Category: St. Louis Cardinals

Kevin Siegrist: The Comeback Kid of the Cardinals Pen

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I had a problem during Sunday’s game. Kevin Siegrist was in to pitch the 8th inning against the Milwaukee Brewers, and the Cardinals had a 4-3 lead. He allowed a hit, got the next hitter out on a sacrifice, and then Mike Matheny pulled Siegrist for Jonathan Broxton before Khris Davis took his swing. This infuriated me. One reason? Kevin Siegrist shuts righthanded hitters down, better than anyone on the team, including Broxton. Why was Matheny doing this?

The tale didn’t end well. Brox threw a first pitch fastball and Davis planted it in center field. Brewers win. Questioning the move got me some heat because it’s apparently illegal in the Midwest to question a 71-40 team. It just didn’t sit well with me. It also showed something that some mainstream writers have been missing. The brilliant comeback season of Siegrist.

Remember 2013? Siegrist couldn’t be touched. He struck out 50 in 39.1 innings. His WHIP(average walks/hits allowed per inning) was a scintillating 0.88. Siegrist was the bridge of chaos before hitters the ring of fire in the 9th. He was another reason that the Cardinals were revered. Along with Trevor Rosenthal, the bullpen was stacked. After a decent 2013 postseason where Siegrist seemed to finally wear down a bit and the roller coaster started to slip off the rails, it fell off in 2014.

The lefty was stricken with a forearm injury that never went away and sucked up months of his season. He was out of action from May 23rd to July 25th and when he came the results weren’t pretty. Siegrist allowed 15 earned runs in 10.1 innings the rest of the season, striking out 10 but walking 8. His fastball was flat and his breaking pitches sat on a tee. He had lost it and going into the 2015 season, nobody knew if he had it back. He was healthy but was the sizzle from his fastball forever lost.

Siegrist answered quickly. He was firing heat past wooden bats again. The contact was gone. Hitters had no clue, having studied that 2014 tape too much and forgetting what the kid could do. In May and June, Siegrist struck out 17 batters in 12 and 12.1 innings. His walks were down. He wasn’t allowed much. He held games in check for Rosenthal, and also took a few rounds in the 9th inning himself. Siegrist was the everyman for this brutally stout Cards pen. When the rotation needed help, Siegrist helped lead the charge to pick up innings. His 53.2 innings are tied with Rosenthal for the bullpen lead. With Jordan Walden out since late April, Siegrist has forged his role into a multi-faceted attack. He’s done so on the strength of a recovered four seam fastball, a circle changeup and a slider(per Brooks Baseball).

Not too bad for the 1,235th pick in the 41st round in the 2008 draft making 518,000 dollars. Siegrist didn’t disappoint in his June 6th, 2013 debut against Arizona. In 1.2 innings, he struck out 4 batters. Two years later, fans expect that dominance out of the 6 foot 5 215 pound Buffalo, New York native. After a stormy 2013 season, Siegrist is back in a big way.

Sunday, here’s why I wanted Siegrist to stay in there, just so I am clear. In 133 at bats against righthanded hitters this season, the lefty has held them to a .150 average(20 hits and 1 home run) while striking out 51 and only walking 8. Against lefties, Siegrist is much more human, allowing a .316 average and walking 11 in less than 60 at bats. The decision to bring in Brox to face Davis was dumbfounding due to Siegrist’s ability to get the job done.

Wednesday night, Siegrist recorded more than 4 outs for the 7th time this season, pitching the 7th and 8th innings to hold the Pittsburgh Pirates at bay for a 4-2 victory that pushed the challenging Bucs team 7 games out of first place. Just the latest example of the man doing his job in a big spot against a great team. The latest appearance in a season that rivals, if not shines brighter, than Rosenthal’s work.

How good is Kevin Siegrist? He has 65 strikeouts in just 53.2 innings, an average of 10.9 strikeouts per 9 innings. You may point to his 11.0 strikeouts per 9 last year, but unlike in 2014, Siegrist isn’t getting clubbed along with the whiffs. His fielding independent ERA(take away his defense) is 2.58. It isn’t the greatest statistic for a reliever, but shows how dominant he has been.

Siegrist isn’t arbitration eligible until 2017 and isn’t a free agent until 2020. He’ll keep doing his thing, deadly style, for another season on the cheap. While he isn’t exactly an unsung hero of this pitching staff, Kevin Siegrist doesn’t get enough credit for the transformation he’s shown this season.

