I must say that this was one of the greatest turnarounds in MLB history, and one of the greatest World Series in MLB history. The Cardinals winning this makes even more special to me- I won't lie about that.
But to come back from 10 games back and then make the playoffs on the last day, and then beat Roy Halladay and the Phillies 1-0 to win the division series, and then beat the Brewers and their loud mouth douchebag Nyger Morgan, and then finally finish it off with a World Series win- unbelievable.
Game one was special for me personally because I actually went to the game- I have never been to a postseason baseball game, much less a World Series game before. It was honestly the best baseball experience I have ever had. The amont of media there was unbelievable- tents everywhere, and I got to see them film Baseball Tonight- John Kruk is a HUGE guy. It was also one of the coldest games I have been to. Driving up from Jackson, it was raining the whole way, and I was worried that it was going to be rained out. I also got to see Kid Rock walking around- unfortunately, he didn't have his midget with him. As far as the game, it was the loudest game I have ever been to- I can only imagine how loud game six and seven were. It was also fun because the Cardinals won on Allen Craig's pinch hit single, and I always enjoy watching Carpenter pitch. The funny thing about being there was I was less nervous than I was watching on TV. They talked about how intense the game was, and I just didn't really feel like it was nerve wracking or anything. You just get caught up in the moment.
Game two- I get home just in time to see the whole game. The Cardinals have a lead, I'm thinking Allen Craig is going to win the MVP as a pinch hitter, and how a win and the Cardinals might be thinking about a sweep because the pitching match-up favored the Cardinals, and then Ian Kinsler steals second and all hell breaks loose. Elvis Andrus gets a hit, Pujols screws up the cut off throw, and the Rangers manufacture a win. At that point, I went from thinking sweep to this thing is going seven.
Game three- Albert Pujols is a freak. How many times does a guy hit three home runs in a World Series game and he doesn't win the MVP? The only other guys to have hit three home runs in a game are Babe Ruth and Reggie Jackson. This was Albert Pujols big postseason World Series moment when people look back on his Hall of Fame career. This was also a big key win for the Cardinals because it flipped home field advantage back to them.
Game four- You want to beat the Cardinals in the World Series? Throw a guy with a pornstache- Bret Saberhagen, Frank Viola, and now Derek Holland. If it's not for Lance Berkman, he has a no-hitter. That was one of the best pitching performances I have ever seen in the World Series.
Game five- I always feel good with Carpenter pitching for the Cardinals. So, I was thinking that the Cardinals might steal a win- especially since C J Wilson had struggled lately. I knew it was not the Cardinals night when I saw Adrian Beltre hit a home run off of his knees. I was happy for Mitch Moreland- he hit one of the longest, if not the longest home run in the World Series this year. This was the most frustrating game to me as a Cardinals fan because the Cardinals went something like one for twelve with runners in scoring position and it seemed like they loaded the bases every inning and either Matt Holliday and Nick Punto were coming up with two outs. It was a vicious cycle.
At this point, I felt like going back to St. Louis was what the Cardinals needed as well as a day off, and I needed a day off as well. I was worried because I do not trust Kyle Lohse. I'm thinking that the Cardinals probably win game six, and then game seven is a crapshoot. And then the rain came- and then I started to think that the Cardinals would bring Carpenter back. But then I was also worried about Holland coming back for the Rangers. Until I read that Washington was adamant about bringing Harrison back for game seven no matter what. I thought that was a really bad move by the Rangers- and it was one of the things that cost the the series in my opinion, among other things.
