Tag: STLCards

Shut Down “The Cardinal Way” Title

· 2 Comments ·

First, let me adamantly remind you folks that I am a die hard St. Louis Cardinals fan. I live and die by this team. I allow my mood to be handed over to them for roughly 7CardinalsWay months out of every year. They find a way into my nervous system every summer. So when I say I am fucking tired of the Cardinal Way and the Best Fans in Baseball titles, trust me, they come from a sophisticated yet firmly planted point of view. I am simply tired of them.

St. Louis Post Dispatch writer Bill McClellan is a Cubs fan and he has made that known in several columns. Last week, he had some fun with Cards fans when he wrote a piece about being worn down by this Cardinal Way and idea that the Cardinals were perfect knights. I usually don’t like McClellan. He is known to troll topics, slide his take in and run away from the scene. This time, however, I couldn’t agree more. Enough with these fictitious labels.  The Cards are a good enough baseball team that they don’t need these tromped up mantras.

(more…)

5 Things About The 2014 Cards

· Leave a comment ·

It’s official folks.  Pitchers and catchers report to Jupiter, Florida in exactly a week.  The waiting is nearly over with and the anticipation is going to start boiling over.1386088930000-cardinals-logo   Sometimes fans forget about the 45 days that happen before the real 162 game stretch begins.  This is where rosters start large and full of promise and end up shredded and cut to size.  With no disrespect to the Blues, the Super Bowl is over and that means one thing in St. Louis.  Baseball is near.

With that goal in mind, I am going to take a look at five things that strike me as interesting about this 2013 Cardinals team.   There are a lot of things worth talking about but here I will give you five for now.

5.) Daniel Descalso has one very good agent.   One thing that struck me about John Mozeliak’s media session at the Winter Warmup was his icy feelings towards the Descalso camp.  Dirty Dan wanted 1.6 million and the Cards were offering 900,000 and sticking to it.  Yesterday, Descalso signed for 1.2 million, a price met by the Cards due to the fear of the first arbitration trial for the Cards in like….forever.  Was this a good deal?  For Descalso, it sure is.  He gets financial security but I am not sure where the Cards are going to justify him with the at bats and playing time.

Descalso isn’t fighting Pete Kozma for starts anymore.  He is fighting the future in Kolten Wong and the seasoned veteran edge of Mark Ellis.  He may have won at the bank but in the field not so much.  Ellis didn’t come here to play behind two younger players.  Descalso’s OPS(on base percentage plus slugging percentage) was downright horrible last year and his batting average(.238) wasn’t much better.  In a dog fight there isn’t much he offers to the team in reality over a defensive wizard like Kozma or a younger buck like Greg Garcia.

I like Descalso and appreciate his fine contributions over the years, but his defense has gotten worse and his bat doesn’t do enough to justify a spot.  His 1.2 million isn’t as bad as Ty Wiggington’s 2.5 last year but it still leaves me scratching my head.

4.) Hey Joe.  I am talking about California Wildfire fighting Joe Kelly.   The jack of all trades who happens to work out with pizza in his mouth(at least according to twitter) is coming into spring with his role undetermined.  It’s a good thing Kelly doesn’t let those kind of shenanigans affect his preparation.

In 2013, Kelly served as part time Porsche parked in the garage and part time excellent fill in starter.  He went from missing in action to taking Shelby Miller’s rotation spot in the playoffs(yeah that’s just happened).  Unlike 2 of his fellow rotation dogfight participants, Kelly has a strong mental makeup and doesn’t let his spring training status stop him from working hard.  If it were up to me, I would carve out a spot for Kelly in the rotation right away but since he is so versatile, I can’t be too sure.

3.) Jason Motte’s beard.  Okay, I mean his right arm but I couldn’t resist a poke at the best wave of facial hair in baseball(sorry Brian Wilson).  Motte is only starting to throw this month but his spot is an interesting one come May and June.  Where does he fit into this packed bullpen?   Trevor Rosenthal is the closer and Carlos Martinez could be a likely bullpen long arm.

Making matters more interesting is this is Motte’s final year of a 2 year deal, which begs the question.  If he pitches very well when he returns, what happens in 2015?  Rosenthal and Motte going head to head doesn’t bode well for the Bearded One even though his 2011-12 performance was stellar.  Motte could be a victim of pure bad luck but I personally hope he develops into a killer setup man later this year while building his recapture of the 9th inning role.

(more…)

Tony La Russa-“The Relentless Grinder”

· Leave a comment ·

I really don’t care what people think about Tony La Russa choosing to go with no logo on his Hall of Fame cap.   Get over it.  I have no problem with it.  He managed in three cities and each meant something to him.  Respect a man’s choice for honoring where he came from and where he made the most of his time.  With that said, I had a chance to participate in a 25 minute media session with La Russa last Sunday.  Here is what I got out of that session.

Tony La Russa never wasted any words when speaking with the media during his career as a manager.   While those words could be short ended and sparse at times, he is direct and carried a dry sense of humor about him.

When these media sessions go well, the player/coach treats them like a conversation and not an interrogation.   La Russa simply sat there and talked to us before he signed for the fans.  Here are are his thoughts on various subjects.

On Sunday, La Russa gave an intimate 25 minute conversation about his years in St. Louis, instant replay, and getting into the Hall of Fame.  It was one of thoseimage (7) conversations that you didn’t want to see end and wouldn’t soon forget.

On getting into the Hall Of Fame-

“I had convinced myself it wasn’t going to happen.  This has been a surreal experience.  All the pieces they give you and the other guys.  It’s heavy stuff.  You get the call and they don’t tell you anything else.  They tell you to come down.   They tell you that your life will be different.  There’s some far out stuff that is impossible to comprehend.”

La Russa, even after making it into the Hall, isn’t comfortable being a part of it.

“I still think the Hall Of Fame is a place for players.  I always thought the managers in there were guys like Earl Weaver and Sparky Anderson, who lit the room up with baseball.   When we won the Championship in 2006, there was a feeling something was there, having won one in each league(like Sparky).  It may be hard to avoid it.   I am not comfortable with it and the biggest reason is I never thought good fortune was hall of fame criteria.  I have been lucky enough to be in places like Chicago, (Oakland), and St. Louis.  The only thing I want is to not disrespect Chicago or Oakland.  They will make their decision soon.”

One year after Stan Musial passed away, the legendary Cardinal still comes to Tony’s mind.

