Until last season, the Cardinals had never reached the postseason four consecutive years. As the 2015 season is about to unfold, the Cardinals appear to have the talent to extend their postseason streak to five straight years.
Final Standings for NL Central in 2015 should look like this:
St Louis 93-69
Pittsburgh 88-74
Cincinnati 83-79
Chicago 82-80
Milwaukee 74-88
Pittsburgh will put a very good lineup on the field, but their starting rotation is suspect.
Cincinnati will be vastly improved, offensively, but their starting rotation is even more suspect.
Chicago should finish over .500 - not quite the World Series champions their delusional fan base is expecting, but they're improving.
Milwaukee spent most of last season in first place before collapsing in September. Their collapse should occur by May this time around.
Showing posts with label Milwaukee Brewers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Milwaukee Brewers. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Ranking NL Central Starting Rotations
Now that free agent pitcher James Shields is officially off the market (signing a four-year deal with the San Diego Padres), we now have a clearer picture of how the starting rotations of the five NL Central teams will be staffed - at least for now. Once the season begins, there may be some changes - particularly at the lower end of the rotations, where the competition for the fifth spot usually has a good number of candidates - from aging veterans to unproven rookies.
For rating purposes, we'll compare each team's Number One Starter, their Number Twos, and so on and so forth. Included will be a brief picture of last season's performance and any significant issues that may be pertinent, such as the relative risk for arm/shoulder/elbow trouble.
Here we go:
NUMBER ONE
1 - Cueto (CIN) 20-9 - 2.25 ERA - 243.2 IP - 160 ERA+ (Age 28) - After an injury-plagued 2013 season, he was the second-best pitcher in the NL last season.
2 - Wainwright (STL) 20-9 - 2.38 ERA - 227.0 IP - 154 ERA+ (Age 32) - Had a "dead arm" phase in the second half - Had minor off season elbow surgery which is a concern heading into the new season. When healthy, he's among the top 4 or 5 pitchers in MLB.
3 - Lester (CHI) 16-11 - 2.46 ERA - 219.2 IP - 155 ERA + (Age 30) - Had his finest season in 2014, but pitching for Oakland, inexplicably failed to hold the Royals at bay in the AL Wild Card game. Not a good way to end a season.
4 - Liriano (PIT) 7-10 - 3.38 ERA - 162.1 IP - 117 ERA+ (Age 30) - Health issues last year - could be a problem again in 2015.
5 - Garza (MIL) 8-8 - 3.64 ERA - 163.1 IP - 104 ERA+ (Age 30) - Durability and a volatile demeanor could be troublesome in 2015.
NUMBER TWO
1 - Lynn (STL) 15-10 - 2.74 ERA - 203.2 IP - 134 ERA+ (Age 27) - Had his finest season, by far, in 2014, although pitching with low run support cost him some wins - Should be just as good - if not better - in 2015.
2 - Arrieta (CHI) 10-5 - 2.53 ERA - 156.2 IP - 151 ERA+ (Age 28) - Pitched extremely well last season with a relatively light workload - Will need to post similar results while eclipsing 200 IP to give team a reasonable shot at postseason play.
3 - Peralta (MIL) 17-11 - 3.53 ERA - 198.2 IP - 107 ERA+ (Age 25) - Thanks to getting a lot of run support, actually won more games than any NL Central pitcher not named Cueto or Wainwright in 2014 - Will he be so fortunate in 2015?
4 - Bailey (CIN) 9-5 - 3.71 ERA - 145.2 IP - 97 ERA+ (Age 28) - Will need to bounce back from a mediocre 2014 - Lower the ERA, increase the workload - Otherwise, it could be another painful season for the Reds.
5 - Cole (PIT) 11-5 - 3.65 ERA - 138.0 IP - 98 ERA+ (Age 23) - Has potential to have breakout season in 2015, but needs to work more than 200 IP to give Pirates a reasonable shot at a division title.
NUMBER THREE
1 - Wacha (STL) 5-6 - 3.20 ERA - 107.0 IP - 115 ERA+ (Age 22) - If he's fully recovered from his shoulder problems, he should be able to dominate opposing lineups like he did late in the 2013 season (and postseason) - His workload will probably be limited by a cautious brain trust - still, 150+ IP would be a welcome asset to the pitching staff.
2 - Lohse (MIL) 13-9 - 3.54 ERA - 198.1 IP - 107 ERA+ (Age 35) - Not overpowering, but reliable - Age may start becoming a bit of a factor, especially if his not-so-fast-fastball loses some velocity in 2015.
3 - Leake (CIN) 11-13 - 3.70 ERA - 214.1 IP - 97 ERA+ (Age 26) - A steady workhorse - Should give Reds another 200+ IP in 2015.
4 - Hammel (CHI) 8-5 - 2.58 ERA - 108.2 IP - 128 ERA+ (Age 31) - Pitched well with a limited workload last season - Needs to double the output in 2015 to give Cubs any postseason hopes.
5 - Burnett (PIT) 8-18 - 4.59 ERA - 213.2 IP - 81 ERA+ (Age 37) - Pitching for a miserable Phillies team last season - Still durable after all those years, but age-related decline likely to continue - Probably should retire - Would be no surprise to see him released by the All Star break.
NUMBER FOUR
1 - Worley (PIT) 8-4 - 2.85 ERA - 110.2 IP - 125 ERA+ (Age 26) - Good numbers in limited action last season - It may not take long for this guy to supplant Burnett in the number three slot in the rotation.
2 - Fiers (MIL) 6-5 - 2.13 ERA - 71.2 IP - 178 ERA+ (Age 29) - Had the highest ERA+ in the division last season - but needs to at least double his innings pitched in 2015 to give rotation the necessary boost to stay in the race.
3 - Lackey (STL) 3-3 - 4.30 ERA - 60.2 IP - 86 ERA+ (Age 35) - Acquired from Boston prior to the trade deadline last season - Struggled in limited action - Whether or not he can bounce back in 2015 remains to be seen.
4 - Wood (CHI) 8-13 - 5.03 ERA - 173.2 IP - 76 ERA+ (Age 27) - Durable, but ineffective last season - He may not be able to improve in 2015 - The Cubs will be in trouble if he doesn't pitch more effectively this season.
5 - Cingrani (CIN) 2-8 - 4.55 ERA - 63.1 IP - 79 ERA+ (Age 24) - After showing flashes of brilliance when first called up in 2013, regressed significantly last season - Without vast improvement this season, the Reds will have serious issues.
NUMBER FIVE
1 - Hendricks (CHI) 7-2 - 2.46 ERA - 80.1 IP - 155 ERA+ (Age 24) - Encouraging results in limited exposure last season - If he can come close to duplicating this performance with 160+ IP, Cubs should easily escape the cellar.
2 - Locke (PIT) 7-6 - 3.91 ERA - 131.1 IP - 91 ERA+ (Age 26) - Assuming Burnett flops for the Pirates in 2015, the team will desperately need this guy to pitch better than last year - and work closer to 200 IP.
3 - Martinez (STL) 2-4 - 4.03 ERA - 89.1 IP - 91 ERA+ (Age 22) - Has the raw talent to develop into a top end of the rotation starter - If he does, Cards could run away with division title.
4 - Nelson (MIL) 2-9 - 4.83 ERA - 69.1 IP - 77 ERA+ (Age 25) - Expected to improve this season - Nowhere to go but up.
5 - Desclafani (CIN) 2-2 - 6.27 ERA - 33.0 IP - 61 ERA+ (Age 24) - Posted a decent 3.78 ERA in the minors last season - Significant improvement is critical in the fifth spot in the rotation if the Reds hope to have any chance at all in the division race.
OVERALL ROTATION RANKINGS
1 - St Louis Cardinals - The combination of Wainwright, Lynn and Wacha should be dominant in 2015.
2 - Chicago Cubs - The addition of Lester and the continued development of their younger talent brings some measure of credibility to a franchise desperate to win.
3 - Milwaukee Brewers - Lacking a true "ace", but still capable of keeping their team in most games.
4 - Pittsburgh Pirates - A shaky rotation with the potential to be a total disaster.
5 - Cincinnati Reds - After Cueto, a lot of question marks.
For rating purposes, we'll compare each team's Number One Starter, their Number Twos, and so on and so forth. Included will be a brief picture of last season's performance and any significant issues that may be pertinent, such as the relative risk for arm/shoulder/elbow trouble.
Here we go:
NUMBER ONE
1 - Cueto (CIN) 20-9 - 2.25 ERA - 243.2 IP - 160 ERA+ (Age 28) - After an injury-plagued 2013 season, he was the second-best pitcher in the NL last season.
2 - Wainwright (STL) 20-9 - 2.38 ERA - 227.0 IP - 154 ERA+ (Age 32) - Had a "dead arm" phase in the second half - Had minor off season elbow surgery which is a concern heading into the new season. When healthy, he's among the top 4 or 5 pitchers in MLB.
3 - Lester (CHI) 16-11 - 2.46 ERA - 219.2 IP - 155 ERA + (Age 30) - Had his finest season in 2014, but pitching for Oakland, inexplicably failed to hold the Royals at bay in the AL Wild Card game. Not a good way to end a season.
4 - Liriano (PIT) 7-10 - 3.38 ERA - 162.1 IP - 117 ERA+ (Age 30) - Health issues last year - could be a problem again in 2015.
5 - Garza (MIL) 8-8 - 3.64 ERA - 163.1 IP - 104 ERA+ (Age 30) - Durability and a volatile demeanor could be troublesome in 2015.
NUMBER TWO
1 - Lynn (STL) 15-10 - 2.74 ERA - 203.2 IP - 134 ERA+ (Age 27) - Had his finest season, by far, in 2014, although pitching with low run support cost him some wins - Should be just as good - if not better - in 2015.
2 - Arrieta (CHI) 10-5 - 2.53 ERA - 156.2 IP - 151 ERA+ (Age 28) - Pitched extremely well last season with a relatively light workload - Will need to post similar results while eclipsing 200 IP to give team a reasonable shot at postseason play.
3 - Peralta (MIL) 17-11 - 3.53 ERA - 198.2 IP - 107 ERA+ (Age 25) - Thanks to getting a lot of run support, actually won more games than any NL Central pitcher not named Cueto or Wainwright in 2014 - Will he be so fortunate in 2015?
4 - Bailey (CIN) 9-5 - 3.71 ERA - 145.2 IP - 97 ERA+ (Age 28) - Will need to bounce back from a mediocre 2014 - Lower the ERA, increase the workload - Otherwise, it could be another painful season for the Reds.
5 - Cole (PIT) 11-5 - 3.65 ERA - 138.0 IP - 98 ERA+ (Age 23) - Has potential to have breakout season in 2015, but needs to work more than 200 IP to give Pirates a reasonable shot at a division title.
NUMBER THREE
1 - Wacha (STL) 5-6 - 3.20 ERA - 107.0 IP - 115 ERA+ (Age 22) - If he's fully recovered from his shoulder problems, he should be able to dominate opposing lineups like he did late in the 2013 season (and postseason) - His workload will probably be limited by a cautious brain trust - still, 150+ IP would be a welcome asset to the pitching staff.
2 - Lohse (MIL) 13-9 - 3.54 ERA - 198.1 IP - 107 ERA+ (Age 35) - Not overpowering, but reliable - Age may start becoming a bit of a factor, especially if his not-so-fast-fastball loses some velocity in 2015.
3 - Leake (CIN) 11-13 - 3.70 ERA - 214.1 IP - 97 ERA+ (Age 26) - A steady workhorse - Should give Reds another 200+ IP in 2015.
4 - Hammel (CHI) 8-5 - 2.58 ERA - 108.2 IP - 128 ERA+ (Age 31) - Pitched well with a limited workload last season - Needs to double the output in 2015 to give Cubs any postseason hopes.
5 - Burnett (PIT) 8-18 - 4.59 ERA - 213.2 IP - 81 ERA+ (Age 37) - Pitching for a miserable Phillies team last season - Still durable after all those years, but age-related decline likely to continue - Probably should retire - Would be no surprise to see him released by the All Star break.
NUMBER FOUR
1 - Worley (PIT) 8-4 - 2.85 ERA - 110.2 IP - 125 ERA+ (Age 26) - Good numbers in limited action last season - It may not take long for this guy to supplant Burnett in the number three slot in the rotation.
2 - Fiers (MIL) 6-5 - 2.13 ERA - 71.2 IP - 178 ERA+ (Age 29) - Had the highest ERA+ in the division last season - but needs to at least double his innings pitched in 2015 to give rotation the necessary boost to stay in the race.
3 - Lackey (STL) 3-3 - 4.30 ERA - 60.2 IP - 86 ERA+ (Age 35) - Acquired from Boston prior to the trade deadline last season - Struggled in limited action - Whether or not he can bounce back in 2015 remains to be seen.
4 - Wood (CHI) 8-13 - 5.03 ERA - 173.2 IP - 76 ERA+ (Age 27) - Durable, but ineffective last season - He may not be able to improve in 2015 - The Cubs will be in trouble if he doesn't pitch more effectively this season.
5 - Cingrani (CIN) 2-8 - 4.55 ERA - 63.1 IP - 79 ERA+ (Age 24) - After showing flashes of brilliance when first called up in 2013, regressed significantly last season - Without vast improvement this season, the Reds will have serious issues.
NUMBER FIVE
1 - Hendricks (CHI) 7-2 - 2.46 ERA - 80.1 IP - 155 ERA+ (Age 24) - Encouraging results in limited exposure last season - If he can come close to duplicating this performance with 160+ IP, Cubs should easily escape the cellar.
2 - Locke (PIT) 7-6 - 3.91 ERA - 131.1 IP - 91 ERA+ (Age 26) - Assuming Burnett flops for the Pirates in 2015, the team will desperately need this guy to pitch better than last year - and work closer to 200 IP.
3 - Martinez (STL) 2-4 - 4.03 ERA - 89.1 IP - 91 ERA+ (Age 22) - Has the raw talent to develop into a top end of the rotation starter - If he does, Cards could run away with division title.
4 - Nelson (MIL) 2-9 - 4.83 ERA - 69.1 IP - 77 ERA+ (Age 25) - Expected to improve this season - Nowhere to go but up.
5 - Desclafani (CIN) 2-2 - 6.27 ERA - 33.0 IP - 61 ERA+ (Age 24) - Posted a decent 3.78 ERA in the minors last season - Significant improvement is critical in the fifth spot in the rotation if the Reds hope to have any chance at all in the division race.
OVERALL ROTATION RANKINGS
1 - St Louis Cardinals - The combination of Wainwright, Lynn and Wacha should be dominant in 2015.
2 - Chicago Cubs - The addition of Lester and the continued development of their younger talent brings some measure of credibility to a franchise desperate to win.
3 - Milwaukee Brewers - Lacking a true "ace", but still capable of keeping their team in most games.
4 - Pittsburgh Pirates - A shaky rotation with the potential to be a total disaster.
5 - Cincinnati Reds - After Cueto, a lot of question marks.
Friday, February 6, 2015
Ranking NL Central Position Players
After months of careful study and analysis, using advanced metrics and common sense, I've ranked all the position players in the NL Central who are most likely to be in the starting lineup on a regular basis - at least, at the beginning of the season.
However, there could be significant changes as early as May - at least for one team: The Chicago Cubs. Around that time, their highly touted third base prospect - Kris Bryant - will probably be called up from the minors to add much needed offensive firepower for a team expected to contend for a division title (Las Vegas odds makers list them at 12 to 1 to win the World Series; along with the Cardinals!). One thing is certain: The Cubs will not win the NL Central - let alone even qualify for a wild card berth with their current projected lineup (even with five Jon Lesters in the starting rotation).
A comparison of the five NL Central teams' primary position players sheds some light on who are legitimate contenders - and who are the pretenders:
Catcher
In the wake of an injury-plagued season in '14 (only 110 games played), the Cardinals' Yadier Molina has reportedly shed twenty pounds, hoping to take some pressure off a bum knee. If he can stay reasonably healthy this season, he should be able to outperform Milwaukee's Jonathan Lucroy (#2) who had his best season last year (.301/.373/.465 with a NL-most 53 doubles).
Cincinnati's Devin Mesoraco (#3) who hit 25 HR (most by any MLB catcher) in just 114 games appears to be a rising star.
Pittsburgh is going to miss Russell Martin (now with Toronto), although his replacement - Francisco Cervelli (#4) - should be adequate. Unfortunately for the Pirates, "adequate" may not be good enough to help nurture a mediocre pitching staff through a challenging season.
The Cubs acquired Miguel Montero (#5) from Arizona for his "pitch framing" ability; somehow overlooking his sharp offensive decline in the past two seasons - a trend that will likely continue in 2015. As far as "pitch framing" goes, it didn't really help the D-Backs' atrocious pitching staff last year (4.26 ERA was 2nd-worst in the league, behind Colorado's 4.86 ERA).
First Base
Chicago's Anthony Rizzo, after a breakout season, appears to have overtaken the Reds' Joey Votto (#2), who will be trying to return to form after a couple of seasons of nagging injuries which dramatically hurt his production (only 62 games played last season).
The Cardinals are hoping Matt Adams (#3) will regain that power stroke he had in '13 when he hit 17 HR in 319 PA. If he does, he could surpass Votto and possibly Rizzo.
Milwaukee's newest addition - Adam Lind (#4) - could be an offensive weapon (.321/.381/.479 in 96 games) - although somewhat of a defensive liability.
Meanwhile, the Pirates are desperately hoping Pedro Alvarez (#5) rebounds after a disappointing '14 - when he hit just 18 HR - half the total from '13.
Second Base
Pittsburgh's Neil Walker (.271/.342/.467 with 23 HR) is an All Star caliber player who is just entering his prime. If anyone's going to challenge him, it could well be the Cardinals' Kolten Wong (#2), who not only has excellent defensive skills, his hitting should be greatly improved in '14.
Third ranked Scooter Gennett (.289/.320/.434) of Milwaukee has a decent bat but needs work on the defense to reach All Star status.
The Reds' fourth ranked Brandon Phillips (.266/.306/.372) nearly punched out a Cincinnati beat reporter a couple of years ago for noticing his OBP sucked. It still does, and his defensive skills are slipping for the aging hot dog, as well.
The Cubs are praying that fifth ranked Javier Baez (.164/.227/.324) will cut down on his strikeouts (95 in 229 PA). Otherwise their postseason hopes get very dim.
Third Base
The Reds' Todd Frazier had a breakout season in '14 (.273/.336/.458 with 29 HR) - and he's good with the glove to rank a notch ahead of the Redbirds' Matt Carpenter (NL-most 95 BB), who displayed remarkable postseason power (4 HR in 39 PA) after hitting just 8 HR in the regular season.
Pittsburgh's third ranked Josh Harrison (.315/.347/.490) had a career year in '14 - will likely regress a bit in '15.
Aging Aramis Ramirez (#4) of Milwaukee (.285/.330/.427) posted his lowest SLG since '02 - and his glove is suspect at the hot corner, as well.
Either Mike Olt or Tommy La Stella (#5 & 5A) will likely be in the lineup for the Cubs on Opening Day - and neither one is going to do much to enhance Chicago's postseason dream. Maybe rookie Kris Bryant will get called up by May and have a monster season - because that's what they need to be competitive.
Shortstop
Jhonny Peralta (club record 21 HR for SS) was better than expected last year for St Louis, when he was arguably, the best shortstop in either league. He'll likely regress a bit in '15, but should still be better than Starlin Castro (#2) who hit well (.272/.339/.438) but still has defensive issues.
Pittsburgh's Jordy Mercer (#3) is a solid defensive player with a decent bat, while the Reds' Zack Cozart (#4) is a very good defensive player with a weak bat (.221/.268/.300).
The Brewers' Jean Segura (#5) is a good defensive player whose production fell off considerably in '14 (.246/.289/.326) compared to '13 (.274/.329/.423) when he was an All Star. If he doesn't improve this season, the Brewers could be in serious trouble, along with the Cubs.
Left Field
Pittsburgh's Starling Marte (.291/.356/.453) is a five tool player who will only get better in '15 and beyond. Matt Holldiay (#2) is starting to show some age-related regression, with a career low .441 SLG last season. If he can hit 20 HR and drive in 90 again, the Cards should return to the postseason for a record fifth straight season.
The Brewers' third ranked Khris Davis (.244/.299/.457 with 22 HR) should post better offensive numbers in '15, but his defense is still suspect.
