Molina's Legacy Cemented With New Extension

With the stroke of a pen, St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina cemented his legacy and joined an elite club this past Sunday. Just before the Cardinals opened the 2017 season against the Chicago Cubs, Molina signed a three-year extension, which signals that he will most likely finish his career in St. Louis. By the end of his contract, Molina will have spent 17 years as the Cardinals' backstop. The club might as well make some room for another statue on the corner of Clark and 8th Street.

Molina has been a top two catcher in baseball for almost his entire career. His resume speaks for itself: seven All-Star games, eight Gold Gloves, a Silver Slugger, two World Series rings and four trips to the World Series. That resume along with the fact that he's a clubhouse leader, fan favorite and still the game's best defensive catcher (did you see any World Baseball Classic highlights?) makes the extension an obvious move for the Cards.

However, the thing that stands out most about the extension is what it means for Molina's career. At the completion of his contract, he will have spent 17 seasons for one team. If that sounds rare it's because it is. Players just don't do that in this era of free agency and frequent trades.

Molina can become the third Cardinal to spend the first 17 years of his career in St. Louis. The other two are Hall of Famers Stan Musial and Bob Gibson. Molina can also become just the sixth catcher to spend 15-plus seasons with one team and only 52 position players have ever accomplished the feat, according to MLB.com.

Leaving a team certainly doesn't taint a star's legacy. Albert Pujols left St. Louis for Anaheim and, while his production has dipped, his spot in Cooperstown is still reserved. Molina didn't need to stay in St. Louis to get into the Hall of Fame, but it only enhances what is already an impressive resume.

Still, the extension means the Cardinals believe Molina can continue to succeed. They most certainly didn't sign him just to be a good story and to check a box for his legacy. Molina's game may be fading a bit, but he is the heart and soul of the Cardinals and he's what makes the pitching staff go.

"To me, this is much more than what he's done," GM John Mozeliak said. "What it means to me is what he's going to do. In a way, today is just the next chapter in our future. We believe he can compete at the highest level, and we still feel that Yadi is one of the greatest catchers in the game. He's in great shape. He trains well. He eats well. And he knows what's important about not only today, but tomorrow as well.

"So today is not about a sun-setting career. Today is about us retaining the greatest catcher to ever wear a Cardinals uniform."

Mozeliak is right - the Cardinals can compete at the highest level and they can give the Cubs a run for their money, but they can't do it without Molina. Luckily for St. Louis, they won't have to for quite some time.

If I Could Get A Ticket...

Sports bless us on regular occasion. Buzzer beater threes for national titles, chase down blocks to seal a city's long-awaited title, walk off home runs to beat a rival -- we crave that kind of drama and heroism. Lately, sports has provided some instant classics, and as a viewer of many games each week, I've loved every second.

Still, for all the games and plays that have made me say wow and for all the moments I've relished the Twitter explosion, I wish I could go back in time. I wish I could have been there for the biggest of games because there is truly nothing better than witnessing it all. So, here's the deal: I've made a list of five games I wish I could have been present at. Some of these I watched on television while others took place long before I was even thought of on this Earth. But if I could go back in time and somehow get a ticket then here's where I would go...

Boston Braves 3 - Brooklyn Dodgers 5 - April 15, 1947
Just over 26,500 fans were in attendance at Ebbets Field on April 15, 1947 and if I could have been one of them I would certainly have taken the opportunity. Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier that day, starting at first base and batting second. It was a monumental moment in history at the time, but it seems even bigger now as we look around sports today. African Americans have provided some of the finest play we've seen and Robinson blazed the trail for all of them, suiting up for the Dodgers on that April afternoon. Robinson was not particularly great in the opener, finishing 0-for-3 with a run scored, but there are some things that go beyond the box score and this certainly qualifies as one of them.

Villanova Wildcats 77 - North Carolina Tar Heels 74 - April 4, 2016
You really don't need a play-by-play for this one because certainly you remember. Even before Marcus Paige hit his acrobatic three-pointer to tie the game with six seconds left and before Kris Jenkins made the greatest shot maybe ever, this game was magical. Carolina took a five-point lead into the break, and Villanova led by five with three minutes to go. Paige's three may be forgotten as time passes, but it was one of the greatest clutch shots we've seen. The only problem: Jenkins topped it on the other end of the floor with a buzzer-beating three to give the 'Cats their second national title.

Texas Rangers 9 - St. Louis Cardinals 10 - October 27, 2011 (11 innings)
Texas and St. Louis gave baseball fans arguably the greatest World Series game ever in Game 6 of the 2011 Fall Classic. With Texas leading the series 3-2, the Cardinals were facing elimination in their own ballpark. Needing a win to force a Game 7, the Cards led 2-1 after the first inning in a game that featured at least one run in every inning but one. The Rangers chased Jaime Garcia after three innings and led 7-4 after seven innings. St. Louis got one back in the eighth and went to the ninth trailing by two. Down to their last strike in the ninth, David Freese unloaded a deep fly to right that Nelson Cruz couldn't handle. Freese wound up with a triple and drove in Albert Pujols and Lance Berkman to tie the game and force extra innings. Josh Hamilton homered in the 10th to give Texas the lead again, but Berkman singled on a 2-2 count in the bottom of the frame to tie the game at nine. In the bottom of the 11th, Freese played the role of hero again, launching the walk off home run to centerfield, forcing a Game 7 which the Cardinals would win for their 11th World Series.

Florida State Seminoles 34 - Auburn Tigers 31 - January 6th, 2014
One of the greatest BCS National Championship games in history featured a 21-point comeback and a game-winning touchdown pass with 13 seconds left on the clock. The Seminoles entered as the top-ranked team with Jameis Winston fresh off a Heisman trophy win, but Auburn looked impressive out of the gate, leading 21-3 late in the first half. FSU scored a touchdown right before the half to trim the lead to 11 and then connected on a field goal in the third quarter to make it 21-13. Then things got fun in the fourth. Winston threw a touchdown pass with 11 minutes to play to make it a one-point game, but Auburn pushed it to four with a field goal at the 4:42 mark. However, on the ensuing kickoff, Florida State ran it back 100 yards to take a 27-24 lead. The Tigers didn't give in though, scoring a touchdown with 1:19 to play to take a 31-27 lead. That set the stage for Winston's signature moment. The Heisman winner drove the Seminoles down the field and threw a two-yard TD pass to Kelvin Benjamin with 13 seconds remaining to win the game.

Chicago Bulls 87 - Utah Jazz 86 - June 14, 1998
After failing to close out the Jazz in Game 5 at the United Center, Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls had to go back to Utah for Game 6 to try and complete the franchise's second three-peat. The Jazz won the first three quarters and led by five heading into the fourth quarter. Jordan, playing in his last game as a Chicago Bull, poured in 45 points on 15-of-35 shooting, but saved his best for last. Down by one with under 10 seconds to play, Jordan drove left and pulled up for his final shot as a Bull. He sank it and sealed the win as only the greatest to ever play could do it. Six rings, six Finals MVPs and one lasting memory for Bulls fans.

These five games were something special that fans still talk about today. However, there are hundreds of others that could be talked about. What are yours? Leave a comment with games that you wished you could have attended...

For St. Louis, Cubs Present Serious Threat

Normally, winning 100 games with several key players injured throughout the season in the MLB's toughest division bodes well for the future. The St. Louis Cardinals held off the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates last season to win the National League Central despite patching together a roster that suffered injuries to Matt Holliday, Yadier Molina, Adam Wainwright and Matt Adams. With hardly any roster turnover, and the above players all healthy, there's hardly a reason to doubt that St. Louis can replicate last season's success.

Except for one thing: the Chicago Cubs.

The Lovable Losers were neither lovable nor losers to Cardinals fans last season as Theo Epstein's master plan started paying dividends. Chicago's young studs Kris Bryant, Addison Russell and Kyle Schwarber all enjoyed successful seasons and the Cubs received a career year from Jake Arrieta. After dispatching the Cards in five games in the NLDS, the Cubs were defeated by the Mets in the Championship Series.