“You don’t ever forget about people like him(Stan Musial).   One of the best things DeWitt has done is make sure to remind his players that they are just a part of history.  The greatest example of what a player should be.  With Stan, he is the model.  Stan had all the qualities.  10 out of 10.  He is the perfect guy.”

(more…)

Judging Jhonny Peralta and PED’s in Sports

· Leave a comment ·

MLB: World Series-San Francisco Giants at Detroit Tigers

I won’t sit here and waste your time.  I will make it this as blunt as I can and start it with a question.  If you thought I was under suspicion of plagiarism, would you still read my material or wait until there was proof I stole/cheated?   This is a similar issue with athletes using performance enhancing drugs and the fans perception of it.    Whenever people have the chance to jump to conclusions and roll around in the dirt with athletes, they run at the opportunity.

People think it is acceptable to scrutinize athletes because they are rich and famous and that it’s perfectly okay to accuse them of cheating.  Before you throw your weight into calling a player dirty or using PED’s, remember that suspicion doesn’t equal indictment in this world.   Sports are a business and not a classroom full of kids.   You may think Joey stole the bubblegum from your locker but unless you have proof lay off the accusations.

When the St. Louis Cardinals signed shortstop Jhonny Peralta, a former PED user who was caught and served a 50 game suspension in 2013, a lot of people went haywire.   “We signed a cheater!” “He will do it again.”  These are the people who wanted an unproven young prospect to play shortstop or wanted John Mozeliak to wager the future of the franchise on one player.   When Mo made the quick trigger deal for a known substance abuser(caught, confessed and time served), this gave all the blood hounds plenty to run at with all their blogger wisdom.  This guy reserved the right to step back and just observe the situation.

What did the Cards do here?   Peralta used, got caught and was suspended and missed a portion of the 2013 season after using during the 2012 season.    Here is the funny part.  For all the people who say that PED make a player better, they will have a hard time with the newest Cardinal shortstop.   Peralta performed better in 2013, when he was clean, than in 2012 when he was dirty.   As the great sports columnist Bernie Miklasz wrote today, fans and writers have a hard time finding the thin red line when it comes to cheaters in sports.   Peralta broke a rule for sure and was punished, but did the PED make him a better player?  NO.

Good luck shredding the weeds this upcoming baseball season when twitter and facebook explode with instant hits whenever Peralta plays bad or good.  It’s an unfortunate situation but one that the Cards were full aware of when they signed him.   Mo and Bill DeWitt Jr. are business men and not passionate beer drinking loud mouth’s sitting in a pub chewing on stale peanuts.  They have to be diligent because they are taking a fair wager on a man’s good faith here that he won’t cheat again.   My message to my readers is this.  Forget about what Peralta did and keep your eyes on what he does in 2014.   That is what he was paid to do.   No one likes to live in the past, especially when the case is closed.

When a player takes PED’s, that doesn’t automatically make him better.   You don’t grow hand eye coordination as well as bigger biceps.  You have to be able to play.   Why are all the cheaters in the Major Leagues not playing well?   If you told me, I could go out and take steroids and be able to hit 15-20 home runs and bat .280 in an instant, I am not sure I could resist the allure.   It’s too bad that is not true.   There are tons of dirty players in baseball and there used to be a lot of more.   We don’t know all their names because the prosecutors don’t carry a huge need for the players who cheat and don’t produce.  All I am saying is keep an open mind and keep things simple.

If I had made the mistake of cheating in my writing in the past but learned from it and was thoroughly punished, it would be unfair to hang that over my head forever.  If you heard I plagiarized, don’t stop reading until you hear it from me or I am officially caught.  Anything else is a waste of time.   Don’t talk bad about my writing because you think it’s pure theft unless you can point it out and put the cuffs on me.    Don’t label Peralta a cheater for life just because he did so once.   And please, for the love of god, don’t keep players out of the Hall of Fame like Jeff Bagwell and Mike Piazza because they “may” have cheated.  It’s soft, old, lame and pretentious.    Suspicion isn’t equal to and never will be equal to indictment.

Let Jhonny Peralta play it out this year and let the chips fall where they may.   If he disappoints, don’t instantly point out that it’s because he isn’t juicing anymore, because his 2012/2013 stats don’t support it.   If he explodes for a monstrous year, don’t think he must be juicing again because he proved he has a lot of ability outside of his one time mistake.    In the end, keep an open mind with flawed athletes like Peralta.  They are human just like all of us and deserve a second chance even if their bank accounts carry a few more zeroes.

Pitchers and catchers report in 33 days.  It is time to get a little excited.  Go Cards!

Sincerely,

Your local blunt information highway specialist.

Jason Motte’s Comeback

· Leave a comment ·

2011 World Series Game 7 - Texas Rangers v St Louis Cardinals

When the Cardinals lost Jason Motte to Tommy John Surgery in May last year, a fine set of panic settled in.   He was pitching in spring training last year when he suddenly felt a pop in his elbow as he fired a fastball towards the plate to exit an inning.   In an instant his season was redirected towards injured reserve.

Motte’s injury set off a chain reaction that included the demise of Mitchell Boggs, the rise of Edward Mujica as a legit closer in the big leagues(2 year contract with the Red Sox to show for it) and the emergence of Trevor Rosenthal as the type of pitcher that resembled what existed inside Tom Cruise’s pool stick case in The Color of Money….doom.

The Cardinals rode that concoction of arms to the playoffs and came within two wins of a 12th World Series.  All the while, Motte didn’t throw a single pitch while spending a fair amount of time inside the dugout and cheering for his teammates.   He also put his public persona to use and kept his money in the right place during the past year.   When Motte steps away from baseball down the road, 2013 will become known as the year he became a great man in front of the world.

Unable to throw a fastball for many months, Motte took his fight to the community and set up a cancer foundation.   The slogan “K Cancer” became pasted on t-shirts, posters and draped across the St. Louis area.  Motte befriended young cancer patients and connected with so many others.   While other athletes spend their down time checking their bank account while laying on a yacht in the middle of an ocean, Motte stayed home and fought the medical disease known as Goliath.   To a kid or adult with the horrible disease, seeing an athlete not just donate their money but their coveted time to your predicament only inspires them to push harder.  It is one thing for an athlete to write a check and quite another to spend up to 10 months of the year making a lot of friends in a hospital.  In short, we need more men like Motte around.  More athletes that can put out the right message about using your popularity in the best way.

Jason+Motte+World+Series+Media+Day+W9eSbb74cvOl

Back to baseball, and keeping the new found 9th inning arm of Rosenthal’s in mind, one wonders what role Motte will return to in 2014.  First, he needs to get to spring training and fire a few fastballs without incident.  Once he goes through that, an innings workload awaits him and the new season will present him with many options.  Those possible roles are simple and fall in this order.

