Results tagged ‘ Cardinals ’
My thoughts of the Cardinals-Dodgers series and others…
The Cardinals-Dodgers Series:
That has to be one of the most fun and a bit weird series I’ve seen. I have more Dodgers fans as friends than Cardinals fans so I was pulling for the Dodgers to win this series. Of course the way it was done, I didn’t expect to see the Cardinals struggle as they did in this series.
The Dodgers played baseball properly, while the Cardinals played like amateurs. I’m trying not to be harsh here, but why on an easy fly ball would you miss catching it? Before game 3, this series could’ve been tied at one game apiece. A base running error by Yadier Molina cost them too.
The Cardinals can bleed Dodger Blue now because:
1. The Cardinals only scored six runs this entire series, while the Dodgers drove in 13 of them.
2. The Dodgers were error free, while the Cardinals made two (one by Holliday and the other by Piniero)
3. Adam Wainwright was on track to win game 2, but Ryan Franklin couldn’t seal the deal. Vincente Padilla on the other hand was on track to win the series clinching game 3, and his bullpen didn’t let him down, forget the Albert Pujols RBI single.
4. Busch Stadium: The pressure was actually on the Dodgers, despite the Cardinals trailing 2-0 because the Dodgers don’t play well at this ballpark, the trend didn’t follow.
5. Both teams combined to leave 30 base runners, the Cardinals 14 and the Dodgers 16 in game 1, but the Dodgers prevailed.
6. How do you go 4-28 with RISP? (Runners in scoring position, meaning a runner at second and or third bases) The Cardinals did just that. Dodgers score their runs mostly with two outs. In fact all of their runs at game 3 came with two outs.
6. Chris Carpenter would have started game four, had this series been extended and Adam Wainwright for Game five for the Cardinals.
7. Adam Wainwright claims that the Dodgers’ fans are to blame for Matt Holliday losing the fly ball from James Loney. It was not the game ending play, though; Ryan Franklin loses because he gave up the hit to Mark Loretta.
8. Matt Holliday is the hero and the “culprit” at Game 2 when he hit a solo home run off Clayton Kershaw, but later dropped the fly ball. I put “culprit” in quotes because I don’t think it’s his fault for the Cardinals losing game 2.
The Dodgers on the other hand can congratulate themselves, because:
1. They swept the Cardinals, in almost the same fashion as last seasons NLDS when sweeping the Chicago Cubs.
2. The good bullpen never lets a good pitching effort go to waste.
3. TBS stands for “Torre Brings Success”
4. Busch Stadium is no longer the “house of horrors” for the Dodgers, at least for this series.
5. Hit it when it counts, the Dodgers have done plenty of it.
My MVP of this series is Andre Either, the right fielder of the Dodgers. He went 6-12 (a .500 batting average) with 2 home runs, 2 doubles, and one triple. He also scored five runs.
Too bad the snow had to postpone the Phillies-Rockies series. Maybe later tonight, it will be fun to watch.
The Metrodome should not hold any more baseball games for the Twins. That’s just my opinion. Carl Pavano, the pitcher every Yankees fan really dislikes right now, is pitching vs Andy Pettitte. I wonder who’ll win.
Fenway Park will also be packed for supporters begging for the Red Sox to extend the ALDS against the Anaheim Angels, or as they’re offically known as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
Another tripleheader on TBS is underway, two games are elimination games.
League Division Series
In case you haven’t paid attention to who’s broadcasting the LDS games on TBS, I’ll give the names.
1. In the Cardinals-Dodgers NLDS, Dick Stockton does the play by play and Bob Brenly is the color commentator.
2. In the Rockies-Phillies NLDS series, Brian Anderson does the play by play and Joe Simpson is the color commentator.
3. The Twins-Yankees ALDS series has Chip Caray and Ron Darling as the announcers.
4. The Red Sox-Angels ALDS series has Don Orsillo and Buck Martinez as the announcers.
The Colorado Rockes are the only team to have won on the road so far, (game 2 against the Phillies)
Mark Teixiera’s game winning home run for the Yankees, and Mark Loretta’s walk off hits are so far my top plays for League Divison series play.
The Red Sox, Twins, and Cardinals are at home, but they must win every game from this point on or they’re out, (each team is trailing the series 2-0)
This World Series tournament is averaging over 6 million viewers per day, which is the highest TV ratings for TBS. This is the network’s third season covering the MLB games.
FOX will have the ALCS coverage and the coveted World Series, while TBS will resume covering the NLCS.
I’m not making any predictions. However I can’t choose between rooting for the Dodgers and Yankees, because they’re too fun to watch right now. I’d be happy, but torn if they had to face each other in the World Series because while I like the Yankees to get Joe Giradi’s jersey number to have a meaning, the Dodgers are attempting to take their first title since 1988, a 21 year drought.
Tonight is the Dodgers vs Cardinals Game 3, where the Cardinals have been superb against the visiting Dodgers at Busch Stadium. The Dodgers must bring their best game at St Louis. The Cardinals can not make any more mistakes, like in Game 2, beause they’ll have an aburpt end to their postseason run.
I think the Dodgers are on the driver’s seat in this series.
Snow, Snow, go away, let the Rockies host the Phillies. It’s going to be really cold in Denver. I just hope this snow doesn’t stick to the field. That would be bad.