Marlon Byrd (#4) - the new addition to the Reds' lineup - hit a career high 25 HR with the Phillies last season, but at the age of 37, may show some regression this season.
The Cubs' Chris Coghlan (#5) is a pretty good hitter (.283/.352/.452) but an atrocious defensive player.
Center Field
Andrew McCutchen (.314/.410/.542) is the best player on an improving Pirates' franchise, although he's overrated, defensively. Two seasons ago, Milwaukee's Carlos Gomez (#2) played a spectacular defensive CF, regressing slightly last year, but his hitting was nearly a carbon copy (.284/.356/.477 with 23 HR).
After a lackluster '13, third ranked Jon Jay (.295/.359/.396) rebounded nicely for the Cardinals in '14 - especially defensively.
Cincinnati's speedy Billy Hamilton (.250/.292/.355) is ranked at #4, but will likely show overall improvement as his career progresses.
Dexter Fowler's (#5) ability to get on base (.375 last season) will help the Cubs' offense this season, but defensively, he's a liability. In other words, he's got lots of company in Chicago.
Right Field
The Cardinals' big acquisition this off season - Jason Heyward - will solve the team's biggest weakness last season - although duplicating a 7.0 WAR may be a difficult assignment. However, if he can find his niche in the St Louis lineup, he could have his best offensive season in '15 - and the Cards should cruise to another division title.
The Brewers' injury-plagued Ryan Braun (#2) discovered that playing without his special vitamins wasn't so easy last year - posting career lows in his entire slash line (.266/.324/.453). He's bound to improve on those numbers in '15, but he'll never get back to that PED-enhanced production from a few years ago. Defensively, a liability.
The Cubs' hot rookie sensation - third ranked Jorge Soler (.292/.330/.573 in 97 PA) - may continue where he left off last season - or he may find out that big league pitching isn't so easy to hit this year. If he flops, more trauma at Wrigley Field for another painful year.
The Pirates are counting on rookie Gregory Polanco (#4) to improve on last season's 89 game introduction to the major leagues (.235/.307/.343). If he struggles once again, it's going to be tough for Pittsburgh to reach the postseason for a third straight year.
How bad was Jay Bruce (.217/.281/.373) last season for the Reds? So bad, that even a couple of relatively untested rookies from Chicago and Pittsburgh are already ranked ahead of him. He's got to get better in '15. There's nowhere to go but up from a negative 1.1 WAR.
SUMMARY
The Cardinals and Pirates - with three players each ranked number one at their positions - figure to have the best overall lineups in the NL Central. The difference between those two teams seems to be pitching - the Cardinals have the advantage - barring any significant injuries.
It would be a mistake to count any team out of the race for the division title (even the Cubs). If Votto returns to form this season, the Reds could be much better. The same goes for the Brewers with their former golden boy, Braunie.
For the Cubs, they need three relatively unproven rookies to rise to the occasion, if they hope to rise in the standings - which may be asking too much, too soon.
PROJECTIONS
St Louis should win division title again
Second place could be a tight race between Pittsburgh and Cincinnati - even Milwaukee or Chicago could sneak up there if all their pieces fall into place
In other words, second through fifth place is almost a toss up between four teams
However, there could be significant changes as early as May - at least for one team: The Chicago Cubs. Around that time, their highly touted third base prospect - Kris Bryant - will probably be called up from the minors to add much needed offensive firepower for a team expected to contend for a division title (Las Vegas odds makers list them at 12 to 1 to win the World Series; along with the Cardinals!). One thing is certain: The Cubs will not win the NL Central - let alone even qualify for a wild card berth with their current projected lineup (even with five Jon Lesters in the starting rotation).
A comparison of the five NL Central teams' primary position players sheds some light on who are legitimate contenders - and who are the pretenders:
Catcher
In the wake of an injury-plagued season in '14 (only 110 games played), the Cardinals' Yadier Molina has reportedly shed twenty pounds, hoping to take some pressure off a bum knee. If he can stay reasonably healthy this season, he should be able to outperform Milwaukee's Jonathan Lucroy (#2) who had his best season last year (.301/.373/.465 with a NL-most 53 doubles).
Cincinnati's Devin Mesoraco (#3) who hit 25 HR (most by any MLB catcher) in just 114 games appears to be a rising star.
Pittsburgh is going to miss Russell Martin (now with Toronto), although his replacement - Francisco Cervelli (#4) - should be adequate. Unfortunately for the Pirates, "adequate" may not be good enough to help nurture a mediocre pitching staff through a challenging season.
The Cubs acquired Miguel Montero (#5) from Arizona for his "pitch framing" ability; somehow overlooking his sharp offensive decline in the past two seasons - a trend that will likely continue in 2015. As far as "pitch framing" goes, it didn't really help the D-Backs' atrocious pitching staff last year (4.26 ERA was 2nd-worst in the league, behind Colorado's 4.86 ERA).
First Base
Chicago's Anthony Rizzo, after a breakout season, appears to have overtaken the Reds' Joey Votto (#2), who will be trying to return to form after a couple of seasons of nagging injuries which dramatically hurt his production (only 62 games played last season).
The Cardinals are hoping Matt Adams (#3) will regain that power stroke he had in '13 when he hit 17 HR in 319 PA. If he does, he could surpass Votto and possibly Rizzo.
Milwaukee's newest addition - Adam Lind (#4) - could be an offensive weapon (.321/.381/.479 in 96 games) - although somewhat of a defensive liability.
Meanwhile, the Pirates are desperately hoping Pedro Alvarez (#5) rebounds after a disappointing '14 - when he hit just 18 HR - half the total from '13.
Second Base
Pittsburgh's Neil Walker (.271/.342/.467 with 23 HR) is an All Star caliber player who is just entering his prime. If anyone's going to challenge him, it could well be the Cardinals' Kolten Wong (#2), who not only has excellent defensive skills, his hitting should be greatly improved in '14.
Third ranked Scooter Gennett (.289/.320/.434) of Milwaukee has a decent bat but needs work on the defense to reach All Star status.
The Reds' fourth ranked Brandon Phillips (.266/.306/.372) nearly punched out a Cincinnati beat reporter a couple of years ago for noticing his OBP sucked. It still does, and his defensive skills are slipping for the aging hot dog, as well.
The Cubs are praying that fifth ranked Javier Baez (.164/.227/.324) will cut down on his strikeouts (95 in 229 PA). Otherwise their postseason hopes get very dim.
Third Base
The Reds' Todd Frazier had a breakout season in '14 (.273/.336/.458 with 29 HR) - and he's good with the glove to rank a notch ahead of the Redbirds' Matt Carpenter (NL-most 95 BB), who displayed remarkable postseason power (4 HR in 39 PA) after hitting just 8 HR in the regular season.
Pittsburgh's third ranked Josh Harrison (.315/.347/.490) had a career year in '14 - will likely regress a bit in '15.
Aging Aramis Ramirez (#4) of Milwaukee (.285/.330/.427) posted his lowest SLG since '02 - and his glove is suspect at the hot corner, as well.
Either Mike Olt or Tommy La Stella (#5 & 5A) will likely be in the lineup for the Cubs on Opening Day - and neither one is going to do much to enhance Chicago's postseason dream. Maybe rookie Kris Bryant will get called up by May and have a monster season - because that's what they need to be competitive.
Shortstop
Jhonny Peralta (club record 21 HR for SS) was better than expected last year for St Louis, when he was arguably, the best shortstop in either league. He'll likely regress a bit in '15, but should still be better than Starlin Castro (#2) who hit well (.272/.339/.438) but still has defensive issues.
Pittsburgh's Jordy Mercer (#3) is a solid defensive player with a decent bat, while the Reds' Zack Cozart (#4) is a very good defensive player with a weak bat (.221/.268/.300).
The Brewers' Jean Segura (#5) is a good defensive player whose production fell off considerably in '14 (.246/.289/.326) compared to '13 (.274/.329/.423) when he was an All Star. If he doesn't improve this season, the Brewers could be in serious trouble, along with the Cubs.
Left Field
Pittsburgh's Starling Marte (.291/.356/.453) is a five tool player who will only get better in '15 and beyond. Matt Holldiay (#2) is starting to show some age-related regression, with a career low .441 SLG last season. If he can hit 20 HR and drive in 90 again, the Cards should return to the postseason for a record fifth straight season.
The Brewers' third ranked Khris Davis (.244/.299/.457 with 22 HR) should post better offensive numbers in '15, but his defense is still suspect.
Marlon Byrd (#4) - the new addition to the Reds' lineup - hit a career high 25 HR with the Phillies last season, but at the age of 37, may show some regression this season.
The Cubs' Chris Coghlan (#5) is a pretty good hitter (.283/.352/.452) but an atrocious defensive player.
Center Field
Andrew McCutchen (.314/.410/.542) is the best player on an improving Pirates' franchise, although he's overrated, defensively. Two seasons ago, Milwaukee's Carlos Gomez (#2) played a spectacular defensive CF, regressing slightly last year, but his hitting was nearly a carbon copy (.284/.356/.477 with 23 HR).
After a lackluster '13, third ranked Jon Jay (.295/.359/.396) rebounded nicely for the Cardinals in '14 - especially defensively.
Cincinnati's speedy Billy Hamilton (.250/.292/.355) is ranked at #4, but will likely show overall improvement as his career progresses.
Dexter Fowler's (#5) ability to get on base (.375 last season) will help the Cubs' offense this season, but defensively, he's a liability. In other words, he's got lots of company in Chicago.
Right Field
The Cardinals' big acquisition this off season - Jason Heyward - will solve the team's biggest weakness last season - although duplicating a 7.0 WAR may be a difficult assignment. However, if he can find his niche in the St Louis lineup, he could have his best offensive season in '15 - and the Cards should cruise to another division title.
The Brewers' injury-plagued Ryan Braun (#2) discovered that playing without his special vitamins wasn't so easy last year - posting career lows in his entire slash line (.266/.324/.453). He's bound to improve on those numbers in '15, but he'll never get back to that PED-enhanced production from a few years ago. Defensively, a liability.
The Cubs' hot rookie sensation - third ranked Jorge Soler (.292/.330/.573 in 97 PA) - may continue where he left off last season - or he may find out that big league pitching isn't so easy to hit this year. If he flops, more trauma at Wrigley Field for another painful year.
The Pirates are counting on rookie Gregory Polanco (#4) to improve on last season's 89 game introduction to the major leagues (.235/.307/.343). If he struggles once again, it's going to be tough for Pittsburgh to reach the postseason for a third straight year.
How bad was Jay Bruce (.217/.281/.373) last season for the Reds? So bad, that even a couple of relatively untested rookies from Chicago and Pittsburgh are already ranked ahead of him. He's got to get better in '15. There's nowhere to go but up from a negative 1.1 WAR.
SUMMARY
The Cardinals and Pirates - with three players each ranked number one at their positions - figure to have the best overall lineups in the NL Central. The difference between those two teams seems to be pitching - the Cardinals have the advantage - barring any significant injuries.
It would be a mistake to count any team out of the race for the division title (even the Cubs). If Votto returns to form this season, the Reds could be much better. The same goes for the Brewers with their former golden boy, Braunie.
For the Cubs, they need three relatively unproven rookies to rise to the occasion, if they hope to rise in the standings - which may be asking too much, too soon.
PROJECTIONS
St Louis should win division title again
Second place could be a tight race between Pittsburgh and Cincinnati - even Milwaukee or Chicago could sneak up there if all their pieces fall into place
In other words, second through fifth place is almost a toss up between four teams
Sunday, January 25, 2015
2015 NL Central Projections: Cardinals Overwhelming Favorite?
With all the recent hype surrounding the Chicago Cubs (new manager, new left-handed pitching ace, new center fielder, bold new prediction from first baseman to "win the NL Central"), the Las Vegas odds makers have given the lovable losers a legitimate shot to win the World Series (around 12 to 1?).
At the same time, unimpressed with the off-season moves of the St Louis Cardinals, those same odds-makers have downgraded last year's division champions - giving them about the same chance of winning the World Series as last year's cellar-dwelling Cubs.
That's just f***ing ridiculous.
Assuming WAR actually means something (generally speaking, it does), let's take a look at the entire NL Central's off-season moves, from a Wins Above Replacement perspective. This will tell us if a team's additions, along with their subtractions actually figures to help them win more games in 2015.
Obviously, there are still some free agents floating around out there that could alter these projections; not to mention a few blockbuster trades that may happen before the season begins. For now, here's the way things have gone for each team:
CARDINALS - 16 players that spent all or part of the 2014 season on the roster are gone. The most notable subtractions are reliever Pat Neshek (2.3 WAR) and starter Shelby Miller (1.7 WAR). Neshek - a free agent who had a career year in '14 - signed with the Houston Astros; Miller was traded to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for right fielder Jason Heyward (7.0 WAR) - who becomes a free agent at the end of this season; so this deal is a long term risk, but a short term bonanza.
All of the remaining 14 players that are gone had slightly negative WARs. In fact, the grand total of the 16 subtractions is NEGATIVE 1.2 WAR. Branch Rickey used to call the act of dumping a player with declining skills "Addition by Subtraction" - and that concept seems to apply here.
Obviously, the Heyward acquisition is the most significant of the front office's additions during the off-season, but there were four others: Jordan Walden (0.9 WAR), Mark Reynolds (0.6 WAR), Dean Anna (0.2 WAR) and Matt Belisle (0.1 WAR).
Total WAR for additions: 8.8 - Add in 1.2 WAR from subtractions - NET GAIN: 10.0 WAR
CUBS - 8 players that spent all or part of the 2014 season on the roster are gone. The most notable subtractions: Jeff Samardzija (1.8 WAR - now a starting pitcher for the White Sox) and former third baseman Luis Valbuena (1.4 WAR) who was traded to the Houston Astros for center fielder Dexter Fowler (1.8 WAR). All told, the Cubs gave up a total WAR of 1.8 in their subtractions.
Additions: The biggest coup in the free agent market - left-handed ace Jon Lester (5.2 WAR) was a step in the right direction for the franchise with the worst pitching in the division last season (707 runs allowed). They also signed former Cards closer Jason Motte (-0.1 WAR) - trying to make a comeback after TJS - and reacquired starting pitcher Jason Hammel (3.1 WAR) - However, the Hammel signing doesn't add to the team's total WAR since his contribution was already factored in from last season. Along with the previously mentioned Fowler, the other additions include catcher Miguel Montero (0.6 WAR) and utility outfielder Chris Denorfia (0.1 WAR).
Total WAR for additions: 7.6 - Lost 1.8 WAR from subtractions - NET GAIN: 5.8 WAR
The rest of the NL Central have either regressed or improved only slightly:
REDS - 11 subtractions and 4 additions equals 1.1 WAR
PIRATES - 11 subtractions and 5 additions equals NEGATIVE 3.9 WAR
BREWERS - 13 subtractions and 4 additions equals NEGATIVE 4.3 WAR
NL Central Projections for 2015 - The "Starting Point" for each team is their Pythagorean Winning Percentage from 2014 (Based on Run Differential). As we can see, four out of the five NL Central teams won more games than their run differential would normally produce (especially the Cardinals):
Team W-L in '14 vs Pythagorean - 2015 W-L Projection
Cardinals 90-72 83-79 93-69
Pirates 88-74 87-75 83-79
Reds 76-86 79-83 80-82
Cubs 73-89 71-91 77-85
Brewers 82-80 80-82 76-86
It looks like it's going to be a tight race for last place in the NL Central in 2015. It seems as though the Cubbies might be able to escape the cellar; but just by the slimmest of margins. Certainly, this isn't what all those delusional Cubs fans are expecting for the upcoming season - not to mention those Las Vegas odds-makers. Sorry. Please accept my condolences for another season of futility.
Maybe 2016 will be better. But don't count on it.
At the same time, unimpressed with the off-season moves of the St Louis Cardinals, those same odds-makers have downgraded last year's division champions - giving them about the same chance of winning the World Series as last year's cellar-dwelling Cubs.
That's just f***ing ridiculous.
Assuming WAR actually means something (generally speaking, it does), let's take a look at the entire NL Central's off-season moves, from a Wins Above Replacement perspective. This will tell us if a team's additions, along with their subtractions actually figures to help them win more games in 2015.
Obviously, there are still some free agents floating around out there that could alter these projections; not to mention a few blockbuster trades that may happen before the season begins. For now, here's the way things have gone for each team:
CARDINALS - 16 players that spent all or part of the 2014 season on the roster are gone. The most notable subtractions are reliever Pat Neshek (2.3 WAR) and starter Shelby Miller (1.7 WAR). Neshek - a free agent who had a career year in '14 - signed with the Houston Astros; Miller was traded to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for right fielder Jason Heyward (7.0 WAR) - who becomes a free agent at the end of this season; so this deal is a long term risk, but a short term bonanza.
All of the remaining 14 players that are gone had slightly negative WARs. In fact, the grand total of the 16 subtractions is NEGATIVE 1.2 WAR. Branch Rickey used to call the act of dumping a player with declining skills "Addition by Subtraction" - and that concept seems to apply here.
Obviously, the Heyward acquisition is the most significant of the front office's additions during the off-season, but there were four others: Jordan Walden (0.9 WAR), Mark Reynolds (0.6 WAR), Dean Anna (0.2 WAR) and Matt Belisle (0.1 WAR).
Total WAR for additions: 8.8 - Add in 1.2 WAR from subtractions - NET GAIN: 10.0 WAR
CUBS - 8 players that spent all or part of the 2014 season on the roster are gone. The most notable subtractions: Jeff Samardzija (1.8 WAR - now a starting pitcher for the White Sox) and former third baseman Luis Valbuena (1.4 WAR) who was traded to the Houston Astros for center fielder Dexter Fowler (1.8 WAR). All told, the Cubs gave up a total WAR of 1.8 in their subtractions.
Additions: The biggest coup in the free agent market - left-handed ace Jon Lester (5.2 WAR) was a step in the right direction for the franchise with the worst pitching in the division last season (707 runs allowed). They also signed former Cards closer Jason Motte (-0.1 WAR) - trying to make a comeback after TJS - and reacquired starting pitcher Jason Hammel (3.1 WAR) - However, the Hammel signing doesn't add to the team's total WAR since his contribution was already factored in from last season. Along with the previously mentioned Fowler, the other additions include catcher Miguel Montero (0.6 WAR) and utility outfielder Chris Denorfia (0.1 WAR).
Total WAR for additions: 7.6 - Lost 1.8 WAR from subtractions - NET GAIN: 5.8 WAR
The rest of the NL Central have either regressed or improved only slightly:
REDS - 11 subtractions and 4 additions equals 1.1 WAR
PIRATES - 11 subtractions and 5 additions equals NEGATIVE 3.9 WAR
BREWERS - 13 subtractions and 4 additions equals NEGATIVE 4.3 WAR
NL Central Projections for 2015 - The "Starting Point" for each team is their Pythagorean Winning Percentage from 2014 (Based on Run Differential). As we can see, four out of the five NL Central teams won more games than their run differential would normally produce (especially the Cardinals):
Team W-L in '14 vs Pythagorean - 2015 W-L Projection
Cardinals 90-72 83-79 93-69
Pirates 88-74 87-75 83-79
Reds 76-86 79-83 80-82
Cubs 73-89 71-91 77-85
Brewers 82-80 80-82 76-86
It looks like it's going to be a tight race for last place in the NL Central in 2015. It seems as though the Cubbies might be able to escape the cellar; but just by the slimmest of margins. Certainly, this isn't what all those delusional Cubs fans are expecting for the upcoming season - not to mention those Las Vegas odds-makers. Sorry. Please accept my condolences for another season of futility.
Maybe 2016 will be better. But don't count on it.
Monday, October 20, 2014
October 20, 1982 - "That's a World Series Winner!"
Wednesday, October 20, 1982 - World Series - Game 7 at Busch Stadium II vs Milwaukee Brewers - Starting Pitchers: Joaquin Andujar vs Pete Vuckovich - Attendance: 53,723
For the first time since 1968, the Cardinals were playing host to a seventh and deciding game of the World Series - but this time, the home team won - coming from behind for a 6-3 World Series winner - the ninth in franchise history.
It was a rematch of Game Three starters - Joaquin Andujar and Pete Vuckovich - and once again, Andujar came away with a victory - allowing three runs (two earned runs) in seven innings of work. Bruce Sutter pitched two perfect innings of relief for his third postseason save - striking out Gorman Thomas on a full-count ten-pitch at bat to finally end it.
