Cardinals go from 11 Games Out to 11 World Series Rings

At the end of August, the St. Louis Cardinals seemed to be out of the playoff race and off to a disappointing season.  They were trailing the Wild Card leading Braves by 10.5 games.  Making the playoffs, let alone winning a world championship seemed improbable.  Friday night, they would complete the miracle.

The Cardinals defeated the Texas Rangers in game 7 by a score of 6-2 to capture their 11th World Series title.  Their 11th title is second to the Yankees, with 27, for most World Series championships in baseball history.  The Cards came back from being down three games to two and being just one strike away from defeat.  Coming from behind did not faze the fighting Cards one bit.  From being 10.5 games out of the playoffs to being a strike away from losing the World Series, the Cardinals did the unthinkable to end it by winning a ring.  This was the Cardinals second championship within the last 5 years after they won in 2006 over the Tigers.

After trailing 2-0 in the first, the Cardinals did exactly what they have done best...comeback.  They would score two in the bottom of the first.  Allen Craig would hit the tie-breaking home run in the third and they would never look back.  They would score a couple more to win the game by a score of 6-2 and win the series in the deciding 7th game.  Ace Chris Carpenter threw a gem as he went six innings and only gave up two runs and getting his second win of the series.  David Freese turned out to be the World Series MVP as he had a remarkable series going as he went 8 for 23 with a home run and 7 RBI. It was quite the series for youngster and hometown boy Freese.

The Cardinals ended a remarkable season with their 11th World Series trophy.  Hall of Fame manager Tony LaRussa's team battled perseverance and a large deficit to make the playoffs.  They would then defeat the best team in baseball in the Phillies in five games.  They would then go on and beat their division rival Brewers in six games.  As if that were not enough, they would come back from being down three games to two and a strike away from going home to win the remarkable game six with multiple rallies and then rally to win game seven as one.

The 2011 Cardinals were a never say die team and stories like this in sports are truly remarkable and remind us all why.....you gotta love the game.

World Series Preview

Did anyone think that the World Series this year would end up being the Cardinals and the Rangers? Many came into the playoffs believing it would be a Yankees Phillies matchup, a rematch of the 2009 World Series.  There were not many who would have predicted the Cardinals, a team who seemed to be out of the playoff race in early September, to be in the fall classic.

The Rangers come into the World Series for the second consecutive year as they defended their American League crown.  This year, they hope to do what they did not last year and that is winning their first ring in their 40 year franchise's history.  They have the team this year to do it with a good blend of solid pitching, a great bullpen, and a powerful lineup.  Outfielder Nelson Cruz had an unbelievable American League Championship series after struggling in the division series.  Cruz recorded 6 home runs and 13 rbi in the ALCS against the Tigers after hitting below the interstate in the division.  It was an unbelievable turn around that was extremely essential in powering the Tigers into the fall classic.  Cruz had at least one hit and at least one home run in every game in the series except game 3.  He chose the perfect time to come up with clutch hits for the Rangers.  With other powerful bats such as Adrian Beltre, Michael Young, Josh Hamilton, Ian Kinsler, and Mike Napolini, the Cardinals pitching is going to have a rough go for it coming up.

The Cardinals come into the World Series as a team that is scorching hot.  After trailing the wild card to the Braves by 10.5 games they have become a team that does not want to lose and never says die.  They surged into the playoffs in comeback fashion.  They beat the best team and best pitching in the league in the Philadelphia Phillies and they beat a Brewers team on the road who was favored to win the series.  The Cardinals have been the hottest team and a lot of times momentum is key coming into the postseason. (cough cough 2006 Cardinals) The 2006 Cardinals were a mediocre team at best barely sneaking in the playoffs barely finishing over .500.  Yet, they had the momentum and confidence coming in the playoffs and that is all they needed as they won the World Series.  The Cards come in with a powerful lineup as well.  Led by "the machine" Albert Pujols, the red birds have power bats around Pujols to protect him in the lineup.  Outfielder Lance Berkman had a terrific season and earlier in the year was an MVP candidate.  Matt Holiday also had a very good season supporting Pujols and Berkman.  Realistically, the Cardinals do not have as good of a lineup as the Rangers do.  The key is that they have a solid lineup, one of the best pitchers in the game in Chris Carpenter, and they have the confidence.  That might just be all they need.

With that being said, I believe the Rangers lineup has been flaming hot.  Yes, pitching does win championships.  The Rangers do not have the best starting pitching, but they do have the bullpen that comes in and brings the heat.  For their bullpen and powerful lineup, I see the Rangers winning the World Series, but taking 7 games to do it.  Although this may not be one of the best matchups television and ratings wise, I believe this is going to be a thrilling world series with a lot of action and a dramatic finish.  The Rangers will finally get their first ring and Texas will finally have a team that can close games out in the end. (cough cough Cowboys)

One Night of Baseball That Will Never Be Forgotten

On Wednesday night, September 28th, 2011, Major League Baseball experienced enough events in one night to make a story for an entire season.  In no other night in baseball history, did we see the multiple meltdowns and dramatic finishes to three games that were all the determinants of the final playoff spots.