-DLB

Will John Lackey pitch in St. Louis next season?

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imageedit_1_6878099780Ask any saloon owner and the last thing you want to do is lose your best cowboy to another town next season. With the way St. Louis Cardinals starter John Lackey is pitching right now, the question remains swirling around my head. Will he come back and pitch for the Birds next year?

The Texan has turned back the clock in 2015, reaching 10 wins for the 12th consecutive season he’s pitched in. He’s more efficient than ever, racking up a 2.87 earned run average and a 1.18 WHIP with 116 strikeouts in 159.2 innings this season. He’s only walked 38 batters. He scatters singles, allows a lot of singles and the occasional home run but for the most part Lackey has stepped into the Chris Carpenter role since he joined the team last July. He’s an angry man on the mound and lets his emotions fly. He commands respect that other pitchers can only dream of. He’s more than just a talented arm. He’s a simple man with a plan who hasn’t added a pitch in years yet remains efficient.

Is it enough to bring him back next year? Sure it is. I just don’t think Lackey will want what the Cardinals offer him. I don’t see John Mozeliak offering a soon to be 37 year old more than a 1 year deal with the fleet of young pitchers coming up through the minor leagues like a locomotive carrying silver bullets into town. Put yourself in Lackey’s position. If you are pitching this well, and doing it for the bargain price of 500,000 dollars(Cards slipped him a bonus at midseason to enhance the earnings), would you accept a lesser deal at this point in your career?

I think Lackey will look for a parachute deal, something to float away into retirement on top of. He won’t go pitch for the Marlins or anything, but other contending teams will pay him good money and guarantee it for 2-3 seasons. I think of the “who comes back” ordeal to center around Jaime Garcia and Lackey. Right now, brittle body or not, Garcia has a better chance of returning simply because he has half the leverage that Lackey does and he needs to prove he can start 25-30 games in a season again.

I’d love to have Lackey stout back for another round of drinks. He’s tough. Once Waino fell down and Lance Lynn struggled a bit early on, Lackey’s role became enhanced this season. With his fine work Saturday night, John Lackey has hurled 12 quality starts in a row, nine of them covering 7 innings or more. He has been one of the most impressive if not the biggest bright spot in the league’s best rotation.

Enjoy him while he’s here folks. Lackey is exactly the guy the Cards need in the postseason, a guy who has closed out two teams on two different teams to win the World Series(including the Cardinals in 2013). As a competitor taking the ball every five days, Lackey is one of the best. As the oldest starting pitcher on the Cards, he’s hanging with these younger guns just fine.

While he may not be a Cardinal past 2015, John Lackey has proven to be worth every penny and then some this season. I think that’s enough to sleep on for Cardinals fans.

Hey Cardinals, let’s sign Jason Heyward!

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usa-today-8672658.0(In case you missed it on KSDK)

When the news of the new TV deal between the St. Louis Cardinals and Fox Sports Midwest landed, the first thought that hit my head was simple. It’s time to sign Jason Heyward to a long term deal.

If there was hesitation before, the extra money that kicks in during 2018 demolishes the doubt. As John Mozeliak told KMOX last week, he’s seen enough to know that Heyward belongs in St. Louis for a very long time so let’s wrap it up. He was being brought in to be the cardholder in right field and be the future face of this franchise. He has delivered the play in the field to prove he is worth the big contract.

Heyward turned 26 years old on Sunday, so signing him to a long term deal would be a fine present. Why not? What has Heyward not shown you through four months that was expected?

If you are looking for more power, look elsewhere. No one ever labeled Heyward a home run threat. You don’t see him competing in home run derbies, do you? He’s hit 20+ homers one time, so stop looking for gold there.

Through 107 games and 384 at bats, Heyward is hitting .286 with a .342 on base percentage and a .430 slugging percentage. His strikeout rate is only 17 percent. He has drawn 32 walks. He has 9 home runs and 37 RBI. Heyward has gotten better every month. He has been hitting since May 1st.

Here is his OPS and batting average per month.