1.) A propane tank arm out of the bullpen available for multi-purpose usage.  Motte can be what he was before he was a closer.   A man who can come into a dicey situation where 1 out and a three digit heater are needed.  He did this job superbly in 2010 and part of 2011.   There is nothing wrong with building his arm strength back up this way.

2.)Setup man to Rosenthal.   This is more likely to happen in May after Motte gets a few outings under his belt and gets a feel for where his arm is.  Rosenthal was so good in the last stages of 2013 that for many it’s hard to think of him doing something different.   The final week of the season and the playoffs provided Cards fans with a Rosenthal that is set up to dominate for ages.   He didn’t just strike hitters out. He made them look like extras from a baseball movie.  For more on his domination, check out my friend and United Cardinal Blogger colleague Joe’s blog about the greatness of Rosenthal right here.

http://stlcupofjoe.com/2014/01/05/trevor-rosenthal-brings-the-heat/

Motte can set up Rosenthal for at least half the season before he is considered for his old position.   This also won’t hurt the team at all.   Carlos Martinez is in line to be a utility reliever(jack of all late inning trades) or in fact enter the rotation.   He could be the flamer thrower to get one out, the man who can pitch 2 innings or a setup man himself.  The Cards have options and this is good for Motte and the team in his recovery.

3.)Motte can reclaim the closer role.  This is something I can see happening around the All Star Break or I can see not happening at all this season.   Rosenthal still wants to start, but his value in the 9th inning is too great to consider that right now and with the Cards load of starter candidates, it’s just not smart baseball.   Motte would have to pitch lights out to be considered for this or have Rosenthal encounter an injury.  All things considered, Rosenthal did it for a month while Motte accumulated 59 saves(playoffs included) after taking over the role in August of 2011.  Both men are playoff proven finishers.   Rosenthal currently has the leg up due to health and momentum in the role.

All in all, it’s important to not forget about what Motte did and what he can still bring to the team.   He started out as a catcher in the organization before entering the majors in 2008 with one decent pitch.   After mastering a cutter as his secondary pitch, Motte was tied for the National League lead in saves in 2012 with 42.   He is entering the final year of a 2 year, 12 million dollar contract which will pay him 8 million this season.   Whatever role he finds, it will be a prominent one and if I had to bet, Jason Motte will come back with a vengeance in 2014.

Personally, I missed this guy’s tenacious ability on the mound.   The mannerisms, the beard, the intensity and the quirks that he brought to a tight late inning matchup.  It’s one thing for a man to throw 100 miles per hour towards your body.  It’s quite another for that man to look as mean as that particular pitch while throwing.

A good part of me wants to see him close for the Cardinals again, while the majority is simply glad to see him pitching for our team in some capacity come April.   2012 marked his arrival as a closer.  2013 saw him become a wonderful ambassador of the city and a defender of a sea of victims to a horrible disease.   2014 will be another important chapter in the 31 year old’s career.   I am quite excited to tell you I am not sure what this year will bring from the Motte Man but I am so ready to find out.

He reports to Jupiter, Florida in 37 days for spring training.   That day cannot come soon enough for St. Louis Cardinals fans and the Jason Motte fanbase.

Thanks for reading and stay warm in this snow packed St. Louis winter season.  Check out a few links below on how to connect with Motte and his foundation.

*Contribute to Motte’s Cancer Foundation by buying a “K Cancer” t-shirt right here.

http://www.108stitches.com/Gear/Detail_Player/STRIKEOUT-CANCER-TEE/03-70017-05/770#.Usq-mvRDuSo

*For another passionate take on Jason Motte’s efforts in 2013, read my Arch City Sports colleague Carly Schaber’s heartfelt piece.

http://archcitysports.com/jason-motte-striking-out-cancer/

*For general information on his foundation, head over here to his K Cancer Facebook Page.

https://www.facebook.com/StrikeOutCancerWithJasonMotte

You can also follow Motte on Twitter at his handle, @JMotte30.

Lots of links but comes with a good reason.   Jason Motte is a lot more than just a baseball player.  He’s a role model for us all.

1277811_574574272604145_1171096459_o

____

Dan Buffa is the co-creator, administrator and writer for the movie website, film-addict.com. He also writes for the local blog United Cardinal Bloggers in addition to Arch City Sports and also writes for his personal blog, http://www.doseofbuffa.com.   He is a STL born and raised writer with a need to inform and the ability to pound out 1,000-1,500 word pieces with ease.  When he isn’t writing or drinking coffee, he is spending time with his wife and son in South City.  Follow him at @buffa82 on Twitter and reach him for thoughts, comments and general feedback at buffa82@gmail.com.

 

2013 St. Louis Cardinals: Top 5 Stories

· 1 Comment ·

image

There comes that time of the year where you need to look back on a season and count the topical story lines that resonated with you.   Big or small, personal or professional, it is one’s job to put their own spin on a story and how it surprised them or brought them closer to the sport.   This season, the St. Louis Cardinals made it to the World Series and came within 2 wins of their 12th World Championship.

This is a season where we saw unlikely players turn into star performers.  Before the new year came into focus, the Cards were hoping on Chris Carpenter and Jaime Garcia to be key starters, for Jason Motte to be their closer and for Rafael Furcal to make a miraculous comeback from an elbow injury to play shortstop.   In short, that didn’t happen.  None of that happened.  With the exception of Garcia making a few starts, those players ended up contributing nothing.   This is where miracle workers came into play.

Nearly two months after the sting of that near victorious run ended, I look back at the top 5 stories, in no particular order, from 2013.

1.)The Emergence of Matt Carpenter

With Furcal gone, Matt Carpenter turned in one of the most historically prominent seasons by a second baseman, made all the more legendary with it coming from a first time lead off man and second baseman.   Carpenter ranked in the top 5 in the league in hits, doubles, on base percentage, and runs scored.  With his 55 doubles, 199 hits and 126 runs scored, Carpenter did more fill a role and spot in the lineup.  He took ownership of it.  Before the season, Carpenter had been a fine bench player in 2012 but no one expected him to become the league wide threat he was in 2013.  This is another great find, sign and put to use piece of talent by the Cardinals coaches and front office.  While incoming talent like Kolten Wong and Peter Bourjos might make fine leadoff men, it will be hard to push Carpenter from that spot in 2014.

