Strikkkkkʞkʞkeouts are Fascist!

Jaime Garcia had nine strikeouts today, striking out two batters looking-- which is apparently why scorers use backward k's.  I always thought it was just arbitrary..."oh, let's shake up this line of K's and write this one backwards," but alas, it appears nothing in baseball is without reason.  (Now whether that reason makes good and proper sense is another story.)

It's only Spring Training, but winning ballgames is a great habit start in March.  The Redbirds have now won five straight!  They had been doing that annoying flirt 'get a game over .500 and lose the next day' bit I especially hate, but now they have a 11-6-1 record.  Really, though, your spring record has no correlation at all with the regular season, but at least the players leave the field feeling happy.  I know if I were a player and I had lost a game, the rest of my day would be ruined.  Even if it's only spring training.

Today's game was beautiful baseball.  I liked the team that played today-- great hitting (But only one hit for extra bases and thirteen singles today, which is only great if they come in bunches or if you have a fast runner on who'll steal his way into scoring position), great pitching (only four hits allowed and  thirteen strikeouts, all by left-handers), and smart baserunning.  Gorgeous. 

Here's a fun video from the great movie Bull Durham when Crash (Kevin Costner!) tells Nuke (I don't know who this is, and I'm too lazy to google it.)  that strikeouts are fascist.

Throwing Errors and Unearned Runs

Cardinals--

I hope you guys aren't making a habit
of throwing the ball
into "souvenir city" with men on base.

What is this urgency to get everybody
out on one play?
It only results in sloppy defense.

I love the aggressiveness you are showing, but
be smart and play under control.  Stop
playing dumb baseball.

I know, I know, you look brilliant if you record
the out.  But in order to do that, the ball
has to land in your teammate's glove-- not in a fan's beer.

And once it's in the beer...
you look foolish, not smart, as the runs
you were trying to prevent touch home.

So, please, once you get the sure out,
pocket the ball, it's the smartest way
to prevent unearned runs.

Now, don't overcorrect and begin playing
overly cautious and timid. 
Don't be stupid, boys.

'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