World Series Game 2: Rangers at Cardinals
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Oct 20, 2011 
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The Rangers are trying to pull even before the World Series shifts to Texas. In tonight’s Game 2, the Cardinals are going with the young lefty Jaime Garcia against the Rangers well-traveled veteran Colby Lewis. A few quick notes:
• Last night’s Game 1 was the 11th one-run game of this postseason. That’s one short of the record set in 1995, 1997 and 2003. Last year’s playoffs included only eight one-run games.
• Two-thirds of all televisions that were turned on in St. Louis last night were tuned into the World Series (a 66 share). In Dallas-Fort Worth, the game drew a 51 share.
• Country singer Trace Adkins is singing the National Anthem.
• For whatever it’s worth, I enjoyed Tyler Kepner’s story on Tony LaRussa’s desire to make sure all of his active players get in a box score during the World Series. Would you want Joe Girardi to go out of his way to make sure all of his guys got into a World Series game?
• Weird story of the day: Apparently the guy who caught Gaddafi was wearing a Yankees hat.
• Significant story of the day: Josh Hamilton is nowhere near 100 percent and says he would be on the disabled list if this were the regular season.
CARDINALS
Rafael Furcal SS
Jon Jay CF
Albert Pujols 1B
Lance Berkman RF
Matt Holliday LF
David Freese 3B
Yadier Molina C
Nick Punto 2B
Jaime Garcia LHP
RANGERS
Ian Kinsler 2B
Elvis Andrus SS
Josh Hamilton LF
Michael Young 1B
Adrian Beltre 3B
Nelson Cruz RF
Mike Napoli C
Craig Gentry CF
Colby Lewis RHP
After Jaime stands them on their heads tonight, I call for a sweep in Texas.
There best shot is tonight with Lewis, after that it’s 2 newbie leftys.
Lunch time .
“Would you want Joe Girardi to go out of his way to make sure all of his guys got into a World Series game?”
Not if Chad Gaudin was one of those guys, no.
I fear Girardi would care more about getting all of Russell Martin into every inning of every game.
I havent been paying a lot of attention to the cards of the WS, but when did they get Punto? lol
Why is Hamilton still hitting 3rd if he is nowhere near 100%? He looks terrible. The 4 guys hitting after him are probably more of a threat. Dumb.
Oh well, I want them to lose anyway.
Whoever wins tonight wins the series.
Banuelos = Jaime Garcia?
Wouldn’t shock me if the Yanks are playing possum on Darvish…….they keep saying they want pitching….he’s a risk….but he’s also the guy they can go get really for money only…….no draft pick or prospects lost.
Go all in on Darvish. If he doesn’t work out, he can always be a greater at NY Steak ‘N’ Sushi.
Make that a greeter.
Did I mention that Yu’s Iranian father met Yu’s Japanese mother in Florida, where the Yankees have facilities?
He is not your typical Japanese pitcher.
I like the Russell Martin tweets of his workout videos. It makes me chuckle.
My wish list:
1. Have the AL act like the AL and win the next All Star Game, dammit!
2. Check to see if Ron Washington has a pulse. If not, let someone else manage the ASG for the AL.
3. Say “HELL NO!” to Fatty Ortiz!
WEEI is talking like the Yankees are going to to all out for him and they’re all nervous about the possibility of Fat Crappy going to the Yankees.
Is there much less of a fit with the Yankee image than Ortiz?????
NY Press: David,f how did you feel about that play at third tonight?
Fatso: You know, man, those umpires, man, they have it out for Big Pappi, man, I don’t give an “f” (note well: fasto uses the whole word, freely and frequently) how they try to make it hard for Big Pappi (also refers to himself in the third person), they all know I’m better than Jeter, man
trisha, lmao, you nailed Big Papi to the letter!
Go Cards!
continued
they can kiss my ass man.
*************
The Press: Joe, I know there’s been a lot of questions about putting Banuelos into the rotation but you seem to think he’s better off in the bullpen for now.
Girardi: Well you know, we have a good feel for what Banuelos is about and right now we think the best place for him…
(door flies open)
Fat Crappy: Hey man, we just lose another game, man, I’m tired of losing “f’n” games, man. Banuelos is the man, man. We need him to start games and not sit on his ass in the bullpen, man.