After a scoreless first three innings of play, Game Three hero Willie McGee started a fourth-inning rally with a base hit to center off Brewers ace Pete Vuckovich, who was probably relieved Willie didn't hit another home run this time around. Tommy Herr followed with a single to right, as McGee easily advanced to third.
Vuckovich then retired Ozzie Smith on a pop fly to second baseman Ganter, as the runners remained on the corners. However, Lonnie Smith drove in McGee with an infield single to shortstop Yount, as Herr took second.
Vuckovich managed to avoid further damage by retiring Ken Oberkfell on an infield grounder and getting a frustrated Keith Hernandez to chase strike three - stranding Herr at third base.
It didn't take the Brewers long to answer back, as Ben Oglivie hit a fifth-inning lead-off home run to tie the game at one run apiece. Andujar was able to regroup after that blast to retire the next three batters in order.
However, he ran into serious trouble in the sixth, which was only exasperated by his own fielding miscue which led to an unearned run crossing the plate. Jim Gantner started the inning with a lead-off double in the right center field gap. Next up - Paul Molitor - may have caught Andujar off guard with a bunt down the third base line, designed to move the runner up to third. However, after fielding it, Andujar threw wildly past first base, allowing Gantner to score as Molitor took second.
Robin Yount followed that up with an infield hit which second baseman Herr had no play on. Runners were now on first and third - still nobody out. This appeared on the verge of getting out of hand. However, Andujar escaped total disaster, although Yount did score the second run of the inning on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Cecil Cooper. Next up - Ted Simmons - who smacked a line drive off Andujar's knee in Game Three, grounded one to Hernandez, resulting in a force out at second this time around. Likewise, Oglivie, who homered in his last at bat, grounded into a force out to end the threat - and keep it a 3-1 Milwaukee lead.
With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Ozzie Smith singled - then Lonnie Smith doubled him over to third base. With that, Brewers manager Harvey Kuenn went to the bullpen - bringing in lefty reliever Bob McClure to pitch to Oberkfell with two runners in scoring position. Whitey Herzog then countered with pinch hitter Gene Tenace - a World Series hero a decade earlier with Oakland. With first base open, McClure didn't give Tenace anything good to hit - and Tenace patiently drew a base on balls - bringing Keith Hernandez to the plate, with redemption on his mind.
With pinch runner Mike Ramsey replacing Tenace at first base, the stage was set for a classic Fall Classic bit of drama. Two San Francisco Bay Area high school rivals - McClure and Hernandez - were meeting once again in the Main Event - with the world championship on the line - and for the first time in World Series history, two "Smiths" scored on the same base hit - a single to center, as this game was now tied, 3-3.
With pinch runner Mike Ramsey perched on third, George Hendrick brought him in with a base hit in the hole between first and second - to give the Cardinals a 4-3 lead.
An inspired Andujar protected that lead with a scoreless seventh-inning, with Bruce Sutter waiting in the wings to finish this one up. After Milwaukee failed to score in the eighth, St Louis tacked on a couple of insurance runs in the bottom half, to put this one on ice.
Facing reliever Moose Haas, Lonnie Smith led-off the eighth-inning with a ground rule double down the right field line - but Mike Ramsey's sacrifice bunt attempt failed - fouling off strike three. After Hernandez was intentionally walked, Hendrick was retired on a fly ball to center.
Lefty Mike Caldwell - who dominated the Cardinals in Game One's 10-0 blowout - was then brought in to face Darrell Porter - but the strategy backfired - as Porter got the RBI single to right field, which in all likelihood was the deciding factor in the World Series MVP voting. Steve Braun followed that up with a base hit to center - scoring Hernandez with the sixth and final run of the game.
With Sutter looking to close this one out quickly, Ted Simmons obliged with a ground ball right back to the mound - for out number one. Next up - Oglivie - grounded out to second for out number two.
Out number three wouldn't be so easy. Gorman Thomas worked the count full - fouling off pitch after pitch after pitch after pitch - but finally, on the tenth pitch of the at bat, Thomas took a home run cut on non-split-fingered fastball - and came up empty.
That was a World Series winner - ironically, the only one the Cardinals managed to come away with during Herzog's tenure as manager.
The next time St Louis made it to the World Series - in 1985 - a couple of former teammates - Lonnie Smith and Dane Iorg - would be playing for the eventual world champion Kansas City Royals. Twenty-nine years later, KC has returned - but a second I-70 Fall Classic will have to wait awhile.
For the first time since 1968, the Cardinals were playing host to a seventh and deciding game of the World Series - but this time, the home team won - coming from behind for a 6-3 World Series winner - the ninth in franchise history.
It was a rematch of Game Three starters - Joaquin Andujar and Pete Vuckovich - and once again, Andujar came away with a victory - allowing three runs (two earned runs) in seven innings of work. Bruce Sutter pitched two perfect innings of relief for his third postseason save - striking out Gorman Thomas on a full-count ten-pitch at bat to finally end it.
After a scoreless first three innings of play, Game Three hero Willie McGee started a fourth-inning rally with a base hit to center off Brewers ace Pete Vuckovich, who was probably relieved Willie didn't hit another home run this time around. Tommy Herr followed with a single to right, as McGee easily advanced to third.
Vuckovich then retired Ozzie Smith on a pop fly to second baseman Ganter, as the runners remained on the corners. However, Lonnie Smith drove in McGee with an infield single to shortstop Yount, as Herr took second.
Vuckovich managed to avoid further damage by retiring Ken Oberkfell on an infield grounder and getting a frustrated Keith Hernandez to chase strike three - stranding Herr at third base.
It didn't take the Brewers long to answer back, as Ben Oglivie hit a fifth-inning lead-off home run to tie the game at one run apiece. Andujar was able to regroup after that blast to retire the next three batters in order.
However, he ran into serious trouble in the sixth, which was only exasperated by his own fielding miscue which led to an unearned run crossing the plate. Jim Gantner started the inning with a lead-off double in the right center field gap. Next up - Paul Molitor - may have caught Andujar off guard with a bunt down the third base line, designed to move the runner up to third. However, after fielding it, Andujar threw wildly past first base, allowing Gantner to score as Molitor took second.
Robin Yount followed that up with an infield hit which second baseman Herr had no play on. Runners were now on first and third - still nobody out. This appeared on the verge of getting out of hand. However, Andujar escaped total disaster, although Yount did score the second run of the inning on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Cecil Cooper. Next up - Ted Simmons - who smacked a line drive off Andujar's knee in Game Three, grounded one to Hernandez, resulting in a force out at second this time around. Likewise, Oglivie, who homered in his last at bat, grounded into a force out to end the threat - and keep it a 3-1 Milwaukee lead.
With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Ozzie Smith singled - then Lonnie Smith doubled him over to third base. With that, Brewers manager Harvey Kuenn went to the bullpen - bringing in lefty reliever Bob McClure to pitch to Oberkfell with two runners in scoring position. Whitey Herzog then countered with pinch hitter Gene Tenace - a World Series hero a decade earlier with Oakland. With first base open, McClure didn't give Tenace anything good to hit - and Tenace patiently drew a base on balls - bringing Keith Hernandez to the plate, with redemption on his mind.
With pinch runner Mike Ramsey replacing Tenace at first base, the stage was set for a classic Fall Classic bit of drama. Two San Francisco Bay Area high school rivals - McClure and Hernandez - were meeting once again in the Main Event - with the world championship on the line - and for the first time in World Series history, two "Smiths" scored on the same base hit - a single to center, as this game was now tied, 3-3.
With pinch runner Mike Ramsey perched on third, George Hendrick brought him in with a base hit in the hole between first and second - to give the Cardinals a 4-3 lead.
An inspired Andujar protected that lead with a scoreless seventh-inning, with Bruce Sutter waiting in the wings to finish this one up. After Milwaukee failed to score in the eighth, St Louis tacked on a couple of insurance runs in the bottom half, to put this one on ice.
Facing reliever Moose Haas, Lonnie Smith led-off the eighth-inning with a ground rule double down the right field line - but Mike Ramsey's sacrifice bunt attempt failed - fouling off strike three. After Hernandez was intentionally walked, Hendrick was retired on a fly ball to center.
Lefty Mike Caldwell - who dominated the Cardinals in Game One's 10-0 blowout - was then brought in to face Darrell Porter - but the strategy backfired - as Porter got the RBI single to right field, which in all likelihood was the deciding factor in the World Series MVP voting. Steve Braun followed that up with a base hit to center - scoring Hernandez with the sixth and final run of the game.
With Sutter looking to close this one out quickly, Ted Simmons obliged with a ground ball right back to the mound - for out number one. Next up - Oglivie - grounded out to second for out number two.
Out number three wouldn't be so easy. Gorman Thomas worked the count full - fouling off pitch after pitch after pitch after pitch - but finally, on the tenth pitch of the at bat, Thomas took a home run cut on non-split-fingered fastball - and came up empty.
That was a World Series winner - ironically, the only one the Cardinals managed to come away with during Herzog's tenure as manager.
The next time St Louis made it to the World Series - in 1985 - a couple of former teammates - Lonnie Smith and Dane Iorg - would be playing for the eventual world champion Kansas City Royals. Twenty-nine years later, KC has returned - but a second I-70 Fall Classic will have to wait awhile.
Monday, October 13, 2014
3 Thrilling Cardinal Postseason Games: OCTOBER 14
Two years ago today, on Sunday, October 14, 2012, the Cardinals - fresh off their stunning upset of the Nationals in Game 5 of the NLDS - stormed into AT&T Park for Game 1 of the NLCS - and came away with a nice 6-4 win over Madison Bumgarner and the Giants. MadBum gave up all six runs in just 3.2 innings pitched - featuring a pair of two-run home runs by David Freese and Carlos Beltran. Just for the record, no runs scored on balks.
Three years ago today, on Friday, October 14, 2011, the Cardinals won a pivotal Game 5 of the NLCS over the Brewers at Busch Stadium, by a score of 6-2. Octavio Dotel, in relief of Jaime Garcia, entered the game with two on and two out in the fifth-inning to strike out the despicable Ryan Braun - before he was certifiably proven to be despicable. But that got him the win, as Jaime needed one more out to receive credit. With so much at stake, TLR wasn't about to let this one get away. St Louis now had a 3 games to two advantage over the Brewers.
Eight years ago today, on Saturday, October 14, 2006, the Cardinals blanked the Mets at Busch, 5-0, in Game 3 of the NLCS. Jeff Suppan got the win, with some help from the bullpen - and he even belted a solo home run for style points. St Louis now had a two games to one advantage over the Mets.
Those were wonderful postseason games to win, of course. And two out of the three victories facilitated a trip to the World Series - which concluded with world championships in both seasons. That first one against the Giants wasn't quite enough to help the Cardinals reach the Fall Classic, but maybe they'll pull off some miracles this time around in San Fran. Crazier things have happened already in this postseason.
In terms of getting the adrenalin riled up, these three really do the trick - and they helped the Cardinals reach the World Series, to boot:
3 - Thursday, October 14, 2004 - Game 2 - NLCS vs Houston Astros - At Busch Stadium
Ten years ago today, the Cardinals had to fight tooth and nail to come away with a 6-4 win over a very tough Houston Astros wild card team. All six runs scored by the Redbirds came via the long ball - as St Louis took a two games to none advantage in this best-of-seven showdown - and it's a good thing they won both of those games. Otherwise, the Astros would have knocked the Redbirds out of the postseason for two straight years.
Down 3-0 in the fifth-inning, the Cardinals take a 4-3 lead on a pair of two-run home runs - one by Larry Walker and one by Scott Rolen. Undaunted, Houston came back to tie the game, 4-4.
Equally undaunted, the Cardinals took the lead for good in the eighth-inning. Back-to-back home runs by Albert Pujols and another by Scott Rolen (on an 0-2 pitch) made it a 6-4 lead - and that's where it stayed.
Julian Taverez pitched an inning of scoreless relief for the nerve-racking win.
2 - Wednesday, October 14, 1987 - Game 7 - NLCS vs San Francisco Giants - At Busch Stadium
The Cardinals secured their third trip to the World Series in six seasons - with a Danny Cox complete-game eight-hit shutout of the Giants. The final score: 6-0.
What made Cardinal fans jump out of their seats was the completely unexpected second-inning three-run home run by switch-hitting Jose Oquendo - turning a slim 1-0 lead into a nice 4-0 cushion - all but ensuring victory for the Redbirds.
Jose's memorable blast off Giants starter Atlee Hammaker came as a right-handed batter, on a 3-2 pitch. For fans watching the blast on television - the image of that perfect swing connecting with that nice meatball - will be long-remembered.
But for the sheer joy of an unexpected source of power - nothing can compare to:
1 - Monday, October 14, 1985 - Game 5 - NLCS vs Los Angeles Dodgers - At Busch Stadium
The game and the series were tied, 2-2 - when switch-hitting Ozzie Smith stepped up to the plate with one out in the bottom of the ninth-inning. Batting left-handed against Dodgers reliever Tom Niedenfuer - Ozzie had a home run cut on the first pitch, but fouled it back. The thought of Ozzie hitting a home run from that side of the plate was preposterous - but there he was hacking away - despite never going yard as a left-handed batter in his career.
Before all that ninth-inning drama unfolded, the game began with the Cardinals staking Bob Forsch to a quick 2-0 first-inning lead. Dodgers starter Fernando Valenzuela walked the first two batters - Willie McGee and Ozzie Smith - then Tommy Herr cashed in with a two-run double.
However, even though Herr would move up to third on a passed ball, with nobody out - the Cardinals failed to bring him in. Otherwise, this game would have ended in somewhat boring fashion, with a 3-2 win - after the Dodgers were retired in the top of the ninth. Theoretically, anyway.
In reality, the Dodgers scored their two runs in the fourth-inning, on a two-run home run off the bat of Bill Madlock.
Still deadlocked heading into the ninth-inning, Jeff Lahti retired LA in order - good enough for the win - although at the time, nobody knew it. Nobody knew when this game was actually going to end. Extra-innings seemed very likely - especially after McGee was retired for the first out to begin the bottom of the ninth.
When Ozzie connected on a Niedenfuer belt-high fastball, Jack Buck's incredulous call will forever be a part of Cardinal lore:
"Smith corks one down the line in right...It may go!...Go crazy, folks! Go crazy! The Cardinals have won the game, 3-2!...on a home run - by The Wizard! Go crazy!"
Three years ago today, on Friday, October 14, 2011, the Cardinals won a pivotal Game 5 of the NLCS over the Brewers at Busch Stadium, by a score of 6-2. Octavio Dotel, in relief of Jaime Garcia, entered the game with two on and two out in the fifth-inning to strike out the despicable Ryan Braun - before he was certifiably proven to be despicable. But that got him the win, as Jaime needed one more out to receive credit. With so much at stake, TLR wasn't about to let this one get away. St Louis now had a 3 games to two advantage over the Brewers.
Eight years ago today, on Saturday, October 14, 2006, the Cardinals blanked the Mets at Busch, 5-0, in Game 3 of the NLCS. Jeff Suppan got the win, with some help from the bullpen - and he even belted a solo home run for style points. St Louis now had a two games to one advantage over the Mets.
Those were wonderful postseason games to win, of course. And two out of the three victories facilitated a trip to the World Series - which concluded with world championships in both seasons. That first one against the Giants wasn't quite enough to help the Cardinals reach the Fall Classic, but maybe they'll pull off some miracles this time around in San Fran. Crazier things have happened already in this postseason.
In terms of getting the adrenalin riled up, these three really do the trick - and they helped the Cardinals reach the World Series, to boot:
3 - Thursday, October 14, 2004 - Game 2 - NLCS vs Houston Astros - At Busch Stadium
Ten years ago today, the Cardinals had to fight tooth and nail to come away with a 6-4 win over a very tough Houston Astros wild card team. All six runs scored by the Redbirds came via the long ball - as St Louis took a two games to none advantage in this best-of-seven showdown - and it's a good thing they won both of those games. Otherwise, the Astros would have knocked the Redbirds out of the postseason for two straight years.
Down 3-0 in the fifth-inning, the Cardinals take a 4-3 lead on a pair of two-run home runs - one by Larry Walker and one by Scott Rolen. Undaunted, Houston came back to tie the game, 4-4.
Equally undaunted, the Cardinals took the lead for good in the eighth-inning. Back-to-back home runs by Albert Pujols and another by Scott Rolen (on an 0-2 pitch) made it a 6-4 lead - and that's where it stayed.
Julian Taverez pitched an inning of scoreless relief for the nerve-racking win.
2 - Wednesday, October 14, 1987 - Game 7 - NLCS vs San Francisco Giants - At Busch Stadium
The Cardinals secured their third trip to the World Series in six seasons - with a Danny Cox complete-game eight-hit shutout of the Giants. The final score: 6-0.
What made Cardinal fans jump out of their seats was the completely unexpected second-inning three-run home run by switch-hitting Jose Oquendo - turning a slim 1-0 lead into a nice 4-0 cushion - all but ensuring victory for the Redbirds.
Jose's memorable blast off Giants starter Atlee Hammaker came as a right-handed batter, on a 3-2 pitch. For fans watching the blast on television - the image of that perfect swing connecting with that nice meatball - will be long-remembered.
But for the sheer joy of an unexpected source of power - nothing can compare to:
1 - Monday, October 14, 1985 - Game 5 - NLCS vs Los Angeles Dodgers - At Busch Stadium
The game and the series were tied, 2-2 - when switch-hitting Ozzie Smith stepped up to the plate with one out in the bottom of the ninth-inning. Batting left-handed against Dodgers reliever Tom Niedenfuer - Ozzie had a home run cut on the first pitch, but fouled it back. The thought of Ozzie hitting a home run from that side of the plate was preposterous - but there he was hacking away - despite never going yard as a left-handed batter in his career.
Before all that ninth-inning drama unfolded, the game began with the Cardinals staking Bob Forsch to a quick 2-0 first-inning lead. Dodgers starter Fernando Valenzuela walked the first two batters - Willie McGee and Ozzie Smith - then Tommy Herr cashed in with a two-run double.
However, even though Herr would move up to third on a passed ball, with nobody out - the Cardinals failed to bring him in. Otherwise, this game would have ended in somewhat boring fashion, with a 3-2 win - after the Dodgers were retired in the top of the ninth. Theoretically, anyway.
In reality, the Dodgers scored their two runs in the fourth-inning, on a two-run home run off the bat of Bill Madlock.
Still deadlocked heading into the ninth-inning, Jeff Lahti retired LA in order - good enough for the win - although at the time, nobody knew it. Nobody knew when this game was actually going to end. Extra-innings seemed very likely - especially after McGee was retired for the first out to begin the bottom of the ninth.
When Ozzie connected on a Niedenfuer belt-high fastball, Jack Buck's incredulous call will forever be a part of Cardinal lore:
"Smith corks one down the line in right...It may go!...Go crazy, folks! Go crazy! The Cardinals have won the game, 3-2!...on a home run - by The Wizard! Go crazy!"
Top 6 Cardinal Postseason Games: OCTOBER 13
6 - Saturday, October 13, 2001 - Game 4 - NLDS vs Arizona Diamondbacks - At Busch Stadium
The Cardinals evened the NLDS at two games apiece, with a 4-1 win over the D-Backs. Bud Smith pitched five innings, allowing one run on four hits - and the St Louis bullpen kept Arizona scoreless over the final four innings to preserve the win for the rookie.
Fernando Vina had three hits - including a home run - scored two runs and drove in two runs to pace the Cards attack. Jim Edmonds also homered in what would prove to be the Cardinals' last home game in 2001.
5 - Tuesday, October 13, 1987 - Game 6 - NLCS vs San Francisco Giants - At Busch Stadium
A misplayed second-inning line drive off the bat of Tony Pena by Giants right fielder Candy Maldonado turned an easy out into a lead-off triple - then Jose Oquendo got the game-winning RBI with a sacrifice fly - the only run scored in the game - to give the Cardinals a do-or-die 1-0 win over the Giants.
John Tudor blanked the Giants for 7.1 innings - then Todd Worrell and Ken Dayley preserved the win, to even the series at three games apiece.
4 - Sunday, October 13, 1985 - Game 4 - NLCS vs Los Angeles Dodgers - At Busch Stadium
The Cardinals scored nine runs in the second-inning to blow the game wide open - en route to a 12-2 drubbing of LA - to even the series at two games apiece. Every player in the St Louis lineup either scored or drove in at least one run. Tito Landrum - playing in place of the injured Vince Coleman - had 3 RBI. Coleman - the fastest player in major league baseball - had been injured earlier in the day by a runaway tarp machine traveling at 1 mph - and would be lost for the remainder of the postseason.
