Thursday, November 24, 2011

Who Else Hates Chris Rose?

I'll admit it...When the Cardinals are having a lousy season, I can't stand watching anything on television that is going to remind me of that fact.  Usually, that means staying clear of the likes of ESPN - especially the MLB Network - after all, baseball is their only topic of discussion, and sooner or later, they're going to talk about how horrible the Cards are playing.  I don't need to hear it!

On the other hand, when the Cardinals are playing well, and are in contention, I'll stay glued to MLB to savor my favorite team's success - although there are times certain analysts don't seem to give the Redbirds credit for being as good as they really are.

For the most part, I like those guys; most of them either played the game with a good degree of success for a long time (Larry Bowa, Harold Reynolds, Sean Casey, Al Leiter, and so forth), or they have been exposed to the nuances for a long enough time to figure things out - for the most part.

Really, there's only one guy over there who drives me crazy - the co-host of "Intentional Talk" - that arrogant, condescending, and not-too-bright jackass, Chris Rose.  I hate him.

I don't hate anybody else; just him.  His co-host is former major league player, Kevin Millar, who knows much more about baseball than Rose - actually, a six-year old kid typically knows more about baseball that Rose - yet Millar's opinions are frequently scoffed and ridiculed by that pompous ass on the other side of the screen; or, even in agreement, will state so grudgingly, as if his approval on any issue is necessary to make it valid.  His annoying platitudes include:

"I get it." - He usually doesn't.

"I'm okay with that." - Big deal; his opinion is worthless.

"I'm not okay with that." - Usually means whatever he's "not okay with" is actually quite okay.

It's his penchant for being a complete jerk by trying to stir up controversy that really sets him apart from most impartial reporters.  Before the World Series even began, Rose dredged up some obscure radio interview Cards right fielder Lance Berkman gave last January, on a Houston radio station, explaining why he chose to sign with St Louis - and not the Texas Rangers.  As it turned out, Berkman would have to eat his words, but the matter was resolved around the All-Star break, making Rose look like an idiot for trying to stir up trouble to begin with.

His next target was Albert Pujols.  After Game Two, Rose sarcastically noted that Pujols had failed to get any hits, going 0 for 6.  Of course, in Game One, Albert was hit by a pitch and drew a base on balls, which resulted in a run scored for his team, but that didn't seem to register with that jerk.  Also, in Game Two, Pujols absolutely crushed a ball to right center field on a cold night, which was caught at the wall.  Ordinarily,. it's gone.  Still, prior to Game Three, the implication was Albert was in the midst of a horrible hitting slump; that he was letting his team down; that he basically sucked.

Clearly, Rose didn't "get it", and I'm "not okay with that".

We all know what happened in Game Three - Pujols ties Babe Ruth and Reggie Jackson, by slamming three home runs - the only other players to accomplish that feat in a World Series game.  He also tied Paul Molitor as the only players to get five hits in a single World Series game.  Oh yeah; he also knocked in six runs and scored four times.  Not a bad night, eh Chris?  Do you get it?

After the thrilling outcome of Game Six - capped off by David Freese's incredible walk-off home run - Kevin Millar said it was the greatest game he'd ever witnessed - Chris Rose was also there, somehow covering the game for Fox - and his demeanor suggested he really didn't "get it", as he causally remarked, "Yeah, it was a good game" (or something to that effect).  Yawn.

After the Cardinals completed their highly improbable Seven Game World Series triumph, Rose sneered at the notion that what the Redbirds had accomplished was in essence, a miracle.  Like a dumb-ass, he comes up with this astute observation:  "If you want to find a more unlikely champion, just turn the way-back machine to 2006, when the Cardinals only won 83 games, but still won the World Series."  Sure, the 2011 Cards won 90 games, but they barely got into the post season - as a wild card - on the very last day of the season; and that was largely facilitated by Atlanta's total collapse as the season wound down.  Consider this: The Cardinals trailed the Braves by three games with only five games to play.  I don't know what the odds were for them to overcome that deficit with so few remaining games to be played - maybe 100 to 1?

Then, facing Philadelphia in the NLDS, after losing the first game, they were down in Game Two, four zip, with Cliff Lee pitching for Philly.  Final score:  Cards 5 - Phillies 4.  What were the odds for that outcome, I wonder?  50 to 1?  25 to 1?  After losing Game Three to Philadelphia, at home, they needed to win two games in a row against the team most experts figured was the best in baseball.  They did it, with the Game Five pitching duel between Cards ace, Chris Carpenter and Philly super-ace Roy Halladay, going to the Redbirds, 1-0.  Odds, anyone?

Facing elimination in Game Six of the World Series, the Cardinals trailed the Rangers by two runs on two separate occasions in that contest - when they were down to their last strike in both instances.  Rallying from that deficit, not once, but twice - is unprecedented in post season play; let alone World Series play.  Something like that may not happen again for another hundred years, or longer; way longer.

Chris Rose not only doesn't get it; he doesn't get it by a lot; and he's got to act like a complete jerk in the process; and that should annoy the hell out of any knowledgeable baseball fan who has to listen to this idiot spouting off on his stupid little show.  As a final dig at Redbird hero Lance Berkman, Rose tries to rile up St Louis fans by pointing out a comment Lance made on a Houston radio program - something to the effect, "I only wish I'd won the World Series playing for the Astros; that would have been even more special."

Chris Rose's agenda is simple - trump up some controversy whenever possible, even when the issue being trumped up is inconsequential.  He's a total weasel when he pulls stuff like this; he does it all the time, making him a despicable full-time weasel in my book.

Oh sure, I'll continue watching the MLB Network on a regular basis; after all, I love baseball.  I may just have to hit the mute button from time to time, whenever Chris Rose opens up his pie-hole, telling everyone how much he gets it.  He'll never get it.