**************
And then of course there’s the growling and scowling and shaking his head and the overuse of the f word anytime he’s rung out at the plate, because we all know that he’s never legitimately struck out in his life.
THIS is what anyone would want representing the New York Yankees? Plus count on him losing his skills if he thinks there’s a shot that his milkshakes will be taken away.
He’s one huge embarrassment.
But EEI already has the Yankees BEGGING for his serrvices.
UGH!
“trisha, lmao, you nailed Big Papi to the letter!
Go Cards!”
YF, hell they said no to Pedro Martinez, and he wasn’t one tenth of the trouble that Fatso is. I can’t imagine the Yankees going near that fat slob. But to hear the talk in beantown, he’s already being sized for his huge, huge, huge pinstripes!
***********
GO CARDS!!!!
that was an incredible play by elvis!
I really wanted the cards to score there.
Trisha, there is a distinct chill in the air here in the San Francisco Bay Area, so I’m confident my Ritter Sports won’t melt en route. And, after today’s earthquake, I don’t want to tempt fate and wait around any longer before I enjoy my delicious premium Ritter Sport chocolate. So I’m read to collect on our two wagers.
My new motto: Life is short — eat Ritter Sport.
Should I just tell you a few of the varieties I’m interested in?
Nick in SF October 20th, 2011 at 8:47 pm
Make that a greeter.
Did I mention that Yu’s Iranian father met Yu’s Japanese mother in Florida, where the Yankees have facilities?
He is not your typical Japanese pitcher.
—
So he’s half Iranian. It doesn’t matter, it’s not his race that is a concern. He was born in, grew up in, and played baseball his entire life in Japan. People’s hesistation is because he has played Japanese baseball, which is regarded as AAA-AAAA level, the season and pitching regimen are different, and even the baseball they use is different.
That said, I’m for the Yankees making a decent effort to get him.
I think you should absolutely name ‘em. And since I promised a carton (what is that 24 bars?), you might as well be concise in your delivery! Break it down to its lowest common denominator.
trisha – true pinstriped blue October 20th, 2011 at 9:18 pm
WEEI is talking like the Yankees are going to to all out for him and they’re all nervous about the possibility of Fat Crappy going to the Yankees.
—-
Today they were discussing Yanks no candy, beer, bad food policy.
I didn’t know there was an earthquake today. I hope it was a very minor one. (actually I thought it was the reverberation of the world reflecting on Moammar being offed!)
That said, I am entirely against the use of extremely graphic photos and videos being paraded to the public. I don’t need to see the man in the throes of death, and I don’t think any other ordinary citizen needs to see it either.
Wouldn’t a great role for Montero be back up catcher/DH? I would think that should be a big fat yes!
WEEI is especially talking about the Yankees now, and with an almost pathetic reverence! It is a riot!!! When did you think you’d hear beantown broadcasters and fans using the Yankees as the model of how to do it?
Yup. Montero is the DH/BUC. So yanks don’t need Big Sloppi
24 seems very high; I was expecting fewer and fewer would be ok.
My traditional faves are Alpine Milk Chocolate, Cornflake, and White Chocolate with Hazelnuts. I also really like the new Extra Fine Milk Chocolate (35% Cocoa), maybe even a little more than the Alpine (30%). There are some special varieties I like, such as this one:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9.....hotostream
…but they’re harder to find. I’m also curious about the Milk Chocolate with Strawberry Creme, (which is a fundraising variety for breast cancer research), which you can read about on candyblog dot net.
I can hardly wait. Stay away, deadly earthquakes.
Bob Gibson
Nick, I’ll get on it right away! Well after the weekend. Kind of a busy weekend coming up.
From that Time article in the prior post: “The fact is, what won us the pennant was Whitey Ford. Ralph Houk and Johnny Sain decided that he would pitch every fourth day, and he ended up winning the Cy Young, with a 25-4 record. Elston Howard called him the Chairman of the Board.”
I’m assuming every 4th day was a new concept for 1961, what was the norm for that era in terms of starting pitchers and rotations, can someone please inform? I thought i remembered Houk getting criticized back then for the way he handled Whitey and only saving him for the other team’s aces. Or was that another time during Whitey’s career?
