CUBS TO WORLD SERIES 2012 WITH NEW MANAGER

Dale Sveum was hired as the new Chicago Cubs Manager for 2012.  Sveum has spent 30 years in the game, and as of late, the Hitting Coach at Milwaukee.

Boston was also pursuing Sveum but, did not actually  lay down an offer so, the Cubs did, and that will be Boston’s loss as well as the Brewers’ loss.

Sveum was given a three year pact in Chicago, with an option for a fourth.

Sveum will have to iron out a few wrinkles this Spring including some player attitude quirks but, hey there’s no finer time for ironing than, Spring.

Sveum becomes Manager number 52 in franchise history, and he’s going to be the first to take the Cubs to the Series in a very long time.  Don’t laugh…..I’m not kidding!

 

REDBIRDS FLY SOUTH; LA RUSSA NORTH

After a phenomenal World Series comeback , The St. Louis Cardinals will be back this Spring for the 2012 major league baseball season but, without their number one bird on the playing field.

Obvious Hall of Fame Manager, Tony La Russa retired as the St. Louis no. 1 bird on the playing field with managerial numbers befitting only a genius of baseball strategy, and motivation.  Many are referred to as motivators, few have a resume of proof.  La Russa has that resume in his name.

La Russa’s Cardinals just kept coming.  Ten games out from any whimsical thoughts of post season play as late as August when Senior Management was advised of La Russa’s decision.

It takes a team effort with motivation behind it, and that is clearly what the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals have been.  You saw that 6th game of the World Series.  The Cards were that team, and they were motivated by, the best.

Wonder if La Russa would consider just one more challenge in Chicago?  Nnnnaah.  Tony?

 

 

 

NO CARP FISHING

Texas Manager, Ron Washington, and the Cardinals Manager, Tony LaRussa probably had the same pre-game message for their respective teams for different reasons.  The previous game would not give anybody the World Series trophy.  Thursday’s game was just another game for the history books.  For Texas, a good one to forget.  For the Cards, if the focus is there, it can’t be here.  

The start of last night’s final game of the World Series appeared to be a good night for the Rangers to do a little Carp fishing.  The Rangers put out the bait in the top of the 1st inning, and the Carp seemed to be biting.  Texas managed two doubles, and a single for 2 runs making it look like the Carp fishing expedition could be a successful venture.

The Cardinals pitcher, Chris Carpenter escaped the 1st inning as the Cardinals came up to bat, and when the 1st inning was complete, St. Louis answered with 2 runs.  Nothing really unfamiliar here, as these two teams seemed as though they might be playing a close game for the World Series Championship.  Right off the bat, we had a 2-2 tie after 1.

Seems as though the Carp settled down as the uneventful 2nd inning came, and went.

In to the top of the 3rd, it was more certain the Carp had settled down, and it would take some creativity to catch the Carp.  When the Carp stop biting……go trout fishing.  Still 2-2 after 2½.

In the bottom of the 3rd, St. Louis has 1 out on the board with Allen Craig stepping in to the batter’s box.  Texas pitcher, Matt Harrison took Craig to 3 & 2, and offers a 3-2, payoff on the 7th pitch.  As it turned out, it really was the payoff as Craig sent the ball sailing for a homerun.  This is all St. Louis would need for the club’s 11th World Series Championship.

The bottom of the 5th brings on 2 runs for the Cardinals as the new Texas pitcher, Scott Feldman would hit a batter, and issue some walks. Feldman is taken out. C.J. Wilson is asked to get Texas out of  a mess, and promptly hits the next Cardinal at the plate.

The Cardinals put one more on the board in the 7th.  That would be the last recorded run in the 2011 Major League Baseball year.  The St. Louis Cardinals win it all with a 6-2 win.

Great run production by, the Cardinals neutralizing the only error of the game.  6-7-1 for St. Louis.  The Rangers got 2 runs, 6 hits, and no errors.