April-.611/.217

May-.783/.284

June-.881/.326

July-.806/.312

August-.740/.290(8 games)

In case you have been blinded by the light, Heyward also plays a mean right field, and that includes a missile for a left arm and an ability to make run saving catches. According to Fangraphs, Heyward has saved 13 runs in right field and has an UZR(ultimate zone rating) of 11.8. Adam Jones and Nick Markakis won a Gold Glove with lesser numbers in both categories last season. Heyward’s overall WAR  of 3.8(highest on the team) is powered by his gold glove caliber defense. It’s no lie that his greatest asset is his ability to take hits and runs away in the field, through physical action or reputation. For a team that relies on great pitching being aided by great defense, Heyward is a nice asset to have out there.

He can hit anywhere in the lineup. Clean up, move up to 3rd or slide down to 6th. Did I mention he’s only 26 years old? The capabilities for this guy haven’t reached the roof offensively either, so the baseball card mafia can still hold out some hope for some more boom in that stick. Yes, I’d like a home run from Heyward sometime soon(his last came in Miami on June 24th) but that’s not where his true value is.

Heyward’s value comes in a versatile tool set. He has 18 steals in 20 attempts and he has 24 doubles. He has recaptured the ability to hit lefties this year(.286 in 105 at bats) and hit the ball to the opposite field. When Heyward did display the power back in 2012, he was a big time pull hitter, almost to where teams would shift on him. These days, he’s refined that part of his hitting approach and its fits right in with the Cardinals. Whitey Herzog would have loved to coach Heyward, right?

The time is now to sign Heyward because he is getting more expensive by the week. The closer he gets to free agency the higher his price tag goes. The free agent market this winter will include Heyward, Yoenis Cespedes and Justin Upton as their premier young bats. If the Cardinals let Heyward reach November without a contract, his price will sky rocket. Don’t get into a bidding war with the Yankees. If the money is there, sign Heyward now. The promise of this movie trailer of talent hasn’t disappointed over the first 2/3 of the season. Mo has seen enough, so I expect a deal to get done before the start of September. There’s no reason to wait.

With aging players like Matt Holliday and Yadier Molina reaching their final contracts and their bodies wearing down, it’s important to secure a big piece in the future in Heyward.

How much for his services? The Cards traded a big piece in Shelby Miller to acquire Heyward, so Mo knows the market and the price. A deal like seven years/161 million carries an annual average value of 23 million doesn’t sound bad for either side but it could be higher. That’s a place the Cards could start with at least. Who knows? The next few weeks will tell the tale.

Heyward has shown me enough to want him here long term. Has he done enough for you? Tell me in the comments below.

Should Cardinals fans worry about the Randal Grichuk injury?

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071815-MLB-Randal-Grichuk-LN-PI.vresize.1200.675.high.54Any time a theme park ride closes down, the people waiting in line get mad and depressed. What it would have been like to ride that thing? Right now, across a hot St. Louis, St. Louis Cardinals fans are disheartened by the idea of the Randal Grichuk experience being closed until September. The talented 25 year old rookie of the year candidate is going on the disabled list with a right elbow strain. The complete severity of the injury is unknown, but the warning signs are enough for the team to act quickly after the MRI this morning. Should the fans freak out?

The answer is no. Grichuk, while impressive and durable with the bat, wasn’t powering this offense singlehandedly. This moderate attack doesn’t operate on one boom stick anymore. Grichuk was essentially a sniper in a band of versatile weapons that scratch out just enough runs to help out the best pitching staff in baseball. They still have Stephen Piscotty and Jason Heyward out there(who combined for three home runs Sunday), and Matt Carpenter and Jhonny Peralta have handled business this month.

Grichuk’s power will be missed. The kind of pop that can turn a silent Friday game into a quick Cardinals lead like he did with a 2 run home run against the Marlins. A bat that had grown more lethal over the course of the season. One that accumulated 43 extra base hits(21 doubles, 7 triples, 15 home runs) and a .561 slugging percentage. Sure, he had 97 strikeouts(at least 3 multi-K games every ten game set) but he was drawing more walks as the weeks passed by. Grichuk’s lethal ability to crank baseball 100 mph was only improving so the spectacle will be missed.

What happens next? Tommy Pham will come up, be inserted into the roster and have another chance to showcase his skills. Brandon Moss isn’t going to improve sitting on the bench, so the loss of Grichuk gives him renewed time in left field. Jason Heyward, by the looks of today’s lineup, will get some time in center field while Stephen Piscotty moves to a place he is most comfortable at and that’s right field. The next man up mentality will persevere here.

