Great Home Stand

07/26/2012

Dodgers 4 Cardinals 7

Dear Redbirds,

Color me impressed.

A 6 and 1 homestand,

and 18 hits last night.

Motte pitched for the second day 

in a row and got a second save. The 'pen

hasn't blown a game during this streak yet.

Or did they screw it up Monday?

I can't remember too many good things

since then.

 

"Happy Flight!" meter: 12/23

Worse Road Trip Ever

07/17/2012

Cardinals 2 Brewers 3

07/18/2012

Cardinals 3 Brewers 4

Dear Cardinals,

How long can this team continue playing below their level without it affecting the belief the team holds that they are good enough?

I mean, I still think this team is good-- I think this team is great.  How much longer will  this team have to play like this to convince me that this is truly the team they are-- mediocre?  Is the team convinced they can't be any better?  Is that why they're playing horribly?

Out starting pitching was outstanding this road trip, hitting was awful.  We only won one game. Out of six.

Whats worse, is that the Cubs are in town tonight and they are playing well.  They are probably still leading the fecal league standings, but they're winning, at least.  I hope we win this weekend.

I hope that this is the last week/ month of mediocre baseball.

Unhappy flight to the Lou.

Til Later.

"Happy Flight!"  meter: 11/22

Swept out of Cincinnati

07/15/2012

Cardinals 2 Reds 4

Dear Redbirds,

I don't think I'm ever going to learn how to spell Cincinnati without looking up whether its spelled with two t's or two n's.

Another showdown for second place, except this time we couldn't  even win one game. It's frustrating how often this team chooses not to rise for the occasion.

This weekend was also frustrating because the pitching was pretty good.  Apparently the Reds pitching was even better, because it stymied our offense.  Of course,  mayber the offense is just going through some downtime.  I hate when that happens.

Lousy Flight from Cincy to Milwaukee.

Til Later.

"Happy Flight!"meter: 11/21

Baby, it's hot outside.

06/27/2012

Cardinals 3 Marlins 5

Dear Cards,

We lost the last game of the road trip, but it still feels as though this team is trending upwards. This is a good thing since the Pirates are in town today, and they are currently a half game ahead of the Cardinals.

This is a big weekend, boys. We can move into second place! 

I loved the team that played the last six games of this road trip-- I never felt as if the team had given up or was truly out of game.

Perhaps I should amend that statement: I love the team, hate the BLOWpen for messing up the team's winning swagger.

'Til Later

"Happy Flight!" meter: 11/20

Thrown into the 'ssippi: The 'pen

Payback is fun

06/24/2012

Cardinals 11 Royals 8

Hey Royals,

Payback is a [expletive], ain't it?  Yeah, ya'll came to the Lou last weekend and took two of three from us, but we sure did a number on you this weekend in KC, didn't we?  We put that good beating on you--outscoring you 30 to 14.  Ouch.

Honestly you got lucky because  those eight runs you all scored yesterday made the point spread look better for you.

Dearest Redbirds,

This weekend was so much fun.  I'll admit that I was worried a bit yesterday. You followed part of the old baseball adage "score early and often," by taking a 5-2 lead in the second inning, and then you just sat around and let the Royals tied the game before you decided to score often.

You scored in five of nine innings, yesterday, which makes me happy.  Three of those five innings were crooked numbers which makes me even happier!

'Til Later, men.

"Happy Flight!" meter: 11/19

I wish...

06/21/2012

Cardinals 1 Tigers 2

Final/10

Dear Cardinals,

This is my wish:

• I wish we hadn't lost on a bases loaded single that happened after a bloop hit and hit batsman.
• I wish that we were winning more especially since our starters are pitching well.
• I wish that Mike Matheny would keep Carlos Beltran in the three-hole.
• I wish we could win one run games.
• I wish we could win in extra innings.
• I wish that we stop making silly mental lapses.
• I wish that we had fewer injuries, and I hope that when injured players return the team actually plays at the level its capable of  and doesn't go through anything flukey.