C’mon Cards. Time to score
Nick, not-so-minor problem may be on the horizon. The stores around here are really limited in the varieties they carry. I know I’ve seen Alpine Milk (prettty sure I have anyway) and Hazelnut
i hate when i hit something that makes the post go through before I’m ready! Very sensitive keyboard. Grr!
I’ve seen Nazelnut, dark and milk.
I am going to have to find a way to get the cooler flavors. It appears that Ritter does not sell from its site, but I’m sure I can have my way with them via email!
No hurry, pending deadly earthquake activity.
Here are some chains that carry Ritter Sports:
http://www.ritter-sport.de/#/e.....re-to-buy/
Also check your independent retailers!
if only he was able to make it to 2B in the prior AB, then this single would have scored a run… anywho, c’mon CARDS, one more hit!
Nick, already checked that site and saw the retailers. The ones around here are limited.
Not to worry though. I’ve already contacted Ritter Sport and asked for help with the dilemma.
Grass growth not under these feets!
this is an intriguing chess match…
LOVE Alexi Ogando. Wish the Yankees needed him and could get him.
However, I need him to have an off day, immediately!
…craig strikes again.
advantage larussa
YES!!!!
Mike-Boston……..It was Casey who used Ford to match up vs. the opposing club’s top pitcher…..Man Buck & McCarver are not hiding their St. Louis roots…..
Thank you Alexi.
This has minor shades of Byung-Hyun K.
Craig owns Ogando
You can supposedly get the best prices and coolest varieties at the factory store in Waldenbuch (which sounds too close to Buchenwald, yeesh), if you happen to be planning trip to Stuttgart any time soon.
“No, this is not a sports outlet; instead this is one of the biggest chocolate stores in the country, being the chocolate bar company’s actual production factory in addition to its largest retail store. Factory tours unfortunately are not available, but they do have an excellent factory store with hundreds of delicious offerings available, an interesting museum and a hip café for relaxing in at the end of your shop. Products available in the factory store are at low factory prices, meaning you can pick up excellent quality Ritter Sports chocolates at cheaper prices than anywhere else in the country. You can also pick up brand new, test products at giveaway prices and second quality chocolate bars that taste just as good as any others, only they have minor cosmetic flaws such as cracks or bubbles. If you love chocolate, you’ll just love Ritter Sports factory outlet. Opening Hours: 8am to 6.30pm Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm Saturday”
I wonder if the Ranger fans are ragging about how much The Ranger’s lineup is choking or failing or anything similar to what was being posted here a few weeks ago about The Yanks hitters……Texas had just about the most balanced and lethal lineup in the game this season……I didn’t see this coming at all……Giving money away this October….Nick in SF, you playing these games or the series ????
so much for the “no pitching” theories.
Funy, I was thinking of moseying to Stuttgart soon, now that the Yanks aren’t in the World Series. I would be putting teeth (so to speak) into my mantra that I would travel the world over in search of good chocolate!
Meanwhile, due to the wonders of the internet, it appears that there are many companies who sell Ritter and are more than happy to let me fill my on-line shopping cart with them!
We’re good.
http://www.bende.com/chocolates-c-48/
Just to name one.
Were Ritter Sport Bars the end of the rainbow for both bets that I lost?
Im pretty much shocked that Texas has scored 2 runs in 17 innings so far…..playoff baseball is a funny animal
Pat M, I put a little on the Cards for the series at +145, taken from my winnings on them to win the pennant at +500. I also had a little on a Yanks-Cards series.
I played last night’s game, parlayed with Arsenal (winner) and Cal this Saturday (holding my breath).
I’m playing them tonight on the money line and the +1.5 run line, both parlayed with Arizona over UCLA (looking good) and with Cal on Saturday and Arsenal on Sunday.
Go Cards!
mick….I could see Carpenter being a tough assignment but Garcia and company have had their way with the Ranger lineup….Making them look bad at that…..
Nick in SF……You must have Aced Algebra when you were in school to play all these combos….
If St. Louis can hang on tonight then they just have to win 1 game in Texas to come back home up 3-2. This game is really big for the Cards chances…..