2.)Edward Mujica Rescues the Closer Role

Sure he flamed out in September, but let’s not forget what Edward Mujica did for the Cardinals.   When the fire alarm sounded in April with Motte’s Tommy John Surgery and Mitchell Boggs’ implosion, the Cards had a serious problem.   They didn’t have a closer and saw limited options in house.  Instead of making a desperate premature move on the market, the Cards looked to a guy they signed to be their 7th inning guy in 2012 and had never closed before.   All Eddie did was convert 37 of 41 saves while only walking 5 hitters in 64.2 innings.   Sure, he wasn’t as effective in September when a few injuries and harder contact from the hitters doomed his season and saw a change happen in the final week of the season.  However, far too many Cards fans forget to mention what this guy did for the team in a dire time.  While Trevor Rosenthal was the imminent revelation, what Mujica did took everyone by surprise.   All hail the Chief and good luck to him in Cleveland.

3.)Waino Finds His Way Back

After a tumultuous return from Tommy John Surgery in 2012, where he went 14-13 with a 3.94 ERA and was inconsistent, the staff ace found his way back to the circle of domination in 2013.  He went 19-9, made 34 starts, pitched 241. innings(not including the playoffs) and tallied 5 complete games with 2 shutouts.   He returned to being the dynamic rotation horse we have come to know him as.  After signing a huge contract extension, Waino didn’t cool off and become ordinary.  He went back to being extraordinary for a St. Louis Cardinals team that lost two prominent starters before the All Star Break.   After a rough early September start against the Reds, Waino finished the final month 4-0 with a 2.15 ERA.  In 2013, the Cards got their ace back.

4.)Michael Wacha and Matt Adams Became Real Deals

These two players turned into big time contributors in a time of need in 2013 and provided only a sample size of the rookie renaissance that happened with this team.  Wacha came up for the second time in late August and entered the rotation for good in September.   What Wacha did will never be forgotten.  His brilliance lies in the ability he showed to shut down good team more than once in such a short period of time.  His work against the Pirates and Dodgers in the playoffs, which followed a near no hitter against Washington in September, is why people are calling him the hybrid of Waino and Chris Carpenter.  Wacha, who was selected with the pick from the Angels in exchange for their signing of Albert, went from big potential to the real deal in less than a season.  Expect big things from him in 2014 and beyond.

Adams took over at first base for an injured Allen Craig in early September after providing bench pop and gave the lineup a real boost.   Adams took flight in the same game he relieved Craig, on September 4th in Cincinnati.  He launched a pair of 2 run home runs, each in extra innings and the second of which won the game in the 16th frame.  In 296 at bats in 2013, Adams hit 17 home runs and drove in 56 with a slugging percentage of .503.   He also proved to be quite nimble at first base.  With him in line for starting time come 2014, Adams gives the Cards potentially one of the best RH-LH combos at a position in a long time.  However it pans out, Matt Adams became a legit threat in 2013 after teasing us mildly in 2012.

5.)Thank You Carlos Beltran

When he was signed in the winter of 2011(or mere days after Albert signed with LA), Cardinal fans didn’t know what to expect out of Beltran.   Sure, he was the former Houston Astros outfielder who torched us in 2004-05 with big hits but this guy looked like he was breaking down and the chances of him staying healthy were sketchy at best.   What happened was too good of a story to believe at first glance, as Beltran ripped 56 home runs, drove in 181 runners, and hit .282 over the two seasons.  Most importantly, he played in 296 of a possible 324 games.  He answered the call of duty and then some in his time in St. Louis.   In the playoffs in each season, Beltran was the Cards top hitter.  While he had months where he slumped, Beltran always came back with a vengeance and gave the Cards one of the most feared arms in the outfield.   “Saved By the Beltran” became a coin phrase in the latter moments of 2013 as he gunned down runners at the plate and hit timely home runs.   He was a great presence in the community and also a strong presence in the clubhouse.  He will be missed in 2014 but I wish him luck in his endeavors and thank him for making the departure of Albert Pujols look seamless.

That’s all I got.  Sure, there were other great stories, but those 5 stood out to me.   Those 5 things were so important to us getting there.  Yadi Molina was amazing again and MVP worthy.  Kevin Siegrist, Seth Maness and Rosenthal became bullpen bulldogs.  Matt Holliday provided another solid season.   Craig was amazing before his injury and played on one leg in the playoffs as he contributed a few big hits.   Mike Matheny juggled injuries, problems, raw talent and ever changing circumstances as good as any manager in the league.   A lot of things happened this season that were important and good.  The 5 stories I listed above were the best in my mind.  Take it for what it is.

Photo Credit-www.newsday.com 

___

Dan Buffa is the co-creator, administrator and writer for the movie website, film-addict.com. He also writes for the local blog United Cardinal Bloggers in addition to Arch City Sports and also writes for his personal blog, http://www.doseofbuffa.com.   He is a STL born and raised writer with a need to inform and the ability to pound out 1,000-1,500 word pieces with ease.  When he isn’t writing or drinking coffee, he is spending time with his wife and son in South City.  Follow him at @buffa82 on Twitter and reach him for thoughts, comments and general feedback at buffa82@gmail.com.

Mozeliak and Cards Sitting Pretty

· Leave a comment ·

imageedit_1_7352329757

 

Good morning folks,

As Major League Baseball’s offseason dial starts to pick up with fierce intensity, Cardinals fans can be safe and assured that their general manager isn’t sleeping with his cell phone attached to his eye lobe.   John Mozeliak filled out his big need cards before Thanksgiving hit, and at the moment is sitting pretty at his desk waiting for smaller deals to materialize.  After acquiring Peter Bourjos through a trade and signing free agent shortstop Jhonny Peralta to a multi-year contract, Mo is now looking to fill out smaller spots on his roster but doesn’t necessarily feel the need to bend over backwards for any team.   That’s a good feeling for him and the fans.

This is where being a Cardinals fan has its supreme virtues.   When the games are over and the suits take the field for offseason trade jockeying and free agent bidding, fans get tense and probably lose more nerves than they do during the season.   For Cards fans, we can look back just 2 years and remember the anxiety following the Albert Pujols trade rumor mill.  It wrapped up in early December but for more than 4 weeks, that was all anyone could think about.    Since then, the Cards have done pretty well, stocked their team with young talent and now sit as a team ready to start spring training.