And finally, it is just a game, so I hope that you all remember that and have fun regardless of what individual or team numbers look like, because this team plays best loose.

Til Later

"Happy Flight!" meter: 10/18

Another Extra Inning Loss

06/17/2012

Royals 5 Cardinals 3

Final/15

Dear Cardinals,

There's nothing to say that except we were outplayed. Again.  And Jason Motte blew another save, leading to the longest game of this year.

It felt like the game time for this game was longer than that one 20 inning game vs the Mets, but apparently that game was nearly seven hours long while this one was five.  We also loss that game but it was actually interesting watching teams fail to score for 18 consecutive innings.

What sucks is that I knew Jason Motte was going to get two outs and then give up a home run. Gut feeling.  

When are things going to start going our way again?

Til Later

"Happy Flight!" meter: 10/17

Just Like Old Times

Baseball, it is said, is only a game. True.  And the Grand Canyon is only a hole in Arizona. Not all holes, or games, are created equal.

George Will

06/08/2012

Cardinals 14 Astros 2

Dear Redbirds,

Happy Flight to the Lou!

Last night's game was great-- wonderful pitching from the starter and the 'pen, and a lot of offense!  I remember back in April when ya'll used to play this game that way all the time. Can we go back to that style of play permanently, please?

You don't have to outscore your opponents by 12 runs every night... or maybe you should, considering that when we score 5 runs-- which should be enough to win most games-- a pitcher always finds some way to mess it up.  Perhaps I should address the pitchers instead: STOP CAUSING US TO LOSE BALLGAMES!!  Starters-- go deeper into games so our bullpen stops be overworked and overexposed.  Thanks.

I'm excited for tonight's game against the Indians.  I hope last night was indication that we are going to start winning more.

Hey, let's do the "impossible" and win another game this week!

Til Later.

"Happy Flight!" meter: 10/16

PS. What is up with all the strikeouts that happened this road trip?

We Won!

 06/04/2012

Cardinals 5 Mets 4

Dear Cardinals,

Considering that the one run win (heck, wins in general) last afternoon is a very rare thing, like-- I don't know-- as rare as the Sun, Venus, and Earth aligning (which is happening this evening and won't happen again for 105 years-- there's a joke about the Cubs there, but it's way too easy), I think this is cause for celebration.

How should we celebrate?  

Water balloon fight? No.

Barbecue? Good one. But no.

Wet T-shirt contest? In your dreams.

No. We will celebrate by winning another game. Tonight.

Til Later

"Happy Flight!" meter: 9/15
From The Big Apple to H-town Houston

Pitching: Weighing Down the Team

Dear Redbirds,

When I picture the 2012 Cardinals, I see this: a bird attempting to take flight with a lead ball and chain attached to its feet.  Figuratively, the pitching is that ball and chain.  The offense does all it can-- it still leads the NL in most offensive categories!-- while the pitching is keeping this team from flying away from the division.

Joe Strauss of the Post-Dispatch wrote an article going into detail about how the poor effort by the pitching staff lead to a sub .500 May.  He mentions that in the last 20 games the Cardinals are  7-13 with SIX bullpen losses. SIX.

Is this team going to deal with a BLOWpen all  year like last year's?  It's annoying because it is the ONLY really glaring problem with this team (well, that and the starters not pitching deep into games, which could alleviate some to the bullpen problems...).  We've had the best offense in the National League for a season and two months now.  This team gets its pitching together, it is most definitely a better team that 2011 because our defense is also (mostly) good.

Basically, he says what we all know, what I said all last month: the pitching sucks and its making the team lose games the offense had done MORE than enough to win.

The offense is still clicking even with weekly losses of key components-- that's because this team is DEEP.  I cannot wait until everyone is healthy again, because right now we are playing our depth.  And that's scary.  But it's also great that the depth is keeping it up.  I just hope they don't decide to falter in June-- ugh, imagine if they have a funk this month along with the pitching-- ugh!  I'll die!

Anyway, PITCHERS-- shape up! Starters, your goal for June is to go deep into games! Aim for seven innings, go no less than six.