Why should fans not worry? Remember that great pitching. The pitching that the Cards have built their success on this year didn’t lose an arm today. The starters may have lost some run support with the Grichuk injury but the performance doesn’t expect to be diminished.

After all, look at the losses this lineup has faced this season. Matt Adams since late May. Matt Holliday, except for 10 games, since early June. Jon Jay for the past two months(or all season). Peter Bourjos…oh I forgot, he just doesn’t play that much. Grichuk is the latest blow to a team that knows how to roll with the punches.

While the hottest theme park ride in town heads to the disabled list, guys like Heyward and Piscotty can step up and take over now. Aging AAAA talents like Tommy Pham can rise to the occasion. Kolten Wong, rest or not, can hopefully find comfort in the #2 spot. An offense that struggles to score runs no matter who comes or goes will soldier on top of the best pitching in baseball.

Randal Grichuk isn’t gone for good, folks. He’s just hurt and needs time. Keep your head up and enjoy Cardinals baseball. If any team knows how to endure, it’s the Birds.

The Randal Grichuk Experience

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31 MAY 2015: St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Randal Grichuk (15) at bat during the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri.

A 23 year old well built baseball player steps to the plate. He waggles the bat, digs his feet in around home plate and dips the bat over his shoulder. The bat slowly points back towards the umpire as if to say, “Watch this!” The pitch comes in, and the body engages like a fighter jet. The bat head springs towards the sky and starts to whip around towards the pitch. It may touch the ball or it may miss it completely. If contact is made, the baseball goes an extremely long way and quick.

Welcome to the Randal Grichuk experience, open 7 days a week in this St. Louis Cardinals lineup. All he does is hit extra base hits and strike out. He’s an action film. An experience. His defense in the outfield(he plays all three positions) is not too shabby but it’s his bat that creates the most attention.

Grichuk has 17 doubles, 6 triples and 11 home runs on the season. You won’t find many players in this league with those kind of extra base hit splits. He’s got speed, loads of pop and can spray a ball to any field. Good luck shifting this kid. He hits a ball off the end of the bat and it looks like a solar eclipse running out of the park from a building across the street.

The knock on Grichuk is that his bat has too many holes in it to sustain success in the majors. Yes, his 33 percent strikeout rate(72 in 216 at bats) does leave questions at the door and will make a person look at the directions to this action figurine a few extra times. However, when you carry this much BOOM in your stick, the setbacks can be handled.

Grichuk is fun for all ages. To young kids, he’s the knight with the big sword, slicing juicy fastballs up. To teens, he’s the young stallion making his dream come true. When he comes up to the plate, my wife stops and watches. Now, that may be due to the fact that Randal isn’t terrible looking and is built like a Ford truck, but also there’s a good chance he may launch a baseball towards outer space and you want to be able to tell your friends where you were when it hit the astronaut in the back. Husbands can’t complain about that. Respect, son!

All I know is Grichuk is holding up quite well, and helping the Cardinals in a time of need. Ever since Albert Pujols left, the Cards lacked a potential 30 home run guy. A show stopper. Soon, Grichuk could be that big stick. While he may not be multi-faceted like Pujols, he is once again, only 23 years old.

One thing Randal Grichuk is these days is exciting. Buy a ticket to this ride sometime soon. See it in person. Where it is going, nobody knows. There’s a decent chance it may get better.

Before the action starts against Atlanta Saturday night, Grichuk has 11 home runs, 36 RBI, and hitting .278. His on base percentage is a respectable .326 and he is slugging out of his mind at .551. His WAR(via Baseball Reference) is a solid 2.1 and growing. He has slowly increased his walks(1 for every 5 strikeouts) but fans don’t want to see the kid keep his bat towards the umpire and still. They want action! Baseballs fear Randal so don’t let them off the hook! As a man once said in an M. Night Shyamalan flick, it hurts not to swing.

With Matt Holliday missing time due to injury and Jon Jay on the decline this season, Randal Grichuk has given the outfield a boost. A breath of fresh air! When I think of an outfield of Holliday, Grichuk and Jason Heyward in 2016 and beyond, a smile appears on my face. It’s a pleasant thought and not far fetched.

Extra note. Grichuk is a reason fans should be patient with Stephen Piscotty. When Randal first got here last summer, he struggled. He whiffed once every other at bat. It looked like a kid swinging at wire brush at the plate. Eventually, he improved and found a timing and comfort at the plate. Look at him now.