The successful campaign was apparently a year ahead of Epstein's schedule and that has the baseball world gushing over Chicago. Several media outlets have picked the Cubs to end the 108-year drought and win the World Series, while manager Joe Maddon has his team wearing shirts that say "Embrace the Target." Life is good on the Northside of Chicago and there's reason to be excited.

For the Cardinals, life is changing. The Central Division has been owned by St. Louis since the new millennium as the Cardinals have won nine division titles. In addition, the Cardinals have also been a wild card team three separate times in that span, while adding two championships to their collection. Rarely has St. Louis not been the favorite in the division and it's been a while since they looked up to the Cubs. Sure, Chicago tasted playoff success in 2003 and won the division in 2008, but it wasn't like last year. Last year was different. Last year, legitimate belief trumped Cubbie skepticism and a confidence rarely seen overshadowed fear of curses.

In the offseason, Chicago signed former Cardinals Jason Heyward and John Lackey, along with Ben Zobrist. The Cubs got better. The Cardinals stayed the same. In the St. Louis clubhouse, the belief is that the organization did get better in the offseason by getting healthy. A pitching staff that was a bit thin will get its ace back in Wainwright and a lineup that was starved for runs at certain points will get Holliday and Adams back.

But is it enough? Everybody is healthy for the Cardinals, but will it stay that way? The reality is that Holliday is 36, Wainwright is 34 and Molina is 33. On the other side of the coin, Randal Grichuk hasn't played a full season without injury and Stephen Piscotty is unproven, although he did tear up the 2015 postseason.

Think about this: the Cardinals won 100 games while ranking 24th in the league in runs scored and 25th in home runs. The low offensive output put extreme pressure on the pitching staff, which responded with a league-best 2.49 ERA. Just how good is that figure? The Pirates' staff was second in the league with a 3.21 ERA.

It would be foolish to count on the same domination from the pitching staff and if St. Louis is to keep its strangle-hold of the Central than the lineup must produce.

As for the Cubs, Maddon is right - the target is squarely on their back. Fans are aching for the agony to end. But before blue and red confetti can rain down on Michigan Avenue, the Cubs have to win and that may be tougher than it looks. The roster is stacked with talent, but the Cubs made it through last year with hardly any injuries. Luck was on their side. They will need a little luck again this season in the ultra-competitive Central Division.

St. Louis is the king of the Central; the past 15 years tell us so. The Cubs are no longer the lovable losers; last season showed us that. And St. Louis knows they must be firing on cylinders if they are going to win their fourth-straight division title.

Because the Cubs are coming and they are embracing the target.

Health is Offseason Key for St. Louis in Loaded Division

Adam Wainwright

The trend continued of the best team in baseball not winning a playoff series as the St. Louis Cardinals fell to the Chicago Cubs Tuesday at Wrigley Field. For the third-straight season, the best regular-season team did not win a playoff series. For the Cardinals, they met their match in a young and talented Cubs team, but as the offseason begins, health has to be the primary concern in St. Louis.

The Cardinals won their third-straight National League Central Division title this season, but bowed out in the NLDS to Chicago in four games. Much has been made of the Central Division's success as the top three teams in the MLB came from the division. Moving forward, Pittsburgh, Chicago and St. Louis are here to stay, but if the Cardinals are to continue their reign then getting everyone healthy has to be the primary focus for the offseason.

The Cardinals rarely put their full lineup on the field in 2015, yet managed to win 100 games. St. Louis routinely had multiple starters on the injury list. Here are some to note:

• Matt Holliday: missed 89 games
• Matt Adams: missed 102 games
• Randal Grichuk: missed 59 games
• Adam Wainwright: made four starts

In addition, Yadier Molina missed the final game of the NLDS due to injury and went through surgery on his thumb today while Carlos Martinez missed the postseason due to injury as well. 

St. Louis received stellar play from Stephen Piscotty in the NLDS and Jason Heyward hit .293 for the season. Matt Carpenter and Kolten Wong are both reliable as is Jhonny Peralta. But the reality is this: the Cubs and Pirates are good. Very good. In 2016, the Cardinals will finish third in the division if they are unable to stay healthy.

There is no need for panic in St. Louis after the NLDS lost to the Cubs. Sure, it stings, but these Cubs aren't your father's Cubs...or your grandfather's Cubs. These Cubs are for real and so is Pittsburgh. But the Cardinals will be fine if they can get healthy and continue to develop their young arms.

Stabilizing the rotation is a must. St. Louis needs Michael Wacha and Martinez to continue to improve and, perhaps, Marco Gonzales will need to be prepared to fit into the rotation. There is a real possibility that John Lackey retires or leaves in free agency, which leaves a hole in the rotation.

In addition, Heyward may be on the way out as well. He's consistent and he's young, which means he will command well over $100 million in free agency this offseason. The Cardinals must decide if they will try and keep him. Since 2012, he ranks third in WAR among outfielders, which puts him behind only Mike Trout and Andrew McCutchen. 

St. Louis is an elite team, but in a strengthened division, the heat is on this offseason to keep pace with Pittsburgh and Chicago. The roster must get healthy and moves must be made in the offseason. If not, the Cardinals may find themselves looking up in the standings to two rivals.

MLB All-Star Break Swings and Misses

Another Midsummer Classic has come and gone for Major League Baseball and it is always hit or miss when it comes to the All-Star festivities. Minneapolis seemed to be a great host in a great ballpark, but there was plenty that went wrong. It is clear that there needs to be a change if the All-Star Game and Home Run Derby are going to continue as must-see television. Here are a few of my thoughts on the happenings this weekend.

1. The Home Run Derby was awful
Normally, the Home Run Derby is the most fun part of the All-Star festivities, but this year it was a complete disaster. The weather, which is beyond anyone's control, caused the Derby to start an hour late. Once the competition finally began the league had tinkered with the format, which was regrettable to say the least. Rather than eight competitors, the event had ten with five players from each league. To combat the extra two players, MLB decided to give hitters only seven outs in the first round instead of the usual ten.

This hardly seemed to work as many players had low home run totals and the event still took hours. That brings me to my next point: the event is too long. The Home Run Derby lasted nearly as long as the entire All-Star Game. The new format may have been the cause of this, but whatever MLB decides to do, they need to limit the Derby to only eight players.

The new bracketed format worked against the MLB as Giancarlo Stanton and Jose Bautista each had to wait nearly two hours before they hit for the second time. Consequently, fans were hardly given the show they came to see and hurt the event. Low home run totals at a Home Run Derby is nothing to brag about and MLB will have to go back to the drawing board before Cincinnati in 2015.

2. Adam Wainwright did nothing wrong
There always has to be a story and sometimes the media has to dig pretty deep and blow something way out of proportion to make a story. This is exactly what has happened with Adam Wainwright's "pipe shot" to Derek Jeter when he led off the first inning. Before Jeter came to bat Wainwright performed one of the classiest gestures by stepping back off the mound and dropping his glove to join in the standing ovation for the soon-to-be retired Jeter. It was a beautiful moment.

To make it even more beautiful, Jeter sent a leadoff double down the line and would finish the game 2-2. Shortly after Wainwright exited the game he made a comment to reporters that he basically threw the ball right down the middle for Jeter to hit. So what? Perhaps he shouldn't have said that, but who cares if he did? It doesn't take away from the fact that it was a great night in honor of Jeter and it doesn't take away from Wainwright's classy move before the inning began.

In fact, here's why what Wainwright said is awesome: it shows that All-Star Game counting for World Series home-field advantage is the stupidest thing. That is a rule that has to go as soon as Bud Selig gets out of office. This is a fun exhibition game that is for the fans and for the players to have fun. It shouldn't count for home-field advantage and it's time to realize how silly that rule is. Props to Wainwright for a great moment and for shedding light on the fact that the game counting is dumb.

3. ESPN and FOX struggled
The coverage of the Home Run Derby and All-Star Game wasn't terrible, but there were silly mistakes and omissions in both telecasts. During ESPN's broadcast of the Derby they messed up graphics three different times. They listed Jose Bautista as a Yankees player, Troy Tulowitzki has an American League player and referred to the Marlins as the Florida Marlins. These are small things, but not mistakes you want happening with all eyes on your network. In addition, when MLB did their Stand Up To Cancer moment, Chris Berman and John Kruk's mics were still on and during what should have been a moving moment, the whole world could hear Berman say, "Should we stand up for this?" and then grunt while getting out of his chair.