The worse part about the losses is how close we came to winning most of them. If the starting pitchers had gone deeper into more games in May, if the bullpen wasn't overexposed and overused, we wouldn't be looking at the Reds right now.  They'll still be looking at us.

Oh yeah, I hope you all enjoyed your unhappy flight from Atlanta to the Big Apple.

'Til Later

"Happy Flight!" meter: 8/14

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

Let's Be Positve (HAHAHAHHAHA)

05/20/2012

Cardinals 5 Dodgers 6

Dear Cards,

Positives from last night's game:

1. Matt Adams saw his first major league pitch and stroked it to center for a single!

Play smarter, harder this home stand, boys! Have FUN!

Love ya!

Til Later

"Happy Flight!" meter: 7/12

Well, they had a bit of fun BEFORE the game

05/17/2012

Los Cardenales de San Luis 5 Los Gigantes de San Francisco 7

Birds,

I loved the bad tuxedos you all wore to the ballpark. (And apparently you all wore them  on the ride to Los Angeles! I am happy that "bad fashion" road trips are back again this year!) Look at Wainwright's kilt!

Photo courtesy of third baseman David Freese. The Cardinals also posted pictures of individual Cardinals on their Facebook fan page.  Some of the comments there are laugh-out-loud reckless.  I'm just going to say that we women Cardinal fans know and love our birds!

I have to post this.  Jaime Garcia in baby blue (courtesy of the Cardinals Facebook page). Do you see how... handsome he looks sans shirt?  

And David Freese just looks adorable in his Cat in the Hat hat (courtesy of his twitter page):

I wonder if this picture will change once @dfreese23 changes his profile picture?

Unfortunately, the game wasn't as awesome as the terrible tuxes.  It was, in fact, as ugly as the tuxes are tacky. The past week or so this team has made a habit of walking batters (nine today) and committing errors (three!).  In April the pitching was outstanding, perhaps a bit better than we should expect daily, but it shouldn't be as bad as it's been at times in May, either. The defense has no business being any worse than it was in April.  And in April the defense was outstanding.  No excuses out on the field, guys, play hard and play smart!

Pitching and Defense need to shape up because pitching and defense WINS BALLGAMES!!

'Til Later

P.S. I don't know whether I'll have internet access this weekend-- going out of town!  I hope to be able to post about Friday's game on Saturday, God willing.

"Happy Flight!" meter: 7/11

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

Sweep Victory! (Finally)

04/09/2012

Cardinals 7 Diamondbacks 2

Dear Redbirds,

Hold on while I knock the cobwebs off this here broom...

*Attempts to beat broom into a presentable state* Go away you nasty cobwebs! *Resumes beating*

There. Whew. That was gross. Do me a favor and sweep fairly often so I don't have to do that ever again.  Thanks.  (I know @carlosbeltan15 tweeted that "sweeps are hard to get."  To that I say they shouldn't be as hard as you all make them out to be, especially with this team... should they?) 

By the way, I love the new home run celebration line.  I call it "the conga line." 

I showed my sister and she was like, "in no way does that resemble a conga line. I don't see no freaking conga."  But, whatever, in my head, whenever I see it, I call it the conga line (at least until a better term comes along, I guess).  I hope you all keep it up because I like seeing it!  For some reason, seeing it only twice on Tuesday and once on Wednesday isn't enough. *Shrugs* (You all should have came up with this Monday night, then you would have done it FIVE times!)

Oh yeah, and you all had a HAPPY FLIGHT! from Arizona, landing in the Lou at 4 AM (according to @dfreese23).  So, cheers on that and for finishing the road trip above .500!

Til Later!

"Happy Flight!" meter:  6/9

Oh yeah: The picture is from Viva El Birdos! Conga, conga, conga!

Finished with the NL Central (for now)

05/06/2012

Cardinals 8 Astros 1

"Now we won a ballgame yesterday. If we win one today, that's two in a row. We win one tomorrow, that's called a winning streak. It has happened before." 