Randal Grichuk turns 24 on August 13th so he is just getting warmed up folks. Be sure to attend the next show.

Is Chris Davis an option for the Cardinals?

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In case you missed it on STL Sports Minute….

According to @CubsCardsCast, MLB analyst Jim Bowden mentioned on satellite radio this morning that the St. Louis Cardinals could be a landing spot for Baltimore slugger Chris Davis. Is this plausible? What would it take? Is this a good idea? After talking with my Cardinals cohorts, Let’s dig into the conversation on this Sunday morning. As I gulp the coffee..we run.

Is it plausible? Sure it is. The Orioles aren’t exactly sellers or buyers but they aren’t sure about keeping Davis past this year, where he has a 12 million dollar deal. Davis is 29 years old, is slugging well this season but may not be a part of the plans in Baltimore. Instead of offering Davis a qualifying offer they don’t want him to accept, the Orioles can get something for him now. Possibly rebuild at the position or gather young players. Davis also fits the Cards needs at first base in solving a short term fix without being attached long term. Davis will be looking for a long term deal so he will be playing like a man on the hunt.

What would it take? The return wouldn’t be light according to my fellow STLSM scribe Corey Rudd, due to Davis’ power raking ability, young age and the Cards need. Stephen Piscotty may be a conversation starter but it could also be a guy like Marco Gonzales and Tim Cooney. Jacob Wilson is a solid hitting 2B prospect with a huge roadblock in front of him. The Cardinals biggest problem in finding help is not having a ton of pieces to work with. Also, does Mo leverage a huge piece like Piscotty or Gonzales to find a guy who could be gone by this winter? With the way the team is playing, my guess is not. (more…)

Carlos Martinez: Pitching with Oscar on his mind

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El GalloNothing makes you feel more human than when you lose someone in life who is close to you. It’s not fair. It’s too soon. And it really hurts. For St. Louis Cardinals’ pitcher Carlos Martinez, losing his best friend and teammate Oscar Taveras may never wear off. Everywhere Martinez goes and whatever success follows him, the legacy of his friend will follow along.

Every time Martinez climbs the mound, he draws an #18 into the mound. Whenever something great happens, such as Friday’s announcement that he was an All Star, the 23 year old mentions “representing” Oscar at the festivities. 2015 may be an extended tribute show dedicated to his fallen friend, but something tells me Carlos will be pitching with Oscar in mind for a long time. Maybe his whole career. That’s the way it goes with legacies. They never drift. They stick with you.

Also, I need to address the moral police. The people who see fit to slam Carlos or anyone who mentions Taveras in good graces. Unless you have NEVER driven under the influence or know anyone who has, please stand down on breaking out your little moral badge here. Carlos lost a friend dear to him. Nothing changes that, circumstances or not. Oscar made a mistake many of us made at 21 years of age. Why dog his best friend for that honoring him after his death? I don’t walk around with my shiny fake moral badge on slapping people for remembering an exuberant young man who made a tragic fatal mistake. Let it be. (more…)

The Ozzie and Willie Effect on Cardinal Nation

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willie-mcgeeOn August 3rd, the St. Louis Cardinals are hosting another legendary speaker night as the television voice of the Cardinals, Dan McLaughlin, will speak to legends Ozzie Smith and Willie McGee and fans can be right there for the action. When I heard about this event, I started thinking about what made these two players so indelible and defiant to Cardinal nation. It’s easy. They were people’s champs. In the 1980’s, when you talked about Cardinals baseball, these two were always a part of the conversation.

Smith’s nickname, The Wizard, was made famous by the fans who adored his defense and all around play. Smith made 15 appearances in the All Star Game, and was well respected around the league. He redefined what great defense looked like. When a modern shortstop like Andrelton Simmons makes an insane play at short, people instantly compare him to Ozzie and think of the Wizard’s work back in the day. While Smith’s lifetime average was only .262, he stole 580 bases over his career and cranked 69 triples. He has speed to kill and was old fashioned on the basepaths. He didn’t have much power but everyone and their grandchildren know he made St. Louis go crazy in 1985 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was a people’s champ. He also won 13 consecutive gold gloves. (more…)

Cardinals: Sit Mark Reynolds and run with Xavier Scruggs

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In case you haven’t noticed, the St. Louis Cardinals have suddenly fallen on hard times. For the first time since August in 2013(thank you Rob Rains), they have lost four in a row at home. The lowly Chicago White Sox and San Diego Padres did the trick, outdueling the Birds in late inning battles.