The next night FOX did a decent job with the broadcast as Joe Buck always delivers. However, the night had some glaring omissions. Amid all the Jeter talk, FOX never once honored Tony Gwynn, Ralph Kiner or Don Zimmer who all passed away in the past year. The three legends of the game couldn't get a mention, but Jeter was the subject of talk all night. Not taking anything away from Jeter, but it certainly would have been a nice tribute if FOX would have honored the other three or at least mentioned them.

Lastly, CBS sent out a tweet that said it was Michael Jeter's last All-Star Game and Sports Illustrated tweeted that Mike Trout had won the MVP after going 3-2. That truly is an MVP-type game for Trout if that's the case.

All in all, it was a poor All-Star break and MLB has work to do to fix the Midsummer Classic. A change in commissioner could bring about new ideas and new life and that would certainly be welcomed. Improvements are needed across the board.

Dissecting the National League Playoff Bracket

Four teams with one dream and four teams with four different stories. That's what fans are looking at in the National League playoff bracket today as the postseason really gets underway. The Wild Card games are in the books and the final four NL teams are set. St. Louis and Pittsburgh will meet in a divisional showdown while Atlanta and Los Angeles will square off in a highly-anticipated series filled with young stars.

You want history? You got it. The four National League teams left have all been in existence since the 1880s. There is a combined 25 World Series victories among the four and plenty of Hall of Fame legends. More recently, the NL has belonged to the Braves and the Cardinals. St. Louis won a dramatic World Series in 2011 and also was victorious in 2006. Atlanta dominated the 90s and has remained the beast of the NL East with a fresh crop of talent.

Los Angeles enters the playoffs as the hottest team over the second half. At the beginning of the season, fans and analysts were discussing Don Mattingly's job, but LA turned it around and finished with 92 wins and ran away with the West Division. Yasiel Puig took the nation by storm with his you-gotta-see-this theatrics on the field and on the base paths, but it was Hanley Ramirez who really acted as the catalyst for LA's run.

LA's matchup with Atlanta is intriguing for multiple reasons. While the Dodgers were the focal point of the second half, Atlanta flew under the radar for much of the season. If it's possible, the Braves somehow won 96 games quietly. To make it even more impressive, Atlanta got nothing out of B.J. Upton and Dan Uggla during the regular season. Uggla batted .179 and was left off the playoff roster.

Still, the Braves lineup is potent with Justin Upton, Jason Heyward, Freddie Freeman and Chris Johnson. However, they are going to be facing a pitching staff headlined by Clayton Kershaw. Runs won't come easy for the Braves in this series. Kershaw finished the season with a miniscule 1.83 ERA and is one of the most decorated pitchers in the game today.

In the other series, the Cardinals and Pirates face off in a familiar matchup. The two teams played 19 times with Pittsburgh winning 10 games. While the matchup is familiar, the setting is not for one team. Pittsburgh hasn't been in the playoffs since 1992 when the lost in the NLCS. Still, there are players on the roster that do have playoff experience. A.J. Burnett and Justin Morneau are no strangers to postseason baseball, but for a star like Andrew McCutchen this is all new.

St. Louis finished with the best record in baseball behind little-known stars such as Matt Carpenter and Allen Craig and a pitching staff led by Adam Wainwright. The Cardinals are better than any team in baseball with runners in scoring position and that will come in handy during the playoffs when every run matters.

So who moves on? Count on the Cardinals to defeat the Pirates due to their experience and timely hitting. It's a toss up in the Braves-Dodgers series, but I'll take LA.

Legends are made in October and the team that gets that timely hit, run-saving catch or shutdown pitching performance is the team that wins. Let the games begin...

NL Central Race Could End With Three Playoff Teams

The calendar is about to flip to September and the dog days of August are coming to a close. August is the month that separates the contenders (see Kansas City) from the pretenders (see Philadelphia), but in the National League Central Division there is not separation. Three contenders remain in a deadlock atop the division standings with Pittsburgh and St. Louis tied for first and Cincinnati just 2.5 back.

The final sprint to the finish will be incredible to watch and it's likely that there could be three teams make the playoffs. All three teams have the ingredients for postseason success with quality rotations and deep lineups. Here's the forecast for the Pirates, Cardinals and Reds as we head to the final month of the regular season.

Pittsburgh Pirates (76-54) -- On this blog just last month I said time will tell if this band of Pirates was legit. Time has told us yes they are. Whereas the last few years the Pirates had crumbled in the second half of the season, this year they have continued to play good ball while persevering through some injuries. Six games each against the Cards and Reds remain on the schedule. Closer Jason Grilli remains on the 15-day DL, but GM Neal Huntington said a big step would be a simulation game this week. For the Pirates, the final stretch will be a new challenge to conquer. The playoffs haven't been in Pittsburgh since Barry Bonds, but making the postseason would be the next step for this team. There are growing pains that come with learning to win and that's why winning the division might be a year away for this team, but they are a force to be reckoned with if they sew up one of those Wild Card spots.

St. Louis Cardinals (76-54) -- The Cardinals are in a completely different spot than the Pittsburgh Pirates despite their records saying the same thing. St. Louis is a veteran team with a nice mix of young talent. The core of the team has won one or two World Series and has been a part of two fantastic playoff series the last two years. St. Louis weathered the storm during the first half of the month, but they are in the midst of another difficult part on the schedule. They recently took three of four from Atlanta, but their next 12 are against the Reds and Pirates. The schedule after that is favorable and if they stay healthy then they should be the division winner. The offense has been outstanding from the start and with the way St. Louis drives in runs they will be hard to beat in the playoffs. Add in their experience and this team should be playing for the NL championship.

Cincinnati Reds (74-57) -- Cincinnati has been an underachiever as far as the postseason goes the past few years and, for a time, it looked like this year's playoffs wouldn't be happening in the Queens City. However, the Reds had a good month and are now very much in playoff contention. The offense is there for Cincinnati. They are 13th in runs scored and they seventh in on-base percentage. There are a few questions in the starting rotation and the main one is how good will Homer Bailey be? We've seen him throw two no-hitters, but he has also had his low moments. A good Homer Bailey would be huge for the Reds and if they team has the lead late in the game then you can forget about it because that means it's Aroldis Chapman time. A Wild Card spot is there for the taking and the series against the Cardinals starting tonight is the biggest of the season for this team.

All three teams have proven they are playoff teams and they do so by being good at the plate and out on the field. St. Louis has the playoff experience and the best offense, but the Pirates are a team on a mission. Cincinnati isn't far behind and has nightmares of last year's playoff collapse to the Giants. Count on all three to make the playoffs if they don't beat up on each other over the next month.

Ballpark Overview: Busch Stadium

This past weekend I had the opportunity to visit my second MLB park of the summer and, while I had visited Busch Stadium before, it was nice to go back because there are changes being made to the park that will improve it even more. The home of 11-time World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals opened in 2006 and was christened with the club's 10th World Series title that season. The Redbirds added another in 2011 and the park has also hosted an All-Star Game.

Busch is a beautiful ballpark, nestled right under Interstate 64 with views of the Gateway Arch and the rest of the St. Louis skyline beyond center field. Two large scoreboards sit in right-center field and Big Mac Land occupies the second-level seats in left field. The Cardinals pay homage to their history in several places throughout the park and the retired numbers can be found below the scoreboard and also on the left field wall. The World Series years are honored on top of the scoreboard with a flag flying for each winner and the club routinely refers to themselves as the "11-time World Champions" on the scoreboard.

Outside the park there are 11 statues and 10 of them are located on the corner of Clark and Eighth Streets. Another Stan Musial statue stands at the Gate 3 entrance on the third base side of the stadium. There are also several gestures to the old Busch Stadium which stood on the same ground. The outfield wall and foul lines are marked and the old out-of-town scoreboards are inside the park and they were left just the way they were when the final out was made at old Busch.

Concessions aren't bad at Busch and I can personally recommend the foot-long bratwurst sold at Dizzy's Diner. There are also nachos that are quite large, Dippin' Dots, Ben & Jerry's ice cream and an Asian and Mexican market. In short, there are plenty of choices for fans who decide to eat at the park. Another nice touch is that after the game there are free Snapple beverages being offered to fans outside the park.

