This Team is Brain Dead

Last Friday night I wrote how poorly the 2017 version of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team is playing.  After I wrote that the 'Birds" won three out of four and got my hopes up for a possible pennant run.  Because St. Louis plays in the weakest division in baseball, I thought in the back of my mind they still have a chance.

But, after watching them get to within a game of .500 the Cardinals have lost two straight to a mediocre New York Mets team.  Last night the Mets won 7-3 after a poor start from Cardinal right hander Mike Leake.  Leake gave up seven runs in two innings.

The trip to New York could have finished on a bright note but mis-management and lack of focus cost the Birds the final game of the series.  The Mets won 3-2 today after the Cards had taken a 2-1 lead in the eighth inning on a Tommy Pham home run.

I don't know why, but for some reason Cardinal manager Mike Matheny sent left-hander Brett Cecil to the mound to start the bottom of the eighth. Cecil was promptly lit up by Met's pinch hitter Wilmer Flores, who jacked his 17th HR of the year to tie the game.  Cecil is OK against left-handers but I have no idea what Matheny was thinking.  Hopefully, it was the upcoming left-handed hitters in the Mets lineup that prompted the move.

Then in the bottom of the ninth the Mets put runners on the corners against Cardinal setup man Trevor Rosenthal with two outs.  Rosenthal gave up a sharply hit ground ball to Jose Reyes that Cards first basemen Matt Carpenter fielded on one hop.  But, Rosenthal didn't get off the mound right away and with no one on the base Reyes beat Carpenter to the bag.  The Mets scored, the Cardinals lost and go three games under.  So, much for my new found enthusiasm.

There is something fundamentally wrong with the team and it's not going to get any better until management gets rid of the attitudes and players going through the motions.  At this point the Cardinals should be sellers at the trading deadline.  This team has no chance of winning even in a weak division.

Tomorrow it gets even tougher as the team opens a three game series against the Cubs in Chicago.  If you haven't noticed the Cubs are unbeaten since the All Star break.  They will probably remain unbeaten through the weekend.

How 'Bout Them Birds

One game does not make a series in post season baseball.  But, my beloved Cardinals just pulled off one of the most unlikely comebacks imaginable this evening as they came from five runs down to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 10-9.  Matt Carpenter drove in three runs with a double and Matt Holiday drove in three more with a homer to left in an eight run 7th inning.  And to make it even more unlikely, the Birds beat Dodger ace and probable Cy Young award winner Clayton Kershaw.

As great a win as it was for Cardinal nation it took way too long for the game to play out.  The official time of the game was 3:57.  I hate to say it but MLB that is way too long.  Make the hitters stay in the box and the pitchers stay on the mound.  Then cut back on the commercials on the TV Networks.

Still, I am excited about this series. How 'bout them Birds!