John Tudor breezed through seven innings - allowing one run on three hits, while striking out five - to get the win.
3 - Wednesday, October 13, 2004 - Game 1 - NLCS vs Houston Astros - At Busch Stadium
The Cardinals managed to overcome four home runs by the visiting Astros, thanks to huge offensive nights from Albert Pujols (two hits - including a home run - two runs scored, two RBI), Jim Edmonds (two hits and three RBI) and Larry Walker (three hits - including a double and triple - three runs scored and one RBI). Final score: St Louis 10 - Houston 7
Woody Williams pitched six innings for the win - allowing four runs on four hits - including two of the four home runs off Cardinal pitching. Connecting for the Astros: Carlos Beltran, Jeff Kent, Lance Berkman and Eric Lamb
2 - Wednesday, October 13, 1982 - Game 2 - World Series vs Milwaukee Brewers - At Busch Stadium
The Cardinals evened the series at one game apiece with a crucial 5-4 come-from-behind win over the Brewers. Darrell Porter's two-run opposite field game-tying double off Brewers starter Don Sutton was the biggest hit - perhaps of the entire series. The winning run scored when rookie reliever Pete Ladd walked Steve Braun with the bases loaded in the eighth-inning to put the Redbirds on top for the first time in the game.
Bruce Sutter got his first career World Series win with 2.1 innings of scoreless two-hit relief.
1 - Friday, October 13, 2006 - Game 2 - NLCS vs New York Mets - At Shea Stadium
In a game the Cardinals absolutely had to win - pinch hitter So Taguchi's lead-off ninth-inning home run broke a 6-6 tie - then the Cardinals tacked on two more runs to hand the Mets a shocking 9-6 defeat at home - to even the series at one game apiece.
Pacing the well-rounded St Louis attack: Jim Edmonds' two-run home run - Scott Spezio added a double, a triple, two runs scored and three RBI - Yadier Molina had three hits with two RBI - and Albert Pujols had a pair of doubles and scored three runs.
Josh Kinney recorded his first and only career postseason win with an inning of scoreless relief. His total career workload in postseason play would amount to 6.1 IP - allowing just three hits - with a career ERA of 0.00.
After this wild game concluded with a rare postseason Cardinals' road win, you wouldn't blame anyone rooting for the Mets to suddenly have an aversion to any future Friday the 13th's.
But it was a most fortuitous day for Cardinal Nation, as this unlikely World Series championship team was just starting to click on all cylinders.
The Cardinals evened the NLDS at two games apiece, with a 4-1 win over the D-Backs. Bud Smith pitched five innings, allowing one run on four hits - and the St Louis bullpen kept Arizona scoreless over the final four innings to preserve the win for the rookie.
Fernando Vina had three hits - including a home run - scored two runs and drove in two runs to pace the Cards attack. Jim Edmonds also homered in what would prove to be the Cardinals' last home game in 2001.
5 - Tuesday, October 13, 1987 - Game 6 - NLCS vs San Francisco Giants - At Busch Stadium
A misplayed second-inning line drive off the bat of Tony Pena by Giants right fielder Candy Maldonado turned an easy out into a lead-off triple - then Jose Oquendo got the game-winning RBI with a sacrifice fly - the only run scored in the game - to give the Cardinals a do-or-die 1-0 win over the Giants.
John Tudor blanked the Giants for 7.1 innings - then Todd Worrell and Ken Dayley preserved the win, to even the series at three games apiece.
4 - Sunday, October 13, 1985 - Game 4 - NLCS vs Los Angeles Dodgers - At Busch Stadium
The Cardinals scored nine runs in the second-inning to blow the game wide open - en route to a 12-2 drubbing of LA - to even the series at two games apiece. Every player in the St Louis lineup either scored or drove in at least one run. Tito Landrum - playing in place of the injured Vince Coleman - had 3 RBI. Coleman - the fastest player in major league baseball - had been injured earlier in the day by a runaway tarp machine traveling at 1 mph - and would be lost for the remainder of the postseason.
John Tudor breezed through seven innings - allowing one run on three hits, while striking out five - to get the win.
3 - Wednesday, October 13, 2004 - Game 1 - NLCS vs Houston Astros - At Busch Stadium
The Cardinals managed to overcome four home runs by the visiting Astros, thanks to huge offensive nights from Albert Pujols (two hits - including a home run - two runs scored, two RBI), Jim Edmonds (two hits and three RBI) and Larry Walker (three hits - including a double and triple - three runs scored and one RBI). Final score: St Louis 10 - Houston 7
Woody Williams pitched six innings for the win - allowing four runs on four hits - including two of the four home runs off Cardinal pitching. Connecting for the Astros: Carlos Beltran, Jeff Kent, Lance Berkman and Eric Lamb
2 - Wednesday, October 13, 1982 - Game 2 - World Series vs Milwaukee Brewers - At Busch Stadium
The Cardinals evened the series at one game apiece with a crucial 5-4 come-from-behind win over the Brewers. Darrell Porter's two-run opposite field game-tying double off Brewers starter Don Sutton was the biggest hit - perhaps of the entire series. The winning run scored when rookie reliever Pete Ladd walked Steve Braun with the bases loaded in the eighth-inning to put the Redbirds on top for the first time in the game.
Bruce Sutter got his first career World Series win with 2.1 innings of scoreless two-hit relief.
1 - Friday, October 13, 2006 - Game 2 - NLCS vs New York Mets - At Shea Stadium
In a game the Cardinals absolutely had to win - pinch hitter So Taguchi's lead-off ninth-inning home run broke a 6-6 tie - then the Cardinals tacked on two more runs to hand the Mets a shocking 9-6 defeat at home - to even the series at one game apiece.
Pacing the well-rounded St Louis attack: Jim Edmonds' two-run home run - Scott Spezio added a double, a triple, two runs scored and three RBI - Yadier Molina had three hits with two RBI - and Albert Pujols had a pair of doubles and scored three runs.
Josh Kinney recorded his first and only career postseason win with an inning of scoreless relief. His total career workload in postseason play would amount to 6.1 IP - allowing just three hits - with a career ERA of 0.00.
After this wild game concluded with a rare postseason Cardinals' road win, you wouldn't blame anyone rooting for the Mets to suddenly have an aversion to any future Friday the 13th's.
But it was a most fortuitous day for Cardinal Nation, as this unlikely World Series championship team was just starting to click on all cylinders.
Sunday, October 12, 2014
Cardinals' Top 5 October 12 Postseason Games
October 12 has been a good day for Cardinal baseball over the years. For most other major league teams, whose postseason hopes usually disappear shortly after the All Star break, October 12 has been a good day to get in a round of golf. So there's always a bright side to every situation.
Of course, reaching the postseason isn't easy. The recent success of the Cardinals may have spoiled some fans, who now consider anything less than a World Series championship a disappointing season. Maybe they've forgotten (or too young to remember) the '70's - or most of the '90's. Even '96 - the only time the Cardinals qualified for postseason play in that decade - ended as nightmarish as could be imagined. Let's forget that even happened.
Whether or not 2014 will result in another trip to the Fall Classic for the Cardinals remains to be seen. Luckily, they're playing the Giants in Game Two of the NLCS on one of their favorite days for postseason success - October 12. How can they go wrong?
Top Five Cardinals' Postseason Games Played on October 12 (Since 1964):
5 - 2011 - Game 3 - NLCS vs Milwaukee Brewers
The Cardinals score four runs in the first-inning, then hang on for a 4-3 win over the Brewers.
Chris Carpenter gets the win and the bullpen provides some stellar relief, as St Louis takes a two games to one lead over their division rivals.
4 - 2013 - Game 2 - NLCS vs Los Angeles Dodgers
Michael Wacha strikes out eight in 6.2 shutout innings. Four relievers retire the final seven batters in order to preserve a 1-0 St Louis win.
The losing pitcher - Clayton Kershaw - only allowed one run - in the fifth-inning - when David Freese doubled, advanced to third on a passed ball, then scored on Jon Jay's sacrifice fly to left field.
As a side note, Carl Crawford made possibly the worst throw in major league history on the play - one day after Carlos Beltran made one of the greatest throws ever - nailing a runner at the plate (Mark Ellis) trying to tag up from third - in another game won by the Cardinals.
3 - 1964 - Game 5 - World Series vs New York Yankees
At Yankee Stadium - after the Yankees score two unearned runs in the bottom of the ninth, Tim McCarver's three-run tenth-inning home run gives Bob Gibson a complete game 5-2 win.
Taking a shutout into the ninth-inning, the first batter Gibson faces - Mickey Mantle - reaches base when Cards shortstop Dick Groat boots his ground ball. One out later, Gibson made perhaps the greatest fielding play by a pitcher in World Series history - when he pounces on the ball that struck him off the bat of Joe Pepitone - making an off-balance throw to first to barely nab the runner.
Had Pepitone reached base, Tom Tresh's home run would have won the game. Instead it only tied the game - setting up McCarver's tenth-inning heroics.
Gibson got the final three outs in the bottom of the tenth - and became a legend in the process.
2 - 1967 - Game 7 - World Series vs Boston Red Sox
At Fenway Park, the Cardinals become World Champions for the second time in four seasons - with a 7-2 win over the Red Sox.
Bob Gibson goes the distance - allowing two runs on three hits and three walks. He also struck out ten batters.
Boston ace Jim Lonborg - working on just two days rest - is tagged for all seven runs - including a solo home run from Bob Gibson and a three-run bomb by Julian Javier.
Prior to the game, Boston manager Dick Williams was asked by a local beat writer what he expected in this Lonborg vs Gibson showdown. His response would be chanted by a relentless Gibson & company as the Cardinals celebrated in the visitors' clubhouse: "Lonborg and champagne!"
1 - 2012 - Game 5 - NLDS vs Washington Nationals
After the Nats had taken a 6-0 lead over Adam Wainwright and the Cards in the first three-innings of play, a newly retired and bitter Chipper Jones - formerly of the freshly eliminated (by the Cardinals) Atlanta Braves - felt compelled to announce to his Twitter followers what was going on in this game: "It's over!"
Not quite, Chipper. While the Cardinal bullpen kept the Nats at bay, the Redbirds pecked away at that deficit. Matt Holliday's fourth-inning RBI double scored Beltran: 6-1.
In the fifth-inning, the Cards scored two more runs on two hits, three walks and a wild pitch - as Washington starter Gio Gonzalez began to unravel: 6-3.
In the seventh, Matt Holliday's infield ground out scored Jon Jay from third, as the partisan crowd slowly went from raucous party mode to subdued paranoia: 6-4.
Daniel Descalso's eighth-inning lead-off home run drew the Cardinals within one run: 6-5.
The Nationals answered back with a run of their own in the bottom of the eighth, as the mood of the crowd shifted to 95% high octane party mode again. As the ninth-inning began, nobody wanted to sit down. They had to savor the final three outs which would send their team to the NLCS: 7-5.
With closer Drew Storen on the mound, Carlos Beltran bounced a lead-off double off the wall in right center field. But then Matt Holliday grounded out to third - and the next batter - Allen Craig struck out on a pitch about a foot off the plate, for out number two.
As the crowd began singing and dancing and hugging one another, Yadier Molina and David Freese both walked to load the bases. The celebratory mood of the crowd once again shifted into stunned silence - although a few brave souls scorned the presence of Daniel Descalso now batting for St Louis. But Daniel was hot - lining a shot up the middle that was hit so hard, it nearly took shortstop Ian Desmond's glove off. Beltran and pinch runner (for Molina) Adron Chambers both scored: 7-7.
Descalso could also run - swiping second, uncontested. Two runners now in scoring position.
Next up - Pete Kozma - smacked a belt-high fastball on the outside corner down the right field line - scoring Freese and Chambers to give the Cardinals a shocking 9-7 lead. No one was more thrilled about this than the on-deck hitter - Jason Motte - who had allowed that insurance run the Nats had scored in the eighth-inning. But it wasn't enough insurance.
A reprieved Motte retired the Nats in order in the ninth to seal this improbable come-from-behind division series clincher. Bryce Harper, who fanned for the second out in the inning, was so thrilled about blowing this game, he defiantly grabbed his crotch while staring down a bemused Motte.
Undaunted, Jason then induced Ryan Zimmerman to pop out to the biggest hero of the night - second baseman Daniel Descalso - to seal the deal.
The Wild Cards had beaten the number-one team in the National League in the division series for the second consecutive year (the Phillies and now the Nats) - in a deciding fifth game on enemy turf.
It's no wonder so many opposing fans hate the Cardinals.
Let's hope the Giants fans will hate the Cardinals just a little bit more after this particular October 12 game.
Of course, reaching the postseason isn't easy. The recent success of the Cardinals may have spoiled some fans, who now consider anything less than a World Series championship a disappointing season. Maybe they've forgotten (or too young to remember) the '70's - or most of the '90's. Even '96 - the only time the Cardinals qualified for postseason play in that decade - ended as nightmarish as could be imagined. Let's forget that even happened.
Whether or not 2014 will result in another trip to the Fall Classic for the Cardinals remains to be seen. Luckily, they're playing the Giants in Game Two of the NLCS on one of their favorite days for postseason success - October 12. How can they go wrong?
Top Five Cardinals' Postseason Games Played on October 12 (Since 1964):
5 - 2011 - Game 3 - NLCS vs Milwaukee Brewers
The Cardinals score four runs in the first-inning, then hang on for a 4-3 win over the Brewers.
Chris Carpenter gets the win and the bullpen provides some stellar relief, as St Louis takes a two games to one lead over their division rivals.
4 - 2013 - Game 2 - NLCS vs Los Angeles Dodgers
Michael Wacha strikes out eight in 6.2 shutout innings. Four relievers retire the final seven batters in order to preserve a 1-0 St Louis win.
The losing pitcher - Clayton Kershaw - only allowed one run - in the fifth-inning - when David Freese doubled, advanced to third on a passed ball, then scored on Jon Jay's sacrifice fly to left field.
As a side note, Carl Crawford made possibly the worst throw in major league history on the play - one day after Carlos Beltran made one of the greatest throws ever - nailing a runner at the plate (Mark Ellis) trying to tag up from third - in another game won by the Cardinals.
3 - 1964 - Game 5 - World Series vs New York Yankees
At Yankee Stadium - after the Yankees score two unearned runs in the bottom of the ninth, Tim McCarver's three-run tenth-inning home run gives Bob Gibson a complete game 5-2 win.
Taking a shutout into the ninth-inning, the first batter Gibson faces - Mickey Mantle - reaches base when Cards shortstop Dick Groat boots his ground ball. One out later, Gibson made perhaps the greatest fielding play by a pitcher in World Series history - when he pounces on the ball that struck him off the bat of Joe Pepitone - making an off-balance throw to first to barely nab the runner.
Had Pepitone reached base, Tom Tresh's home run would have won the game. Instead it only tied the game - setting up McCarver's tenth-inning heroics.
Gibson got the final three outs in the bottom of the tenth - and became a legend in the process.
2 - 1967 - Game 7 - World Series vs Boston Red Sox
At Fenway Park, the Cardinals become World Champions for the second time in four seasons - with a 7-2 win over the Red Sox.
Bob Gibson goes the distance - allowing two runs on three hits and three walks. He also struck out ten batters.
Boston ace Jim Lonborg - working on just two days rest - is tagged for all seven runs - including a solo home run from Bob Gibson and a three-run bomb by Julian Javier.
Prior to the game, Boston manager Dick Williams was asked by a local beat writer what he expected in this Lonborg vs Gibson showdown. His response would be chanted by a relentless Gibson & company as the Cardinals celebrated in the visitors' clubhouse: "Lonborg and champagne!"
1 - 2012 - Game 5 - NLDS vs Washington Nationals
After the Nats had taken a 6-0 lead over Adam Wainwright and the Cards in the first three-innings of play, a newly retired and bitter Chipper Jones - formerly of the freshly eliminated (by the Cardinals) Atlanta Braves - felt compelled to announce to his Twitter followers what was going on in this game: "It's over!"
Not quite, Chipper. While the Cardinal bullpen kept the Nats at bay, the Redbirds pecked away at that deficit. Matt Holliday's fourth-inning RBI double scored Beltran: 6-1.
In the fifth-inning, the Cards scored two more runs on two hits, three walks and a wild pitch - as Washington starter Gio Gonzalez began to unravel: 6-3.
In the seventh, Matt Holliday's infield ground out scored Jon Jay from third, as the partisan crowd slowly went from raucous party mode to subdued paranoia: 6-4.
Daniel Descalso's eighth-inning lead-off home run drew the Cardinals within one run: 6-5.
The Nationals answered back with a run of their own in the bottom of the eighth, as the mood of the crowd shifted to 95% high octane party mode again. As the ninth-inning began, nobody wanted to sit down. They had to savor the final three outs which would send their team to the NLCS: 7-5.
With closer Drew Storen on the mound, Carlos Beltran bounced a lead-off double off the wall in right center field. But then Matt Holliday grounded out to third - and the next batter - Allen Craig struck out on a pitch about a foot off the plate, for out number two.
As the crowd began singing and dancing and hugging one another, Yadier Molina and David Freese both walked to load the bases. The celebratory mood of the crowd once again shifted into stunned silence - although a few brave souls scorned the presence of Daniel Descalso now batting for St Louis. But Daniel was hot - lining a shot up the middle that was hit so hard, it nearly took shortstop Ian Desmond's glove off. Beltran and pinch runner (for Molina) Adron Chambers both scored: 7-7.
Descalso could also run - swiping second, uncontested. Two runners now in scoring position.
Next up - Pete Kozma - smacked a belt-high fastball on the outside corner down the right field line - scoring Freese and Chambers to give the Cardinals a shocking 9-7 lead. No one was more thrilled about this than the on-deck hitter - Jason Motte - who had allowed that insurance run the Nats had scored in the eighth-inning. But it wasn't enough insurance.
A reprieved Motte retired the Nats in order in the ninth to seal this improbable come-from-behind division series clincher. Bryce Harper, who fanned for the second out in the inning, was so thrilled about blowing this game, he defiantly grabbed his crotch while staring down a bemused Motte.
Undaunted, Jason then induced Ryan Zimmerman to pop out to the biggest hero of the night - second baseman Daniel Descalso - to seal the deal.
The Wild Cards had beaten the number-one team in the National League in the division series for the second consecutive year (the Phillies and now the Nats) - in a deciding fifth game on enemy turf.
It's no wonder so many opposing fans hate the Cardinals.
Let's hope the Giants fans will hate the Cardinals just a little bit more after this particular October 12 game.
Friday, October 10, 2014
October 10, 2011 - Game 2 - NLCS: Pujols Powers Cards to 12-3 Win Over Brewers
Monday, October 10, 2011 - Game 2 - NLCS vs Milwaukee Brewers - At Miller Park - Starting Pitchers: Edwin Jackson vs Shaun Marcum - Attendance: 43,937
Albert Pujols, nearing the end of his remarkable 11-year run with the St Louis Cardinals - led the assault on Milwaukee pitching in Game Two of the NLCS - with a home run, three doubles, five RBI and three runs scored - as the Cardinals evened this best-of-seven showdown with their newest bitter rivals: T-Plush's Brew Crew - Final score: 12-3.
My, how time flies. It was only a month or so ago when Nyjer Morgan's inexplicable on-field confrontation with the entire Cardinals team only added fuel to the Redbirds' postseason quest. Thanks to social media, Morgan decided to take things one step further, posting a @TheRealTPlush rant on Twitter, that went vaguely like this (grammar & misspellings approximated):
"WHERE STILL IN FIRST & I HOPE THOSE CRYIN' BIRDS INJOY WATCHIN' THA CREW IN THA PLAYOFFS. AAAAAAHHHHHH!!!" Or something to that effect.
Of course, those cryin' birds would not only get to injoy watchin' tha Crew in tha playoffs - they were also able to injoy eliminating tha Crew from the playoffs. Aaaaaahhhhhh!
So it must have been with great pleasure for everyone associated with the Cardinals - when Albert Pujols blasted a first-inning two-run bomb off Brewers starter Shaun Marcum to get the festivities under way.
Pujols was just getting warmed up. No doubt inspired by additional commentary from the irascible T-Plush on Twitter after Morgan's Busch Stadium meltdown (cleverly referring to Pujols as "Alberta"), the Cardinal first baseman's turn at bat in the third-inning coincided with a two-on (Edwin Jackson on second and Jon Jay on first) - one out situation - in what was still just a 2-0 ballgame.
