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.  

Plax Leads Jets to Comeback Victory Over Chargers

One trip to the endzone would not be good enough for Plaxico Burress.

Two would not be sufficient either.

A third touchdown would have to do.  Jets wide receiver finally decided to have the breakout game fans would hope to see from him on Sunday.  Plax only had four receptions but three of them would be for touchdowns.  It was a spectacular performance by the first year Jet and former Giant.  The Jets would fight back from being down 21-10 at the half to defeating the first place Chargers 27-21.

The Jets were coming off a win against the worst team in football last week.  They needed a win against a very good Chargers team if they wanted any sort of momentum going into their bye week.  They started off a little shaky in the first half, but once again they turned on the jets (no pun intended) in the 2nd half.  Their defense played lights out only allowing 96 total rushing yards.  They forced two interceptions off of pro bowl quarterback Philip Rivers.  Rivers was 16 for 32 with 179 yards and two interceptions and one touchdown.  The Jets did not give up one point in the second half.  It was the best their defense has played in a while.  The turning point came when the Jets trailed 21-17 early in the fourth quarter and the Chargers were driving to the Jets 25 yard line.  Darrelle Revis would intercept Rivers and nearly do the same thing he did last week and run it for a touchdown.  This time he got to the opponent's 19 yard line and the Jets would get one of their three touchdowns to Plaxico Burress to take the lead and hold on for the win.

The Jets were led by their rushing attack.  Shonn Greene ran for 112 yards.  Sanchez ran for 25 yards.  Ladanian Tomlinson ran for 14 yards and Joe McKnight ran for 11 yards.  They had 162 yards combined on the ground.  Mark Sanchez was good enough to get the Jets offense by throwing for 173 yards and the three touchdown passes to Burress.

It was a masterful second half performance by the Jets and another comeback victory.  The Jets are now back over .500 at 4-3 and the Chargers fall to 4-2 with the loss.  The Jets will have a bye next week before they hit the road to face the Bills.  The Chargers return home to face the Chiefs next Monday night.

Jets Snap Losing Streak and Get Back to .500

The Jets were in dire need of a victory on Monday night facing the winless Dolphins.  It started off sloppy early in the game, but the Jets kicked it into gear after an abismal start to defeat the Dolphins 24-6 at Metlife Stadium.  The Jets moved to 3-3 with the win, including 3-0 at home and the Dolphins fell to 0-5 with the loss.

The Jets came out of the gate at home not as expected.  Their first four drives were all three and out.  They could not get one first down the first four drives.  They still held a 7-6 lead in the second quarter without having a first down thanks to a 100 yard interception return for a touchdown from cornerback Darelle Revis.  Many questioned whether it may have been a pass interference committed by Revis to get the pick, but nothing was called and Revis would weave his way through defenders to take it from one endzone to the other.

The Jets would finally get offensive yardage on their 5th drive as they drove down the field for a touchdown to take a 14-6 lead.  That would be the score at the half.  The Jets would get a field goal in the 3rd quarter to take a 17-6 lead going into the 4th.  The Dolphins offense was stagnant.  They could not get the ball down the field whatsoever in the second half.  The Jets defense dominated and Matt Moore proved why he is a backup quarterback in the NFL.  He struggled all night, especially in the second half.  The Jets would score early in the 4th quarter thanks to a 38 yard catch and run by Santonio Holmes with the help of a couple great blocks down the field.  The Jets had a 24-6 lead and would hold on by that score.

Mark Sanchez had an average game throwing 14 for 25 for 201 yards and one touchdown as well as a rushing touchdown.  Shonn Greene ran for 74 yards and the Jets finally got back on the winning side.  Meanwhile, nothing is going right for the Miami Dolphins.  They have struggled mightily all season.  Matt Moore, who was playing for the injured Chad Henne did not look sharp throwing 16 for 34 for 204 yards and an interception.  It seems as the Dolphins will be in the race for quarterback Andrew Luck this year as they are looking like they will have one of the top picks in the upcoming draft.

The key thing for the Jets is that they won the game.  This was a much needed win just to get them out of their funk.  Yes, they beat a team who has been awful and arguably the worst team in the league, but it was a win that could build them some confidence going into next week.  The Jets will face the surprising Chargers team at home hoping to get back over the .500 mark. The Dolphins face Tim Tebow and the Broncos in Miami.

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)

Jets Lose 3rd Straight and Fall Below .500

The New York Jets had visions of a Super Bowl victory this season, but after five games they have a losing record and do not resemble the championship team they aspire to be.

So far this year, the Jets defense just has not been able to make the big stops and their offense has been extremely inconsistent. Sunday afternoon proved no different. The New England Patriots defeated the Jets in Foxboro Sunday 30-21. While Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez and his offense played better than in previous weeks, their once highly touted defense was once again disappointing.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady threw for an impressive 321 yards and running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis ran for 136 yards and 2 touchdowns. The Patriots offensive attack dominated dominated the game. While Brady deserved lots of credit for his team’s performance, the sagging Jet defense played at times as if they were in another league. Maybe they are.

On the other hand, Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez had another average day, throwing for 166 yards and two touchdowns. Fans waiting for Sanchez to have a “breakout” game will have to wait. Jets running back Shonn Greene ran for an unremarkable 83 yards and a touchdown against the Patriot’s swarming defense.

In all reality, the Jets just are not as good as they were predicted to be coming into the season. The offense has not been very aggressive and the defense has brought little pressure on the opposition quarterback and it has struggled mightily to stop the run. If the Jets want any shot at getting to the playoffs, they are going to need to get their act together on both sides of the ball, defensively and offensively. If not, the Jets are looking like a team that will be on a couch in January watching the Patriots compete in the playoffs.

The Jets nest chance to redeem themselves with be a home game against the Miami Dolphins next Monday night. The meeting could be especially timely for the Jets because the Dolphins haven’t won a game this season and they lost starting quarterback Chad Henne to injury.

The Jets need to win this game to get back to the .500 mark and gain some confidence. Especially since they play the explosive and division leading San Diego Chargers the following week.

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.

Yankees Take Risk and Force a Game 5

Tuesday night, the Yankees took a monumental risk in starting 80 million dollar man AJ Burnett.  Burnett had struggled during the season and has struggled on the road in the playoffs throughout his career.  Nobody would have known after watching game 4.  Burnett pitched a great game going 5 and 2/3 innings pitched and only giving up one run and getting the victory as the Yankees manhandled the Tigers in Detroit 10-1.

AJ Burnett won the one game he needed to forget any of what he has done in the past.  Burnett gave up just one run walked four and struck out three and only allowed four hits.  It was not dominant, but it was just what the Yankees needed to force a game five.  Burnett has outfielder Curtis Granderson to thank as Granderson saved three runs from scoring in the first.  With the bases loaded, Don Kelly hit a line drive to center field and Granderson made an unbelievable leaping catch.  He would make another catch later in the game that would save some runs from scoring as well.

The Yankees banged out 13 hits and 10 runs showing what they do best.  Their offense is what carries them as that was clearly seen Tuesday night.  They strung together a lot of timely base hits driving in runs as they would cap it off with a 6 run 8th inning that would make the game out of reach.  They knew what they needed to do and the Yankees did just that. They forced a game five.

Game five will be Thursday night as Doug Fister faces Ivan Nova at Yankee Stadium.  Nova pitched a masterful game one beating Fister as he hopes to do again in front of the home crowd.  The Tigers will have a second chance to send the Yankees home packing.  Can the Tigers finally beat the Yankees in the playoffs? Can they stop the powerful lineup of the Bronx Bombers? Thursday night at 8:00, we will get the answer.