Losses, man. Losses.
They make the people go crazy. Like seriously, crazy.
I have a 4 minute commute to work. Some days I walk, but some days I need my car to head out to appointments. I usually hear about 1-2 sports talk radio calls in before parking.
Today's two calls? That Wainwright should start GM6 instead of Mike Wacha. And that Jon Jay should be benched the rest of the playoffs for Shane Robinson.
These callers weren't joking.
I'd like to to take a minute and calm everyone down. No, the Cardinals didn't throw the game. No, Mike Matheny wasn't confused as to the import of the contest. No, Edward Mujica will not be left in LA to find his own way home.
It was a loss. In a winnable game. And it sucks.
On the other hand, the Cardinals have set themselves up to have 2 home games, with their 2 hottest pitchers, to win 1 and go to the World Series. Give me that offer anytime and I'll take it. Give me that offer a week ago and I'm ecstatic.
Truth is that baseball is a deeply weird sport. And I suspect that us, baseball fans, are pretty weird too. The things that matter over the whole summer don't mesh with the things that matter in October. There's not a ton of correlation between what breeds success from year to year, series to series or game to game in the playoffs.
You've just got to set yourself up for the best odds to succeed.
Like blackjack. Play the book. And when you get your opportunities, double down. The Cardinals played it conservative and didn't sell out Wednesday. Now they've got some chips left for the weekend.
If you want to blame anyone, I'd say this loss is on Yadier Molina. Dude hit into 2 backbreaking double plays and then struck out twice in his more 'productive' at bats. That's probably a different game if he had just lifted the ball out of the infield on either of his ABs in the 1st or 3rd.
It's a loss to a good team on the road. The Cardinals touched up their closer and are coming home to Busch Stadium for 2 chances to go to the World Series… life is pretty good.
Besides, you didn't have anything to do Friday night anyway, right?
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