This time Alberta launched a rocket to dead-center field - in the general vicinity of Nyjer Morgan. T-Gumbo helplessly sprinted towards the wall, staggered on the warning track, flailed at the ball which was sailing past him, then after crashing into the fence, frantically looked around for the projectile which had suddenly changed directions - now rolling back towards the infield. Both runners had scored, as Pujols glided into second - refusing to even look in the direction of his zany adversary, who appeared to be a bit flustered by this shocking development: Cards 4 - Brewers 0.
In the fourth-inning, the Cardinals tacked on another run, as Yadier Molina led-off with a double and later scored on Nick Punto's RBI single to center: 5-0.
The Brewers got a fourth-inning two-run home run from Rickey Weeks (scoring Prince Fielder who doubled) - to cut the deficit to three runs: 5-2.
The Redbirds responded in the fifth-inning off reliever Marco Estrada. Back-to-back doubles by Jay and Pujols brought in the first run of the inning (Alberta's fifth RBI of the game) - and a ground ball and a wild pitch later, Pujols also scored: 7-2.
When Jackson issued a lead-off walk to Corey Hart in the bottom half of the fifth, manager Tony LaRussa wasted no time in getting the bullpen prepared for action. Jackson was able to retire the one and only T-Plush on a routine fly to center, for the first out. Next up - everybody's favorite liar - Ryan Braun - who muscled up for a ground-rule double - putting two runners in scoring position.
Jackson may have been a bit surprised when the call to the bullpen was made - but LaRussa wasn't going to let this game slip away, tying to coax a starter through the five-innings needed to qualify for the win. Left-handed specialist Arthur Rhodes came in to face one batter - Prince Fielder - but he walked him to load the bases.
Goodbye, Arthur. Hello Lance Lynn - the hard-throwing rookie who would pitch his way onto the starting rotation by the following season, thanks to efforts like this: One pitch to Rickey Weeks - one 6-4-3 double play to end the inning. Lynn's reward: A record-tying (by many) one-pitch-two-thirds of an inning "win".
Realizing a five-run lead is never a safe lead at Miller Park, the Cardinals went on the offensive again off a new reliever - Kameron Loe. With one-out in the seventh-inning - Pujols floated a ground rule double (his third straight double) down the right field line . Matt Holliday's single to right field scored Pujols: 8-2.
After Lance Berkman reached on an infield single down the third base line, advancing Holliday to second - the wheels really fell off tha Crew. Molina - trying to check his swing - instead poked one into right field, as Holliday scored. Next up - NLCS MVP-in waiting - David Freese - lined one right the middle, scoring Berkman, as a dazed Loe was just happy to survive long enough to serve up another meatball to Punto, who hit a more polite single to center - scoring Molina: 11-2.
Loe was mercifully relieved of his duties after one-third of an inning pitched. Six consecutive hits and four runs. LaTroy Hawkins got the final two outs in the seventh to keep Loe's ERA at 108.00. Well, it could have risen to 162.00 if the inherited runners had scored. And that's really high.
Milwaukee got one run back in the bottom of the eighth, off Mitchell Boggs - who served up a lead-off home run to the soon-to-be-departed Fielder before retiring the next three batters in order: 11-3.
With one out in the top of the ninth, David Freese effortlessly lifted one out to right field and over the wall for a solo home run to make it a 12-3 ballgame.
This would be the type of offensive attack that would become Freese's 2011 postseason trademark. He was about to become a Cardinal legend. Of course, with the constantly changing nature of major league baseball, legends are only preserved for the fans to worship if they continue to produce at high levels. Unfortunately, after a nice 2012 season, Freese had a lackluster 2013 - prompting his relocation to laid-back Anaheim prior to the start of the 2014 season.
Most fans felt some measure of remorse when the likable St Louis-area native was shipped off to the Angles for Peter Bourjos and Randall Grichuk. Many of those same fans routinely watch replays of his 2011 Game 6 heroics - just to remind themselves how good it felt to have that actually happen to their team.
One thing is certain. If and when Freese ever happens to stop by any St Louis area restaurant or tavern for the next fifty years, the tab - if so chooses - will be picked up by somebody else. Although he'll probably turn around and buy a round or two for everyone else, instead.
After Jason Motte retired Milwaukee in order in the ninth, the Cardinals were taking a happy flight home to resume play for Game Three on Wednesday - tied at one game apiece in this NLCS - with a suddenly shaky opponent.
From all accounts, there were no official comments from @TheRealTPlush about this revolting development.
Albert Pujols, nearing the end of his remarkable 11-year run with the St Louis Cardinals - led the assault on Milwaukee pitching in Game Two of the NLCS - with a home run, three doubles, five RBI and three runs scored - as the Cardinals evened this best-of-seven showdown with their newest bitter rivals: T-Plush's Brew Crew - Final score: 12-3.
My, how time flies. It was only a month or so ago when Nyjer Morgan's inexplicable on-field confrontation with the entire Cardinals team only added fuel to the Redbirds' postseason quest. Thanks to social media, Morgan decided to take things one step further, posting a @TheRealTPlush rant on Twitter, that went vaguely like this (grammar & misspellings approximated):
"WHERE STILL IN FIRST & I HOPE THOSE CRYIN' BIRDS INJOY WATCHIN' THA CREW IN THA PLAYOFFS. AAAAAAHHHHHH!!!" Or something to that effect.
Of course, those cryin' birds would not only get to injoy watchin' tha Crew in tha playoffs - they were also able to injoy eliminating tha Crew from the playoffs. Aaaaaahhhhhh!
So it must have been with great pleasure for everyone associated with the Cardinals - when Albert Pujols blasted a first-inning two-run bomb off Brewers starter Shaun Marcum to get the festivities under way.
Pujols was just getting warmed up. No doubt inspired by additional commentary from the irascible T-Plush on Twitter after Morgan's Busch Stadium meltdown (cleverly referring to Pujols as "Alberta"), the Cardinal first baseman's turn at bat in the third-inning coincided with a two-on (Edwin Jackson on second and Jon Jay on first) - one out situation - in what was still just a 2-0 ballgame.
This time Alberta launched a rocket to dead-center field - in the general vicinity of Nyjer Morgan. T-Gumbo helplessly sprinted towards the wall, staggered on the warning track, flailed at the ball which was sailing past him, then after crashing into the fence, frantically looked around for the projectile which had suddenly changed directions - now rolling back towards the infield. Both runners had scored, as Pujols glided into second - refusing to even look in the direction of his zany adversary, who appeared to be a bit flustered by this shocking development: Cards 4 - Brewers 0.
In the fourth-inning, the Cardinals tacked on another run, as Yadier Molina led-off with a double and later scored on Nick Punto's RBI single to center: 5-0.
The Brewers got a fourth-inning two-run home run from Rickey Weeks (scoring Prince Fielder who doubled) - to cut the deficit to three runs: 5-2.
The Redbirds responded in the fifth-inning off reliever Marco Estrada. Back-to-back doubles by Jay and Pujols brought in the first run of the inning (Alberta's fifth RBI of the game) - and a ground ball and a wild pitch later, Pujols also scored: 7-2.
When Jackson issued a lead-off walk to Corey Hart in the bottom half of the fifth, manager Tony LaRussa wasted no time in getting the bullpen prepared for action. Jackson was able to retire the one and only T-Plush on a routine fly to center, for the first out. Next up - everybody's favorite liar - Ryan Braun - who muscled up for a ground-rule double - putting two runners in scoring position.
Jackson may have been a bit surprised when the call to the bullpen was made - but LaRussa wasn't going to let this game slip away, tying to coax a starter through the five-innings needed to qualify for the win. Left-handed specialist Arthur Rhodes came in to face one batter - Prince Fielder - but he walked him to load the bases.
Goodbye, Arthur. Hello Lance Lynn - the hard-throwing rookie who would pitch his way onto the starting rotation by the following season, thanks to efforts like this: One pitch to Rickey Weeks - one 6-4-3 double play to end the inning. Lynn's reward: A record-tying (by many) one-pitch-two-thirds of an inning "win".
Realizing a five-run lead is never a safe lead at Miller Park, the Cardinals went on the offensive again off a new reliever - Kameron Loe. With one-out in the seventh-inning - Pujols floated a ground rule double (his third straight double) down the right field line . Matt Holliday's single to right field scored Pujols: 8-2.
After Lance Berkman reached on an infield single down the third base line, advancing Holliday to second - the wheels really fell off tha Crew. Molina - trying to check his swing - instead poked one into right field, as Holliday scored. Next up - NLCS MVP-in waiting - David Freese - lined one right the middle, scoring Berkman, as a dazed Loe was just happy to survive long enough to serve up another meatball to Punto, who hit a more polite single to center - scoring Molina: 11-2.
Loe was mercifully relieved of his duties after one-third of an inning pitched. Six consecutive hits and four runs. LaTroy Hawkins got the final two outs in the seventh to keep Loe's ERA at 108.00. Well, it could have risen to 162.00 if the inherited runners had scored. And that's really high.
Milwaukee got one run back in the bottom of the eighth, off Mitchell Boggs - who served up a lead-off home run to the soon-to-be-departed Fielder before retiring the next three batters in order: 11-3.
With one out in the top of the ninth, David Freese effortlessly lifted one out to right field and over the wall for a solo home run to make it a 12-3 ballgame.
This would be the type of offensive attack that would become Freese's 2011 postseason trademark. He was about to become a Cardinal legend. Of course, with the constantly changing nature of major league baseball, legends are only preserved for the fans to worship if they continue to produce at high levels. Unfortunately, after a nice 2012 season, Freese had a lackluster 2013 - prompting his relocation to laid-back Anaheim prior to the start of the 2014 season.
Most fans felt some measure of remorse when the likable St Louis-area native was shipped off to the Angles for Peter Bourjos and Randall Grichuk. Many of those same fans routinely watch replays of his 2011 Game 6 heroics - just to remind themselves how good it felt to have that actually happen to their team.
One thing is certain. If and when Freese ever happens to stop by any St Louis area restaurant or tavern for the next fifty years, the tab - if so chooses - will be picked up by somebody else. Although he'll probably turn around and buy a round or two for everyone else, instead.
After Jason Motte retired Milwaukee in order in the ninth, the Cardinals were taking a happy flight home to resume play for Game Three on Wednesday - tied at one game apiece in this NLCS - with a suddenly shaky opponent.
From all accounts, there were no official comments from @TheRealTPlush about this revolting development.
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
September 30, 2006 - 3-Run 8th-Inning Rally Puts Cardinals in Postseason
Saturday, September 30, 2006 - At Busch Stadium III (Jeff Suppan - Starting Pitcher) - Opponent: Milwaukee Brewers (Ben Sheets - Starting Pitcher) - Attendance: 44,294
The difference between the Cardinals winning the NL Central and advancing into the postseason and losing the division title - and going home early - really boiled down to the three-run eighth-inning rally the eventual World Series champions put together in this game - to turn a 2-0 deficit into a crucial 3-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers.
That was a close call, fans. Of course, any season that hinges on one or two games between postseason glory or postseason tee times - can be identified by reviewing the events in one key inning, or one key at bat. In this particular case, a couple of managerial decisions on the part of Tony LaRussa late in this game impacted the long term benefits Cardinal fans would ultimately enjoy - namely, a tenth world championship trophy for this storied franchise.
First things first. Prior to this game, the Cardinals had won just eleven times in September - losing sixteen times. On September 28, their once comfortable NL Central lead had dwindled to an alarming one-half game over the defending National League champion Houston Astros.
After a much-needed win on Friday night, coupled with a Houston loss in Atlanta, the lead was back to a game and a half as the Cardinals and Brewers prepared to do battle on this beautiful Saturday afternoon in St Louis.
Both starting pitchers - Jeff Suppan and Ben Sheets - were on top of their games today - neither allowing a single run to cross the plate through the first six innings.
But then in the top of the seventh-inning, the Brewers rallied. With one out, back-to-back singles by Geoff Jenkins and Corey Hart suddenly had runners on first and second. After David Bell lined out to Preston Wilson in left field, Mike Rivera walked to load the bases.
Brewers nanager Ned Yost, trying to capitalize on this scoring opportunity, inserted pinch hitter Jeff Cirillo in to bat for Ben Sheets. It was a good move, as Cirillo lined a single to center, scoring Jenkins and Hart, to give Milwaukee a 2-0 lead.
Although they were now behind by a couple of runs, the Cardinals were probably glad to get Sheets out of there. Although he'd given up seven hits in six innings of work, Sheets had also fanned seven - including striking out the side in the sixth.
Reliever Jose Capella pitched an uneventful bottom of the seventh for Milwaukee, but the eighth-inning would be quite a different story. Albert Pujols started the fun with a lead-off single to right. After Wilson struck out, Scott Rolen doubled down the left field line - advancing Pujols to third.
Yost went to his bullpen again - bringing in lefty reliever Brian Shouse to face Jim Edmonds - instead, LaRussa sent pinch hitter Juan Encarnacion to bat - who received an intentional walk to load the bases.
Yost went to the bullpen again, bringing in Francisco Cordero to face Ronnie Belliard - who lined out to left field for the second out. It was getting late - not only in this game - but the for the entire season - which seemed to be slipping away into non-postseason hell at this point - especially with Cordero now pitching for Milwaukee. Acquired on July 28 from the Texas Rangers for some young outfielder by the name of Nelson Cruz - Cordero had been nothing short of sensational - posting a 1.69 ERA in twenty-four innings - and on the verge of wrapping this one up.
Due up was Yadier Molina - who wasn't much of a hitter early in his career. LaRussa knew it was now or never for his fading team - sending in the future postseason cult hero - Scott Spiezio - up to bat for Yadi - and he delivered the biggest hit of his career - at least up to this point - a bases-clearing triple deep to right field. Suddenly, the Cardinals had climbed out of the abyss - taking a 3-2 lead heading into the ninth-inning.
Tyler Johnson - who had worked a scoreless eighth-inning for St Louis - would be in line for the win (2-4) if a young Adam Wainwright could pitch a scoreless ninth to earn his third major league save.
Waino walked one and struck out one to close this one out. The Cardinals had come-from-behind to win a game they absolutely needed to win - especially since Houston had also won today to remain just a game and a half behind St Louis.
As fate would have it, the Astros would lose again on Sunday, October 1 - and so would the Cardinals - to remain a game and a half in front of Houston - with just one game left on the schedule - a game that was previously rained-out. Thanks to the mathematical impossibility of St Louis blowing that lead, the Redbirds didn't have to worry about playing Game 162.
St Louis finished the regular season at 83-78 - five games above .500 - but it was good enough to win the NL Central - so it was good enough to sneak into the postseason. After eliminating the over-whelming favorites in the NLDS - the San Diego Padres - three games to one - the Cardinals advanced to the NLCS to face the over-whelming favorite New York Mets - who were beaten, four games to three.
On to the World Series, to play the extremely overwhelmingly favored Detroit Tigers - who even had home-field advantage going for them. The only thing they didn't have going for them were a whole lot of wins. St Louis crushed them - four games to one - much to the shock and dismay of practically everyone outside of Cardinal Nation.
The Cardinals' postseason record: 11-5 - six games above .500 - marking the first time in history a team had ever gone higher above .500 in the postseason than they had in the regular season. The cover of Sports Illustrated - capturing the essence of this upset - displayed a photo of a jubilant World Series MVP David Eckstein on the cover - arms extended high over his head - with the appropriate caption: "Get Over It" - but I don't think a lot of bitter fans from other championship-deprived franchises really have gotten over it.
Come to think of it, the outcome of the 2011 World Series seemed to have surprised and disappointed the disgruntled masses once again. Of course, heading into the 2014 postseason, the Cardinals are huge underdogs again. In fact, odds-makers have given the wild card Pittsburgh Pirates a better shot of winning the World Series. Go figure.
Of course, that's just the way the Cardinals seem to prefer it - playing the role of the underdog.
The difference between the Cardinals winning the NL Central and advancing into the postseason and losing the division title - and going home early - really boiled down to the three-run eighth-inning rally the eventual World Series champions put together in this game - to turn a 2-0 deficit into a crucial 3-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers.
That was a close call, fans. Of course, any season that hinges on one or two games between postseason glory or postseason tee times - can be identified by reviewing the events in one key inning, or one key at bat. In this particular case, a couple of managerial decisions on the part of Tony LaRussa late in this game impacted the long term benefits Cardinal fans would ultimately enjoy - namely, a tenth world championship trophy for this storied franchise.
First things first. Prior to this game, the Cardinals had won just eleven times in September - losing sixteen times. On September 28, their once comfortable NL Central lead had dwindled to an alarming one-half game over the defending National League champion Houston Astros.
After a much-needed win on Friday night, coupled with a Houston loss in Atlanta, the lead was back to a game and a half as the Cardinals and Brewers prepared to do battle on this beautiful Saturday afternoon in St Louis.
Both starting pitchers - Jeff Suppan and Ben Sheets - were on top of their games today - neither allowing a single run to cross the plate through the first six innings.
But then in the top of the seventh-inning, the Brewers rallied. With one out, back-to-back singles by Geoff Jenkins and Corey Hart suddenly had runners on first and second. After David Bell lined out to Preston Wilson in left field, Mike Rivera walked to load the bases.
Brewers nanager Ned Yost, trying to capitalize on this scoring opportunity, inserted pinch hitter Jeff Cirillo in to bat for Ben Sheets. It was a good move, as Cirillo lined a single to center, scoring Jenkins and Hart, to give Milwaukee a 2-0 lead.
Although they were now behind by a couple of runs, the Cardinals were probably glad to get Sheets out of there. Although he'd given up seven hits in six innings of work, Sheets had also fanned seven - including striking out the side in the sixth.
Reliever Jose Capella pitched an uneventful bottom of the seventh for Milwaukee, but the eighth-inning would be quite a different story. Albert Pujols started the fun with a lead-off single to right. After Wilson struck out, Scott Rolen doubled down the left field line - advancing Pujols to third.
Yost went to his bullpen again - bringing in lefty reliever Brian Shouse to face Jim Edmonds - instead, LaRussa sent pinch hitter Juan Encarnacion to bat - who received an intentional walk to load the bases.
Yost went to the bullpen again, bringing in Francisco Cordero to face Ronnie Belliard - who lined out to left field for the second out. It was getting late - not only in this game - but the for the entire season - which seemed to be slipping away into non-postseason hell at this point - especially with Cordero now pitching for Milwaukee. Acquired on July 28 from the Texas Rangers for some young outfielder by the name of Nelson Cruz - Cordero had been nothing short of sensational - posting a 1.69 ERA in twenty-four innings - and on the verge of wrapping this one up.
Due up was Yadier Molina - who wasn't much of a hitter early in his career. LaRussa knew it was now or never for his fading team - sending in the future postseason cult hero - Scott Spiezio - up to bat for Yadi - and he delivered the biggest hit of his career - at least up to this point - a bases-clearing triple deep to right field. Suddenly, the Cardinals had climbed out of the abyss - taking a 3-2 lead heading into the ninth-inning.
Tyler Johnson - who had worked a scoreless eighth-inning for St Louis - would be in line for the win (2-4) if a young Adam Wainwright could pitch a scoreless ninth to earn his third major league save.
Waino walked one and struck out one to close this one out. The Cardinals had come-from-behind to win a game they absolutely needed to win - especially since Houston had also won today to remain just a game and a half behind St Louis.
As fate would have it, the Astros would lose again on Sunday, October 1 - and so would the Cardinals - to remain a game and a half in front of Houston - with just one game left on the schedule - a game that was previously rained-out. Thanks to the mathematical impossibility of St Louis blowing that lead, the Redbirds didn't have to worry about playing Game 162.
St Louis finished the regular season at 83-78 - five games above .500 - but it was good enough to win the NL Central - so it was good enough to sneak into the postseason. After eliminating the over-whelming favorites in the NLDS - the San Diego Padres - three games to one - the Cardinals advanced to the NLCS to face the over-whelming favorite New York Mets - who were beaten, four games to three.
On to the World Series, to play the extremely overwhelmingly favored Detroit Tigers - who even had home-field advantage going for them. The only thing they didn't have going for them were a whole lot of wins. St Louis crushed them - four games to one - much to the shock and dismay of practically everyone outside of Cardinal Nation.
