Jessica Alba...

I know there's starving people in this world and all that sort of stuff, but if I could have but one wish I would like to be the bedsheet in the picture above. Jessica Alba is final proof that there is a God, because no natural evolutionary occurence could be that beautiful.

A Break from the Drama

Is it just me or is Phil Garner a dead ringer for Huckleberry Hound? He even talks like him. At any moment I expect him to bust out with, "Hey, Yogi where's Booboo?"


















Also, I have always thought that Tony Larussa sounds and looks a lot like the man in black, Johnny Cash.






Seperated at birth?

Go Crazy Folks, Go Crazy- Part II

I'm still a little hoarse and a little dazed by the whirlwind of a baseball game I witnessed last night. When that Lance Berkman 3-run homerun, in the seventh inning, kicked a swirl of dust up off the top of the left field fence my heart sank slowly into a thick mire of disappointment. Another close game, another pitching duel, and surely another heartbreaking loss once the 'best closer in the game' stepped up to the mound at some point in the next two innings. Carpenter had pitched a gem, even the pitch that was taken deep was low and outside- a Carpenter staple. It was 4-2, a mere 2 run lead, but it might as well been 10-2; the obstacles were legion. We were 3 for 32 with men in scoring position in the series; Lidge was the best closer in the game; the Astros' were 136-1 since June 15, 2004 when leading after nine; and the bottom of the batting order was due up. All of these realities were swimming in my head; I was a man at the end of his desperate rope.

My thoughts turned to Busch Stadium. I was lost in emotions, somewhere between nostalgic melancholy and primal rage. I dearly wanted the Cardinals to take game 5 if only to give Busch one more moment in the spotlight; to see the birds on the bat at least one more time in the old ballpark. That hope seemed lost as the 8th inning went by without incident.

Even the announcers began to wax poetic about our old girl and her 40 year history. Various moments and players were recalled with adoration while FOX ran pictures of old Busch ominously shadowed by the brick and mortar columns of the new stadium. The end of an era was palpable as the unnerving roar of the Minute Maid Park crowd welcomed the 9th inning.

First came Hector Luna, a pushover for Lidge's knee buckling slider. Next was John Mabry who had driven in a run off of Lidge in vain the previous night. Two hits in consecutive plate appearances off of Lidge proved to be impossible as Mabry went down on more sliders. Then came Eckstien, who announcers call pesky and the toughest little player in baseball, and while that may be his heart is twice as big as anyone in the game today. However, tonight even Eckstien looked overmatched, Lidge would simply not be denied. Two straight 96 mph fastballs rocketed across the plate, then a slider went low for a ball to bring the count to 1 and 2.

It had been 44 years to the day (or something like that) since the Houston Colt .45s/Astros had come into being, and despite being on the precipice of the World Series several times before the organization had fell just short every time; karma it seemed was finally on their side...

But karma is a fickle mistress.

The Houston dugout matched the enthusiasm of the crowd. Players high-fived and carried on demonstratively before the last out, much as they had after winning a relatively meaningless game 4. The Cardinal dugout must have taken notice, appalled by the lack of respect for them as well as the game. Biggio, a player's player, seemed to be the lone cool head with his hat pulled low and leaning pensively against the dugout fence... hoping.

The Cardinals were down to their last strike. A second slider made its way toward the plate and "little" David Eckstien, and it was one too many. A wormburner grounder got under the glove of Ensberg and into left field. There was still hope after all with the hero of last year's NLCS game 6 and 7 coming to the plate, if anybody could step up in this moment, it was Hollywood. Jimmy hung tough and ran the count to 3 and 1, Lidge suddenly couldn't locate his fastball. Lidge wouldn't walk him would he? Even a homerun would only tie the game; surely another 96 mph fastball was on its way over the heart of the plate, right? When the pitch left Lidge's hand you knew it was going to be a ball as it ran in off the plate and low.

The roar of the crowd was gone, Lidge had let the tying run on with a walk, something he just didn't do. Enter Albert Pujols, the best hitter of the game versus the best closer in the game; the veritable definition of a quintessential October matchup. The once boisterous Houston crowd became hushed and nervous; the entire Cardinal nation collectively shifted to the edge of their couches, recliners, and barstools. Everybody in the free world knew Pujols would see sliders and only sliders, more than likely in the dirt. Lidge didn't disappoint as the first slider kicked up dust while the bat of Albert Pujols uncharacteristically swung wild through the pitch.

Intolerable anguish, sweaty palms, a good time.

Lidge came set, haphazardly checked the runners, and came to the plate with another slider... and the baseball world stood still.

The art of hitting the ball on the sweet spot of the bat is the poetry of baseball. When done properly the motion is fluent, effortless. When Brad Lidge's slider failed to break, the impact of Albert's bat on the ball freeze-framed the moment like some iconic tinseltown baseball flick. The ball was hit as hard as a baseball can be, the only thing keeping it in the park, a thick slab of bulletproof glass; though I would not have been surprised had it shattered along with the Astros' premature dreams of finishing off the Cardinals in dramatic fashion.

