Astros and Dodgers of the twenty-fourth and a half century!!!

Those looking for a non-early exit from the playoffs should cheer for Astros and Dodgers. Dodgers rotation looks like it took a nose-dive off the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down. Cheering for the Astros is cheering against the Cubs. Despite its health problems the Cubs' rotation is the one of been cringing about all season. With the Cardinals getting a well needed medical rest they should be primed for the post season.

In other news I went 3-4 with 4 RBI's and two runs scored in our 12-11 loss in my first Seminary League softball game. I think my 3 errors (or was it 4) had something to do with us losing. Oh well that's why its Seminary league.

-CJ

Mints on the Pillow and Seasonal Cliches

The quality of a mattress and the softness of the sheets do not rely on the mint that is on your pillow. But you still want the mint. I'd sure like to see the Cardinals close out the rest of the regular season strong. It would give me something to savor as I slowly wake up from the "dream regular season" and arise into what will be a new day of Cardinal sunrise.

Cliches

• I hope LaRussa uses this time to rest all those nagging injuries.
  
• I hope LaRussa doesn't blow it and let his stars get cold on the bench.
  
• Why don't they play Ankiel more?
  
• They are coasting now. It will cost 'em come post-season.
  
• They aren't going to let up.
  

Not sure which ones if any I agree with. Anyone got any other ones?

-CJ

Perspective

Desepite a hurried comeback our Redbirds drop another! What gives? Many Cardinal faithful would like to see more dominance than mere .500 baseball. This SHOULD happen against the Astros and we better take the D-Backs.

That said, I want to ask anyone who reads this to pray for the people in the South in the way of Ivan. Florida and the surrounding areas have had it tough.

"Lord have mercy."
-CJ

A Glitch

I feel like the kid named "Mouse" in the first Matrix movie right after Neo fell during the building jumping scene. "He didn't make it...What does that mean?" I want to be one of the other crew members who says, "Nobody makes the first jump." But this ain't the "first jump." The Cardinals have just lost 3 in a row to possible post season teams. Just a few posts ago I was celebrating how we swept the Dodgers and the Padres. What gives?
Here is the conversation between Mouse and lets say Cypher, talking about the chosen one, namely the 2004 St. Louis Cards.

Mouse: They fell 3 times in a row.
Cypher: Nobody makes it the first time.
Mouse: First time?!?! We're in the middle of bloody September!
Cypher: Maybe they aren't the chosen one.
Mouse: What does this mean?
Cypher: It means that the Cardinals are vulnerable.
Mouse: They might win 110 games and you say vulnerable?!
Cypher: Anything can happen in a Sho...
Mouse: If you give me any of that Short-Series-my-diction-crap, you can cram it up your...
Cypher: Calm down. I'm only telling you this 'cause you need to be prepared. I'm trying to free your mind.
Mouse: Free my mind? Aren't you the bad guy?
Cypher: Shut up and listen! All it takes is the Bad Morris to show up. You know the one who tosses break-less breaking-balls while yelling, "Stop trying to hit me and HIT ME!"
Mouse: So what if he's streaky. Suppan, Marquis, Carpenter, and Williams. 'Nough said.
Cypher: As this season has proven the offense goes limp for a few games, and by chance the defense has saved them.
Mouse: So what are the odds that both fail at the same time? Better they get it out of their system now. They have been strong enough to pull this kind of record off, I doubt they will fall prey to what has happened on this most recent road trip. It would be like Deja Vu.
Cypher: You don't mean?
Mouse: Yes, for the Cardinals to lose in the post-season, it would take a glitch in the Matrix!
-CJ

Annnnnnd We're Back...So Listen Up!

First week of grad school is the excuse for my MIA bit. So I've missed the opportunity to post on a great 9 game winning streak that included sweeps of the Dodgers and the Padres. "Nay," I say! What an exciting time to be a Cardinal fan! Great posts on many weblogs lately! Here is a sampling of some great stuff:

• http://redbirdnation.blogspot.com/

"Cards record through May 26th 23-22

Cards record since May 26th 69-22"

Brian has some great posts lately especially his second most recent on what the Cardinals SHOULD be making.

• http://redbirdreasoning.blogspot.com/

Robb is on a roll! This is some of the best stuff I've read so far and is very refreshing.

"Interesting to note that out of those 5 teams (that have won 110+ games) only 2 won the World Series with 2 others losing the World Series, and 1 not making it there at all. As a matter of fact...the odds of winning the World Series may not be as high as you would expect."

• I could go on but we don't need another Cardinals' links site: http://cardinalslinkblog.blogspot.com/
• On the subject of a dream season, which many of my better counter-parts have pointed out, I would like to address satisfaction. My greatest fear is the 2001 Mariners. I believe that most Cardinal fans would agree that anything less than a World Series Championship would be less than preferable. The Cardinals, to this point, have exceeded EVERYONE'S expectations this year--if anyone disagrees they are lying. Such being the case they have set new expectations in the hearts of the Cardinals' faithful. So we arrive at the impass of hope and faith. I hope that the Cardinals win the Series versus I believe that they will win it all. In the end most fans will grant that the post-season is a completely different animal. However, post-season hopes are directly proportional to regular season performance. Few would admit that they had a strong faith that the Marlins would win it all last year. A good majority will predict happy October tidings for our Redbirds. I will be satisfied with an amazing season regardless of the outcome. Many of you know that I am also an Oklahoma Sooners football fan. The end of last season was disaterous beyond any of the Sooner Nation's expectations, yet it was an amazing season which I am, for lack of a better word, grateful for. It is a dream season. Now it is a dream season. Cardinal fans--Relax! Enjoy the dream season, and enjoy the dream post-season that might come--when it gets here.
• Sweeps of two possible post-season opponents! (Less likely now for the Padres) What great tidings! "Visions of sugar-plumbs" eat your hearts out! Be clear, in light of my last bullet point, that I am not eating the dessert the same time as my other course. I am enjoying it now. But the sweep of the Dodgers gave me goose-bumps! Hmmm I think I should go eat lunch now.
• Bummer about last night, but we were due for a beat down. 10-5 stinks no matter how you spin it. Morris proving once again with his $12 Million contract (I'm sure that the Cardinals are paying this one) he is expendable.

-CJ

Annnnnnd We're Back...So Listen Up!

RUINED! I had a wonderful post which apparently has been lost! I tried to publish it and it simply erased my post! Sorry about that all!
-CJ