Thoughts on September

If you read this blog you know I have been a long time St. Louis Cardinal fan.  The Cardinals had a hell of a run this month.  They won 17 games in a row and cemented themselves a position in the MLB post season tournament.  The problem for St. Louis is it will most likely face the Los Angeles Dodgers in MLB's hokey one game wild card playoff.  The Dodgers will probably start Max Scherzer, who owns the Redbirds.  My guess is Adam Wainwright, who has had an amazing year will get the start for St. Louis.  I think it will be one and done for the Cards, but I had the same thoughts in 2011 when they played the Atlanta Braves in the one game playoff.  That year ended well for the Cardinals as they won the World Series.

-For me it was a very good month.  I had laser surgery on both of my eyes to remove cataracts.  The results of the surgery were almost immediate.  I am seeing 20/22 out of one eye and 20/40 out of the other eye just days after they were repaired.  And colors which had been kind of dull previously are now vivid.  Watching the sunset has once again become a thing of beauty.

-I hope you had a good September and that the coming month is even better for you.  I will write soon.

Another Good (if Not Long) Week for the Birds

The Cardinals are now 8-4 after two weeks and have won all four series they've been in this year. The most recent series win was over the Mets with the Cards winning the rubber game last night. Adam Wainwright helped his team out tremendously by going the distance and pitching a complete game 5-3 win over the worn out Mets. You see, the two clubs played a 20 inning seven hour marathon on Saturday afternoon and Saturday evening that depleted both bullpens. (A friend of mine lives in Columbia, Mo and watched the first 11 innings at Busch Stadium before getting cold and deciding it was time to drive back to Columbia. That's about a two hour drive. Nonetheless, she made the trek back home down I-70 and back in time to see the last three innings at home. Yes that is a very long game).

Up next the Arizona Diamondbacks in Phoenix starting this evening and then the San Francisco Giants this weekend at AT&T Park. The Giants are my pick to win the National League West so it should be a good test for the Cards.

Bye Bye Birdies

Ten days ago I wrote the St. Louis Cardinals were taunting their fans by playing poor baseball but still hanging around in the National League Central pennant race.

The Cardinals are no longer contenders and their season is done except for playing out the final week and a half of the season. Granted the primary reason for the collapse from their world championship last year to also rans this year is very simple; injuries. But in the past two weeks the Cardinals managed to lose eleven of 13 games to prove to the rest of the world just how bad they are. Some of the Redbirds are already just going through the motions.

It will be an interesting off season around the Cardinal front office. In the case of Tony LaRussa his imminent departure may be addition by subtraction. He has won two World Championships and I respect him for that. But, his personality and style leave much to be desired. He has insulted the intelligence of Cardinal fans, whom I believe to be the most knowledgeable in the nation. LaRussa continues to try and prove managers of the past 120 years wrong by hitting his pitcher eighth. And he must also be responsible for the demise of his pitching staff. He had a five man rotation that was struggling but winning. Then out of the blue he goes with a six man rotation and the Cards immediately started to lose. Hey Tony baseball isn't rocket science. You see the ball, you hit the ball. You pitch the ball, and you catch the ball.

If I were in General Manager Walt Jocketty's position I would make everyone available for trading this winter with three exceptions; Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright. But, it may be someone else who pulls the trigger on those trades. Jocketty is also said to be leaving with his buddy LaRussa at the end of the season.