After permanently damaging my vocal chords, I squinted at the scoreboard graphic on TV to make sure my tired mind hadn't just manifested the homerun out of sheer desperation. Somewhere in the catacombs of the stadium, a mouse urinated on a soiled cotton rag in the back of a disheveled broom closet, which would have been heard throughout the gravely quiet ballpark had it not been for the eruption of cheers in the Cardinals' dugout.

The moment defined a man, a team, a city, and personified a stadium all at once. At the very brink of elimination the entire season was saved with one Pujols swing coupled with two great at-bats from Eckstein and Jimmy. From certain death, a team has lifted itself off the slaughterhouse floor and not only forced a trip back to St. Louis but has somehow found a way to turn the tables and the momentum of the series.

The comment was made by the play-by-play guy, when the Houston crowd was basking in the glory of a certain win, that the Minute Maid Park crowd was the loudest in baseball. Well, I have an idea that the Game 6 crowd at Busch Memorial Stadium will have something to say about that.

This galvanizing moment in Cardinal history is one for the ages, but there is still work left to be done. I am just so happy that we now have a chance to show the world why this team has won 217 games over the last 2 seasons. We play a hard nine, a statement that has become the rally cry of the Cardinals and what this team is all about. Now, I only hope that we will play a hard 18.

Quoted from ESPN.com: "Who knows what's going to unfold when we get home?" said Reggie Sanders. "Nobody knows. All we know is this: Now we have a chance."

Amen, and as always, GO CARDS!!!

Now is the Postseason of my Discontent

Before I get started let's take a look at Minute Maid Park's dimensions:
Distances from plate: Left field - 315 feet; Left-center - 362 feet; Center field - 435 feet; Deepest point - 436 feet; Right-center - 373 feet; Right field - 326 feet. In a word ridiculous. I have played in softball fields with 315 corners! Let's move on shall we.

I'm still simmering from the way the game went down yesterday, and here's why. In the postgame interview yesterday Tony said that MLB execs have verbally stated that teams have certain latitudes during post season play in order to insure the games are as emotional and competitive as possible. If this is true, throwing Edmonds out yesterday for arguing about a pitch that was most certainly a ball is completely uncalled for. Edmonds stated yesterday that he did not curse at the ump, Cuzzi, until after being tossed. After dodging the inside & up pitch and after Cuzzi called it a strike Edmonds lost his temper and said, "The ball's not a strike. You called a ball a strike. Do a better job than that." Granted, that's not what you want to say to an ump and I could understand tossing him on a July 14th game, but in the post season??? The ball was obviously a ball to everyone in the stadium, why couldn't Cuzzi at least meet Edmonds halfway and tell him to be quiet and get back in the box? Before Edmonds spoke up, Cuzzi told Jimmy "don't come back and start (expletive) arguing with me." How's that for calming the situation? Umps who's egos are bigger than the game should not be allowed to work in the majors. Why can there not be some give and take on both sides? Speaking of which did anyone notice Backe's antics after the leadoff walk to Eckstein to start the game? He walked halfway to homeplate and stared at Cuzzi. To me that's showing up an ump, what Edmonds did was simply plead his case. If the correct call is made then Edmonds is on 1st or worst case, gets another shot at Wheeler- a righthander. MLB did not allow Cuzzi to field questions from reporters after the game; funny, they allowed the ump from the controversial White Sox/Angels game #2 to plea his case... hmmmm?

Another reason I'm fuming is that Pujols should not have broke so soon if at all- that's just not a high percentage maneuver especially when considering the angle at which the ball was hit, all Ensberg had to do was lob it in there. I guarantee Oquendo did not send him. Really, that's Albert's only downfall- his leg do not match his aggressive baserunning. If the hit is up the line then I can understand bolting (i.e. see game #3). However, after seeing the replay that play was very, very close; Pujols' competitiveness is to be respected. (I realize I'm talking out of both sides of my mouth right- have mercy, I'm still pissed.)

Marquis is an ass. He speaks up every post season about being demoted to the bull pen. Shut up and be a team player. Oh, and here's an idea: maybe catch a bunt. Then if you can't do that at least try to redeem yourself and put one down yourself instead of popping up twice you chokin' b****!

One more thing: Isn't the tie supposed to go to the runner? I tivo'd the so called double play that Mabry hit into in the ninth about 50 times last night, and if you're telling me the right call was made you're crazy! Also, did anyone beside the first base ump not see Molina/Pujols gun out Backe? Whatever. I hope LaRussa's pre-game comments before game 3 isn't the root of all this. He basically said that he hoped that the home plate ump, Wally Bell, didn't give Clemens a "Maddux type strike zone" and take the bat out of the players' hands. While that comment is a justified one it's probably something you don't want to put out there for everyone to hear.