The Cardinals' postseason record: 11-5 - six games above .500 - marking the first time in history a team had ever gone higher above .500 in the postseason than they had in the regular season. The cover of Sports Illustrated - capturing the essence of this upset - displayed a photo of a jubilant World Series MVP David Eckstein on the cover - arms extended high over his head - with the appropriate caption: "Get Over It" - but I don't think a lot of bitter fans from other championship-deprived franchises really have gotten over it.
Come to think of it, the outcome of the 2011 World Series seemed to have surprised and disappointed the disgruntled masses once again. Of course, heading into the 2014 postseason, the Cardinals are huge underdogs again. In fact, odds-makers have given the wild card Pittsburgh Pirates a better shot of winning the World Series. Go figure.
Of course, that's just the way the Cardinals seem to prefer it - playing the role of the underdog.
Saturday, September 20, 2014
September 20, 2013 - A 7-6 10-Inning Winner at Miller Park
Friday, September 20, 2013 - At Miller Park (Shelby Miller - Starting Pitcher) - Opponent: Milwaukee Brewers (Johnny Hellweg - Starting Pitcher) - Attendance: 37, 148
Carlos Beltran's tenth-inning sacrifice fly scored Kolten Wong from third base - lifting the tenacious Cardinals to a come-from-behind 7-6 win over the Brewers at Miller Park. This win, coupled with Pittsburgh's loss to Cincinnati, gave the Redbirds a two-game lead over the second-place Pirates in the tight NL Central race.
The three Matts - Carpenter, Holliday and Adams - had three hits apiece to wreak havoc throughout this game, while Aramis Ramirez was wreaking havoc on his own - starting with a first-inning three-run home run off Cards starter Shelby Miller - to give the Brewers a 3-1 lead.
Holliday had driven in Carpenter in the top of the first to give the Redbirds a brief 1-0 advantage.
After that shaky start, Miller settled down - allowing just one more run over the course of his six-inning stint - as the Cardinals were trying to claw their way back into this game.
Perhaps Shelby's biggest contribution to his team came when he was taking his turn at bat - leading off the fifth-inning, still trailing 3-1 - when Milwaukee starter Johnny Hellweg inexplicably hit him with a pitch. As far as the Brewers were concerned, giving a weak-hitting opposing pitcher a free pass to open an inning was a Cardinal sin. Sure enough, it came back to haunt them, as Holliday singled Miller home from second, to cut the Brewers' lead to 3-2.
Milwaukee got that run back in their half of the fifth - when Ramirez got his fourth RBI of the game with a sacrifice fly - scoring Norichika Aoki from third.
Still trailing 4-2 to start the seventh-inning, the Cardinals rallied off Brewers reliever Mike Gonzalez. Back-to-back doubles from Carpenter and Beltran suddenly made it a 4-3 game.
After another pitching change - Brandon Kintzler now on the mound for Milwaukee - Matt Adams tied the game for the first time since it was nothing to nothing with a base hit to right - scoring Beltran.
It was still tied at four runs apiece when the Cardinals took their turn at bat in the top of the ninth - facing reliever Jim Henderson. The first batter - Holliday - walked. The second batter - Adams - hit one far over the right field wall - into the second deck - to put St Louis on top for the first time since the first-inning - 6-4.
A shell-shocked Henderson handed the ball over to reliever Donovan Hand - who did the job - retiring the side with no further trauma.
All Star closer Edward Mujica - trying to protect a two-run lead - was greeted with a lead-off Jeff Bianchi double to start the bottom of the ninth. After retiring Yuniesky Bentancourt on a ground ball to the shortstop, Aoki singled - putting runners on the corners for pinch hitter Logan Schafer - who singled home Bianchi - as Aoki stopped at second. The last batter Mujica would face as a member of the Cardinals in a save situation - Jonathan Lucroy - walked - to load the bases.
With the game on the verge of slipping away, Cardinal manager Mike Matheny brought in newly acquired reliever John Axford - trying to protect a slim one-run lead with the bases loaded with former teammates - and just one out. Making the situation even more difficult - Axford's first assignment was to somehow retire RBI-machine Ramirez. As luck would have it, Axford induced a weak ground ball that dribbled down the third base line - which third baseman Daniel Descalso, trying to make a bare-handed play, couldn't find the handle.
The game was now tied - the bases were still loaded - with the dangerous Carlos Gomez trying to end it with one swing of the bat. In a sense, that's what happened. His ground ball to Descalso's left was fielded cleanly - then delivered instantly back to Molina for the force out at home - who then fired a strike to first to complete the stunning double play. Both teams had scored two ninth-inning runs - but when the Brewers failed to finish it off, the Cardinals had regained the momentum - and they took advantage of it right away.
Michael Blazek - the seventh Milwaukee pitcher - began the tenth-inning by walking pinch hitter Kolten Wong - who promptly found himself standing on third after another one of Matt Carpenter's major league-leading fifty-five doubles. That also happened to set a franchise record for most doubles in a single season by a left-hand batter - a record formerly owned by the late, great Stan Musial.
Carlos Beltran then brought Wong in from third with a sacrifice fly deep to right field - to give the Cardinals a 7-6 lead.
Carlos Martinez - the seventh St Louis pitcher - retired the Brewers in order in the bottom of the tenth, to earn his first career major league save. John Axford (7-7) picked up the win for the team he frequently mocked on Twitter ("St Louis sucks" - type stuff) - but he seemed to have no problem fitting in with his new teammates as the season wound down - successfully, for the Cardinals - not so well for his old team.
Carlos Beltran's tenth-inning sacrifice fly scored Kolten Wong from third base - lifting the tenacious Cardinals to a come-from-behind 7-6 win over the Brewers at Miller Park. This win, coupled with Pittsburgh's loss to Cincinnati, gave the Redbirds a two-game lead over the second-place Pirates in the tight NL Central race.
The three Matts - Carpenter, Holliday and Adams - had three hits apiece to wreak havoc throughout this game, while Aramis Ramirez was wreaking havoc on his own - starting with a first-inning three-run home run off Cards starter Shelby Miller - to give the Brewers a 3-1 lead.
Holliday had driven in Carpenter in the top of the first to give the Redbirds a brief 1-0 advantage.
After that shaky start, Miller settled down - allowing just one more run over the course of his six-inning stint - as the Cardinals were trying to claw their way back into this game.
Perhaps Shelby's biggest contribution to his team came when he was taking his turn at bat - leading off the fifth-inning, still trailing 3-1 - when Milwaukee starter Johnny Hellweg inexplicably hit him with a pitch. As far as the Brewers were concerned, giving a weak-hitting opposing pitcher a free pass to open an inning was a Cardinal sin. Sure enough, it came back to haunt them, as Holliday singled Miller home from second, to cut the Brewers' lead to 3-2.
Milwaukee got that run back in their half of the fifth - when Ramirez got his fourth RBI of the game with a sacrifice fly - scoring Norichika Aoki from third.
Still trailing 4-2 to start the seventh-inning, the Cardinals rallied off Brewers reliever Mike Gonzalez. Back-to-back doubles from Carpenter and Beltran suddenly made it a 4-3 game.
After another pitching change - Brandon Kintzler now on the mound for Milwaukee - Matt Adams tied the game for the first time since it was nothing to nothing with a base hit to right - scoring Beltran.
It was still tied at four runs apiece when the Cardinals took their turn at bat in the top of the ninth - facing reliever Jim Henderson. The first batter - Holliday - walked. The second batter - Adams - hit one far over the right field wall - into the second deck - to put St Louis on top for the first time since the first-inning - 6-4.
A shell-shocked Henderson handed the ball over to reliever Donovan Hand - who did the job - retiring the side with no further trauma.
All Star closer Edward Mujica - trying to protect a two-run lead - was greeted with a lead-off Jeff Bianchi double to start the bottom of the ninth. After retiring Yuniesky Bentancourt on a ground ball to the shortstop, Aoki singled - putting runners on the corners for pinch hitter Logan Schafer - who singled home Bianchi - as Aoki stopped at second. The last batter Mujica would face as a member of the Cardinals in a save situation - Jonathan Lucroy - walked - to load the bases.
With the game on the verge of slipping away, Cardinal manager Mike Matheny brought in newly acquired reliever John Axford - trying to protect a slim one-run lead with the bases loaded with former teammates - and just one out. Making the situation even more difficult - Axford's first assignment was to somehow retire RBI-machine Ramirez. As luck would have it, Axford induced a weak ground ball that dribbled down the third base line - which third baseman Daniel Descalso, trying to make a bare-handed play, couldn't find the handle.
The game was now tied - the bases were still loaded - with the dangerous Carlos Gomez trying to end it with one swing of the bat. In a sense, that's what happened. His ground ball to Descalso's left was fielded cleanly - then delivered instantly back to Molina for the force out at home - who then fired a strike to first to complete the stunning double play. Both teams had scored two ninth-inning runs - but when the Brewers failed to finish it off, the Cardinals had regained the momentum - and they took advantage of it right away.
Michael Blazek - the seventh Milwaukee pitcher - began the tenth-inning by walking pinch hitter Kolten Wong - who promptly found himself standing on third after another one of Matt Carpenter's major league-leading fifty-five doubles. That also happened to set a franchise record for most doubles in a single season by a left-hand batter - a record formerly owned by the late, great Stan Musial.
Carlos Beltran then brought Wong in from third with a sacrifice fly deep to right field - to give the Cardinals a 7-6 lead.
Carlos Martinez - the seventh St Louis pitcher - retired the Brewers in order in the bottom of the tenth, to earn his first career major league save. John Axford (7-7) picked up the win for the team he frequently mocked on Twitter ("St Louis sucks" - type stuff) - but he seemed to have no problem fitting in with his new teammates as the season wound down - successfully, for the Cardinals - not so well for his old team.
Saturday, August 30, 2014
August 30, 2011 - Cards Nip Error-Prone Brewers, 2-1
Tuesday, August 30, 2011 - At Miller Park (Edwin Jackson - Starting Pitcher) - Opponent: Milwaukee Brewers (Shaun Marcum - Starting Pitcher) - Attendance: 42,384
In the first game of a three-game series, newly acquired Cardinal starting pitcher Edwin Jackson had a strong outing - limiting the Brewers to one run on six hits in seven innings of work. However, if not for two costly errors by the right side of the Milwaukee infield, Jackson would have exited this game on the wrong side of a 1-0 score - and more importantly, the Cardinals would have lost this game to remain 9.5 games behind the Atlanta Braves - the team they were chasing for that postseason wild card berth. Instead, thanks to a pair of unearned runs, the Redbirds kept their postseason hopes alive with a 2-1 win over the Brew Crew.
Brewers starting pitcher Shaun Marcum pitched admirably, but defensive lapses in the sixth-inning gave the Cardinals a golden opportunity to break a scoreless tie - and they cashed in.
The inning began with Skip Schumaker hitting a routine ground ball to first baseman Prince Fielder, which went under his glove and through his legs to right fielder Corey Hart - as Schumaker skipped to first base. Next up - Rafael Furcal bounced one - with a lot of topspin - to second baseman Jerry Hairston - who misjudged the effect the topspin would have on the ball when he tried to field it. He got in front of it, but the ball hit the heel of his glove for an error. Three inches lower, and he would have at least gotten the force out at second - perhaps a double play.
Instead, with runners on first and second, Yadier Molina lined a single to center to load the bases for Edwin Jackson - who drove in the first run of the game with base hit to right - as the bases remained loaded for Jon Jay - who drove in the second run of the game with a sacrifice fly. That was it: Two runs, two hits, two errors and two runners left on base.
The Brewers began the sixth-inning with back-to-back doubles by Corey Hart and Nyjer Morgan to cut the St Louis lead in half. But Jackson was able to prevent any further scoring - first, by striking out Prince Fielder with one out and the runner on third - for out number two. Then he got Casey McGehee on a fly ball to center to retire the side.
After working a scoreless seventh-inning, Jackson's night was over. The bullpen's night was just beginning. Reliever Arthur Rhodes got the first out in the eighth-inning, then turned the ball over to Jason Motte, who gave up a hit - but no runs - in his two-out stint.
Newly acquired reliever Marc Rzepczynski faced one batter in the bottom of the ninth - Prince Fielder - but the designated lefty specialist failed to get his man. Fielder walked.
LaRussa then brought in Fernando Salas to face Casey McGehee - who also walked. Betancourt was the next batter - who was up there bunting, trying to advance the runners to second and third. Instead, a hard charging Albert Pujols fielded the bunt and fired a strike to third base for a crucial force out of Fielder. The game ended when pinch hitter Mark Kotsay (replacing Hairston) grounded into a 4-6-3 double play.
And yes, the Braves lost tonight - at home - to the Washington Nationals - who pounded out four home runs in a 9-2 Atlanta beat down. The fun was just beginning.
In the first game of a three-game series, newly acquired Cardinal starting pitcher Edwin Jackson had a strong outing - limiting the Brewers to one run on six hits in seven innings of work. However, if not for two costly errors by the right side of the Milwaukee infield, Jackson would have exited this game on the wrong side of a 1-0 score - and more importantly, the Cardinals would have lost this game to remain 9.5 games behind the Atlanta Braves - the team they were chasing for that postseason wild card berth. Instead, thanks to a pair of unearned runs, the Redbirds kept their postseason hopes alive with a 2-1 win over the Brew Crew.
Brewers starting pitcher Shaun Marcum pitched admirably, but defensive lapses in the sixth-inning gave the Cardinals a golden opportunity to break a scoreless tie - and they cashed in.
The inning began with Skip Schumaker hitting a routine ground ball to first baseman Prince Fielder, which went under his glove and through his legs to right fielder Corey Hart - as Schumaker skipped to first base. Next up - Rafael Furcal bounced one - with a lot of topspin - to second baseman Jerry Hairston - who misjudged the effect the topspin would have on the ball when he tried to field it. He got in front of it, but the ball hit the heel of his glove for an error. Three inches lower, and he would have at least gotten the force out at second - perhaps a double play.
Instead, with runners on first and second, Yadier Molina lined a single to center to load the bases for Edwin Jackson - who drove in the first run of the game with base hit to right - as the bases remained loaded for Jon Jay - who drove in the second run of the game with a sacrifice fly. That was it: Two runs, two hits, two errors and two runners left on base.
The Brewers began the sixth-inning with back-to-back doubles by Corey Hart and Nyjer Morgan to cut the St Louis lead in half. But Jackson was able to prevent any further scoring - first, by striking out Prince Fielder with one out and the runner on third - for out number two. Then he got Casey McGehee on a fly ball to center to retire the side.
After working a scoreless seventh-inning, Jackson's night was over. The bullpen's night was just beginning. Reliever Arthur Rhodes got the first out in the eighth-inning, then turned the ball over to Jason Motte, who gave up a hit - but no runs - in his two-out stint.
Newly acquired reliever Marc Rzepczynski faced one batter in the bottom of the ninth - Prince Fielder - but the designated lefty specialist failed to get his man. Fielder walked.
LaRussa then brought in Fernando Salas to face Casey McGehee - who also walked. Betancourt was the next batter - who was up there bunting, trying to advance the runners to second and third. Instead, a hard charging Albert Pujols fielded the bunt and fired a strike to third base for a crucial force out of Fielder. The game ended when pinch hitter Mark Kotsay (replacing Hairston) grounded into a 4-6-3 double play.
And yes, the Braves lost tonight - at home - to the Washington Nationals - who pounded out four home runs in a 9-2 Atlanta beat down. The fun was just beginning.
Monday, August 25, 2014
August 26, 2011 - Molina, Berkman Power Cards to 5-4 Win Over Pirates
Friday, August 26, 2011 - At Busch Stadium III (Jake Westbrook - Starting Pitcher) - Opponent: Pittsburgh Pirates (James McDonald - Starting Pitcher) - Attendance: 40,480
After being swept at home in a three-game series with the Dodgers, manager Tony LaRussa held a brief team meeting with his players prior to the four-game series with the Pirates. In essence, the message imparted by TLR was simply: Don't quit.
After winning the first game on Thursday, the Cardinals had to perform some come-from-behind magic to take the second game from Pittsburgh - and they did, thanks to home runs by Yadier Molina and Lance Berkman.
Berkman's thirtieth home run of the season - a two-run eighth-inning blast - lifted the Cardinals to a 5-4 win - but it was Molina's three-run homer earlier in the game which made the game winner possible.
Things didn't start out well for St Louis starter - Jake Westbrook. One walk, three hits and a sacrifice fly quickly put the Cardinals in a 3-0 hole after the first-inning.
The Redbirds evened the score in the third-inning. Matt Holliday led off with a base on balls. One out later, David Freese singled. With two on and one out, Yadier Molina blasted a James McDonald letter-high fastball into the left field seats to suddenly make it a 3-3 game - while giving a lucky fan a souvenir.
The Pirates quickly regained the lead in the fourth-inning. Jose Tabatha's two-out double scored Ronnie Cedeno from second - but that would be the last run Pittsburgh would score.
Westbrook's night was over after six innings. He had yielded seven hits and walked five - but limited the damage to four runs. The final three innings of flawless relief - Arthur Rhodes' perfect seventh - followed by Kyle McClellan's (10-6) two perfect innings - allowed Berkman's home run into the Cardinals' bullpen off Pirates reliever Jose Veras (2-4) to have significance. Looking back on the 2011 season, the home run meant the difference between a trip to the postseason and going home after Game 162.
After winning Game 132 - the Cardinals (69-63) were 9.5 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers (79-54) - who also won tonight. Strangely enough, they were also 9.5 games behind the Atlanta Braves - who lost tonight.
The Cardinals would take three of four from the Pirates before sweeping a three-game series in Milwaukee. Clearly, they weren't quitting.
After being swept at home in a three-game series with the Dodgers, manager Tony LaRussa held a brief team meeting with his players prior to the four-game series with the Pirates. In essence, the message imparted by TLR was simply: Don't quit.
After winning the first game on Thursday, the Cardinals had to perform some come-from-behind magic to take the second game from Pittsburgh - and they did, thanks to home runs by Yadier Molina and Lance Berkman.
Berkman's thirtieth home run of the season - a two-run eighth-inning blast - lifted the Cardinals to a 5-4 win - but it was Molina's three-run homer earlier in the game which made the game winner possible.
Things didn't start out well for St Louis starter - Jake Westbrook. One walk, three hits and a sacrifice fly quickly put the Cardinals in a 3-0 hole after the first-inning.
The Redbirds evened the score in the third-inning. Matt Holliday led off with a base on balls. One out later, David Freese singled. With two on and one out, Yadier Molina blasted a James McDonald letter-high fastball into the left field seats to suddenly make it a 3-3 game - while giving a lucky fan a souvenir.
The Pirates quickly regained the lead in the fourth-inning. Jose Tabatha's two-out double scored Ronnie Cedeno from second - but that would be the last run Pittsburgh would score.
Westbrook's night was over after six innings. He had yielded seven hits and walked five - but limited the damage to four runs. The final three innings of flawless relief - Arthur Rhodes' perfect seventh - followed by Kyle McClellan's (10-6) two perfect innings - allowed Berkman's home run into the Cardinals' bullpen off Pirates reliever Jose Veras (2-4) to have significance. Looking back on the 2011 season, the home run meant the difference between a trip to the postseason and going home after Game 162.
After winning Game 132 - the Cardinals (69-63) were 9.5 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers (79-54) - who also won tonight. Strangely enough, they were also 9.5 games behind the Atlanta Braves - who lost tonight.
The Cardinals would take three of four from the Pirates before sweeping a three-game series in Milwaukee. Clearly, they weren't quitting.
Sunday, August 3, 2014
August 3, 2012 - Molina Runs Wild in 9-3 Bashing of Brewers
Friday, August 3, 2012 - At Busch Stadium III (Joe Kelly - Starting Pitcher) - Opponent: Milwaukee Brewers (Randy Wolf - Starting Pitcher) - Attendance: 41,505
Trailing 3-0 in the fourth-inning, the Cardinals went on to score nine unanswered runs to give rookie Joe Kelly - who survived a shaky three-run second-inning - his second career win. Kelly allowed ten hits and a pair of walks in 5.2 innings - then the Cardinal bullpen - Browning, Mujica, Boggs and Rzepczynski - took care of the final 3.1 innings - keeping Milwaukee scoreless on two hits.
Kelly, who was in and out of trouble throughout his outing - seemed on the verge of escaping a bases loaded two-out second-inning jam - but his mound opponent - Randy Wolf - nixed that thought with a two-run single to give himself an early lead - which was extended when lead-off hitter Norichika Aoki followed up with an RBI single of his own.