It was Ritter Sports for both bets, and I was staking local Scharffenberger chocolate,
http://www.scharffenberger.com/
Have to wonder if the weather is affecting the Rangers.
I don’t discuss the losers as much.
Cal vs. U$C…
I also parlayed the Cards last night with Barcelona yesterday… Barca was at -3300! Can you believe that? So insane, I did it just to tempt fate. I think adding Barca to that wager netted be an extra 35 cents.
Okey doke. I will need your address. Feel free to post it here!
could you imagine the yanks playing with guys named descalso, jon jay, allen craig and david freese, don’t forget skip schumaker…?
It “seems unlikely” that both John Danks and Mark Buehrle won’t be with the White Sox next season, writes MLB.com’s Scott Merkin. If Chicago keeps both, however, it could mean that Gavin Floyd is the one traded as part of “what looks to be a cost-cutting offseason.”
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com
sign Buehrle and trade Danks to the Yankees.
HFA! HFA!
Get it…
Rangers need to win all 3 in Texas now.
I do think that the RH Cards bats will do some damage against the LH pitching of Texas in Arlington though.
Will Washington play for the tie rather than the win ???
awesome throw by Molina….Kinsler got a huge jump
good piece of hitting….Mott doesn’t have his very best tonight.
this antler claw thing is stupid. C’mon cards, need to K Hamilton
motte lost 2 mph off his fb, too much work…larussa smart to yank him
I think you walk Hamilton there and take your chances going for the K or that Young hits into a double play. To me that would have given a better chance of getting out the inning with 1 or less runs.
lucky a lefty came up or he’d still be in there with nothing
blake you doubt the great larussa?
mick,
yea everthing he’s done has worked so far this postseason…..thought he messed up there. Hamilton can hit a fly ball off Rhodes pretty easily.
Ugh, I need the Cards to at least cover the +1.5 to pay for the Perfect Situp I’m going to need to work off the Ritter Sport chocolates.
Don’t blow it!
Larussa fail
I’m irritated. They score both RISP. Something yanks struggled to do.
Amazing how they got exactly what they needed. 2 back to back sac flies. Unbelievable.
Rally Squirrel Time
See Albert is human after all
Until this moment I never knew that Babe Ruth was a team captain for the Yankees for 6 days in 1922 and then “was stripped of the captaincy after charging into the stands to confront a heckler.”
http://www.life.com/gallery/42.....al#index/9
Feliz will blow this
Time for a dp
Thanks Pat M.
The Rangers may not only stole this game…..they may have just stole the series. No clue why Larussa didn’t walk Hamilton to set up a double play. Should have stuck with Mott and hoped he could strike out Young……he just couldn’t resist going Lefty-lefty
The rangers have just proved why they are in the WS and the yanks aren’t. That was some clutch hitting in the 9th.
At the beginning of the season, the rangers talked crap against the yankees because they beat them last post. If they win the WS, I guess they earned the right to slam the yankees all off season.
Lockdown…It started with a bloop hit and a some unraveled Cardinal defense
Amazing how they got exactly what they needed. 2 back to back sac flies. Unbelievable.
==============
Why? Not bc we couldn’t is it?
Should have stuck with Mott and hoped he could strike out Young……he just couldn’t resist going Lefty-lefty
=========
He saw he didn’t have it…didn’t you? I did.
buck once again stuck it to the yanks with the 2001 reference off Mariano.
Yeah, is Buck going to mention 2001 every single game?
Pat M,
It’s not how it started, but how it ended. Man on 2nd & 3rd & both were scored. The Rangers got it done with RISP in the 9th. Kudos
these next 2 games are crapshoots…game 5 w/ carpenter should bring it back to st lou…wouldn’t be surprised if cards are up 3-2.
Rangers put the Cards back in the game with a leadoff walk but to dice….
Very entertaining series so far. Rangers won the battle of the bullpens tonight.
Cards were up 1-0 when I got on the subway. Got off and see they lost 2-1. Ugh. 3 outs away from complete control of the series.
baseball is totally different when you have no dog in the fight esp if it’s played well
This series is going 7 now
What a comeback. Looked very gloomy for a while.
Gotta love the Rangers defense. 2 unbelievable plays by Andrus.
