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.

25 Years Ago Today....The Ground Ball

25 years ago today, we (well the people who were alive at the time) witnessed one of the most monumental plays in one of the most thrilling games in the history of sports.  The only words necessary are...."and it gets by Buckner!"  Game 6 of the 1986 World Series was one that no baseball fan will ever forget.

The Mets were down 3 games to 2 to the Red Sox.  They were down 2 runs in the bottom of the 10th inning.  They were 1 out away from being the team that would help break the "Curse of the Bambino."  The unthinkable would then occur.  The Mets would string a couple of base hits together to make it a one run game.  Then Mike Stanley would make a pitch to Mets outfielder Mookie Wilson that he wish he could get back.  The pitch would go wild and go to the backstop tying the game.  The Mets, who just minutes earlier seemed to be demoralized and getting ready to head home, were alive again and were a hit away from sending the series to a game 7 at Shea Stadium.  

Just two pitches later, one of the most memorable moments in the history of sports would have the city that never sleeps staying wide and awake.  

Mookie Wilson hit a ground ball to all star first baseman Bill Buckner.  It looked to be the simplest of ground balls.  The ball would trickle down the line and go right under the glove of Buckner.  The ball would roll onto the outfield grass and change the history of baseball and the life of Buckner forever.  World Series MVP Ray Knight would score the game winning run sending the series to a game 7.  A series that seemed to be over was now tied.  Buckner's impressive career would now be known for just one play.  A guy who would finish his career with 2,715 career hits and a batting crown in 1980 was known by many baseball fans as the guy who lost the 1986 World Series.  The people of Boston who have been waiting since 1918 to win a World Series were stunned in disbelief and "the curse" would live on.  

The Mets would go on to win game 7 in comeback fashion after trailing the series 3 games to 2.  One play changed the face of a franchise, the face of a player, and the face of baseball history.  The Red Sox would go 18 more years without winning a World Series.  Finally, after 86 years of waiting they would break "the curse" in 2004.  

The series of events that went down in this game were moments that we will never see again.  It was an ending that no person could ever script.  It was an evening at Shea Stadium unlike any other.  It was a night that every one of the 55,078 in attendance will relive for the rest of their lives.  October 25, 1986 would go down as one of the most memorable of all time.  

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)

Ball Game Over. Series Over. Season Over.

Pitching wins championships.  The Bronx Bombers have had the bats going for them all year long but fatigue becomes a factor in October as well as players breaking down in clutch situations.  The New York Yankees did just that.  The Tigers defeated the Yankees Thursday night at Yankee Stadium in game five by a score of 3-2 to advance to the American League Championship Series.

The Yankees had ample chances in game five to win the game.  The problem is that they lacked the clutch and timely hits they needed from guys who are getting paid big bucks to get those hits.  In the bottom of the 4th with only 1 out and the bases loaded, the Yanks failed to get a run in.  In the bottom of the 7th they left the bases loaded after only scoring one run off a walk.  The most expensive player in all of sports struck out in yet another clutch situation.  Nick Swisher who also has struggled in October struck out to end the inning following Mark Teixeira's walk to score a run.  The Yankees complied 10 hits together, but none of them in a timely manner to get another run on the board.

This was 27 year old Tigers pitcher Doug Fister's biggest game since he joined the majors in 2009.  He pitched an absolute gem in his 5 innings only giving up a solo home run to Robinson Cano.  Both teams used all the pitching they could Thursday night going through multiple pitchers and putting everything on the line to try and advance.  The Tigers bullpen did the job and finally got the Tigers into the ALCS.  Since 1988, the Tigers have made the playoffs only one other time in 2006 when they made it to the World Series but lost to the Cardinals.

It has been 27 years since the Tigers have won the World Series.  Could this be the year they finally win it again?  They have got the pitching that can get them there.  The Tigers will face the Rangers Saturday in Texas to start the ALCS.  They will try and defeat the defending American League Champs and prove to a star studded Yankees team that good pitching will always go further than a good lineup.