Fan gear and memorabilia shops aren't hard to find either. The official team store is located out in left field with a smaller one down the first base line. In center field there is also an Authentics shop with game-used bats, bases, helmets and plenty of autographed pictures, etc. The Fredbird Store is also inside the park and offers kids (or grownups) to make their own Fredbird doll kind of like the Build-a-Bear workshop. Speaking of kids, the interactive games and other activities are located beyond center field.

What's exciting about Busch is that across the street in left field where the old park used to sit, the franchise is building the new Ballpark Village. The plans say there will be restaurants, shops and even rooftop seating. It will allow fans more options before the game and will also give the left field area some life.

Busch is one of the better parks I've been too and the fans make it a great place to watch a game. It's long been said that the Cardinals have the best fans in baseball and it's easy to see after watching a game at the park. The food is good, the views of the city are nice and team is the best in baseball at the moment. I would definitely say this is one of the top destinations for any baseball fan.

Cardinals Maintain Model of Consistency

Achieving long periods of consistency in professional sports is perhaps the toughest thing to do. With salary caps, free agency and the possibility of failed trades or bad drafts, it is difficult for a team to maintain consistency for decades at a time. Some teams (think Spurs, Yankees, Patriots) have been near the top of the standings every year since the millennium hit, but others (think Pirates, Browns, Bobcats) have been historically bad. Both are models of consistency, but there is one club who has achieved a consistency that trumps the rest. The St. Louis Cardinals are, once again, at the top of the National League standings and it shouldn't come as a surprise if history tells us anything.

The Cardinals are different than other perennial powerhouses in the sense that it hasn't been easy to maintain their winning ways. They have lost superstars to free agency, seen their best players spend months on the DL and have endured coaching changes. However, one thing remains the same and that is the fact that the St. Louis Cardinals are one of the top teams in baseball. No longer is Tony LaRussa in the dugout and no longer does Albert Pujols terrify opposing pitchers in the middle of the lineup. St. Louis has dealt with Adam Wainwright's Tommy John surgery and now is moving right along without Chris Carpenter who most likely won't pitch at all this season. How do they do it?

The Cardinals are not the Yankees. They do not have the money to go out and lure in big free agents with fat contracts. St. Louis is not a terribly large market, but the Cards are good enough year in and year out to attract a handful of superstars such as Matt Holliday and Carlos Beltran. They also draft well and have the top farm system in the league. That farm system has come in handy this season as a bevy of young arms has led St. Louis to a 42-22 record which is the best record in baseball.

St. Louis has won ball games in a variety of ways throughout the years. Some years they hit home runs at a high rate, but other years they simply just hit the baseball. Take this year for example. St. Louis is the best hitting team in the National League, batting .277 as a team with 326 hits. However, they are 10th in the NL in home runs hit with 56. In today's game hitting that few home runs usually doesn't translate to the best record in baseball. Then again, when the pitching staff's ERA is the lowest in the league at 3.17 that certainly helps. Cardinal pitchers also are second in the league in strikeouts, but last in walks issued. Put it all together and that is the recipe for success.

It's hard to watch St. Louis and not marvel at their success. Since 2000, every team in the Central Division besides the Pirates has had a period of success, but none have matched the Cardinals consistency. It doesn't matter who suits up for them, they will be near the top of the standings. They have not had a losing season since the mid-nineties and this season they are surprising yet again with the best record in baseball. It's a consistency that should be appreciated because it's a rarity in any professional sport these days. "The Cardinal Way" truly works.

Stan the Man: The Greatest Cardinal of Them All

Forgive me for the tardiness of this post, but it wouldn't be right to not acknowledge the great Stan Musial's passing. The Man passed away at the age of 92 on January 19th and his death meant a part of the St. Louis Cardinals franchise died as well. Stan Musial is widely considered the greatest Cardinal ever and the baseball world lost one of the best hitters to ever pick up a bat.

Stan the Man played all 22 seasons in St. Louis and is one of the few players who is defined by a franchise, but also defines the franchise. Stan Musial and the St. Louis Cardinals are synonymous. There aren't many players who have that element to their career, but the Man enjoyed his entire career in the same number six Cardinal jersey.

What a career it was too. Musial has impressive numbers with 3,630 hits and a lifetime .331 batting average, but in some ways its the numbers that he came up just short of that stick out. He belted 475 career home runs and batted in 1,951 runs, falling just short of the 500 home runs and 2,000 RBI plateaus. Interestingly enough, there's almost no doubt that Musial would have surpassed both feats had he not lost a year of his prime in 1945 due to military service. Like many ball players, he enlisted in the armed forces during World War II and his absence from the diamond that season is the reason he is short of two other milestones. However, that's not to take away from his decision to enlist. In fact, it's even more respectable that he left the game to serve his country.

Despite not reaching those two milestones, Musial has plenty of other numbers to focus on. He batted over .300 in 18 of his 22 seasons and led the league seven times with his personal best (.376) coming in 1948. Six times Musial led the league in hits and he was tops in RBI twice. He led the league in runs scored five times, doubles eight times and perhaps most shocking: triples five times. Musial could flat out hit and he was named MVP three times and was a 24-time All-Star. He also led St. Louis to three World Series titles.

The Man played in an era with some of the most decorated hitters the game has ever seen such as Hank Aaron, Roberto Clemente, Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Joe Dimaggio and Ted Williams. Last year I had the privilege to spend time with former Dodgers pitcher Carl Erskine. Erskine pitched 12 seasons for the Dodgers and as I sat and talked with him over breakfast last spring the question I wanted to ask the most was who was the best hitter he ever faced? I'm not sure you could really pick someone from that list, but I decided to pose the question to Erskine anyway.

He sat back and pondered the question for quite some time and even told me that I didn't know how hard it was to pick just one player. However, he eventually leaned forward and explained that Musial was the greatest hitter he ever faced. Although Erskine's numbers against Musial are exceptional he still feared The Man. His reasoning for giving Musial the award was that there was no good place to pitch the ball. Musial, as Erskine said, had no weak spots in the strike zone and he didn't rely on his power to get on base. He was a complete hitter. Considering the players that were also in the game at the same time as Musial, for a pitcher to say that he was the greatest is extremely high praise.

Regarded as one of baseball's true gentleman, Musial was respected by everyone from teammates to opponents, but perhaps no one loved Musial as much as the city of St. Louis. Not one, but two statues stand outside of Busch Stadium. In today's game it is unheard of for a player to play his entire career for one team and so the likelihood that a player will ever be so ingrained in a franchise as Musial is nearly impossible. He was loved in St. Louis, but he was also loved in opponents' parks as well.

Baseball lost a legend on Saturday and the Cardinals lost their greatest player ever, however, he is immortalized outside Busch Stadium and inside the hallowed halls of the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. He's a prime example of how the game should be played and how a man should behave on and off the field and there is no doubt that he is deserving of simply being called The Man.

Active MLB First Ballot Hall of Famers

It is a common understanding that Major League Baseball has the hardest Hall of Fame to be a member of and rarely do more than two or three players get in per year. Sometimes the Hall of Fame status is thrown around much too loosely. There are good players, there are great players, and then there are Hall of Fame players. It's an exclusive group, one that includes just 202 players and 289 members overall. Only once have there been three first-ballot nominees elected in the same year (1999), not including the first year in 1936. So it's rare that players be elected so soon after retirement. I recently read a blog post that listed Justin Verlander, C.C. Sabathia and Miguel Cabrera as first-ballot Hall of Famers. I scoffed at that simply because it's much too early to classify those players like that. Are they on the right track? Yes. But the road ahead is a long one. What a player does in the back half of his career will decide whether or not he is a Hall of Famer or not. Many have started out strong, only to fizzle out as their bodies grow older. The list of current first-ballot players is short in my mind. Here it is...