Lou Brown in Major League II

Dear Tyler Greene,

It's like you heard me complaining about you being in the lineup Sunday. I mean, that's the only explanation I can think to explain your beast mode performance. 

Your batting stats from Sunday:

3 for 3, with 2 HR, 1  double, 3 Runs Scored, 4 RBI.

I think that warrants another start. Your batting average is now .256. It was .200 before the game.

Who knows? Maybe you are on an upward swing?

EXTRA:
Adam is now a game under .500! Strong start yesterday! (Dare I say it? Waino Bueno!) And, happy flight! from Houston to Phoenix, Arizona.

'Til Later

"Happy Flight!" meter:  5/8

"It's comical, but disgraceful"

05/04/2012

Pirates 6 Cardinals 3

Dear 'birds,

The above is what Mike Shannon said during yesterday afternoon's ball game.  He was describing how
S L O W Pittsburgh's Erik Bedard pitched when the Cardinals loaded the bases in the second inning.

However,  I think it best describes the yesterday's offensive input, observe:

• SEVENTEEN strikeouts
• TWELVE runners left on base
• 5 for 14 with men in scoring position. Honestly, this shakes out to a .357 average and thus it completely boggles my mind why we only scored 3 runs. But I'm sure I'm missing something because in Tuesday's game the offense scored 10 runs and were 3 for 11 with RISP and Wednesday offense scored 12 times and were 5 for 17 with RISP.  I'm thinking home runs do not count as a hit with men is scoring position? Tuesday's game featured 2 home runs, while Wednesday's featured 3.

Anyway a sad showing-- comical and disgraceful.

'Til Later

"Happy Flight!" meter: 4/7 

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

For our stopper...

04/22/2012

Cardinals 5 Pirates 1

Dear Kyle Lohse,

You rock my world.  I knew we will win if our offense wasn't stymied Sunday.  I knew we could win with just a few runs.  You are definitely our stopper--if there is a losing streak, you'll pitch well enough to stop it.

This year you've pitched well enough to win all 4 of your starts, but a 3-0 record with a no decision is obviously outstanding.

You are a very good pitcher when healthy. I hope all continues going well with you. 

Happy Flight last night from Pittsburgh to Chicago!

'Til Later

"Happy Flight!" meter: 3/5

P.S. Drop just a bit of your pixie dust on Adam Wainwright's elbow.

Can't Keep Us Down

04/08/2012

Cardinals 9 Brewers 3

Hey Redbirds,

IS THIS REAL LIFE?*

I hope this great start isn't a tease.  I'm afraid that the bullpen will do something to ruin it but so far the "blown save" hasn't reared its ugly head. The bullpen was great late last year, once Marc Rzepczynski (better known as Scrabble) and veteran pitchers who could pitch (imagine that!) were added.  However, like early last year, we once again have old pitchers (Linebrink, who-- thank God-- is on the DL, and Romero) in the 'pen who have to resort to smoke and mirrors to record an out.

In early April, it's hard to gauge a team-- hard to determine what is real and what is a mirage.   Last year, the resilience the team displayed in early April became characteristic of the team.  The blown saves were a trait, too.  I'm liking the patterns this team is displaying so far-- aggressive base running and plentiful hitting.  There's this aura about the team-- I haven't yet decipher it-- but it has something to do with the team's attitude and the way it goes about it's business....

If this is a team of extremes, I hope those extremes are good ones.  For example, I hope the high number of hits continue and I hope the high strikeout total doesn't.

THE RUBBER GAME

Yesterday afternoon, Lance Lynn made a fantastic start: 6.2 Innings Pitched, 2 Hits, 1 Earned Run, 1 Home Run, and 8 strikeouts.  And he still threw mid-90s!  Cardinal batters had FOURTEEN hits.  Relievers did give up two runs (boo), but the Cardinals still caught a "Happy Flight!" from Milwaukee to Cincinnati.

Beat those Reds!  Silence Jay Bruce and Joey Votto's bats!

'Til Later

HAPPY FLIGHT METER: 2/2

 *Gotta love David After Dentist