Here we go.
Back to the house of horrors better known as AT&T park. The site of the games 6 and 7 of the NLCS, games I'm not sure the Cardinals are still over.
The MLB schedule maker*, no doubt wanting to pump up the drama, made sure that the Cardinals opening road trip ripped off the band-aid that had been covering the Cardinals psyche and splayed it out for all of America to see.
(* ED NOTE: It's been pointed out that the MLB schedule maker actually made the 2013 slate well before we all knew the outcome of the NLCS and this is more of a horrible coincidence than anything. Thanks to @Kath_Manning for pointing out that facts sometimes get in the way of good points. The above paragraph is still in its original form, but the mistake has been noted.)
It's like seeing the girl that dumped you out with another guy, are you ready to handle it? You said you were before you saw them out… but now she's right there. Can. You. Deal?
The opening set in Arizona indicates no.
No dominant pitching performances. Too many mistakes on the base paths. A general sense that something bad was going to happen instead of something good. It wasn't an encouraging way to start 2013. Certainly not a team that looked like it was treating 2013 as a revenge tour.
And I think that's the big question with this weekend: which Cardinals team is showing up? The one that was down to a final strike against Washington and fought back like crazy? Or the team that rolled over and burped in San Francisco 5 months ago?
Usually the first week in April doesn't provide much insight to the season as a whole.
In the Cardinals case this weekend, it probably will.
Now, the Friday Links…
A GPS gem. LINK HERE
The best way to make new friends. LINK HERE
Nice try, bin. LINK HERE
Cat decision making tree. LINK HERE
The high price of whine. LINK HERE
Woman of the year? LINK HERE
That's it. That's the week. Lot's going on this weekend, including the Final Four on Saturday and then the return of Mad Men on Sunday. (Roger Sterling supercut anyone? LINK HERE) Enjoy whatever you might be doing.
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