Game six- WOW! Garcia has a bad night, but the Cardinals somehow have it tied at 4-4. Holliday gets picked off- and I'm furious at him. That's about the second time in my life I have ever seen that happen. And then Lance Lynn gets rocked for three. I'm thinking about turning the game off, and then Craig hits a home run- and I felt like that kind of got the Cardinals back in it. Now it's the ninth and it looks like the Rangers are going to win- and then Freese hit a triple over Nelson Cruz- and at that point, I was thinking- the Cardinals are going to win this. And then Josh Hamilton hits a two run home run. Doubt creeps back in my mind. And then I saw Darren Oliver take the mound. Then I'm thinking the Cardinals are going to win this again. Of course, Descalso and Jay get on, and Lohse gets the bunt down. Then the Cardinals scratch across a run, and then down to their last strike again, Lance Berkman rakes a double to tie the game. And then David Freese launches his home run- and I go nuts at home. The thing that really stood out to me was on the scoreboard behind Freese while he was rounding second it said "We are Cardinals Nation". I then had the satisfaction of knowing that I had just watched one of the greatest baseball games ever.
Now after that, I felt like the Cardinals were definately going to win. Never a doubt in my mind. Reason being, usually when there is a emotional loss like that in the postseason, it's really hard to come back from that. In fact, in World Series history, the only time I can recall a team winning a Game seven on the road after a loss like that was the Reds in 1975 after Carlton Fisk's home run. And that was a little bit different situation because the Red Sox had the pressure of not having won a World Series since 1918 at that time. But some examples- the 85 Royals, the 86 Mets, and the 91 Twins.
Game seven- After the Cardinals got down 2-0, the big moment was the Cardinals answering in the bottom of the inning and tying the game up at two. And then Craig's home run, as well as him taking a home run away from Cruz were very key moments. I think the Rangers will was broken in the inning where the Cardinals scratched across a couple of runs without a hit. You could see it in their eyes- they were done. Carpenter again was outstanding- as I felt like he would be. I was worried about the bullpen because I knew they were spent on both sides, but the fact that Carpenter was able to give the Cardinals six plus innings set them up very well, and took the pressure off of the bullpen. I was a little worried when Lynn came in because I thought he would be tired, but he was very good. And then Motte and Dotel were also very good. When Craig caught the final out, it was time to run around the house like a fool!
As a Cardinals fan, I couldn't be any prouder- this is how I drew it all up in August.
Now, I'm going to buy a shirt, a hat, and whatever else.
Go Cardinals!
But to come back from 10 games back and then make the playoffs on the last day, and then beat Roy Halladay and the Phillies 1-0 to win the division series, and then beat the Brewers and their loud mouth douchebag Nyger Morgan, and then finally finish it off with a World Series win- unbelievable.
Game one was special for me personally because I actually went to the game- I have never been to a postseason baseball game, much less a World Series game before. It was honestly the best baseball experience I have ever had. The amont of media there was unbelievable- tents everywhere, and I got to see them film Baseball Tonight- John Kruk is a HUGE guy. It was also one of the coldest games I have been to. Driving up from Jackson, it was raining the whole way, and I was worried that it was going to be rained out. I also got to see Kid Rock walking around- unfortunately, he didn't have his midget with him. As far as the game, it was the loudest game I have ever been to- I can only imagine how loud game six and seven were. It was also fun because the Cardinals won on Allen Craig's pinch hit single, and I always enjoy watching Carpenter pitch. The funny thing about being there was I was less nervous than I was watching on TV. They talked about how intense the game was, and I just didn't really feel like it was nerve wracking or anything. You just get caught up in the moment.
Game two- I get home just in time to see the whole game. The Cardinals have a lead, I'm thinking Allen Craig is going to win the MVP as a pinch hitter, and how a win and the Cardinals might be thinking about a sweep because the pitching match-up favored the Cardinals, and then Ian Kinsler steals second and all hell breaks loose. Elvis Andrus gets a hit, Pujols screws up the cut off throw, and the Rangers manufacture a win. At that point, I went from thinking sweep to this thing is going seven.
Game three- Albert Pujols is a freak. How many times does a guy hit three home runs in a World Series game and he doesn't win the MVP? The only other guys to have hit three home runs in a game are Babe Ruth and Reggie Jackson. This was Albert Pujols big postseason World Series moment when people look back on his Hall of Fame career. This was also a big key win for the Cardinals because it flipped home field advantage back to them.