Derek Jeter, SS, New York Yankees
Current Season: 18th Year
Career Stats: .313 batting average, 3,222 hits, 1,828 runs, 346 steals, .382 OBP
Awards: '96 Rookie of the Year, 13-time All-Star, 5 Gold Gloves, 4 Silver Sluggers, 5 World Series
Derek Jeter has defined winning throughout his career. Perhaps the most respected man in the game of baseball, Jeter eclipsed the 3,000 hit mark last season with a 5-5 day that was capped off with a home run. In my mind, the 3,000 hit plateau should put a player in automatically considering that only 28 men have ever achieved the feat. However, that's not all there is to Jeter. He holds the record for career postseason hits with 191 in 152 games. Obviously the fact that he has played with the Yankees has helped his cause, but that is a record that may never be broken, especially when you consider that he is still building upon it. His defense has produced five Gold Gloves and has given us some of the most memorable highlights in baseball. His unbelievable flip against the A's and his headfirst dive into the stands behind third base will be shown forever. His class, records and winning ensure that he will be in Cooperstown as soon as possible.

Ichiro Suzuki, RF, Seattle Mariners
Current Season: 12th Year
Career Stats: .322 batting average, 2,544 hits, 441 stolen bases, 1,180 runs, .365 OBP, 100 assists
Awards: '01 MVP, '01 Rookie of the Year, 10-time All-Star, 10 Gold Gloves, 3 Silver Sluggers
Ichiro may have the most impressive resume when you consider he is only in his 12th full season and he missed about three or four seasons in his prime. He captured the league by storm in his first season, winning the MVP and Rookie of the Year awards. He has led the league in batting average twice, hitting an absurd .372 back in 2004. He has stolen 40+ bases five times and led the league in 2001 with 56. His outstanding arm has generated 100 assists from the outfield and counting. While he has not played on very many winning teams and the Mariners made the playoffs just once in the time he was there. While Jeter has played in 152 postseason games, Ichiro has played in just 10. Now a Yankee, he will most likely finish his career in pinstripes. At 2,544 hits he needs just 456 hits until 3,000. His 162 game average is 222 so if he keeps pace he will need just two seasons after this to reach the milestone.

Albert Pujols, 1B, St. Louis Cardinals
Current Season: 12th Year
Career Stats: .326 batting average, 2,193 hits, 1,353 runs, 469 home runs, 1,405 RBI
Awards: '01 RoY, 9-time All-Star, 3-time MVP ('05,'08,'09), 3 Gold Gloves, 6 Silver Sluggers, 2 WS
It's hard to believe Pujols is only in his 12th season because his numbers tell a much different story. He has a lifetime batting average of .326, is just 31 home runs away from 500, and could reach the 3,000 hit mark in about four years. If so, he would be only the fifth player to achieve both the milestones (Aaron, Mays, Murray, Palmeiro). Pujols is a three-time MVP, but perhaps more impressive is the fact that he has finished in the top ten of MVP voting every single year and finished top five in nine of those years. He hit at least .300 with 30 homers and 100 RBIs in his first ten seasons and last year came up a point and RBI shy. He is now in the American League and playing on one of the most exciting teams, the Angels. As he heads into the last stretch of his career he will cement himself as one of the greatest players of all-time.

Chipper Jones, 3B, Atlanta Braves
Current Season: 19th Season
Career Stats: .305 batting average, 2,693 hits, 1,600 runs, 1,609 RBI, 464 home runs, .405 OBP
Awards: '99 MVP, 8-time All-Star, 2 Silver Sluggers, 1995 World Series title
Chipper is probably the only player on this list that doesn't have the eye-popping statistic that ensures he will be enshrined. He will retire at the end of this season, his 19th in the league and with the Braves, and while he won't finish with either 500 home runs or 3,000 hits, he will be in an elite group of third basemen. Chipper has always been a hitter, batting over .300 ten times in his career and on his way to number eleven. He led the league in 2008 with an outstanding .364 average. He won the 1999 MVP award after batting .319 with 45 home runs and 110 RBI. He has a lifetime .305 batting average and has averaged over 30 homers and 100 RBIs in his career. If Chipper's numbers and lack of awards don't seem worthy of the Hall then consider this: while George Brett has more hits than Chipper, Jones has the same batting average as Brett and has more home runs, RBI, runs, and a better OBP.

Alex Rodriguez, SS/3B, New York Yankees
Current Season: 19th Year
Career Stats:.301 batting average, 2,872 hits, 1,878 runs, 1,937 RBI, 644 home runs, 314 stolen bases
Awards: 14-time All-Star, 3-time MVP ('03,'05,'07), 2 Gold Gloves, 10 Silver Sluggers, '09 WS title
There are two things that separate A-Rod from the rest of the players on this list: how great his numbers are and steroids. An admitted steroid user during his three seasons in Texas, Rodriguez does have a tainted career. However, I have included him on this list because he has still produced after the steroids. He was excellent before them and has been excellent after them. I think that guys like McGwire, Sosa and Palmeiro will find it hard to be elected, but A-Rod admitted it and, as far as we know, has stopped. Because of that, I think he will be elected. He definitely has the numbers. He has led the league in home runs five times and could eclipse 700 by the time it's all said and done (he needs 56). He has led the league in batting average once and RBIs twice. He has over 300 steals on top of all the hitting and he has a chance to finish with a .300+ batting average, 700 home runs, 2,000 RBIs, and 3,000 hits. Those are numbers that few men will ever achieve.

Mariano Rivera, P, New York Yankees
Current Season: 18th Year
Career Stats: 76-58 Win-Loss, 2.21 ERA, 608 saves
Awards: 12-time All-Star, All-time saves leader, 5 World Series titles
Domination. Mariano Rivera has dominated competition for 18 years now and has been a part of five Yankees World Series championship teams. He is the all-time leader in saves with 608 and that is a number that will continue to grow once he comes back from an ACL tear. He has been the closer for the best dynasty in awhile and even at the age of 42 he still dominates with his devastating cutter and nearly ensures a Yanks win once he comes out of the bullpen. He is the best relief pitcher of all-time and, as the game changes, he has set the standard for closers. For that reason he will be elected into the Hall as soon as possible.

The Next Three (Questionables)
Todd Helton, 1B, Colorado Rockies
Current Season: 16th Year
Career Stats: .320 batting average, 2,420 hits, 1,360 runs, 1,345 RBI, 354 home runs, .419 OBP
Awards: 5-time All-Star, 3 Gold Gloves, 4 Silver Sluggers
Helton has decent numbers, but they don't stack up to the players listed above. He is an above average fielder and can flat out hit the ball, but will voters hold the fact that he played in Coors Field against him? I don't think a player should be penalized for that, but it will definitely be a discussion among the voters. Helton lacks the accolades of other players in his era. Perhaps he will get in at some point, but not first ballot.

Paul Konerko, 1B, Chicago White Sox
Current Season:16th Year
Career Stats: .284 batting average, 2,142 hits, 1,088 runs, 1,314 RBI, 413 home runs
Awards: 6-time All-Star, 2005 World Series title
Konerko may not be a Hall of Famer at all, but he has been a steady player his entire career. He has been the face of the White Sox since Frank Thomas left and he was a key component of the 2005 World Series team. Konerko could play a few more years and potentially build on his numbers, which would make the discussion may be a little easier.

Carlos Beltran, CF, New York Mets
Current Season: 15th Year
Career Stats: .283 batting average, 2,025 hits, 1,247 runs, 1,233 RBI, 327 HRs, 303 stolen bases
Awards: '99 Rookie of the Year, 7-time All-Star, 3 Gold Gloves, 2 Silver Sluggers
Beltran has quietly put together a nice career and is having one of his best seasons for the Cardinals here in 2012. The 1999 Rookie of the Year for the Royals has three Gold Gloves to his name and surpassed the 2,000 hit mark this season. Were it not for injuries, we may be giving Beltran a closer look.

On the Right Track (Too Early to Tell)
Justin Verlander, P, Detroit Tigers
Current Season: 8th Year
Career Stats: 118-64 Win-Loss, 3.44 ERA, 1,367 SO
Awards: '06 Rookie of the Year, '11 Cy Young Award, '11 MVP, 5-time All-Star
It's a long road ahead, but Verlander averages 18 wins per season. At that pace, he will need to pitch nine more seasons like that to reach the 300 win mark. He has a Rookie of the Year, Cy Young and MVP trophy in his collection and has appeared in the World Series once as well. The 3,000 strikeout plateau is also one that could be attainable for Verlander. At the pace he is going he will need just eight more seasons to hit 3,000.