What else is there for Mozeliak to possibly look at improving?   Finding a power bat that can come off the bench and put in some time at third base or second base would be nice.  A player like Michael Young, who spent the last part of 2013 on the bench of the Dodgers.  He has pop, can play multiple positions and be a fine asset to have to protect against injury and give you depth on a bench that ranked as one of the worst in baseball in 2013.  Sure, you have Matt Adams on days where Bourjos, Oscar Taveras and Allen Craig play but Adams could easily be at first base for a decent portion of the season unless zero injuries happen.  If Mo needs to look at anything, it’s finding another veteran bat that can be counted on in late innings.   This isn’t a huge need but one that I am sure our guy is keeping an eye on this month.

Jon Jay is another question.   Does he stay or does he go?  He will be asking for 3-3.5 million dollars, which isn’t bad money for a 4th or 5th outfielder.   If you keep Jay, do you also keep Shane Robinson around with the steady diet of young outfielders coming up through the ranks of Springfield and Memphis.   If I am Robinson, I don’t want to start the season as the 5th outfielder or go down to Memphis.   Shane played very well last year in a smaller role and deserves more playing time.   If Jay stays, I see Shane on the way out for his own sake.   It will be different in 2014, with Bourjos and Taveras playing factors in the playing time slots.  If I were Mo, I would look for a trade suitor for Jay, who could have some value with his overall performance the past 2.5 years in center field.  Sure, he was once a very good bench player but that was before every team in the majors built  up a book on pitching him.   Now may be the time to sever ties with Jay.

The one thing the Cardinals don’t need is pitching of any kind.   That is a sweet fact.   It’s nice to not have to be the team to hand an aging pitcher like Scott Karmir 2 years and a lot of cash to fill a roster spot.   The Cards have 8 pitching candidates for the rotation and a heavily loaded bullpen with plenty of arms working their way through the ranks of the minors.  I don’t think this team needs to be thinking about acquiring serious pitching talent for many years.  When Shelby Miller is being set up as a contender for a rotation spot, you know you are in good hands.

What will Mo do?  The options aren’t great.  Michael Young, Jeff Baker and Kevin Youklis are among the available hands.  Anyone higher will cost too much?   I doubt we see anything done by our GM before the New Year hits.   He will be patient and can afford to be with his quick movement.

Other M.L.B. offseason news tidbits-

*The Jacoby Ellsbury/Yankees deal is atrocious.    Right when the Yankees were starting to move away from outrageous contracts, they step back into the bank theft role and give Brian McCann and Ellsbury huge deals.  The McCann one is sound on a few levels, with his LH hitting and relatively young age and value.   The money there isn’t too smart but when compared to the 7 years and 143 million given to Ellsbury, it’s definitely wiser.   Look, I think Ellsbury is a good player and worthy of a decent contract.   However, he isn’t a spring chicken and is very injury prone.  This contract reeks like the Carl Crawford/Boston Red Sox deal did and that is horrible.   Every time a crazy contract like this is finalized, I look back at the deal John Mozeliak struck for Matt Holliday in January of 2010 and cherish the bargain that it was.

*If Mike Napoli seriously thinks he is getting 17-20 million per season, then I should put myself on the market to see what I am worth.   Napoli isn’t worth 15 million much less 20 million and not if the deal is over 2 years.

*If it is true and the Royals really did offer Carlos Beltran a 3 year/48 million dollar deal, good for them.    There isn’t a guarantee he will take the money but he is exactly what that team needs and he would be returning to the place where he started his career.  He would also get to face the Cards twice a year and that is a scary if comforting though.  Most of all, I respect Kansas City for putting themselves out there and doing their best to secure a big prize.   If it is true, that’s a good move for them. Update-The Royals did not offer Beltran the contract and he will go elsewhere.

*The Houston Astros have acquired Ryan Jackson, Adron Chambers and Dexter Fowler in the past 2 weeks.  Watch out contenders!  They will lead the American League in infield singles and strikeouts easily.

*While the Nationals gave up a few young players to make it happen, I really like their acquisition of Doug Fister, an underrated starter from Detroit who was overshadowed by Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer.  Fister put together decent numbers in the American League and could improve coming over to the NL.   Sure, Comerica Park was a pitcher’s park, but Washington isn’t necessarily a sandbox and in my opinion, Fister will fare well there.

*It is not true that the Yankees are trying to lure Barry Bonds out of retirement to come be their DH and accept a 6 year, 280 million dollar deal with a guarantee of high quality “clean protein shakes” on a daily basis.  Completely false.

*It is also false that the Yankees offered Charlie Sheen a healthy wage to reprise his role as Rick Vaughn in a real life relief role.   Let me be the one to shoot that down.

*Robinson Cano just signed a 10 year/240 million dollar contract with the Mariners.  Blame the game, not the player.  People always get in an uproar about player contracts in baseball and forget that the suits started this game and the players are only playing it very well.  Cano gets out of Yankee land(where he got a ring) and now goes to a Seattle team begging for some true firepower.  Jay Z got him his money and that is that.

*Curtis Granderson leaves the Yankees for the Mets for 4 years and 60 million.   Solid deal and puts the Yankees in play to land Carlos Beltran.

It is indeed the season to be jolly and for owners and agents to be crazy.    That’s December in baseball.   Let the games begin.   It’s a good thing the Cardinals and Mozeliak are mostly spectators.

Thanks for reading this,

Dan L. Buffa

@buffa82 on Twitter

Reach me at buffa82@gmail.com

Cardinals Burning Questions: Round 1

· Leave a comment ·

imageedit_3_3020748164

Now that the offseason is settling into our house, the baseball homesick minds have to start breaking down what happened and what will happen going forward.  This week, I participated in The United Cardinal Bloggers roundtable discussion.  Here are my answers to the first week’s burning questions.

1.)Grading Mike Matheny’s second season as manager

Grading Matheny’s season isn’t easy because while the result was 2 wins shy of a World Championship, he made a few mistakes that would have crippled other teams less stocked with such an arsenal of young talent.  Matheny was very solid again this season and for me that means a B+ grade.  What he lost in injuries to key veterans and young arms was made up for with a late brigade of future pitching power and the full time arrival of Matt Adams.  Matheny’s biggest attribute is also the thing that lessens his grade from the A level.  His loyalty.   He leaned towards his heart instead of his head and in the end I believe it costed him and the team dearly.

