This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Oct. 5, 2012 - Cardinal Nation will be sneaking out of work early this afternoon and hanging up the "Gone Wishing" sign, as fans tune in to THE Game (so far) of the 2012 season. The Cards face the Atlanta Braves in the do-it-or-go-sit-on the-couch-and-watch, one-game Wild Card "play-in” at 4 p.m. (Redbird time) at Turner Field.
update The wishing resulted in a victory. And the game will be remembered for even more than the Cardinals getting the first victory in a wild-card play in game.
Missed the disputed infield fly rule? Check it out: http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=25336303&topic_id=39411232
And just what is this infield fly rule? Check here for MLB's Official Rules: 2.00 Definition of Terms: http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/official_rules/definition_terms_2.jsp
end update
The winner enters the National League Division Series, taking on the Washington Nationals Sunday. (Should that be at Busch Stadium, tickets are still available. )
If this Wild Card chase feels just a little like 2011, but not a lot like 2011, it’s because the 2012 season has been a different ballgame for the defending World Champs.
1. Different rules apply.
Major League Baseball tweaked the postseason by adding a "play-in” game between the two top Wild Card wannabes in each league. These teams play Friday in what the MLB is calling "Win or Go Home” games.
Atlanta -- which lost the 2011 Wild Card slot to the Cardinals on the last day of the regular season -- would have had the spot sewed up this year, had it not been for the MLB's postseason tinkering. The irony (Destiny?) is that the Braves could lose the 2012 Wild Card to the Cardinals again this year.
Not surprisingly, Atlanta All-Star Chipper Jones, who is retiring this season, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he thinks the Wild Card play-in game is stupid, though he added: "I wish they would’ve done it a year earlier so we would have had a chance last year. But it is what it is.”
You can't fight, Destiny, Chipper. Remember Game 6 of the World Series? Remember David Freese?
This time last year, the postseason was already rolling. On Oct. 5, 2011, the Cardinals beat the Phillies 5-3 in Game 4 of the NLDS at Busch, forcing the Game 5 duel between Chris Carpenter and Roy Halladay that ended 1-0 with the Redbirds headed to the NLCS.
For the record, the 2011 Cardinals ended the regular season with 90 Wins, 72 Losses and finished second in the National League Central behind the Milwaukee Brewers
2012 Cardinals: 88 Wins, 74 Losses; finished second in the NL Central behind the Cincinnati Reds
Some links for your reading pleasure:
NL Wild Card Preview - St. Louis Cardinals vs. Atlanta Braves; Sports Network
Chipper discusses play-in game – It’s stupid – and Philadelphia; Atlanta Journal-Constitution
2. The rise of the 3Ms
Mike Matheny: Despite pre-season jitters over the departure of Manager Tony La Russa, pitching guru Dave Duncan and The Man-Who-Used-To-Be-No. 5, all is well in Cardinal Nation, after all. Congratulations to the rookie manager.
Yadier Molina: Yadi, always an All-Star behind the plate, really stepped it up at the plate this season. He ended the regular season batting .315, the team’s top hitter.
Jason Motte: Yes, we remember the blown ones, but Motte "The Closer" saved 42 games this season. He's tied with Craig Kimbrel of Atlanta for most regular season saves in the National League. (Did you say, Atlanta?)
Some links for your reading pleasure:
Cards move past departures in return to postseason; MLB.com
Bernie Miklasz: Cards have no need to apologize; St. Louis Post-Dispatch
3. The Aces are back
* Adam Wainwright, who missed all of the 2011 season, returned to win 14 games in 2012.
* Chris "The Warrior” Carpenter missed all but the last weeks of this season due to what was labeled at the time “season-ending” surgery. But he’s back, just in time for the postseason, and looking mean as ever on the mound.
* Kyle Lohse, who'll pitch in the play-in, ended the regular season with 16 wins; Lance Lynn had 18.
And what about that almost no-hitter pitched by rookie Shelby Miller Wednesday night?
Some links for your reading pleasure:
Chris Carpenter: Benefits of pitcher returning to St. Louis Cardinals’ Rotation; Bleacher Report
Miller flirts with history in first start as Cards win; MLB.com
4. The Killer Bs
A sad year followed a glory year for Lance Berkman, who once drove Cardinals fans crazy as a “Killer B” with the Houston Astros. Signed for just one year, the Big Puma wooed Cardinal Nation during the 2011 regular season and stole our hearts in the postseason.
Injuries have kept him out of the lineup most of 2012, and he’s no doubt a goner; if the Big Puma (right) doesn’t retire, he’s a free agent next season. Sigh. If you missed the tribute from fans Wednesday night during what was probably his last at-bat as a Cardinal,click here.)
But in Berkman’s place in right field, came Carlos Beltran (left), who was an Astro in 2004. Beltran's 32 homers led the Redbirds and ranked him fifth in the National League.
All of this talk of Houston reminds us of Jon Jay (right) whose name has nothing to do with a B but whose Beauty of a Bobbling, Bare-handed catch against the Astros on Sept. 24 was an MLB “Must C: Catch.”
Some links for your reading pleasure:
Berkman Leaning Toward Retirement; St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Switch-hitting Beltran’s Unusual Feat; the Cardinal Nation Blog
5. Who’s on first?
In 2012, it’s No. 21, Allen Craig who took over for the injured Berkman, who replaced That Guy who split for the West Coast after the 2011 World Series. You may remember: Something about $250 million and a 10-year contract. And playing with Angels instead of in Baseball Heaven.
Craig's (left) pet tortoise Torty was a hit with fans during the 2011 postseason, the year of Rally Critters at Busch. Torty has been keeping a low profile, but Craig finished the 2012 regular season, hitting .307, the team’s second-highest average.
Maybe it's irony (Destiny?) but the future Hall-of-Famer (right), who wowed the world with his three home runs in Game 3 of the 2011 World Series, will be sitting out this postseason. His Angels finished third in the American League West, behind Oakland and Texas.
In case you’re wondering: Craig’s salary is $495,000 this season.
Some links for your reading pleasure:
Trout Outsells Pujols 2-to-1 at Angels store; The Orange County Register
Pujols’ first Angels season is, hands down, the worst of his career; Belleville News-Democrat
Tipsheet: Pujols sits as Cards play on; St. Louis Post-Dispatch