Miguel Cabrera, 1B, Detroit Tigers
Current Season: 10th Year
Career Stats: .317 batting average, 1,736 hits, 923 runs, 1,075 RBI, 304 home runs, .394 OBP
Awards: 7-time All-Star, 3 Silver Sluggers, 2003 World Series title
Cabrera is well on his way to the 500 home run mark and could reach it in about six seasons. 3,000 hits is a little bit more of a stretch but he is on pace to reach it in about seven seasons. Having Prince Fielder behind him in the lineup will help him greatly. Combine the hitting stats with the All-Star appearances and the Silver Sluggers and you may have a Hall of Famer in the making.

C.C. Sabathia, P, Cleveland Indians
Current Season: 12th Year
Career Stats: 187-99 Win-Loss, 3.51 ERA, 2,150 SO
Awards: 2007 Cy Young Award, 6-time All-Star, 2009 World Series title
Sabathia is in his 12th season but 300 wins may be a reachable goal. He is on pace to reach it in 2018 which will mean he would have to keep his 17-game win average going until his is 37 years old. That's not going to be easy. I think 250 wins is going to become the new 300 and Sabathia should achieve that. 3,000 strikeouts should be easier for the big lefty. He is on pace to reach that by 2016. If he can add another Cy Young to his collection that would help his case tremendously.

There are obviously several more players who could be added to the last list and maybe a few more on the Questionables list. I really don't think there's anybody else who is a lock right now though. The team listed next to the player is the one I think they will go in as for the Hall of Fame as of now. If you have any comments or arguments feel free to post below!

Hamilton Tearing Apart AL Competition

If you haven't taken notice of what Josh Hamilton has been doing the past week then now would be a good time to do so. The Rangers have won four of their last six heading into the Sunday Night Baseball showdown against the LA Angels and Hamilton has been tearing the cover off the ball. Over the course of those last six games he has hit nine home runs with a four-homer game on May 8th the highlight. Hamilton is hitting .402 with 18 home runs and 41 RBIs just 34 games into the season. As of now he is running away with the Triple Crown race, which has not been won since 1967 by Carl Yastrzemski. Hamilton's .402 average is thirty points higher than Derek Jeter's, who is in second place and he has eight more dingers than the next closest player. He also has 11 more RBIs than second place Miguel Cabrera. His Rangers are 22-12 and leading the American League and it appears this could finally be the year that he leads Texas to that elusive World Series title.

The Texas Rangers had the World Series almost wrapped up last season before David Freese and the St. Louis Cardinals performed one of the great Fall Classic miracles, stealing Game 6 and winning it all in Game 7. In the offseason the Angels and Detroit Tigers dominated the headlines by signing power hitters Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder. Yet it is Hamilton who has been called the best player in the American League by several analysts this season. Consider these numbers: Fielder and Pujols have combined for just six home runs this season. Hamilton has hit three times that amount. The two also combine for 27 RBIs compared to Hamilton's 41. Pujols is hitting just .195 while Fielder is below his normal average at .266. While the two new AL sluggers get accustomed to their new homes their teams continue to suffer. Detroit is .500 while the Angels are at the bottom of the AL West. Another stat worth mentioning is the fact that the entire San Diego Padres team has hit just 13 home runs.

We can expect Hamilton to come back down to Earth, but the fact of the matter is that he will most likely finish the year .330/50/150 if he stays healthy. Sure, there will be slumps, but Hamilton is hitting at such a torrid pace right now that his stats will still be above average. Healthy is the key word though as that has been a problem for Hamilton. He is one of, if not the most, talented players in the game of baseball when 100 percent. He can hit for average and power, run the bases, and play a stellar centerfield. He is well protected in the Rangers lineup with bats like Ian Kinsler, Elvis Andrus, Adrian Beltre, and Nelson Cruz surrounding him.

Still, the personal stats are nice and the trophies and accolades will add to his legacy, but the Rangers big prize would be a World Series trophy. The two-time defending AL champs have come up short the past two seasons and one must wonder how much longer they can keep this team together. They are a complete team with a potent lineup and a pitching rotation that's solid from top to bottom. The loss of C.J. Wilson was offset by the addition of Yu Darvish, who has been lights out thus far. Right now, the Rangers are clicking on all cylinders, and if it keeps up they will be World Series champions and their star should win the American League MVP and perhaps the Triple Crown. Stay tuned.

Pujols Bolts for LA But Don't Compare Him to LeBron (100th Post)

Albert Pujols: A Cardinal no more

The deal has only been made public for about thirty minutes, and already I’ve been hearing the statement “Pujols is just like LeBron.” Really? Just because he left St. Louis doesn’t make him like LeBron.

Pujols spent his first ten years in the league with the Cardinals and it doesn’t exactly take a genius to figure out that he staked his claim as one of the best players in the game just a few seasons into his career. He racked up two Gold Glove awards, one Batting Title, and two World Series rings. He’s been named MVP three times and was named NL Rookie of the Year in 2001. If you compare his stats through the first half of his career to LeBron’s, they’ve enjoyed much of the same success. LeBron won two MVPs back-to-back in 2009 and 2010, he made a trip to the Finals in which his team got swept (mind you he had to face the most dominant team of the decade in the San Antonio Spurs), and he was named Rookie of the Year in 2004. It’s not a secret that the two stars are the best in their respected businesses.

You can’t argue statistics, they’re set in stone, but you can argue character and personality. Pujols brought St. Louis baseball back to the top, and LeBron James brought Cleveland basketball up from the bottom. They were their cities’ most beloved athletes and were treated like kings (no pun intended, LeBron). However, the fact that someone could say “Pujols is just like LeBron” is downright ignorant. I’m a Cubs fan, I should hate Pujols, but you can’t hate the player Pujols is. He’s about hard work, never making excuses, and always being humble.

That’s not to say that LeBron is necessarily a polar opposite of that; I will say that LeBron recognizes when his team needs to improve and when LeBron himself needs to make adjustments. That brings us to the next two subjects on the list in never making excuses and always being humble. After Pujols failed to cut off a throw from the outfield that ultimately seemed to cost St. Louis Game 2 of the World Series, he refused to talk with the media yet still owned up to his mistake. He knew that as a big-time player he should’ve made that play, but he screwed up, accepted it, and moved on. LeBron, on the other hand, struggles with making excuses. After Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Championship this past year, in which the Bulls absolutely embarrassed the Miami Heat, LeBron blamed his poor performance on the head cold he was currently suffering. Give me a break, Michael Jordan dropped 38 points in a game where he had the flu and had to basically be helped off the floor by Scottie Pippen. Kobe Bryant played how many games with a sprained ligament on a finger that was on his shooting hand? Dirk Nowitzki played the entire Finals series with the same injury just on his non-shooting hand. Great players don’t make excuses, they learn from mistakes and admit to them and use them as motivation to get better.

And who could forget the way that the two went about their free agency decisions? I heard about Pujols from my Sociology teacher during school. Sources simply told Buster Olney of the deal and then ESPN.com was filled with news shortly after; nothing was heard from Pujols. I could be wrong, there might be an hour long program on ESPN dedicated to Pujols telling us of his move to the Angels, but Pujols doesn’t care that much about being the center of attention; he’s more of a “pick up your lunch pail and go to work” kind of guy.

So is it fair to say that Pujols and LeBron are alike? When you’re discussing their dominance and mind-boggling statistics, absolutely. When you’re speaking of Pujols’ decision to move to LA as opposed to LeBron’s decision to move to Miami, don’t even say that. Pujols isn’t calling any of the other free agents and asking if they want to team up with him, and he isn’t going to predict the amount of championships the Angels will win. Pujols, though the amount of money is definitely outrageous and over-the-top, is never going to be the selfish player that LeBron made himself look like throughout his free agency.

St. Louis will certainly be bitter with Pujols for leaving, I bet most of us will be, but that city has far too much tradition and has had far too much success to let Pujols’ exit set them back too far. It’s sad to see Pujols leave knowing he could’ve been the best Cardinal ever, but his legacy in St. Louis will no doubt last forever.