Mozelaik didn’t set him up with the greatest set of cards when he didn’t stock the bench at the trading deadline, but Matheny failing to make key adjustments in the later part of the season and into the World Series was damaging.  What started as a severe loyalty to fallen closer Mitchell Boggs(including giving him one extra closing opportunity mid season that blew up a winning streak) ended with his unwillingness to insert fresh players into roles.
His playoff roster construction was simply bad team management.  He gave two respect spots to Edward Mujica and didn’t feel like using rookie Shelby Miller more than once.  In some crazy way, I expected Ty Wigginton to show up on the roster as well just to make it seem right.  Matheny also didn’t turn Tony Cruz loose by putting Rob Johnson on the postseason roster.  He depleted his bench by putting players on it he hoped to never actually use.  Name another manager that wins a World Series and does that.
Matheny needed to bench David Freese in the World Series.  The former Mr. October had done little to deserve every start in the World Series and ended it without an RBI.  If Tony La Russa can bench Scott Rolen in the 2006 World Series, Matheny had to find a way to sit Matheny, insert the speedy Kolten Wong(pickoff or not) and switch things around.  Playing Jon Jay(also no World Series RBI) Shane Robinson at a time where Jay was the lesser player was also a big mistake.   His loyalty to Freese and Jay hurt this team’s offensive chances.
Let’s not forget that if Mozelaik hadn’t basically banished Fernando Salas and Boggs, there was a good chance Mike would have used them more.   Matheny’s greatness came from his ability to stick with the right rookies and go with youth over age.  He inserted Mujica and Trevor Rosenthal into the closer role for good returns.  He engaged Joe Kelly a little too late out of the garage and fired up the Wacha Train in the final stages.  His key plus also happened to be his weakness when he failed to recognize a leaking part.   The pitching changes, bunt craziness and other little bits of Matheny brokerage was also hard to watch at times.
In the end, Matheny pushed the team 3 wins further than he did in 2012 but may have hindered his team with his moves late in the playoffs.  When I think of Mike Matheny, I see a talented young man still learning to be a manager in the majors.  This team would obviously run through a wall for him and that won’t change going forward.  Matheny simply has to know when to say when with his players and their abilities.   If someone else is a better option, go with the solution now rather than their resume.  I do expect Matheny to improve as he goes along.
2.) What to do with David Freese?
It’s hard to think of Freese and not get a little emotional.  The local kid who came here in a deal for departing slugger Jim Edmonds who turned into an unlikely World Series hero in 2011 is a fine story to tell your kids but these days that is all it amounts to.  An older story.   Freese’s heroics did happen just two years ago and he put together a fine 2012 season which begs the question of whether to keep him or not.   My answer is only if he wants to be a bench player.  Part time at best and most of the time a late inning pinch hitter/DH/injury backup.   His days as a starting third baseman are over.   Blame it on injury or something else, but I’d say its a ceiling collision of one man’s talent with the ever growing pitching surplus of Major League Baseball.
Kolten Wong deserves the opportunity to get a healthy dose of at bats at second base and no way will Matheny take out Carpenter’s bat, fluke or not.  David Freese will have to decide if he wants to play full time for a lot less elsewhere or will he take a seat on the bench and earn 4 million here where there is a guaranteed chance of winning.  Paying him 4 million won’t be stupid.  Signing a veteran as good or less than Freese will likely cost you more.   This decision comes down to Freese.  Hopefully Mo is blunt with David in those talks.  Do you want to be a part time contributor/pinch hitter here or a full time player somewhere else a little bit less awesome?   His age and the Cards burgeoning vessel of youth puts this Lou Hero on the bubble.
3.) With so many arms in the running for a rotation spot in 2014, what group makes up my starting 5 for opening day?
Barring further injury, my starting rotation out of the listed candidates has to Wainwright, Wacha, Garcia, Miller and Martinez unless Lance Lynn finds a way around an offseason trade.
Lynn is premium trade material.  He has a fine resume that includes over 30 wins in two seasons and good bullpen work.   He is young and hungry and may need a change of scenery to lower his pouting potential.
Jaime is making 7 million this year so he needs to be in the rotation and he is a lefty who can be great when he is on.  Let’s hope his feelings are in check.
Joe Kelly is Mr. Stretch.   He can start, relieve, and close and will find himself in that long arm bullpen spot to begin the season as insurance in case someone gets hurt.  Few can do what he does effectively.   Be solid out of the bullpen and win a lot of starts.  His mindset is key and helps him adjust.  I am surprised teams don’t target him in a trade because of his versatility.
Lyons and Gast are Memphis starters until injuries happen.   They performed well in 2013 but won’t climb over guys like Martinez and Kelly for starts, at least not again.  These guys are also trade depth because they proved they can come up to big leagues and instantly win games.  Look for them to be add on’s to big deals Mozelaik keeps up his sleeve.
Trevor Rosenthal is a setup-closer with this team for a long time.   He has the makeup, ability and finish to go into the ninth and let it rip.  We saw it for good when he saved 3 games in the final week of the season and basically made the Pirates, Dodgers and Red Sox look stupid for a month.   He has a propane heater and a decent changeup and if he was going to try his hand at starting again, he would have to redefine that third pitch.   I get why he wants to start but at this point it’s futile.  Jason Motte will be back but won’t be ready to even compete for the closer role until July.   Motte had the surgery in May of 2013 which means he may not touch a baseball diamond during a real game until late April/early May.  He will find his control and slowly develop back into that stopper we knew from 2011 and 2012.  He will set up until the Cards really deem it necessary to switch him and Rosenthal.  If Trevor is throwing gas and closing everything, it won’t happen unless Motte is electric.  I do think Motte gets back to the closer role sometime, but too late for Rosenthal to switch back to starting.  Motte makes 6 million this year but needs to get healthy.   Rosenthal may say he would like to start but watching him close in October I see a man empowered and having a lot of fun.  Let’s not believe he is wanting to truly move just yet ladies and gents.
Waino, Wacha, Garcia, Miller and Martinez for me in early April.
That’s all this week.  This next week, I present my question to the roundtable and what it is will depend on what hasn’t been put forth up to that moment.  Expect 3-4 more burning questions next week.  I expect Carlos Beltran’s rejection of the one year qualifying offer to make one of the questions, but to me it’s a non issue and needs to be thrown to the side.  Beltran was paid handsomely for 2 years and only missed 28 games and bashed 56 home runs and played solid baseball.  He wants 3-4 years and that won’t come here.  So long Carlos.
Also to be addressed-Jon Jay, Closer Situation in 2014, Oscar Taveras, and Kolten Wong.
Thanks for reading,
-DLB
Photo Credit-Bleacher Report
Attention all readers.  One of the blogs I write for, United Cardinal Bloggers, has posted an awards session for The Cardinals. You can vote by going to this page.  Check it out and get involved.  