Even with all this negativity and even as we face the dreaded 3 to 1 series count I am still hopeful. We've got Carpenter on the mound tonight and you just know he's going to go the full nine; and you know everybody on that lineup is going to be fired up (they said Eckstien lost it when Edmonds got tossed yeaterday). We will win tonight's game and we will go back to St. Louis, and then we're in the same position we were in last year and I think we all remember how that turned out.

Albert Pujols was asked after the game how the team would relax and calm down before game 5 to which he replied with a smile,"How do we relax? We show you tomorrow." Grud also chimed in about being down 3 to 1 with a little first person perspective, "I was there in 2003 with the Cubs," said Cards second baseman Mark Grudzielanek. "We had Prior, Zambrano and guys like that going back to back to back. We lost three games and we were like, 'Oh, my God.' Before you could blink, it was over and they were going to the World Series. Things can happen, and with this team we can rattle off three in a heartbeat. But we just have to take one at a time." That's just a great sound bite!

Here's some fun facts regarding Carpenter and Game #5 tonight: Carpenter is unbeaten at Minute Maid in four starts with a sub-1.00 ERA, and this season three of his 21 victories came at Houston. In those three starts, he allowed three earned runs over 24 innings (1.13), striking out four Astros for every one he walked. Carpenter has held opponents to a .174 batting average in the playoffs, his first postseason. He has not lost at Minute Maid Park in four career starts, and he has 20 strikeouts to seven walks in those 32 innings. Houston's position players who started Game 4 have combined to hit .271 against Carpenter. Only twice this season did he have as few as six strikeouts over two starts, as he has had so far this postseason. Some more fortuidous info: Since adopting a best of seven series in the LCS in 1985, 10 National League teams have gone 3-1 in the series and all but two have gone on to the World Series: the 2003 Chicago Cubs and that's right, your 1996 Cardiac Cardinals. Wouldn't the 2005 Houston Astros fit right in that notorius club?!

Let's do to Houston what the Red Sox did to the Yankees last year. And as always...

GO BIRDS!!!!

One more time... with feeling

After watching the St. Louis Cardinals' final regular season game this past Sunday, it has finally dawned on me that these are indeed the last days of Busch Stadium. It is appropriate, for a stadium that has hosted 48 post season games, that the swan song didn't end in September. If this year's team can live up to their potential there is no reason why she cannot enjoy 6 to 10 more October games within her confines. Serving as the sacrificial lamb to Boston's world championship dry spell last year will be forgotten if the Cardinals can say goodbye to the old Busch Stadium with a world championship of their own. To add to the franchise's 16 National League pennants and 9 World Series championships would serve as the perfect farewell to our old friend that has seen so many winners in the last 5 decades. In her 40 year history only 13 sub .500 teams have played at Busch; how many clubs can make that kind of statement? During that same time frame, 1966 thru 2005, the Chicago Cubs have had 25 losing seasons at Wrigley; but then again what would you expect from the "second city."

The list of players who were fortunate enough to don the birds on the bat and play at Busch during its 40 year tenure reads like a who's who of Major League baseball. You can go position by position and start listing players who are borderline HOFers if not already in or at least on their way to Cooperstown. Managers: LaRussa, Torre, Herzog, & Schoendist are some of the best skippers of all time; Pitchers: Gibson, Forsch, Andujar, Sutter, Tudor, L. Smith, & Worrel to name a few; Catchers: Simmons, Matheny, McCarver, Porter, Pena, & Pagnozzi; First Base: Hernandez, McGwire, Pujols, & Clark; Second Base: Herr, Sizemore, Oquendo, Vina; Third Base: Rolen, Boyer, Pendleton, Torre, & Rietz; SS: Ozzie, Renteria, & Templeton; Outfielders: Edmonds, Brock, Maris, Cepeda, Flood, McGee, Coleman, Van Slyke, & Shannon for starters.

Considering all of Busch Stadium's history and all of the great players that have played in the shadows of the 96 arches that encircle the field, the current roster of players comprise one of the best Cardinal teams of all time as they have posted back-to-back 100+ win seasons- a baseball rarity to say the least. True blue (actually red would be a more succinct description) Cardinal fans will remember the 2005 season fondly regardless of how this post season ends up; however, a World Series win would bookend one of the most prolific venues of baseball history and entrust her legendary status within the baseball annals of time.

We Cardinal fans have been in anguish since 1982. Yes, we have enjoyed post season success, but the final prize has eluded us a number of times. We've also endured more than our share of player injuries and baseball anomalies. Whether it was Dekinger's call, the man eating tarp, Matheny's hunting knife, or Carpenter's sudden and rare nerve disorder it seems that we always have an uphill battle come October. 2005 is no different. Rolen has another bum shoulder (see 2002 NLDS game 1 vs. AZ)and our #1 bullpen pitcher goes down with a blown elbow on the last game of the season. Even with less than our full roster at LaRussa's disposal you still have to like our chances if everyone plays up to their abilities. Tony said Sunday that, "these players will give it their best shot... and I believe we have a very good shot." All of Cardinal nation believes too.