Next year about this time, another historical baseball event will be celebrated as we salute the World Champion Chicago Cubs!

 

FOX FIRST FOR FACTS

If you want it straight without any sensationalism, many Americans run to the TV for FOX because the agenda based, opinion of FOX News is first for facts.  That’s just a fact based opinion, of course.

The 2011 World Series, game 6, 9th inning.

The facts speak for themselves……

 

DAVID PUTS TEXAS IN FREESER

Without looking around to see who, like me would build on the obvious, there’s my headline!

Last night’s World Series competition came down to the last strike….twice.  One swing of the bat missing the ball, and Texas would have won the entire World Series in 6 games.

By the time 6 innings were complete, it was tied at 4 runs apiece.  I was up way past my usual bed time, and quickly slipping in to a dream fest so, I felt comfortable in drifting off as Texas scored 3 times in the 7th.  At least I was recording the game for playback this morning.

I slept comfortably thinking I have the last ball game of the season ready for playback.  I knew St. Louis had the potential to come back but, lost confidence they could do it.  The offensive line-up didn’t have the usual spark to come back.  So, onward to sleep with CPAP securely in place.

With 8½  innings complete, St. Louis had answered with only a run.  It was 7-5, Texas.  Three outs lay between the Rangers, and a World Championship. 

St. Louis Manager, Tony LaRussa had been stacking the deck with Cards for a comeback all year to become the National League Champions.  Manager Ron Washington of Texas was meeting the challenge as all the card shuffling by, LaRussa added up to the Rangers having a 3-2 edge in the series with only 1 victory to a World Championship.

To the bottom of the 9th inning.  The Cardinals were down to their last strike.  The curtain would be closed, and a disappointed St. Louis crowd would leave for their homes in misery.  Before any last strikes could be recorded however, the Cardinals would miraculously come up with 2 runs to once again put these clubs in to a tie score, and send game 6 of the Series to extra innings.

Texas took their frustrations out on the baseball in the 10th with 2 runs in, and bringing the Cardinals to one last stand in the bottom of the inning.  Certainly, this was a wrap!  The Rangers could go home to Texas as world champions. 

To the bottom of the 10th, and almost with planned vengeance, the Cardinals were not about to go quietly.  Knowing how they scratch back,  they would at minimum, make it interesting.  Some runners on base before Texas would be gathering for a victory jump, center stage at the pitching mound.

The Cardinals were down by, 2.  9-7, Texas, and  I was right!  LaRussa, and company would get some base running in before the final curtain call.  Two of those runners crossed the plate, and as unbelievable as it was, the score was once more tied at 9 after 10.

FOX Sports had heightened the drama several times through the night, catching fan reaction from the stands.  The Cards were playing catch-up all night, and  one woman was gazing upward, with angst possibly requesting entry to a game 7 for the home team.  Other fans were anxious in other ways as some chanted for anything to produce one more miracle.  I mean really, how many miracles can one expect from this team? 

The Rangers had not scored in their half of the 11th.  No celebratory jumps just yet.

FOX continues capturing fan reaction as one fan seemed to be battling for bladder control but, frozen to his seat as the bottom of the 11th began to unfold.

9-9 in the bottom of the 11th.  Nothing eventful in the 11th, until the Cards line-up brings David Freese to the plate.  Freese had a game changing triple to tie up the game in the 9th inning.  Freese swings at the ball in the 11th, and the pure crack of the bat meeting the baseball could be heard for miles.  It is hit up in the air, way up in the air, to Center field; It was up, and deep  …..for the game winning homerun.  Awesome, incredible, miraculous!

The Cards blew out of the dugout in celebration!  It looked like they won the Crown, and in an abstract sense they did win a crown.  They had won game 6 of the 2011 World Series, and the right to appear in game 7 against the Rangers who, with one victory tonight would have been the champs of the first team to win 4 games.

Stats for the 11 inning game 6.  St. Louis: 10 runs, 13 hits, 3 errors.  Texas with 9, 15 & 2.

