only giving up a run.  

We lost the series to Philly, but at least  we still finished a game above .500 for the home stand.  (and 1.5 games back in the division. Oh well, it's May. As long as this is the worse time we have all year and we don't whither in the August heat, we'll be good, right?)

Anyway, ten day road trip.  Let's win some series!

'Til Later!

"Happy Flight!" meter: 8/13
The amount I owe "Homers for Health": $15.75 for 63 home runs

You're Killing Me, Smalls

05/26/2012

Phillies 4 Cardinals 0

Dear Cards,

May has been pretty horrible. We haven't won much at all lately.  Eleven wins in 25 games. Good for a 11-14 record.  Three wins in the last ten. 

Out of nine series this month:

Three wins (two sweeps), four losses, and two ties.

Let's set a goal: Finish May above .500!

Love ya'll still. (It was so easy love this team in April, but this May is showing me how badly love hurts.)

Til Later

Basically, I jinxed Motte

05/25/2012

Phillies 5 Cardinals 3

Dear Cards,

I jinxed Motte when I said we needed to clone him into 3 more relievers-- a lefty Motte, a long man Motte, and a set-up man Motte. 

This was after he threw a very efficient and painless 9th inning. 

In the tenth inning he surrendered a 2-run home run to Hunter Pence.

So, for those who are superstitious,  I apologize for causing the loss.

Til Later.

Good Old Varsity Try

05/24/2012

Phillies 10 Cardinals 9

Dear Cardinals,

You fell behind early in this game... 6-0.  And you are out of first place for the first time all season-- a half-game behind the Reds.

I can't even be mad.  The offense did it's best to keep us in the game, observe:

First inning: Phillies score 4 runs

Second inning: Phillies score 2 runs

Cardinals are down 6-0!

Third inning: Cardinals score 4 runs

Score is 6-4 Phillies!

Fourth inning: No score

Fifth inning:Phillies score 1 run, Cardinals score 3

Score is tied at 7!

Sixth inning: Phillies score 2 runs

Score is 9-7 Phillies :(

Seventh inning: Freese hits a solo home run.

Cardinals are back within one!

Eighth inning: Phillies and Cards each score one.

10-9 Philly.

Ninth inning: No score

So, you could say that pitching failed us yet again.  Oh, yeah and David had an error that extended Dickson's inning and led to an unearned run.

Sigh. Pitching and Defense, men. Pitching. And. Defense.

'Til Later!

23 Days until MLB Opening Night...

The Cardinals play the Marlins at Marlins Park at 6:05 PM CDT on April 4.  Since Opening Day is April 5, this game takes place on what Major League Baseball terms Opening Night.  I always thought Opening Night was an ESPN-broadcasted Sunday night game between the Red Sox and Yankees. (Har, har, har.  Ah, sarcasm.)

I do not like the Cardinals' travel schedule for their first week of games.  First, they are going to travel to Springfield, MO to play a spring-training game against their AA affiliate on April 2nd (at 6:10 PM), then there is this Opening Night/breaking in the new ballpark business in Miami, and on April 6 they play the Brewers in Milwaukee (at 3:10 PM).

I mean, does the league think these guys are schooled in apparition or something?  I'm guessing that the pitchers starting the first two games of the season won't be traveling with the team.  Some of the players on the major league roster will probably skip the trip to Springfield, too, which is unfortunate for Springfield fans. They're probably looking foward to seeing the guys in "The Show" on the cheap. Plus, I bet it's extra special to see players who played in Springfield before moving on to Memphis and the big leagues.

Meanwhile, the guys did have a similar travel schedule in the playoffs last year (travel day, followed by a set of games).  However, that schedule did not include a one day stop (except, of course, when they beat the Phillies in Game 5 of the NLDS and the Brewers in Game 6 of the NLCS), and, granted, there aren't usually travel days in the regular season, so I guess they'll be okay.

But I still think a one game series is silly.  Hold on, it's not even a series if it's one game, is it? 

Anyway, besides Opening Night, MLB also has the Japan Opening Series 2012-- two regular season games between the Seattle Mariners and Oakland A's on March 28 and 29.  The players experience Japanese culture and extreme jet lag.  Then they resume spring training in the States.  Silly scheduling, but worth it-- the proceeds from the series will assist with Japan's tsunami recovery. 

I want to visit Japan.  Why? Three words: Nippon Professional Baseball.  Observe:

Best. Catch. Ever.

'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