The Cards’ Last Stand

· 1 Comment ·

imageedit_1_3852072983

Here we are, Cardinals fans.  Nearing the end of another amazing, intriguing, emotionally draining and all together viciously entertaining season of baseball.   For me, no other sport stirs up my emotions and drives me insane quite like the game of baseball.   Maybe it is the way they play it.  Maybe it is just the experience I have watching it and the memories that bleed into the present day.   Casual fans and non followers look at me in disbelief at how screwed up I can get watching baseball.  My dad, wife, and a few of my friends have the ability(and YES it is an ability) to simply watch, turn it off and move on.  I carry every loss around like a bad habit and break down every win.  It’s what I do.   It doesn’t matter if I find a job in sports journalism or driving a forklift in a warehouse(I can tell you which one is more likely), I will always come here and dish my take.  Whether you agree or not, all I ask for is that you appreciate and respect it.  I know only one way.  Blunt and unfiltered.

Here’s where my mind is on the eve of Game 6 of the 2013 World Series-

  • Pitching to David Ortiz is futile.  A man with a .742 batting average and who is known for delivering crushing blows to opposing teams doesn’t deserve a strike to be thrown his way, so my memo to Cardinal pitching is, outside…outside…outside.   Throw it to the backstop or roll it up to Yadi Molina.  Don’t let Ortiz help send you home unless you are flying home to a parade and a trophy awaits you.
  • Offense, light it up please.  The time is now to create one of those 2 out running scoring barrages.  The best offense in the NL needs to show up once in this World Series.   Don’t let Boston have all the fun.  We have scored 13 runs in 5 games in this series, and one came on an obstruction call that will paint Boston Red Sox third baseman Will Middlebrooks in odd baseball history for years to come.   Simply put, our bats haven’t produced more than 5 runs and have been held to 1 run twice.  That’s just not acceptable.  Let me say this. The Cards approach is bizarre.  Against a powerful hard throwing guy we will be patient.  Against a soft tossing hurting pitcher, we will be over aggressive and help him out.  When it comes to hitting, approach is everything.   Tonight, John Lackey is going to be firing that 94 mph fastball towards the strike zone.  He isn’t crafty like Jon Lester.  He dishes it up there and hopes you are stupid or ill-equipped to handle it.   Tonight, be aggressive.  Stop staring at called third strikes.  It’s bad for your resume.   Go for it.  Show up.  Destroy this Red Sox team in front of their own fans and put the pressure back on them in Game 7.   Their pitching is good but not this good, guys, so go after them.
  • Giving Michael Wacha a lead is important.   The kid can loosen up and fire more fastballs if he knows the bats have his back.  We have asked this kid to be Rambo this postseason.  Go into enemy territory and rescue the team from expected death.  Wacha has been amazing and will be World Series MVP if we pull this off.   He has been absolute NAILS for the entire postseason and he deserves a 4-0 lead for his month long efforts.  The Red Sox got one big hit from Ortiz in Game 2 off Wacha and that is it in 6 innings.   My feeling is an unconventional one in that Wacha will adjust more to their lineup than they will to him.
  • David Freese, do something with you life.   The pride of IMOS and St. Louis past glory needs to deliver a hit tonight.   For the love of baby jesus, take the ball to right field.   Be your old self.   Be the guy from 2011 or 2012.  Those guys were good hitters.  This 2013 nonsense needs to stop.  Freese could be playing his final game for the Cards.  Get over it, ladies.  He is arbitration eligible and will probably want too much to come back.   True or not, make tonight count Freese.  You have done little in this postseason worth remembering.  If you become lethal, this lineup looks pure doom for Boston’s pitching.
  • Here is something I can’t get out of my head.  Mike Matheny didn’t help himself by allowing his loyalty to burn him in this series.  I love the guy and most of his moves are good but his roster moves this postseason are amateurish.  You are facing a powerful team with a very good left-handed basher and you don’t load up your pen with lefties.  Here is my problem.   Ortiz has gotten to Randy Choate’s slow toss pitching and burned Kevin Siegrist’s high octane heat.   This is where Sam Freeman comes into play.   He has decent heat on his fastball and has a sweeping slider/cutter that moves away from lefties.   He could have been the ideal matchup for Ortiz but no, instead, we have Shelby Miller and Edward Mujica riding the bench and soaking up roster spots.   This is where loyalty needs to be broken for logistics.  He is hurting his bench as well, with a good pinch hitter in Tony Cruz being off limits due to his catching insurance behind Yadi.    A smart move would have been adding Rob Johnson to the roster so Cruz can be used in a pinch hitting role.  Instead, we have limited options in our bullpen and bench.  Thanks Matheny for being loyal but you failed here.   The inclusion of Shelby Miller and Edward Mujica on the roster takes away two valuable fresh players from this team.  Instead of strengthening his roster with worthy players, Mike Matheny got sentimental.
  • Shane Robinson needs to start tonight.  He hits RH pitchers very well and at this moment, is the best option for CF.   He plays better defense and is hitting just as well as Jon Jay.  I could root for the speed demon redemption seeking Kolten Wong to start at second, but I won’t get greedy.  Start Sugar Shane.
  • What has went wrong this series?  A few things.  The little things that pushed our locomotive forward all season are starting to show signs of wear and tear. Once unbreakable relievers Seth Maness and Kevin Siegrist are capable of getting rocked suddenly. David Freese is incapable of getting a big hit. Pete Kozma and Daniel Descalso can’t buy hits.  Lester has been better than Wainwright this series.  Our RISP has dropped dramatically.  Utility players like Johnny Gomes and David Ross have beaten Cards pitching at bad times.  The flipping point to me is still Lance Lynn being pulled for Seth Maness to face Gomes in Game 4.  Since then, it has been a fight.

We can only hope the delay in the trip to Boston last night had more to do with bat retrieval than mechanical failure. This team has barely hit. We haven’t put on display a barrage of hits yet in this series.   Defense and pitching wins games, but tonight the Cards bats need to provide a little magic in order to support their rookie pitcher and save the series.

Will the Cardinals offense show up or will we fall short of greatness?

If we fall, ladies and gents it has been fun. Every season it seems I make new friends and build great conversations through my doses, activity on twitter and facebook. Sports can be the greatest connective tissue in life.  Thanks for mixing it up and reading.

Go Cards!