Game four- You want to beat the Cardinals in the World Series? Throw a guy with a pornstache- Bret Saberhagen, Frank Viola, and now Derek Holland. If it's not for Lance Berkman, he has a no-hitter. That was one of the best pitching performances I have ever seen in the World Series.
Game five- I always feel good with Carpenter pitching for the Cardinals. So, I was thinking that the Cardinals might steal a win- especially since C J Wilson had struggled lately. I knew it was not the Cardinals night when I saw Adrian Beltre hit a home run off of his knees. I was happy for Mitch Moreland- he hit one of the longest, if not the longest home run in the World Series this year. This was the most frustrating game to me as a Cardinals fan because the Cardinals went something like one for twelve with runners in scoring position and it seemed like they loaded the bases every inning and either Matt Holliday and Nick Punto were coming up with two outs. It was a vicious cycle.
At this point, I felt like going back to St. Louis was what the Cardinals needed as well as a day off, and I needed a day off as well. I was worried because I do not trust Kyle Lohse. I'm thinking that the Cardinals probably win game six, and then game seven is a crapshoot. And then the rain came- and then I started to think that the Cardinals would bring Carpenter back. But then I was also worried about Holland coming back for the Rangers. Until I read that Washington was adamant about bringing Harrison back for game seven no matter what. I thought that was a really bad move by the Rangers- and it was one of the things that cost the the series in my opinion, among other things.
Game six- WOW! Garcia has a bad night, but the Cardinals somehow have it tied at 4-4. Holliday gets picked off- and I'm furious at him. That's about the second time in my life I have ever seen that happen. And then Lance Lynn gets rocked for three. I'm thinking about turning the game off, and then Craig hits a home run- and I felt like that kind of got the Cardinals back in it. Now it's the ninth and it looks like the Rangers are going to win- and then Freese hit a triple over Nelson Cruz- and at that point, I was thinking- the Cardinals are going to win this. And then Josh Hamilton hits a two run home run. Doubt creeps back in my mind. And then I saw Darren Oliver take the mound. Then I'm thinking the Cardinals are going to win this again. Of course, Descalso and Jay get on, and Lohse gets the bunt down. Then the Cardinals scratch across a run, and then down to their last strike again, Lance Berkman rakes a double to tie the game. And then David Freese launches his home run- and I go nuts at home. The thing that really stood out to me was on the scoreboard behind Freese while he was rounding second it said "We are Cardinals Nation". I then had the satisfaction of knowing that I had just watched one of the greatest baseball games ever.
Now after that, I felt like the Cardinals were definately going to win. Never a doubt in my mind. Reason being, usually when there is a emotional loss like that in the postseason, it's really hard to come back from that. In fact, in World Series history, the only time I can recall a team winning a Game seven on the road after a loss like that was the Reds in 1975 after Carlton Fisk's home run. And that was a little bit different situation because the Red Sox had the pressure of not having won a World Series since 1918 at that time. But some examples- the 85 Royals, the 86 Mets, and the 91 Twins.
Game seven- After the Cardinals got down 2-0, the big moment was the Cardinals answering in the bottom of the inning and tying the game up at two. And then Craig's home run, as well as him taking a home run away from Cruz were very key moments. I think the Rangers will was broken in the inning where the Cardinals scratched across a couple of runs without a hit. You could see it in their eyes- they were done. Carpenter again was outstanding- as I felt like he would be. I was worried about the bullpen because I knew they were spent on both sides, but the fact that Carpenter was able to give the Cardinals six plus innings set them up very well, and took the pressure off of the bullpen. I was a little worried when Lynn came in because I thought he would be tired, but he was very good. And then Motte and Dotel were also very good. When Craig caught the final out, it was time to run around the house like a fool!
As a Cardinals fan, I couldn't be any prouder- this is how I drew it all up in August.
Now, I'm going to buy a shirt, a hat, and whatever else.
Go Cardinals!