But the Cardinals' bats came alive in the fourth-inning. Allen Craig led-off with a single to center, then one out later, moved to third on a Carlos Beltran double. David Freese then scored both runners with a single to center, then one out later, advanced to second on a wild pitch, then scored on Daniel Descalso's double to left field. With first base open, Wolf pitched around Shane Robinson - walking him - with the hope of getting the third out by retiring Joe Kelly.
Kelly had other ideas - giving Wolf a dose of his own medicine - with a run-scoring single to break the tie.
The rest of the game was a showcase of Yadier Molina's talent. After leading off the sixth-inning with a base hit to right field, Descalso moved Yadi up to second with a sacrifice bunt. At this point, Brewers manager Ron Roenicke replaced Wolf with reliever Jim Henderson. With Shane Robinson batting, Molina surprised everybody by stealing third - and when catcher Martin Maldonado's throw sailed into left field, a grinning Yadi trotted home with the fifth run of the game for St Louis. Rattled, Henderson then served up a fat pitch to Robinson, who promptly singled to right. Then pinch hitter Skip Schumaker grounded out as Robinson advanced to second; whereupon Rafael Furcal scored Shane with another base hit to right.
Yadi was at it again in the eighth-inning. This time, he led-off with a single to center off John Axford. With Descalso batting, Molina casually broke for second as a befuddled Maldonado made another errant throw - allowing Molina to ramble into third. Was this game really happening in 2012 - or a quarter of a century earlier - in 1987? This was the kind of havoc that Vince Coleman used to create! Descalso then singled Yadi in from third, as the red-faced Brewers were looking dazed and confused.
With Robinson now batting, Descalso broke for second, as Shane grounded one back to Axford, who tried to turn two - but by the time his throw reached the second baseman's glove, Descalso had already slid safely into second - however, the relay throw to first retired the batter. Pinch hitter Matt Carpenter then walked - as did Furcal - to load the bases.
At this point, Axford was relieved of his duties, as the fifth and final pitcher for the Brewers - Mike McClendon - entered the game. Allen Craig then bounced one right back to McClendon, who got the force out at home - but catcher Maldonado committed his third throwing error of the game (he only had six errors all season) attempting to retire Craig at first. As the ball sailed into right field, Carpenter scored, as Furcal advanced to third and Craig to second. Holliday's infield single down the third base line scored Furcal, to mercifully end the scoring.
The Cardinals had scored nine runs in this game - so effortlessly. Their patient offensive approach served them well in this game - and for the 2012 season, for that matter. It took them to the World Series the following season.
In 2014, the offense has sputtered, but they're still a competitive team with postseason aspirations. Maybe they can regain the approach that served them so well since 2011. Anything can happen in two months. Plenty of time to turn it around.
Trailing 3-0 in the fourth-inning, the Cardinals went on to score nine unanswered runs to give rookie Joe Kelly - who survived a shaky three-run second-inning - his second career win. Kelly allowed ten hits and a pair of walks in 5.2 innings - then the Cardinal bullpen - Browning, Mujica, Boggs and Rzepczynski - took care of the final 3.1 innings - keeping Milwaukee scoreless on two hits.
Kelly, who was in and out of trouble throughout his outing - seemed on the verge of escaping a bases loaded two-out second-inning jam - but his mound opponent - Randy Wolf - nixed that thought with a two-run single to give himself an early lead - which was extended when lead-off hitter Norichika Aoki followed up with an RBI single of his own.
But the Cardinals' bats came alive in the fourth-inning. Allen Craig led-off with a single to center, then one out later, moved to third on a Carlos Beltran double. David Freese then scored both runners with a single to center, then one out later, advanced to second on a wild pitch, then scored on Daniel Descalso's double to left field. With first base open, Wolf pitched around Shane Robinson - walking him - with the hope of getting the third out by retiring Joe Kelly.
Kelly had other ideas - giving Wolf a dose of his own medicine - with a run-scoring single to break the tie.
The rest of the game was a showcase of Yadier Molina's talent. After leading off the sixth-inning with a base hit to right field, Descalso moved Yadi up to second with a sacrifice bunt. At this point, Brewers manager Ron Roenicke replaced Wolf with reliever Jim Henderson. With Shane Robinson batting, Molina surprised everybody by stealing third - and when catcher Martin Maldonado's throw sailed into left field, a grinning Yadi trotted home with the fifth run of the game for St Louis. Rattled, Henderson then served up a fat pitch to Robinson, who promptly singled to right. Then pinch hitter Skip Schumaker grounded out as Robinson advanced to second; whereupon Rafael Furcal scored Shane with another base hit to right.
Yadi was at it again in the eighth-inning. This time, he led-off with a single to center off John Axford. With Descalso batting, Molina casually broke for second as a befuddled Maldonado made another errant throw - allowing Molina to ramble into third. Was this game really happening in 2012 - or a quarter of a century earlier - in 1987? This was the kind of havoc that Vince Coleman used to create! Descalso then singled Yadi in from third, as the red-faced Brewers were looking dazed and confused.
With Robinson now batting, Descalso broke for second, as Shane grounded one back to Axford, who tried to turn two - but by the time his throw reached the second baseman's glove, Descalso had already slid safely into second - however, the relay throw to first retired the batter. Pinch hitter Matt Carpenter then walked - as did Furcal - to load the bases.
At this point, Axford was relieved of his duties, as the fifth and final pitcher for the Brewers - Mike McClendon - entered the game. Allen Craig then bounced one right back to McClendon, who got the force out at home - but catcher Maldonado committed his third throwing error of the game (he only had six errors all season) attempting to retire Craig at first. As the ball sailed into right field, Carpenter scored, as Furcal advanced to third and Craig to second. Holliday's infield single down the third base line scored Furcal, to mercifully end the scoring.
The Cardinals had scored nine runs in this game - so effortlessly. Their patient offensive approach served them well in this game - and for the 2012 season, for that matter. It took them to the World Series the following season.
In 2014, the offense has sputtered, but they're still a competitive team with postseason aspirations. Maybe they can regain the approach that served them so well since 2011. Anything can happen in two months. Plenty of time to turn it around.
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
July 16, 2012 - 3-Run 9th Stuns Brewers at Miller Park
Monday, July 16, 2012 - At Miller Park (Lance Lynn - Starting Pitcher) - Opponent: Milwaukee Brewers (Mike Fiers - Starting Pitcher) - Attendance: 30,128
For eight innings and two-thirds innings, the Cardinals' offensive production amounted to five hits, five walks and no runs. However, as the Brewers were reminded, getting that last out isn't always so easy. Three hits and a walk later, the Redbirds scored three times to overtake the Brew Crew - handing them a 3-2 loss, right there in front of their stunned Miller Park faithful. It was beautiful.
The much-maligned Lance Lynn pitched seven strong innings - allowing one run on seven hits, no walks and ten strikeouts. The only mistake that cost him was a seventh-inning pitch that Corey Hart belted out of the park - giving Milwaukee a 1-0 lead.
Meanwhile, Mike Fiers - who also worked seven innings - kept the Cardinals scoreless on four hits, four walks and four strikeouts. Francisco Rodriguez worked a scoreless eighth-inning for Milwaukee, before turning the ball over to John Axford - the closer who had been nearly flawless in 2011, but not quite so flawless in 2012. His record would fall to 2-6 after this loss.
In the meantime, with someone named Barret Browning now pitching for the Cardinals to start the eighth-inning - trouble was brewing. A one out walk to Norichika Aoki prompted rookie manager Mike Matheny to bring in Jason Motte to face Carlos Gomez - who flew out to right field - and the despicable Ryan Braun - who doubled to right field, scoring Aoki with an insurance run. Motte then retired Aramis Ramirez on a pop fly to the second baseman - but with two runs to work with, Axford's save opportunity looked promising.
However, after Matt Carpenter led-off the ninth with a base on balls, a murmur of trepidation could be heard in the house that Miller built. Matheny then sent Lance Berkman in to pinch hit for Daniel Descalso - and Lance gave that ball a ride, backing Gomez to the wall in center field to make the catch. The next pinch hitter - Carlos Beltran - hit one deep to right field, but Corey Hart also flagged it down at the base of the wall - for out number two - as the crowd exhaled in relief - many now happily chortling their disdain for the team they refer to as the "crying birds" - the team that had the audacity to reach the postseason the year before, and knock tha Crew outta tha playoffs - as Nyjer Morgan aka T-Plush aka T-Gumbo might have said.
It's hard to figure out their deep seated resentment towards the Cardinals - and their fans - but it's always fun whenever their chortling turns into stunned silence - bringing many into such a state of depression, only a case of Miller can remedy.
The chortling subsided a bit, after the next batter - Rafael Furcal - beat out a slow roller down the third base line for an infield single. Next up - Skip Schumaker - walked, to load the bases.
As Matt Holliday stepped into the batter's box, the only audible sounds in the ballpark were the beer vendors hawking their product that made Milwaukee famous - oblivious to the pending doom that was about to occur: Holliday grounded one into right field, chasing home both Carpenter and Furcal with the tying runs.
The next batter - Allen Craig - blooped a single which fell safely between the shortstop, left fielder and center fielder - to score Schumaker with the go-ahead run. The side was finally retired when Molina hit one deep to center field, which again backed Gomez to the wall to make the catch.
By this time, the few thousand Cardinal fans who made the six hour drive to catch this game seemed to be enjoying themselves, as Motte - now in line to secure the win (to improve to 4-3) - struck out Hart and Weeks before retiring Maldonado on a ground ball to third, which Matt Carpenter (defensive replacement) scooped and fired to first for the game winner.
By season's end, the Cardinals would earn a wild card spot by winning 88 games - to the Dodgers' 86 games. Having this one in the win column didn't hurt.
For eight innings and two-thirds innings, the Cardinals' offensive production amounted to five hits, five walks and no runs. However, as the Brewers were reminded, getting that last out isn't always so easy. Three hits and a walk later, the Redbirds scored three times to overtake the Brew Crew - handing them a 3-2 loss, right there in front of their stunned Miller Park faithful. It was beautiful.
The much-maligned Lance Lynn pitched seven strong innings - allowing one run on seven hits, no walks and ten strikeouts. The only mistake that cost him was a seventh-inning pitch that Corey Hart belted out of the park - giving Milwaukee a 1-0 lead.
Meanwhile, Mike Fiers - who also worked seven innings - kept the Cardinals scoreless on four hits, four walks and four strikeouts. Francisco Rodriguez worked a scoreless eighth-inning for Milwaukee, before turning the ball over to John Axford - the closer who had been nearly flawless in 2011, but not quite so flawless in 2012. His record would fall to 2-6 after this loss.
In the meantime, with someone named Barret Browning now pitching for the Cardinals to start the eighth-inning - trouble was brewing. A one out walk to Norichika Aoki prompted rookie manager Mike Matheny to bring in Jason Motte to face Carlos Gomez - who flew out to right field - and the despicable Ryan Braun - who doubled to right field, scoring Aoki with an insurance run. Motte then retired Aramis Ramirez on a pop fly to the second baseman - but with two runs to work with, Axford's save opportunity looked promising.
However, after Matt Carpenter led-off the ninth with a base on balls, a murmur of trepidation could be heard in the house that Miller built. Matheny then sent Lance Berkman in to pinch hit for Daniel Descalso - and Lance gave that ball a ride, backing Gomez to the wall in center field to make the catch. The next pinch hitter - Carlos Beltran - hit one deep to right field, but Corey Hart also flagged it down at the base of the wall - for out number two - as the crowd exhaled in relief - many now happily chortling their disdain for the team they refer to as the "crying birds" - the team that had the audacity to reach the postseason the year before, and knock tha Crew outta tha playoffs - as Nyjer Morgan aka T-Plush aka T-Gumbo might have said.
It's hard to figure out their deep seated resentment towards the Cardinals - and their fans - but it's always fun whenever their chortling turns into stunned silence - bringing many into such a state of depression, only a case of Miller can remedy.
The chortling subsided a bit, after the next batter - Rafael Furcal - beat out a slow roller down the third base line for an infield single. Next up - Skip Schumaker - walked, to load the bases.
As Matt Holliday stepped into the batter's box, the only audible sounds in the ballpark were the beer vendors hawking their product that made Milwaukee famous - oblivious to the pending doom that was about to occur: Holliday grounded one into right field, chasing home both Carpenter and Furcal with the tying runs.
The next batter - Allen Craig - blooped a single which fell safely between the shortstop, left fielder and center fielder - to score Schumaker with the go-ahead run. The side was finally retired when Molina hit one deep to center field, which again backed Gomez to the wall to make the catch.
By this time, the few thousand Cardinal fans who made the six hour drive to catch this game seemed to be enjoying themselves, as Motte - now in line to secure the win (to improve to 4-3) - struck out Hart and Weeks before retiring Maldonado on a ground ball to third, which Matt Carpenter (defensive replacement) scooped and fired to first for the game winner.
By season's end, the Cardinals would earn a wild card spot by winning 88 games - to the Dodgers' 86 games. Having this one in the win column didn't hurt.
Thursday, June 26, 2014
June 26, 2002 - Coping With Loss - An Emotional Win
Wednesday, June 26, 2002 - At Busch Stadium II - (Starting Pitcher - Woody Williams) - Opponent: Milwaukee Brewers (Jamey Wright - Starting Pitcher) - Attendance: 32,686
For a grief-stricken team trying to cope with the sudden and shocking death of their teammate - Darryl Kile - this game produced an emotional win, no doubt inspired by the memory of their good friend, who had passed away just four days earlier.
And just four days before his untimely death, Kile had a strong outing - beating a very good LA Angels of Anaheim team - allowing just one run in 7.2 IP - a great improvement over his previous two starts when he was hit hard and plagued by the long ball - two home runs in each game.
In Kile's June 12 start in Seattle, he was hit especially hard, allowing five runs on six hits - including a pair of home runs - in just 4.1 IP. When manager Tony LaRussa decided to remove his ineffective pitcher before he could get the last two outs in the fifth, words were exchanged on the mound - and later in the clubhouse - between the two.
Kile - fiercely competitive and not at all happy with the way he'd been pitching of late - still felt slighted by the quick hook, and let his manager know. After further discussion, the two resolved this minor dispute - giving Kile peace of mind prior to making his final start. Afterwards, a relieved and appreciative Kile expressed his thanks to his manager for helping him get back on track - a gesture LaRussa felt comforted by in the wake of Darryl's tragic death.
With the inevitable shock and grief the entire team was experiencing, it was virtually impossible to focus on any on-field activities. Suddenly, playing baseball seemed inappropriate; the games so meaningless.
But then, after much clubhouse discussion, along with private talks with each other about getting on with life again, the team decided to dedicate the rest of the season to the memory of Darryl Kile - and start playing winning baseball again.
This game was a small step in the team healing process - a 5-2 highly emotional win. Despite the fact that the heart of the Cardinal lineup - Drew, Pujols, Edmonds and Martinez - went 0 for 13 - the rest of the team picked up the slack.
The Cardinals scored three runs in the second-inning - the first run driven in by Mike Matheny - then a pair of two-out RBI's by an inspired Woody Williams and Fernando Vina.
St Louis scored two more in the second-inning - and both runs scored with two outs - on another RBI single by Matheny - who had three hits in the game - and one by Eli Marrero.
They wasted very few scoring opportunities tonight - with RISP: Five hits in eight tries.
Meanwhile, Woody Williams (5-3) was an intense, focused pitcher - not allowing the Brewers to capitalize on any of their scoring opportunities through the first seven innings. After running out of gas in the eighth-inning, Williams managed to retire two batters while yielding a pair of runs. LaRussa brought the colorful Steve Kline in to get the third out of the inning, as Woody slowly walked off the mound to a standing ovation. There wasn't a dry eye in the house.
Isringhausen worked a perfect ninth for his 16th save, as the first-place Cardinals (41-33) - still grieving but with a sense of purpose - maintained a slim two game advantage over the Cincinnati Reds in the NL Central.
St Louis would finish the season with a 56-32 record, as Tony LaRussa guided his team well, in the wake of immense tragedy. From June 26 to the end of the regular season, no other National League team won more games than the Cardinals.
There was little doubt he would be named NL Manager of the Year in 2002 - arguably, this was his finest - and most stressful - season at the helm, in his 33 years of managing a big league club.
For a grief-stricken team trying to cope with the sudden and shocking death of their teammate - Darryl Kile - this game produced an emotional win, no doubt inspired by the memory of their good friend, who had passed away just four days earlier.
And just four days before his untimely death, Kile had a strong outing - beating a very good LA Angels of Anaheim team - allowing just one run in 7.2 IP - a great improvement over his previous two starts when he was hit hard and plagued by the long ball - two home runs in each game.
In Kile's June 12 start in Seattle, he was hit especially hard, allowing five runs on six hits - including a pair of home runs - in just 4.1 IP. When manager Tony LaRussa decided to remove his ineffective pitcher before he could get the last two outs in the fifth, words were exchanged on the mound - and later in the clubhouse - between the two.
Kile - fiercely competitive and not at all happy with the way he'd been pitching of late - still felt slighted by the quick hook, and let his manager know. After further discussion, the two resolved this minor dispute - giving Kile peace of mind prior to making his final start. Afterwards, a relieved and appreciative Kile expressed his thanks to his manager for helping him get back on track - a gesture LaRussa felt comforted by in the wake of Darryl's tragic death.
With the inevitable shock and grief the entire team was experiencing, it was virtually impossible to focus on any on-field activities. Suddenly, playing baseball seemed inappropriate; the games so meaningless.
But then, after much clubhouse discussion, along with private talks with each other about getting on with life again, the team decided to dedicate the rest of the season to the memory of Darryl Kile - and start playing winning baseball again.
This game was a small step in the team healing process - a 5-2 highly emotional win. Despite the fact that the heart of the Cardinal lineup - Drew, Pujols, Edmonds and Martinez - went 0 for 13 - the rest of the team picked up the slack.
The Cardinals scored three runs in the second-inning - the first run driven in by Mike Matheny - then a pair of two-out RBI's by an inspired Woody Williams and Fernando Vina.
St Louis scored two more in the second-inning - and both runs scored with two outs - on another RBI single by Matheny - who had three hits in the game - and one by Eli Marrero.
They wasted very few scoring opportunities tonight - with RISP: Five hits in eight tries.
Meanwhile, Woody Williams (5-3) was an intense, focused pitcher - not allowing the Brewers to capitalize on any of their scoring opportunities through the first seven innings. After running out of gas in the eighth-inning, Williams managed to retire two batters while yielding a pair of runs. LaRussa brought the colorful Steve Kline in to get the third out of the inning, as Woody slowly walked off the mound to a standing ovation. There wasn't a dry eye in the house.
Isringhausen worked a perfect ninth for his 16th save, as the first-place Cardinals (41-33) - still grieving but with a sense of purpose - maintained a slim two game advantage over the Cincinnati Reds in the NL Central.
St Louis would finish the season with a 56-32 record, as Tony LaRussa guided his team well, in the wake of immense tragedy. From June 26 to the end of the regular season, no other National League team won more games than the Cardinals.
There was little doubt he would be named NL Manager of the Year in 2002 - arguably, this was his finest - and most stressful - season at the helm, in his 33 years of managing a big league club.
Saturday, September 7, 2013
September 7, 2011: Carpenter Blanks Brewers; T-Plush Goes Ballistic
September 7, 2011: Ordinarily, winning the rubber game of a three-game late season series against a first-place division rival that is still eight and a half games ahead, wouldn't create much excitement. However, thanks to the mysterious antics of one of the players on the losing team (Nyjer Morgan/Brewers), this victory for the St Louis Cardinals seemed to be the major catalyst Tony LaRussa's team needed to jump-start its incredible postseason run. So yes, on behalf of Cardinal Nation, I'd like to say "thank you" to Nyjer and his alter egos - T-Plush and T-Gumbo - just for being "you". It may take a while for Gumbo to receive this message since he now performs his comedy routine in Japan, after refusing a minor league assignment from his original employer - the Brew Crew. I wonder if the Japanese are digging "Plushdamentals" as much as Brewer Nation did just two short years ago?
The game itself was a matchup between a couple former Cy Young Award winners - Zack Greinke and Chris Carpenter - and on this night, it was Carp outdueling Milwaukee's ace with a complete game four-hit shutout, 2-0. Strangely enough, Carp had been only so-so up to this point in the season, and had been roughed up by the Reds in his last start. That would be the last game he'd lose in 2011.