-Dan L. Buffa

@buffa82 on Twitter

PHOTO CREDIT-THE GUARDIAN

Mistake Filled Game 4 Evens The Series

· 1 Comment ·

imageedit_3_3035521097

Prepare yourselves.  I am about to defend Kolten Wong.   The rookie second baseman made a crucial mistake in the bottom of the 9th inning, getting picked off first base with Carlos Beltran standing at home plate representing the tying run.   It’s easy to jump on Wong after this loss but the man entered the game in the ninth inning.  There are other people to blame for this Game 4 collapse and I am going to lay it out for you.  Let’s go.

*Believe me, Kolten Wong’s mistake was brutal.   He should have kept a leg on first base because his run represented basically nothing, unlike last night when he pinch hit, singled, stole second and was stranded.  Tonight, he had the energetic kick of a young base hound and was caught.   A rookie mistake.  Wong will be back and deserves another shot.  In my opinion, he should start Game 5 at second base because he is mad, hungry and deserves to right the ship.  Mike Matheny has a way of going back to struggling young players and I hope he does here.  Wong isn’t the reason we lost this game.  He is merely one of them.   The kid messed up. Big deal? Yes!  Throw it on him only?  No!  Get it right in your head.  Kolten Wong deserves another shot.   Hopefully his teammates pick up his shoulders tonight off the floor and remind him baseball is great because everything can be turned around on the next huge play.

*Somehow, some way, we let a sore shouldered Clay Buchholtz’s sore shouldered ailed body pitch 4 innings and only allow 1 run.  We had a chance to jump on his soft tosses and missed out.  Bad approach, bad swings and little execution.  Do baseball readers read scouting reports?

*We can let David Freese start again.  Why not?  Imos boy is 1-12 in the World Series with 40,000 guys left on base.   His defense at third isn’t gold glove material so he needs to sit.   His bat can change a game with one swing and that means put him in a bench role.

Let him come off the bench late, when it’s Freeze Hour.  He doesn’t deserve 4 at bats a game right now.  He looks flat, solved and dead at the plate.   He wasted opportunities tonight but gets a pass because he was great in the postseason 2 years ago.

Freese has topped out and after a magical 2011 postseason and solid 2012 season, looks like damaged goods about to be released in the offseason.

*Mike Matheny shouldn’t have taken out Lance Lynn in the 6th inning.  Johnny Gomes was 0-2 against Lynn and looked horrible.   Why put in Seth Maness, your contact pitcher who is brought in for double plays, when you just need one out and your starter is fresh?  Lynn was visibly mad, not whining, and I back him here.  He was at 89 pitches, had life on his fastball, had 2 outs, and had only allowed 3 hits.

What made Matheny pull him?   Mike Matheny is afraid to let Lynn lose a game.   Why?  In September, John Mozelaik wanted Lance Lynn out of the rotation.   He told Matheny this and Mike backed his young starter and Lynn paid off his debt and did well.   However, Matheny is so scared to let Lynn give up the big bomb.

Mozelaik has more say in the management of this team than some believe I think.   He wanted Lynn gone, Matheny backed him and walks in fear daily.  Just my feeling but maybe a reason behind the early pull of Lynn tonight.    Lance Lynn had the stuff to finish the 6th inning.

*Daniel Descalso can have a bad day at the plate.  No hits. Bad strikeouts.  His big hits make us forget he is about as good of a hitter overall as Pete Kozma.   He is a magic man in that department.  Descalso popped up ball four in a crucial 7th inning spot where we had a chance to score more than 1 run.  He left too many runners on base, decides to swing the bat before the pitch comes and doesn’t need to start another game this series.

*Seth Maness has come down off the mountain in October.  He has allowed 6 of 10 inherited runners to score, which is the meat and potatoes stat for relievers.  He should only come in when a double play is needed and only then when the bigger guns are tied.

*Allow me to point out that two pitchers on the roster aren’t pitching meaningful innings.  They aren’t pitching at all.  Edward Mujica and Shelby Miller.   I understand loyalty to players and letting them know that their services rendered means something but you have to cut that off in the World Series.  Why isn’t Sam Freeman or Tyler Lyons on the roster as arms who can get people out?   Why not disable Miller or Mujica and activate Lyons or Freeman?  It’s probably not possible but it was worth the line.   I just don’t understand it.  How many managers waste a playoff roster spot twice?  Barely any.  Talking to you Mr. Matheny.  Give me an answer in that gruff Eastwood voice.

*Find a way to start Allen Craig.  He is so money at the plate and it’s hard watch him get one chance per game.  Before Wong’s mistake, Craig put the Cards in line to tie the game.  I don’t care if he can’t run.   Let him launch bombs and limp around the bases for all I care.  He has the winter to heal properly.  If he can field grounders let him go.  Play Matt Carpenter closer to first or something.  Make up for lost ground.  Get Craig in there.  Off the best closer in the American League, Craig has cranked two hits.  One to left and one to right.  He will be deadly against Jon Lester tomorrow.  Find a way.  Matt Adams is slowing down at the plate and will serve as a solid pinch hitter off the bench in the 8th or 9th.   Find Craig some Icy Hot, a Tony Robbins video and a live chicken. Get him out there.

Look, it wasn’t going to be easy.  If you want easy, apply for jobs on http://www.careerbuilder.com.   Winning the World Series takes guts, glory, comebacks and true clutch moments.  This is center stage.  The Cubs, Mariners, and Padres dream about this stage.  The Cardinals are here for the 4th time in 9 years and are in a dogfight with a team that plays baseball in a similar fashion to them.  Hard and to the end.   In Game 4, we got up early, and seemed to be in control until Gomes hit a ball out of the park.  We didn’t quit and lost in a tragic fashion.  Every game in this series has been dramatic and intense.  Expect the next 3(if needed) to be just as emotional and crazy.   That’s baseball in October.  Tense encounters.  Which team’s will breaks first?  We made two horrible errors and lost our way in Game 1.  We benefited off their mistakes and came back in Game 2.  We won a contested battle on a technicality in Game 3.  Game 4, a few bad decisions and performances cut us short.  What happens in Game 5?  This is what I want.

Don’t let David Ortiz beat you.  Let Adam Wainwright throw 130 pitches if needed.  Check Jon Lester’s glove for Clay Buchholtz’s green hair gel.  Don’t start David Freese.  Don’t start Daniel Descalso.  Start Kolten Wong.  And find Shelby Miller.  As long as the Cards play sound defense, get a few clutch hits and don’t self destruct I think Waino will bring this Game 5 home.

That’s all.  Thanks for staying.

-D. Buffa

@buffa82 on Twitter

IMAGE CREDIT-Fansided.com