What’s wrong? Who is the main suspect? Well, during those three losses, the Cards have scored just five runs. Five runs over 31 innings isn’t going to win any tea that many games, so the culprit is clear as day. The struggling offense has been shoved out into the light and right now, any spark would help. While he isn’t going to carry the team, Xavier Scruggs deserves to start a lot of games before the All Star Break.

The reason? Mark Reynolds isn’t doing much. Reynolds has lived up to most of his preseason billing. Lots of strikeouts(72 in 204 at bats), streakyimageedit_1_3887059628 hitting and an ability to play multiple positions. The one part of his billing he hasn’t produced yet is power. He has a measly five home runs and none since June 15th. It’d be one thing if he had 10 homers to go with the whiffs but not even close. Since taking over for Matt Adams in late May, Reynolds has SEVEN extra base hits. That’s pitiful. His power is gone and his swing and miss rate has sky rocketed. Reynolds hit .218 for June and his slugging percentage was a Tony Cruz like .345. Marching Reynolds out there is as illogical as letting Jon Jay take swings with a sore wrist. It has to stop.

Scruggs has collected some big hits since he showed up on June 19th, going 10-27 with 6 RBI and a pair of doubles. Pinch hitting Thursday night, Scruggs came up with a key base hit that gave the Cards a chance to win in the 8th inning. Scruggs is finally getting the resemblance of an opportunity and making the best of it. Why not give him more with a struggling offense a completely missing person in Reynolds at the plate? Scruggs can’t do any worse than Reynolds and deserves to get more starts against San Diego, Chicago and Pittsburgh.

You never know what could happen. Maybe Scruggs collects more hits and other teams take notice of a journeyman first baseman finally getting a chance at age 27 to show his worth. Maybe they remember his name when trade talks open. Maybe not. The options for the Cards to improve with what they have are minimal. Matt Carpenter is struggling but has no real backup at third outside of Reynolds. Matt Holliday is on his way back but won’t help a weak hitting Reynolds improve. Mike Matheny and John Mozeliak can’t lose a thing by showcasing Scruggs. Let him start for 4-5 games in a row. If he whiffs and goes 1-20 than you know what is needed at the deadline. They must find out the whole answer.

x manWhat choices are there? The Cards trade chips took a hit with Matt Adams going down and Jay hitting the disabled list. Stephen Piscotty won’t be called up because he needs to start every day. Tommy Pham doesn’t have a clear spot to start. Scruggs does have a spot and is blocked by a 2 million dollar journeyman slugger who isn’t slugging much. Time to make the move. Insert the X-Man and see if he can help spark the offense. If not, this could be a sad weekend before a vital eight game stretch against The Cubs and Pirates heats up a previously quiet NL Central race.

Before a trade can formulate, the Cards must try everything. The one thing they haven’t tried is running wild with Xavier Scruggs at first base. Together with Holliday’s return, one can hope the lineup gives a little more support to an MLB best pitching staff.

Since a trade isn’t as easy with the double wildcard and lack of trade chips, the Cards will have to rely on guys in their own lineup to solve the problem. Starting Scruggs for an extended period of time is a good start.

Jack Buck meant something to all Cardinals fans

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BuckI never saw the press box at old Busch Stadium that quiet. Something was wrong. I was working on the Manual Scoreboard on June 18th, 2002, the day the music died for St. Louis Cardinals radio. Jack Buck passed away and the usually raucous press box was chillingly silent. I took a seat and thought about the last time I remembered interacting with Buck.

Living in Brentwood, I saw Buck often at Carl’s Drive In and said hello and spoke to him in the press box many times. He would extend his arm, flash that million dollar smile and ask you how you were. If you were in front of him, Jack Buck gave you respect. It was granted the minute he laid eyes on you.

Sitting at the first table in the red suit and black undershirt, Buck was Elvis sitting easy in a room full of manic obsessive writers, broadcasters and employees. If Stuart Scott had an easy human interpretation for his famous saying, “as cool as the other side of the pillow”, it was Jack Buck every night at Busch right before game time. (more…)