There were four games Wednesday night that would determine the winners or whether there would be a tie in the American League Wild Card as well as the National League Wild Card.  The Red Sox were playing the last place Orioles.  The Rays were playing the first place Yankees.  The Cardinals were playing the Astros and the Braves were playing the first place Phillies.  The Red Sox and Rays were tied for the wild card lead in the AL.  The Braves and Cardinals were tied for the wild card lead in the NL.  The events that would take place that night, I have considered making some sort of film for.  Never have I, nor any baseball fan seen such events happen in one evening and in such an important time as we did on this magical Wednesday night.

The Yankees led the Rays 7-0. The Red Sox led the Orioles 3-2.  The Braves led the Phillies 3-2.  The Cardinals had already won easily 8-0.  Boston fans were saying, "Ok we can breathe. The Rays are down 7 runs with 6 outs to go and we just got to close out the last place Orioles." Braves fans were saying, "Well, at worse we will play a one game playoff against the Cardinals and have a shot at the NLDS." Let's just say a lot of baseball fans were biting their tongue as it came close to the midnight hour on Wednesday night.

The Cardinals-Astros game would be the first game to end for the night as they won easily thanks to the complete game effort by Chris Carpenter.  The Braves saw the final score to this game, and maybe it put a little pressure on the entire team ton win as now it had become a must win game.  The Braves had a comfortable 3-2 lead going into the 9th inning with a closer having a career season with 46 saves and an ERA just above 2.  A single, 2 walks, and a sacrifice fly later and the Braves hopes of playing a one game playoff the next day would begin to vanish.  Closer Craig Kembrel had blown the save and the game was headed to extras versus a Phillies team who already had clinched home field and were just playing for pride and to prepare for the playoffs at this point.  The Phillies would go on to win the game in the top of the 13th inning.  The Braves had entered September with a 10.5 game lead in the NL Wild Card.  This arguably is the worst collapse in baseball history.  In 2007 the Mets blew a 7 game lead with 17 to play.  It seems like the NL East has trouble swallowing victories come September.

Just minutes later, the AL Wild Card race would define "wild."

The Yankees were cruising through into the 8th inning in a game that had no significance for them as the Rays were just 6 outs away from what looked like to be the end to their season.  Then the bottom of the 8th inning came, and the Rays postseason hopes went from dead to alive in an instant.  It was like watching a man die, only to come back to life again out of nowhere.  The fighting Rays, who trailed the first place Red Sox by 9 games coming into September saw life again.  They strung together a couple of hits, a couple of walks, and a couple of hit by pitches along with a sacrifice fly to make the game 7-3.  Evan Longoria came up and hit a 3 run home run that would make a 7-0 game just minutes earlier a one run ball game.  If that was not dramatic enough, trailing by one in the bottom of the 9th with 2 strikes and 2 outs, Dan Johnson would come up for the Rays and crank a solo home run just over the right field wall to tie the game.  Tropicana Field could be heard from Disney World....well at least from the fans who stuck it out.  Many fans had left after trailing 7-0 thinking that is was a good run, but it looks like the season would be over.

Meanwhile, in Baltimore it was the bottom of the 9th and Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon struck out the first two batters to start the inning and was one out away from a victory.  Then, the inevitable would come not only in this game, but also in Tampa Bay.

The Orioles would hit a two doubles to tie up the game and put the winning run on second base.  Just like that, the game was tied and the Red Sox season was on the edge of a cliff about to end.  It seemed like it could not happen.  It seemed as it could not go down the way it was going.  The Rays had made a sparkling comeback and the Red Sox were choking right in front of our eyes.  Then, September Red Sox killer, Robert Andino came to the plate and would hit a liner to left.  140 million dollar man Carl Crawford looked to might have a play on it but as he slid to catch it, the ball dropped in, and his throw home was too late.  The Red Sox had blew the game they were one out away from winning.  Their only hope was to hope the Yankees, who were playing for nothing in Tampa, would get an extra inning win over the Rays to send it to a one game tie breaker.

Minutes later, all of Boston would go silent.

About two minutes following the Red Sox defeat, Rays star Evan Longoria would step to the plate again in the bottom of the 12th.  Seconds later, he would be at home celebrating with his teammates.  Longoria had done it again.  He hit a line drive home run just clearing the left field wall to not only to win the AL Wild Card for the Rays, but also knocking the Red Sox out.  The series of events did not seem real.  It was a fairy tale ending to an unbelievable month of September for the Rays and an epic collapse for the Boston Red Sox.

From 7pm until midnight on this Wednesday night on the last day of the regular season in major league baseball, we saw events that we most likely will never see again in the history of the game.  It was the most exciting, thrilling, heart capturing night in the history of baseball.  The way everything had gone down was absolutely bizarre and out of the ordinary.  The style we saw the Braves and Red Sox lose and the timing of it was insane and the way we saw the Rays come back was absolutely incredible.  It was one night, as a baseball fan, I know I will never forget.  It was a very disappointing night for the millions of Braves and Red Sox fans and quite the evening for Rays fans as well as Cardinals fans.

A night like this reminds me just why I love sports and the game of baseball, especially.  Teams just never give up and never say die.  It is something about sports that is truly inspirational.  25 players working together as one to try and fight for one goal....a world championship.  The events that took place Wednesday night were a good showing of what we love to see in sports.  We love to see the fight. We love to see the desire.  We love to see the hustle.  Its the factors of the game that true fans love to see and reminds all of us just why we love the game.