Are There Pro Sports Rivalries?

A few friends and I have recently debated with each other about whether there are professional sports rivalries in today's game. The debates have gotten mixed opinions and I'm sure the general public is split as well on the topic. Obviously there are pro sports rivalries but the question is, are there any that stand the test of time? Rivalries that year in, year out are legitimate battles and that players on each team circle as must-win games. I think there are very few, if any. Now, there are always those rivalries that come and go such as the Colts-Patriots, Steelers-Raiders or Kings-Lakers but they do not last forever.

In college sports there are plenty of rivalries and they are fierce border wars, in-state battles or century old conference matchups that make them must-see games. Players on both teams know it's a must-win game and a loss could mean the season was a failure. It doesn't matter how good Duke or North Carolina is, there games are always going to mean alot to those players, coaches, fans and alumni. It's a hate that has gone on for years and won't stop anytime soon. In pro sports there just isn't that kind of hate that has gone on through several decades, with a few exceptions.

In my mind there are five professional sports rivalries that have stood the test of time and those are the Chicago Bears-Green Bay Packers, St. Louis Cardinals-Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants-Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees-Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Lakers-Boston Celtics. What do four of these have in common? They are divisional games between teams close in proximity. The exception is the Lakers-Celtics. They have a very unique rivalry in the sense that they both have been so good for so long. Dating back to the 50s, they have played each other several times for the NBA title and because of that it is a legitimate rivalry.

The reason professional sports rivalries don't last is because of the players. When the players leave the rivalry dies a little bit. Take the Ravens and Steelers rivalry that has been superb for the last decade-- once Ray Lewis and James Harrison retire or leave their respective organizations those games won't be the same. Those players bring the intensity that the game needs and whoever replaces them just won't understand what that game means. In college it's different because a North Carolina recruit is being told right away that Duke is the villain and that he must lead his team to victory against them. Also, pro sports is a business so players will play where the money is and it doesn't matter if it's with a rival. Johnny Damon is the perfect example. He led the Idiots to a World Series title with the Red Sox but when the money was offered he packed his bags and headed straight for the Bronx. Sure sounds like some good, clean hate right there. Not.

I'm not sure professional sports needs the rivalries like college. College sports is driven by those rivalry games but superstars drive the pro games and that's why they are highly successful. Of course each league needs some games that are must-see but they don't necessarily have to be "rivalry games." As long as multiple stars are on the field/court, people will tune in. So which is better? I have a preference for the college sports rivalries because I find them fun to watch, however, I love when rivalries spring up in the pros that have the makings of being a decade-long battle. The Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat have that feel right now and it's exciting and good for the game. If you disagree with my stance on this or have another pro sports rivalry that has burning for many years feel free to comment below.

Sandberg Left Off Cubs' Managerial Search List

Well, another managerial search and another rejection for Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg. After managing in the Cubs minor league system for several years, Sandberg was in the mix of names that were in the running for the job of managing the Chicago Cubs. Yet Lou Piniella came out on top in 2008 which left Sandberg down in Triple A for what appeared to be a few more years.

Sweet Lou retired before the end of the season in 2010 which, for the moment, left third base coach Mike Quade in charge to finish the year out. The season ended and the hunt began again. Some thought bench coach Alan Trammel would step in, others thought Quade was qualified to lead, but most if not all of us thought that it was Sandberg’s job at last.

But denial hit Sandberg again. Quade was kept and Sandberg was said to lack the experience. “Ryno” was left in the minors for at least one more season. That one season was a tough one to experience for anybody who bleeds Cubbie blue. A 71-91 record was nothing fun to watch as the team showed no signs of life once the month of June was over. The season ended brutally and everyone knew Quade would most likely be gone.

October came along and the Fall Classic couldn’t have been better. The rival Cardinals shocked the world with an improbable and unbelievable playoff run. But in the midst of all the excitement, Chicago made the biggest offseason move yet (at least until Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder are dealt). Theo Epstein packed his bags from Boston and headed to Chicago to join the Cubs organization. One of the first things Epstein did, however, was let Quade know that he would not be returning as manager for the Cubs.

It’s finally Sandberg’s turn, right? He’s been patient, he’s contributed to the Triple A affiliate of the Cubs, and he’s paid his dues. But now, he won’t even be in consideration for the job. Epstein recently told Ryno that he had a list of possible managers, but that Sandberg wasn’t on it. With that being said, the World Champion St. Louis Cardinals are talking to Sandberg after soon-to-be Hall of Famer Tony LaRussa retired. Wait a second, the Cardinals? This is Ryne Sandberg we’re talking about. The Ryno who was so loved and respected every day he spent in Chicago, the man whose number 23 flies high above the Friendly Confines on a flag resembling those beloved blue pinstripes. But now he’s got the possibility to manage for the enemy. It’s hard to picture him in anything but Cubbie blue.

It’s a hard pill to swallow, more so for Ryno than it is for us loyal Cub fans I’m sure. I realize that Sandberg may not be the best choice for the job with Terry Francona just a phone call away, but it’s almost like Sandberg deserves this job. I mean, he’s done his part not only as a manager but also as a player.
The Cubs organization might be making a mistake, who knows? Wherever Sandberg ends up the city can consider itself lucky. I have a feeling he’ll be missed by the Cub fans but you know what they say: Baseball is a Business.

Cards Cap Unbelievable Comeback For 11th World Series Title

Sports are made for fairy tale endings. We see it all the time in movies like Rudy, Remember the Titans and others, but sometimes it seems that there are no such endings in the real sports world. Hollywood can make a great fake fairy tale ending but none of that could come close to what took place in St. Louis late Friday night. The St. Louis Cardinals completed one of the most incredible comebacks in sports history, defeating the Texas Rangers 6-2 in Game 7 of the 107th World Series. The victory wrapped up the 11th World Series for the franchise and it's their second since the millenium hit.

Written off in August, the St. Louis Cardinals made a furious comeback in the final weeks of the regular season to overtake the Atlanta Braves and clinch the Wild Card on the final day of the season. What did that get them? A date in the NLDS with the MLB-best Philadelphia Phillies and their lights out pitching staff. Trailing 2-1 in the series and with their backs against the wall, the Cards pulled out two tight games in a row to win the series. By now, Chris Carpenter's legendary Game 5 pitching performance against Roy Halladay has found it's place in Cardinal baseball folklore and the win was easily the playoffs biggest upset. Division rival Milwaukee was standing in the way of the pennant but, again, St. Louis found a way to win. The offense averaged over seven runs a game in the series and it seemed like Tony La Russa almost averaged that many trips to the mound to change pitchers every game.

It's safe to say that the Cardinals were underdogs in the LDS and LCS and that didn't change in the Fall Classic. Texas lost last year's World Series to San Francisco but was back again with a powerful lineup and a bullpen that had been pitching extremely well. Many experts picked the Rangers in six games and the Cardinals seemed to just be a nice story but a team that was going to finally run out of October magic. Wrong. In one of the best World Series in a long time, the two teams went back and forth and four of the games were decided by two runs or less with only one game being decided by more than four runs. For the Cardinals it usually wasn't one of the stars who played the role of hero, but rather one of the role players. Allen Craig won Game 1 with a clutch pinch hit and nearly won Game 2 in the same way. Game 3 was a slugfest that became Albert Pujols' game to write his name into World Series record books. After dropping Games 4 and 5 the Cardinals once again found themselves with their backs against the wall.

A better script couldn't have been written. Relentless team battles back time and time again with the hometown kid hitting a clutch triple to tie it up. Then that same kid blasts the walkoff homerun a few innings later. Talk about a fairy tale ending. Trailing 7-4 in the eighth inning, Allen Craig hit a solo homer to cut the lead to two. At the time it seemed irrelevant but hindsight is always 20/20 and if Craig doesn't hit that home run than David Freese may not even get the chance to be a hero...for the first time. The Cardinals were down to their last strike but Freese's two run triple in the ninth tied it up and forced extras. Josh Hamilton promptly launched a two run homer to put Texas up by two again but St. Louis rallied one more time. This time Lance Berkman had the game-tying hit and that set the stage for Freese's 11th inning leadoff home run to dead center, sending the city of St. Louis into a frenzy. There would be a Game 7 in the World Series for the first time since 2002.