As this particular game moved into the top of the fourth-inning, in a scoreless tie, the strange behavior of Nyjer Morgan manifested itself, for no apparent reason. With one out, Plush grounded a double down the right field line, which he celebrated while standing on second base with a barrage of expletives directed towards the Cardinals' hurler and anyone else wearing a St Louis uniform, for that matter. This tirade was just a warm-up for what would follow after his final AB in the ninth.
Meanwhile, after the Brewers failed to bring the Gumbo home to conclude their half of the fourth, Lance Berkman promptly whacked a leadoff double in the home half of the frame, and eventually came around to score on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Yadier Molina. Cards shortstop Rafael Furcal added an insurance run in the fifth-inning when he lined a leadoff homerun deep to right field, to put St Louis up, 2-0.
However, the 38,891 fans in attendance were quickly in nail-biting mode in the top of the sixth-inning when, with two outs and two runners on, Prince Fielder's long fly ball to the wall in right center field was flagged down by Jon Jay. Everybody exhale now.
With the score unchanged as the ninth-inning began, Nyjer Morgan faced Carpenter for the last time in the regular season, and came up empty this time, flailing at a third strike for out number one. As T-Gumbo began stalking in the direction of the visitor's dugout, he decided to take the chaw of tobacco out of his mouth and hurl it in the direction of the Cardinal pitcher, who by this time had his back to the plate, as well as the slimy projectile that was heading in his general direction. Of course, Albert Pujols caught Morgan's unsportsmanlike behavior and jogged towards the irascible Gumbo to exchange a few choice words. Now, a bemused Carp has finally realized how upset he made the Brewers' nutcase by fanning him, as more expletives (but no punches) are exchanged. The final two outs of the inning are quickly recorded, the shutout in the books; and more importantly, what would turn out to be a key win for the playoff-bound Cardinals.
The following day, Morgan (@TheRealTPlush) posts a grammatically-challenged 140 or less characters statement on Twitter, which went something like this: "Where (sic) still in 1st & I hope those cryin' (sic) birds injoy (sic) watchin' (sic) tha (sic) Crew in tha (sic) playoffs. Aaaarrrrhhhh (sic)!" This was beautiful. Gumbo has now pronounced the Cardinals to be completely out of the playoff picture; something the Baseball Gods never like. But I'm pretty sure the Cardinals got a big kick out of it, as they rolled through the remainder of the season, winning 14 of 19 - featuring an improbable three-game sweep of the now reeling Atlanta Braves at Busch Stadium (September 9 - 11).
Of course, for the Redbirds, the sweetest revenge was getting the opportunity to play T-Plush & Company in the six game NLCS; and winning the Game Six clincher right there in front of Gumbo's faithful Brew Crew minions at Miller Park. For Nyjer Morgan, who had a pretty good season for the Brewers in 2011 (.300+ BA), his major league career was rapidly coming to an end. His act had quickly gotten stale, on and off the field. The one-time folk hero had become zero; no longer able to perform his act in major league baseball. It's really a shame; he had talent, but fell in love with his colorful persona, which really had nothing to do with playing major league baseball.
The moral of the story: The game is bigger than any player who thinks otherwise. Eventually, they either get the message or get out. Some are lucky enough to still find work in Japan.
The game itself was a matchup between a couple former Cy Young Award winners - Zack Greinke and Chris Carpenter - and on this night, it was Carp outdueling Milwaukee's ace with a complete game four-hit shutout, 2-0. Strangely enough, Carp had been only so-so up to this point in the season, and had been roughed up by the Reds in his last start. That would be the last game he'd lose in 2011.
As this particular game moved into the top of the fourth-inning, in a scoreless tie, the strange behavior of Nyjer Morgan manifested itself, for no apparent reason. With one out, Plush grounded a double down the right field line, which he celebrated while standing on second base with a barrage of expletives directed towards the Cardinals' hurler and anyone else wearing a St Louis uniform, for that matter. This tirade was just a warm-up for what would follow after his final AB in the ninth.
Meanwhile, after the Brewers failed to bring the Gumbo home to conclude their half of the fourth, Lance Berkman promptly whacked a leadoff double in the home half of the frame, and eventually came around to score on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Yadier Molina. Cards shortstop Rafael Furcal added an insurance run in the fifth-inning when he lined a leadoff homerun deep to right field, to put St Louis up, 2-0.
However, the 38,891 fans in attendance were quickly in nail-biting mode in the top of the sixth-inning when, with two outs and two runners on, Prince Fielder's long fly ball to the wall in right center field was flagged down by Jon Jay. Everybody exhale now.
With the score unchanged as the ninth-inning began, Nyjer Morgan faced Carpenter for the last time in the regular season, and came up empty this time, flailing at a third strike for out number one. As T-Gumbo began stalking in the direction of the visitor's dugout, he decided to take the chaw of tobacco out of his mouth and hurl it in the direction of the Cardinal pitcher, who by this time had his back to the plate, as well as the slimy projectile that was heading in his general direction. Of course, Albert Pujols caught Morgan's unsportsmanlike behavior and jogged towards the irascible Gumbo to exchange a few choice words. Now, a bemused Carp has finally realized how upset he made the Brewers' nutcase by fanning him, as more expletives (but no punches) are exchanged. The final two outs of the inning are quickly recorded, the shutout in the books; and more importantly, what would turn out to be a key win for the playoff-bound Cardinals.
The following day, Morgan (@TheRealTPlush) posts a grammatically-challenged 140 or less characters statement on Twitter, which went something like this: "Where (sic) still in 1st & I hope those cryin' (sic) birds injoy (sic) watchin' (sic) tha (sic) Crew in tha (sic) playoffs. Aaaarrrrhhhh (sic)!" This was beautiful. Gumbo has now pronounced the Cardinals to be completely out of the playoff picture; something the Baseball Gods never like. But I'm pretty sure the Cardinals got a big kick out of it, as they rolled through the remainder of the season, winning 14 of 19 - featuring an improbable three-game sweep of the now reeling Atlanta Braves at Busch Stadium (September 9 - 11).
Of course, for the Redbirds, the sweetest revenge was getting the opportunity to play T-Plush & Company in the six game NLCS; and winning the Game Six clincher right there in front of Gumbo's faithful Brew Crew minions at Miller Park. For Nyjer Morgan, who had a pretty good season for the Brewers in 2011 (.300+ BA), his major league career was rapidly coming to an end. His act had quickly gotten stale, on and off the field. The one-time folk hero had become zero; no longer able to perform his act in major league baseball. It's really a shame; he had talent, but fell in love with his colorful persona, which really had nothing to do with playing major league baseball.
The moral of the story: The game is bigger than any player who thinks otherwise. Eventually, they either get the message or get out. Some are lucky enough to still find work in Japan.
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Brewers Trying to Pawn Off Nyjer and His Alter Egos
"Nyjer, he's got energy, and he felt it. Sometimes a player sees something a little different than a coach does." - Brewer's manager - Ron Roenicke, trying to explain Nyjer Morgan's thought process
In the strange case of Nyjer "T Plush" Morgan - the weirdest player in MLB - "seeing something a little different" is the norm. The latest case in point - the night of April 18, 2012:
T Plush enters a game vs the Dodgers as a pinch runner, in the bottom of the tenth; score tied, 2-2. Our hero proceeds to steal second, then advances to third on the catcher's errant throw. After a couple of walks load the bases, with one out, MVP Ryan Braun pops one up to short center field, where MVP-runner-up Matt Kemp is stationed.
Such drama. Kemp, who is the greatest hitter in the game at this particular moment, is a good center fielder, but could be better. T Plush, the bizarre folk hero in Milwaukee (last season, anyway), has been a bust for the Brew Crew in 2012. With a chance of becoming a hero for perhaps one last time, T Gumbo (his alter ego's alter ego) ignores third base coach Ed Sedar's wildly frantic stop sign; and despite a weak, offline throw by Kemp that grazes the pitcher's mound on the way to the plate, the skipping ball still arrives in plenty of time for the catcher to apply the tag to Morgan's backside before his foot touches the plate.
There have been worse calls than this one, but not many. T Plush, in all his idiotic splendor, is ruled safe. The headline in Brewer Nation: "What a rush by Plush: Brewers walk-off again!" Oh boy.
I wonder if Roenicke's private conversation with his walk-off hero was a bit more direct than the predictably diplomatic "he's got energy" quote the skipper gave to the media. I wonder if Roenicke interrupted the usual celebratory post-game "Plushdamentals" to let his deranged center fielder know his actions violated the most fundamental concepts of baseball strategy. Whether or not that little chat occurred, the vibe surrounding Nyjer Morgan's antics is somewhat different these days. T Plush was nowhere to be found after the "rush by Plush" game-ending heroics. No insane sound bites. No inflammatory quotes to belittle the opposing team or its players. What gives, Gumbo?
Of course, Nyjer Morgan's volatile and erratic behavior has been on display on a regular basis since making his MLB debut as a left fielder with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2007. Initially, his rants seemed like harmless exuberance; referring to his little section of the outfield as "Morgantown". Apparently, the Pirates' front office wasn't all that impressed with the Mayor of Morgantown; shipping His Honor off to the Washington Nationals where he could take his creative talents to a new level; his antics in our nation's Capitol featured the following:
*A cheap shot on Cardinals catcher Bryan Anderson while scoring during a September, 2010 game; then-manager Jim Riggleman apologized to the Cardinals for Morgan's unwarranted flying elbow.
*A seven game suspension from MLB for throwing a baseball into the stands at a heckler, which smacked another non-heckling fan in the face, instead.
*Another September, 2010 game, saw Morgan charging the mound, then punching an unfazed Marlins pitcher Chris Volstad with a glancing blow to his head, for zipping one of his servings directly behind Morgan's rear end; a benches-clearing gathering ensued, highlighted by Marlins' first baseman Gabby Sanchez's beautifully executed "clothes-line" tackle of little Nyjer.
*Engaging in a well-publicized verbal diatribe with fans in San Francisco over some advice offered by the Giants' faithful. Local media called Morgan's belligerent behavior "simply a disgrace", labeling him "punk of the month"; quite an honor.
After alienating the entire Nationals team over his mean-spirited, over-the-top antics, he was traded to his present employer, the Milwaukee Brewers on March 27, 2011. At first, Morgan's exuberant play and quirky post-game interviews were a big hit with Brewers fans; as the T Plush routine became more elaborate and entertaining (at least for Brewers fans), Morgan's popularity soared; his specially created tee-shirts and merchandise was actually outselling similar items from such stars as Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun.
In addition to a real, live Nyjer Morgan Fan Club being formed, an outfit known as "Athlete Promotions.com" began tapping into Morgan's popularity, by offering fee-based "corporate appearances, speaking engagements, endorsements, and autograph signings". T Plush was hot back in the day; alas, not so much anymore.
When Nyjer disappeared into the night after his ill-advised-but-successful mad dash which plated that second straight walk-off winning run vs the Dodgers, something seemed terribly amiss. Is it possible T Gumbo is sulking these days because he's hitting a buck-eighty so far this year? Or did someone inside the Brewers inner-circle threaten to pummel T Plush into a pile of gumbo if he dared open his babbling pie-hole again? The baseball gods don't like classless-smack-talking players who utter comments, such as this classic gem:
"We're still in first place; believe it. It's nothing left to say other than we're still in first place and they're chasing us." - Nyjer Morgan (After nearly inciting a bench-clearing brawl in a September 7, 2011 loss - 2-0 - to Chris Carpenter and the Cardinals; talking smack after striking out in the ninth inning, Nyjer also heaved a little hunk of chewing tobacco out of his mouth and into the direction of the Cardinal pitcher, who was unaware of the Plushdamentals that were taking place at the time. Former-Cardinal-Great Albert Pujols caught Nyjer's act and quickly rushed towards the livid strikeout victim, while engaging in a discussion of baseball etiquette with the clueless Gumbo.)
The baseball gods also don't care for ballplayers who use Twitter to express negative feelings towards opposing teams and/or players in 140 characters or less; such as these classic September 8, 2011 "tweets" from @TheRealTPlush:
"Where still in 1st and I hope those crying birds injoy watching tha Crew in tha Playoffs. Aaaaahhhhh!!!"
"Alberta couldn't see Plush if she had her gloves on!!! Wat was she thinking running at the Plush!!! She never been in tha ring!!!" (Space restraints no doubt prevented TheRealTPlush from closing with his usual, "Aaaaahhhhh!!!")
Aside from having the spelling and grammar skills below that of a first-grader, Nyjer's mystifying approach to dealing with professional MLB rivalries served no purpose for his Brew Crew; unless, they actually wanted to inspire the Redbirds to go on and win the World Series, after all. Better yet; reach that lofty pinnacle by thrashing Milwaukee in a best of seven NLCS, in just six games; featuring that Game Six 12-6 bombardment of tha Crew right there at Miller Park in front of all those stunned T Plush fans.
I wonder if that's what "Morganna" had in mind last September when she lost her mind? For the Redbirds, this had to be the sweetest of revenges; moving on to the World Series while squashing TheRealTPlush and his Plushdamentals.
Meanwhile, Nyjer Morgan, who began his 2012 season with an appropriate 0 for 8 effort in the Brewer's opening three-game series against those crying birds; is still taking up a spot on Milwaukee's not-so-potent roster. You can bet Ron Roenicke would love to see T Plush take his act to yet another team; Gumbo has long-since worn out his welcome in Milwaukee.
Unfortunately for Roenicke and Company, Nyjer Morgan's tired act isn't a sought after commodity these days. Pawning him off, along with his alter egos, won't be so easy this time around. The baseball gods have spoken, although T Plush/Gumbo is probably not listening.
It's unlikely anybody's really listening to Nyjer anymore, for that matter.
In the strange case of Nyjer "T Plush" Morgan - the weirdest player in MLB - "seeing something a little different" is the norm. The latest case in point - the night of April 18, 2012:
T Plush enters a game vs the Dodgers as a pinch runner, in the bottom of the tenth; score tied, 2-2. Our hero proceeds to steal second, then advances to third on the catcher's errant throw. After a couple of walks load the bases, with one out, MVP Ryan Braun pops one up to short center field, where MVP-runner-up Matt Kemp is stationed.
Such drama. Kemp, who is the greatest hitter in the game at this particular moment, is a good center fielder, but could be better. T Plush, the bizarre folk hero in Milwaukee (last season, anyway), has been a bust for the Brew Crew in 2012. With a chance of becoming a hero for perhaps one last time, T Gumbo (his alter ego's alter ego) ignores third base coach Ed Sedar's wildly frantic stop sign; and despite a weak, offline throw by Kemp that grazes the pitcher's mound on the way to the plate, the skipping ball still arrives in plenty of time for the catcher to apply the tag to Morgan's backside before his foot touches the plate.
There have been worse calls than this one, but not many. T Plush, in all his idiotic splendor, is ruled safe. The headline in Brewer Nation: "What a rush by Plush: Brewers walk-off again!" Oh boy.
I wonder if Roenicke's private conversation with his walk-off hero was a bit more direct than the predictably diplomatic "he's got energy" quote the skipper gave to the media. I wonder if Roenicke interrupted the usual celebratory post-game "Plushdamentals" to let his deranged center fielder know his actions violated the most fundamental concepts of baseball strategy. Whether or not that little chat occurred, the vibe surrounding Nyjer Morgan's antics is somewhat different these days. T Plush was nowhere to be found after the "rush by Plush" game-ending heroics. No insane sound bites. No inflammatory quotes to belittle the opposing team or its players. What gives, Gumbo?
Of course, Nyjer Morgan's volatile and erratic behavior has been on display on a regular basis since making his MLB debut as a left fielder with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2007. Initially, his rants seemed like harmless exuberance; referring to his little section of the outfield as "Morgantown". Apparently, the Pirates' front office wasn't all that impressed with the Mayor of Morgantown; shipping His Honor off to the Washington Nationals where he could take his creative talents to a new level; his antics in our nation's Capitol featured the following:
*A cheap shot on Cardinals catcher Bryan Anderson while scoring during a September, 2010 game; then-manager Jim Riggleman apologized to the Cardinals for Morgan's unwarranted flying elbow.
*A seven game suspension from MLB for throwing a baseball into the stands at a heckler, which smacked another non-heckling fan in the face, instead.
*Another September, 2010 game, saw Morgan charging the mound, then punching an unfazed Marlins pitcher Chris Volstad with a glancing blow to his head, for zipping one of his servings directly behind Morgan's rear end; a benches-clearing gathering ensued, highlighted by Marlins' first baseman Gabby Sanchez's beautifully executed "clothes-line" tackle of little Nyjer.
*Engaging in a well-publicized verbal diatribe with fans in San Francisco over some advice offered by the Giants' faithful. Local media called Morgan's belligerent behavior "simply a disgrace", labeling him "punk of the month"; quite an honor.
After alienating the entire Nationals team over his mean-spirited, over-the-top antics, he was traded to his present employer, the Milwaukee Brewers on March 27, 2011. At first, Morgan's exuberant play and quirky post-game interviews were a big hit with Brewers fans; as the T Plush routine became more elaborate and entertaining (at least for Brewers fans), Morgan's popularity soared; his specially created tee-shirts and merchandise was actually outselling similar items from such stars as Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun.
In addition to a real, live Nyjer Morgan Fan Club being formed, an outfit known as "Athlete Promotions.com" began tapping into Morgan's popularity, by offering fee-based "corporate appearances, speaking engagements, endorsements, and autograph signings". T Plush was hot back in the day; alas, not so much anymore.
When Nyjer disappeared into the night after his ill-advised-but-successful mad dash which plated that second straight walk-off winning run vs the Dodgers, something seemed terribly amiss. Is it possible T Gumbo is sulking these days because he's hitting a buck-eighty so far this year? Or did someone inside the Brewers inner-circle threaten to pummel T Plush into a pile of gumbo if he dared open his babbling pie-hole again? The baseball gods don't like classless-smack-talking players who utter comments, such as this classic gem:
"We're still in first place; believe it. It's nothing left to say other than we're still in first place and they're chasing us." - Nyjer Morgan (After nearly inciting a bench-clearing brawl in a September 7, 2011 loss - 2-0 - to Chris Carpenter and the Cardinals; talking smack after striking out in the ninth inning, Nyjer also heaved a little hunk of chewing tobacco out of his mouth and into the direction of the Cardinal pitcher, who was unaware of the Plushdamentals that were taking place at the time. Former-Cardinal-Great Albert Pujols caught Nyjer's act and quickly rushed towards the livid strikeout victim, while engaging in a discussion of baseball etiquette with the clueless Gumbo.)
The baseball gods also don't care for ballplayers who use Twitter to express negative feelings towards opposing teams and/or players in 140 characters or less; such as these classic September 8, 2011 "tweets" from @TheRealTPlush:
"Where still in 1st and I hope those crying birds injoy watching tha Crew in tha Playoffs. Aaaaahhhhh!!!"
"Alberta couldn't see Plush if she had her gloves on!!! Wat was she thinking running at the Plush!!! She never been in tha ring!!!" (Space restraints no doubt prevented TheRealTPlush from closing with his usual, "Aaaaahhhhh!!!")
Aside from having the spelling and grammar skills below that of a first-grader, Nyjer's mystifying approach to dealing with professional MLB rivalries served no purpose for his Brew Crew; unless, they actually wanted to inspire the Redbirds to go on and win the World Series, after all. Better yet; reach that lofty pinnacle by thrashing Milwaukee in a best of seven NLCS, in just six games; featuring that Game Six 12-6 bombardment of tha Crew right there at Miller Park in front of all those stunned T Plush fans.
I wonder if that's what "Morganna" had in mind last September when she lost her mind? For the Redbirds, this had to be the sweetest of revenges; moving on to the World Series while squashing TheRealTPlush and his Plushdamentals.
Meanwhile, Nyjer Morgan, who began his 2012 season with an appropriate 0 for 8 effort in the Brewer's opening three-game series against those crying birds; is still taking up a spot on Milwaukee's not-so-potent roster. You can bet Ron Roenicke would love to see T Plush take his act to yet another team; Gumbo has long-since worn out his welcome in Milwaukee.
Unfortunately for Roenicke and Company, Nyjer Morgan's tired act isn't a sought after commodity these days. Pawning him off, along with his alter egos, won't be so easy this time around. The baseball gods have spoken, although T Plush/Gumbo is probably not listening.
It's unlikely anybody's really listening to Nyjer anymore, for that matter.
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