I think the Ranger bats wake up in their home ball park and against 3rd & 4th starters for the Cardinals.
Cardinals might have blown the series tonight. They were that close to having 5 games to win 2.
Who starts game 3 for the Red Birds??
From espn:
Wed 10/19 @STL 3, TEX 2 Recap
» Thu 10/20 TEX 2, @STL 1 Box Score
Oct 22, 2011 STL (Lohse) @ TEX (Harrison) 8:05 PM ET
Oct 23, 2011 STL (Jackson) @ TEX (Holland) 8:05 PM ET
Oct 24, 2011 STL (Carpenter) @ TEX (Wilson) 8:05 PM ET
Oct 26, 2011 TEX @ STL 8:05 PM ET
Oct 27, 2011 TEX @ STL 8:05 PM ET
Second earthquake of the day rattles the Bay Area… end times coming?
I’ve been emotionally preparing myself to die without ever seeing Cal make the Rose Bowl, but I was hoping that would be a bit down the road.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/.....#038;tsp=1
Thanks m.
Nick,
There were 100 earthquakes under 1 spot on Mauna Kea yesterday. That’s the dormant of the two volcanoes on the Big Island.
Maybe the second one of the day is a sign? Time to move?
LGY,
No problem. Hate not having the Yankees in it. Hopefully it will end soon, so other business can begin. Too bad there’s not NBA, tho.
In other news, Selig might step in the Boston mess as both sides have dug in their heels. Theo went to work today at Fenway like nothing is swirling around them!
Selig also not happy about Fenway Zoo:
http://www.boston.com/sports/b....._step.html
ST. LOUIS – Commissioner Bud Selig said he may have to step in to solve the Cubs-Red Sox impasse on compensation for Theo Epstein.
Selig told Sirius XM radio hoist Chris Russo about stepping in, ”It is a possibility. No question, it is a possibility.”
Selig also commented on Boston’s Animal House: “Well, the only thing I’ll say, you know that I’m very concerned about our image. I do believe our players are role models. So when stories like that emerge you must understand I’m not very happy.”
Russo asked Selig whether he called the Red Sox to ask what was going on.
“No, I’m going to wait until all this other stuff is done and it’ll be up to the general manager and the new manager to solve that immediately.”
Now it’s a best of five with Texas having homefield advantage (three of the next five games at home.)
The Cardinals wasted a solid start by Garcia – very bad on their part. LaRussa should’ve walked Hamilton. So what if the game is tied by the next batter? If the next batter grounds into a double play and you get out of the inning giving up just one run, you could win it in the next half-inning. You can’t let the Ranger’s big man beat you even with a sacrifice fly.
Had the Cards won this game, I’d have said World Series over as no way Texas is playing .800 ball to win it, now I’ve no idea who’s winning this W.S.
I know it’s time for the Cards offense namely Pujols who wants a decade-long $300M contract after this season to wake up because Lance Berkman has driven in half their runs and a pinch-hitter (Allen Craig) has driven in half their runs.
Pujols charged with an error in the 9th inning and left without speaking to the writers after the game.
It’s sad when you are envious of clutch sac flies.
“I never said I would sign with the Yankees. No, don’t be making [stuff] up,” Ortiz said. “They asked me if I would play for the Yankees, and I said I would think about it. But I didn’t confirm to nobody that I would play for the Yankees. I’m still a Red Sox, aren’t I?”
——–
Thank God!! The Yankees have a policy on no milkshakes in the clubhouse.
Unknown -
Glad that’s cleared up.
Early-ish in the yesterday, after they showed Ortiz getting the Roberto Clemente award, Buck made a comment that there are rumors that the Yankees would sign Ortiz as they DH.
Mind you – he did not say there was a quote from Ortiz where he said the Yankees would be a good organization to play for. He said the Yankees wanted to sign Ortiz. I wanted to throw something at the TV.
Kinda bummed the Rangers pulled that one out last night. That bloop hit, the missed cut-off and the excellent baserunning setup the sac flies. What can you say?
Just hope the Cardinals don’t disappear altogether under that big Texas sky.
New low even for the NY Post. Todays front page headline is Khadafy Killed By Yankee Fan – gunman had more hits than A-Rod.