There was only a quick moment of doubt that the Cardinals would win Game 7. Texas took a two run lead in the top of the first but Freese erased it with a two run double in the bottom half of the frame. Allen Craig homered an inning later to give his team the lead and later on, leaped up to rob Nelson Cruz of a home run. Up four in the top of the ninth, Jason Motte delivered the pitch to David Murphy who hit a fly out to left. Craig twisted around before getting under the ball. He caught it, raised both arms in the air and hugged Jon Jay. On the infield Yadier Molina leaped into Motte's arms while Pujols and others ran to join the dog pile on the mound. They hugged, high-fived and put on their championship shirts and hats. The St. Louis Cardinals had, perhaps, just completed the greatest comeback story in the history of sport. Down 10.5 games with a month remaining, coming back in all three postseason series including the World Series where they were down to their final strike twice.

How did they do it? The stars performed well like they should have but the St. Louis Cardinals are not the World Series champions if it isn't for Freese, Craig and the bullpen. Craig wasn't even supposed to be in the lineup for Game 7 but he wound up hitting the go-ahead home run and taking away another. Freese made a critical error in Game 6 but made up for it with his two clutch hits. The bullpen was atrocious at times during the regular season but, with a few exceptions, was lights out in the postseason. La Russa wore a path to the mound, making 3-5 pitching changes a game and he made the right move almost every time.

There will always be talk about the baseball postseason struggling to get viewers on television and many will say it can't compete with the NFL. That might be true but here's what I know: America just witnessed one of the best postseasons any sport has ever offered. Baseball is a special game and what makes it special is hard to describe. Those who love it can relate and those who don't will never understand the true beauty of the game. The 107th World Series will go down as one of the all-time greats and one that truly showed the beauty of baseball.

The only sadness in my heart now is that the season is over. Start the countdown now: 100 days until Spring Training begins. Congratulations to the St. Louis Cardinals on winning their 11th World Series title.

35 Random Sports Thoughts

I sit through quite a few college classes everyday and I'll admit that my mind sometimes drifts from the class subject. Usually it ends up on sports and I decided to write down the thoughts I have about sports. Here are the last 35 I've had. It's a random list and I just thought it would be a fun post and a good conversation starter. Feel free to comment!

1. There won't be another team win 72 games in the NBA. That Bulls team was incredible.

2. Nelson Cruz will be postseason MVP if he keeps this up and the Rangers win the Series.
3. The hiring of Theo Epstein means Cubs fans have a new savior. I remember the "In Dusty We Trusty" slogans and all that. We will see if Epstein and his new manager can do the job.
4. HOW DO YOU GO 100+ YEARS WITHOUT WINNING A WORLD SERIES?!?!
5. I think I'm starting to like Jay Cutler a little bit more...but I still hate his attitude.
6. The Cardinals look good and the bullpen is actually doing a great job.
7. Pujols will stay in St. Louis but Fielder is going to leave Milwaukee.
8. Nyjer Morgan is an idiot and is playing to his actual skill level this postseason. A.k.a not well.
9. The NBA is committing one of the biggest blunders ever with this lockout.
10. Can there be a charity game with NBA players at the Wigwam in Anderson, IN? (2nd largest high school gym in the nation)
11. Baylor may have the most athletic front line ever assembled this year.

12. The Packers are going to repeat as Super Bowl champs...hate to say it, but it's true.

13. Moneyball was a great movie. Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill both did a phenomenal job.

14. How much of the new Walter Payton book is true? It's one of the saddest things I've ever read.

15. Catching Hell was the best ESPN film to date.
16. There will never be a player more competitive than Michael Jordan. Kobe has the same mentality but LeBron is so far off from those two.
17. I believe in the Detroit Lions but they will lose some games soon. Tough schedule coming up.
18. The Yankees and Red Sox panic too much. They are both fine...not too much work needs to be done with the rosters.
19. Thank the Lord the Marlins have a new stadium! Now the A's need to get their own and I'll feel better about MLB ballparks.

20. North Carolina is going to win the national championship in college basketball. Such a complete team.

21. Aaron Craft is a stud. Expect big things this year from the sophomore.
22. Tom Brady is in the top 5 quarterbacks of all-time.

23. U.S. Soccer may never reach the pinnacle fans are hoping for.

24. Mark Sanchez is overrated and so are the Jets.

25. The media loves certain teams and they get more coverage than they should (Jets, Cowboys, Heat)
26. Cardinals will win the World Series but no team will ever catch the Yankees in WS wins.
27. If Dwyane Wade had come to the Bulls then they would easily have won the title last year.
28. The Bulls are still in store for 2-3 more championships before Rose and Noah are done.

29. The Brooklyn Nets just sounds cool. Hopefully they can be competitive.

30. Alabama and LSU is going to be a must-see game for college football. It's the national championship game basically.

31. Boise State will probably never get their chance. If they do it will be this year. Alabama and LSU will beat each other and Oklahoma could lose in Big 12 play.

32. College conferences suck now. I hate it.

33. Hardly anybody can tackle in the NFL.

34. I wish basketball players had to stay in school for two years. Imagine Eddy Curry at DePaul or LeBron James at Ohio State...

35. Where the heck are guys like Eric Crouch, Jason White and Major Applewhite???

The November Classic??

A snowy World Series may be a more common sight if MLB decides to
keep the regular season at 162 games

The MLB playoff races are coming to a close and it is hard to tear your eyes away with the Wild Card races so tight. The St. Louis Cardinals and Tampa Bay Rays are making a late postseason push while the Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox try to hold them off. If the Cardinals win today they will close within one game of the Braves and St. Louis has a much more favorable schedule the rest of the way. However, by the time the regular season is over with it will be September 28th. The playoffs will begin in early October and the World Series may not conclude until October 27th. That's awfully late in the year and it could be an awfully cold Series if, say, the Yankees and Phillies go head-to-head. What's worse is that baseball is now talking about expanding the playoffs to include more teams (we are in the time of expansion you know) and if they do that then the regular season must be shortened.

Since 1961 the MLB has had a 162-game season, as opposed to the 154-game schedule they had prior to that. The Wild Card was introduced 1995 which allowed four teams per league to qualify for the playoffs and I am in full agreement with that move. It would be a shame if the Red Sox and Yankees could never play each other in the playoffs or a team like the Braves, who has had a great year but just happens to be in the same division as the Phillies, got left out of October baseball. The Wild Card teams have always been very successful and it's usually because they HAD to win at the end of the regular season so they come in hot. Now, Bud Selig and the Gang want to expand the playoffs to ten teams which means two Wild Cards in each league.

I will agree with the playoff expansion if, and only if, MLB realizes that it needs a shorter regular season. 162 games is a ton of games and players break down after awhile. Also, the Cubs and Astros don't need to still be playing right now. It's absurd and it just prolongs the agony of a terrible season. I recently read a column by Sports Illustrated's Joe Posnanski and he suggested that the schedule be shortened back to 154 games. I could not agree more with that. Obviously there would be disputes with the record book because, for a long time, players had eight more games to compile statistics. That's something that would have to be figured out but it's a no-brainer that the schedule must be shortened.

The game has changed over time. 15 wins is what 20 wins was back in the day. Saves and holds are more important than ever and 30 home runs is a common sight. What MLB can't be worried about is the statistics and numbers. Yes, with eight fewer games there probably won't be many 20-game winners and less home runs will be hit along with fewer RBIs. It's not about any of that though. Less games means the players will be better at the end of the year and that means more fans in the stands and better games televised nationally. Thus, MLB puts out a better product. Also, if the season stayed at 162 games and the playoff were expanded that would push the Fall Classic into November. That can't happen for two huge reasons. One would be the weather. The other, and most important, is that MLB couldn't compete with the NFL and the start of the NBA. The World Series hasn't been getting good ratings and the longer the baseball season drags on, the longer they must compete with the NFL. That's fighting a losing battle.

There has been no mention of shortening the schedule but the playoffs will be expanded for sure. Bud Selig has been highly criticized during his time in office but if he were to make this move it might go down as the best move during his tenure. It's better for the players. It's better for the fans and, most importantly, it's best for the game of baseball.