The Series is tied at 3 games each.  The 2011 Major League Baseball season culminates with the deciding game, tonight at 8:05pm – et.

 

THE NUMBER YOU HAVE REACHED IS NOT IN SERVICE

Tony LaRussa, Manager of the St. Louis Cardinals asked for one pitcher, and got another.  What he said, and what was heard were two different things.  Simple telcom error from the the dugout to the bullpen.

Bullpen Coach, Derek Lilliquist heard a different request, and a couple of of miscues took place with the wrong pitchers summoned for relief.  By the time the message was finally made clear, the damage had been done.  Mike Napoli’s 8th inning, two run double had taken place, and a tight 2-2 ball game was opened to a  4-2 Texas lead.

The Cardinals had an uneventful  9th inning giving Texas the win, and only one victory to go to become the Series champs. 

No special numbers populate the final box score as Texas got 4 runs on 9 hits.  St. Louis with 2 & 7.  No bragging rights on defense according to the numbers as the Rangers had 2 errors, the Cards 1.

Must win:  Texas need only win 1 of a possible 2 more games.  St. Louis must come from behind with a stellar performance to pick up the next 2.

Games 6 & a 7th if necessary in St. Louis with Wednesday’s 1st pitch 805pm – et.

 

 

 

ORDERS FROM WASHINGTON

Brilliant minds think alike. 

After watching Derek Holland throw a 2 hit gem last night , the first thing in my mind was the headline, CARDS HOLLAND-DAZED.  That would not be the headline however, as I looked over the reviews of last night’s game on-line.  I combed through several pages, and wouldn’t you know it?  The King Bee, had already set it in to digital print.  I was crushed.  They have people over there with a sense of humor just like mine.  Abstract, and jagged but, obviously brilliant.

According to some sources Texas received an edict from Washington before the start of last night’s game.  Manager Ron Washington.  Something like, ‘there was no game last night, and there is one tonight.’

The game was more in line with these two teams being a fairly even match.  The frequent crack of the bat on the baseball from the previous night was not a factor in this evening’s game.  The simple edict from Washington obviously worked as Derek Holland was very much at home in Texas, U.S.A.  Holland set up the deck his way, and the Cards were in 52 card pick-up mode throughout the night.

Each team played a flawless defense.  Texas got the win with 4 runs on 6 hits.  The Cards had nothing to show for only 2 hits.  The Series is now at 2 & 2 as we go once more from Arlington before returning to St. Louis for at least one more, if not two more contests.

Start time tonight from Texas is 805pm – et.  This is a pivotal game which will give the winner an edge, leaving  only one more victory to win the Series Crown.

 

ROWT!

OW would be correct if, you’re a Texas Ranger.  It was a rout with an o-w!

An exasperated Texas home crowd possibly thought they were in another land, far, far away, hoping to awaken to the start of a game at the end of a cruel joke.  There was no magical land far, far away, and no joke as the punch line.

The only punch in this case was Albert Pujols, who led the Cardinals in a 16 run,  slug fest last night in game 3 of the World Series. 

Answering a few critics calls noting his silence at the plate in this series, Pujols managed 3 homeruns, and 2 more hits for a total of 6 RBIs.   He may take some series record stats home with him over the Winter as the possibility of 4 more games to complete the 2011 October Classic remains.

There was a missed call at 1st in the 4th enabling the Cards a beginning to 4 runs in the inning.  Take away the 4th, and it still didn’t matter as the Cards outplayed Texas on the Rangers home grounds. 

It would be easier to say, the Cardinals had no runs in the 2nd & 3rd.  Texas scored 7 runs all within the 4th, 5th, and 7th innings.

Stats fans will enjoy the Cardinal run production which is the relationship of hits to runs.  St. Louis had 16 runs, 15 hits, no errors.  Texas with 7, 13 & an expensive 3 errors.  St. Louis now leads the series, 2 games to 1.

Game 4 tonight, 805pm – et start from Texas.