With the drama and excitement, I hope the TV ratings go higher than 6 million views a day. That’s a lot of fans viewing on TV as well as the fans in the stands watching their teams in person.
If the Dodgers, Yankees, and Angels blow their 2-0 series leads to lose their series, those will be big upsets.
Oh well.
My pick for the National League team
My pick for the National League team to root for is…
The Los Angeles Dodgers
The LA Dodgers have had one great season, forget the fact that Manny Ramirez was suspended 50 games for a banned substance; this team has found all the right pieces at the right time. The pickup of Jon Garland, was a big one. Russell Martin, Matt Kemp, Andre Either, and James Loney are the big reasons why the Dodgers are in this position. Joe Torre has done a nice job with this ball club since Grady Little left the team. No matter what lineup, the Dodgers have found many ways to win games. Although they showed signs of slowing down recently, with the Colorado Rockies catching up to them, and also the fading San Francisco Giants, the Dodgers managed to hang on and win just that one clinching game at home against the Rockies. The Rockies would have won their first ever division title. Not this year, not at the Dodgers expense.
Last season, the Dodgers rolled past the Cubs with ease. The St Louis Cardinals are going to be a bit harder though, the good thing is the Dodgers have the first two games at home in the National League Division series so that should be easy for them, they usually do good at home. The Dodgers are 50-31 at home, which is the 2nd best record in the National League. Only the San Francisco Giants have a better home record with 51-29.
The last time these two teams met was in 2004. The Cardinals beat the Dodgers 3 games to 1. The Cardinals would lose to the Red Sox 4 games to 0 in the World Series. I hope the Dodgers can turn this around. Their choice of Randy Wolf is great. Chris Carpenter for the Cardinals is good too. Both of them had hit a home run in the regular season.
For the Dodgers to win game one, they need to hit Carpenter, early, Randy Wolf should be in the hit party too, as well as pitch carefully, and these Cardinal hitters will hit mistake pitches hard.
I think this is sure going to be an interesting postseason. I hope the Dodgers can have better games than last season’s playoff run.
I’m not thinking too far ahead just yet, just this series with the Cardinals.
My baseball memorabila and more caps
Tonight, instead of talking about Major League Baseball’s events, I decided to talk about baseball related items laying around my room. I have some caps I didn’t get to show yet and some stuffed animals with baseball shirts on them. Without further ado, here are the caps first.
Retro Mets blue cap above, and gray cap with green lettering below.
Two New York Yankees caps by Mitchell and Ness
Chicago White Sox, primary and secondary logos on one cap. 
New York Giants (football) and New York Knicks of the NBA
And here are my stuffed animals.
This is a Chicago Cubs Cow.
New York Mets mascots.
A Yankee Mascot, (my older sister got this at Yankee Stadium as a gift)
The Colorado Rockies’ alterante home cap, didn’t see this worn yet.
Colorado Rockies road cap. 
This Yankee cap is adjustable, not fitted and only cost me $5. Be careful, this hat is not MLB Merchandise.
Atlanta Braves Authentic cap. 
New York Mets home cap with Citi Field inaugural season patch.
Thanks for viewing, I hope you enjoyed.
Mets limp to Astroland (in Houston)
The Mets are looking lost right now. Since the All-Star break they are 2-5 to start off their second half of the season, losing three out of four to the Braves, and two out of thee to the Nationals. I refuse to say that the Mets aren’t playing hard, they are, Angel Pagan’s triple and him scoring on the wild throw, Angel made a heads up play going to home on that throw. The Mets need to keep their heads up as they go to Houston to take on the Houston Astros.
Angel Pagan batting
Angel Pagan scoring.
Josh Willingham impresses the Mets with his two run shot off Mike Pelfrey. (photo by AP)
The Astros just won their game last night and currently are on 49-46 this season, one game away from the first place Cardinals, How did the Astros win the game? Look at this:
The Houston Astros have won 7 of their last 10 games and are on a three game winning streak, all against the Cardinals. Miguel Tejada, Carlos Lee, Hunter Pence and the ‘stros are coming around nowadays. I have a feeling the way the Astros are playing they are going to make things harder on the other teams, including their next opponent, the Mets. The Cardinals and Astros series was strange in that the Cards did play well, they didn’t come up with a win in the series. I always though the Cardinals and Astros rivalry was interesting since 2004 when they met in the National League Championship series and again in 2005.
Here’s the box score.
|
St. Louis
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 0 | |
|
Houston
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 12 | 0 |
The scoring plays
Top fifth
Mark DeRosa hits a solo home run.
Bottom sixth
Michael Bourn scores on a ground out by Carlos Lee.
Top seventh
Yadier Molina singles to bring home Ryan Ludwick.
Brendan Ryan flies out and Mark DeRosa scores.
Bottom seventh.
Kazuo Matsui singles to bring home Ivan Rodriguez.
Bottom ninth.
Chris Coste doubles to bring home Ivan Rodriguez.
Miguel Tejada singles to bring home Jeff Keppinger who scores the winning run.
Jose Valverde wins the game for the Astros, while Ryan Franklin loses for the Cardinals. Chris Carpenter (who went 8 innings) of the Cardinals took on Roy Oswalt who went 7 innings.
Congrats to the Houston Astros for being a contender again, and making this an interesting matchup. The Mets versus the Astros begins this Friday.
mlblogsmatt7
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