Larussa has been fantastic this postseason ……everything he’s touched has turned to gold but he may have cost them that game last night.
Mott clearly wasn’t his best last night …..but he gave up a blooper and then 1 solid hit to Andrus…..the Cards bad defensed them into a 2nd and 3rd and nobody out situation.
At that point…..the best chance to get out of that with 1 or less runs would have been to walk Hamilton and to leave your strikeout guy in there …..you need a K. Rhodes wasn’t going to strike out anyone……all Hamilton had to do was make contact and the game is tied.
Anyway…….I think the series greatly swung in Texas’s favor….the Cards now either have to win 2 of 3 in Texas……or 1 and then both games 6 and 7 at home……neither will be easy.
Tony needed a K there……and he brought in Arthur Rhodes?
Looks like the Theo deal will probably be finalized today.
Talking to MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes (Twitter link), an unnamed agent believes Darvish’s posting fee will reach $50MM, and the right-hander will then sign a five-year, $75MM contract with the winning team.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com
That’s steep…..the posting fee I could live with but that contract is too much
I can see the Yanks bidding enough to win the posting and then really playing hardball on the contract with Darvish…..if he agrees then he does so on their terms…..and if he doesn’t then he goes back to Japan and the Yanks have essentially blocked other teams from getting him either this year. They don’t have to pay the posting fee if an agreement isn’t reached.
Morning Blake
Can’t have you talkin’ to yourself.
Couple of things :
La Russa was too clever by half IMO. He should have just walked Hamilton. Can’t expect Rhodes to do much against him.
The posting for Darvish is a sealed bid. In order to be sure you win you must bid very high. Do we even need him ?
Thought he was going to walk Hamilton, too.
Probably they tie the game, anyway, though.
I also wasn’t sure it was a good idea to have Punto (was it Punto?) bunting against 100 mph pitches by Feliz.
Nick in SF October 20th, 2011 at 9:34 pm
My new motto: Life is short ? eat Ritter Sport.
**********************
Fantastic motto. I approve.
good morning all
I have been surprised by how low scoring the first 2 games have been. That claw and antler thing is annoying as is Wash’s little dance.
Erin
Nick should copyright that
MTU,
Morning bud…..thanks for jumping in.
Yea I don’t know on Darvish. As I said….I think one plan of action might be to bid 50 million to ensure you win the bid and then really hard line it on the contract. Either sign him on your terms or block if from your competitors …..again if the Yankees win the bid and can’t come to an agreement on a contract then Darvish goes back to Japan and can’t be posted again until next year……and the Yankees pay nothing by my understanding.
Even if you don’t walk Hamilton I leave Mott in there to face him because he had a much better chance of K or popular especially since Hamilton is clearly hurt. Larussa did Hamilton a giant favor by putting Rhodes in there.
kate-he should!
Blake-
No guarantee 50 mill wins the bid.
Yes. Hamilton has a strined groin. Can’t really use his lower half well.
Putting in a junkballer only helps him.
Kate-
Washington looks like he has a case of the “runs”.
The antler and claw thing reminds me of what gangs do in East LA.
MTU,
Yea no guarantee it does…..but if someone wants to bid more than that then have at it. This all really depends on how much Hal wants to gamble I think. Having a Japanese market back wouldalso make the team a lot of money and that’s something Im sure they will consider as well.
If Im the Yanks I try to win the bid…..and then either make him sign a contract Im happy with……or go back to Japan.
Blake-
If the Yanks want to be sure to win the bid they might have to go much higher than 50 mil.
Remember how much higher the Sux bid than anyone else on Dice-BB ?
Other teams will be in on him.
I’m just not sure we need him.
We’ve got Hughes, Noesi, Banuelos, and Betances all on the way.
And if they really want to roll the dice- Joba.
I’d much rather go after Danks.
Morning, all,
I heard somewhere that Darvish will become a true free agent in a year or two, thus eliminating the posting fee. Any truth to that?
heard somewhere that Darvish will become a true free agent in a year or two, thus eliminating the posting fee. Any truth to that?
————————————————————
Yes in 2014
Now if Darvish were really a Dervish and whirled instead of twirled I might be interested.
New Post: Don’t be lazy today!
No darvish