Good afternoon, y'all:
Heard this floating around Cardinal nation -- the possibility of adding Oswalt (Houston Astros) to the Redbird lineup. And there's no shortage of comments. Bernie Miklaz (St. Louis Post Dispatch) has a great analysis of the potential upside and downside of the trade online (you can find it riiiight....here.)
The first rumors I heard about the trade were that Pujols and/or Wainright would be involved in a trade to get Oswalt to St. Louis. Doubt that seriously -- if Pujols were traded, there would be a violent riot outside Busch Staduim in no time flat. Trading a pitcher as hot and strong as Waino is dealing right now...also something I wouldn't handle without it being a great deal (read: Cardinals sweep NLDS, NLCS and World Series).
I'd hate to run the farm system dry, but adding Oswalt to Carpenter, Wainwright, and Garcia for a starting four would be intimidating. Adding to the fact that bullpen would be ready for the late innings would be bouns for sure. Only question -- would/do the Cardinals have the offensive firepower to capitalize on the pitching effort. A "0-1" loss counts the same in the standings as a "6-5" loss.
Whayddathink?
22 July 2010
13 July 2010
Thoughts on a Mid-Summer's Night Dream...
Some thoughts on the All-Star Game tonight:
Bernie Miklasz (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) has some thoughts on the game tonight, worth the 5 minutes reading time. Check it out either in print, or over at the online version of Bernie Bytes: Can the NL finally win?
Some things he left out, (unfortunately), and others demanding amplification
Will Obama pay another visit to this game, throwing the first pitch, and occupying the announcing booth for an inning like he did in St. Louis last year? (And no, I still haven't forgiven him from ruining The Man's moment in the sun...)
Can the National League FINALLY win home field advantage in the World Series? Last time the Senior Division took the win was back in 1996. That was FOURTEEN years ago! Thinking that the "Visiting" team will bring home the win tonight may actually be a dream. Stranger things have happened!
Amen to Griffey, Jr. Even if he doesn't play, a curtain call is well deserved.
Let's see what happens. I'd love the road to the championship end up where it belongs -- Busch Stadium!
Play ball! -- Greg
Bernie Miklasz (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) has some thoughts on the game tonight, worth the 5 minutes reading time. Check it out either in print, or over at the online version of Bernie Bytes: Can the NL finally win?
Some things he left out, (unfortunately), and others demanding amplification
Will Obama pay another visit to this game, throwing the first pitch, and occupying the announcing booth for an inning like he did in St. Louis last year? (And no, I still haven't forgiven him from ruining The Man's moment in the sun...)
Can the National League FINALLY win home field advantage in the World Series? Last time the Senior Division took the win was back in 1996. That was FOURTEEN years ago! Thinking that the "Visiting" team will bring home the win tonight may actually be a dream. Stranger things have happened!
Amen to Griffey, Jr. Even if he doesn't play, a curtain call is well deserved.
Let's see what happens. I'd love the road to the championship end up where it belongs -- Busch Stadium!
Play ball! -- Greg
Requiscat in pace Mr. Steinbrenner
Good afternoon, y'all:
Yesterday, I posted about the theory of playing baseball "the Cardinal Way." Gutsy, tough play based on fundamentals, strong pitching, running out singles, all that stuff we learned playing Little League baseball or from our parents as we watched the game when we were young. A friend of mine (originally from Nevada) remarked to me how unusual and refreshing that Cardinal fans would stand and applaud players from the other team if they used to wear the Birds on the Bat, or were great and gifted players worthy of respect.
Today is no exception.
Granted, I'm not a Yankees' fan, so I wasn't overwhelmed with sorrow, sadness and grief at hearing the news of George Steinbrenner's death earlier today at the age of 80. (Come to think of it, I think there may be a few fans of the Bronx Bombers that may not be too upset as well, but I digress...) But, like the men that take the field or step into the batters box, Mr. Steinbrenner deserves a moment of applause.
Since he took over control of the Yankees, they've gone from a shadow of the team that once had its uniform on the likes of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford, and countless other legends to what can be legitimately called as one of the premier teams of Major League Baseball. Seven of the 27 flags representing World Series Championships came under his reign. He's put together a team that, for much of the 37 years, has been a perennial contender. Ranging from Reggie Jackson, Jim "Catfish" Hunter, to Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez, the Yankees have typically represented the best money can buy. (FYI -- Steinbrenner at first saw free agency as something that could destroy baseball!) "Lead, Follow, or Get Out Of The Way" was more than a plaque on his desk -- it represented the management style of the man appropriately nicknamed "The Boss." Demanding the best was one thing, hiring and firing manager Billy Martin FIVE times takes it to a whole new level. Regardless of everything else, the man led the Yankees' back to prominence, back to success, and back to "leading," instead of following or getting out of the way.
Sadly, Steinbrenner's death comes one day after Bob Sheppard, "The Voice Of Yankee Stadium," who long served as stadium PA announcer of the Yankees. His voice and delivery is just as legendary as the players he announced coming to the plate. His voice last graced the stadium three years ago, but the standard he set is as solid as the legacy of any other Yankee honored in Monument Row. Sheppard was 99.
For more information -- From the websites of the Yankees', the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (good stuff there!)and MLB:
On Bob Sheppard
On George Steinbrenner
Views from St. Louis sports writers on Steinbrenner
Requiscat in pace, gentlemen. Well done.
Yesterday, I posted about the theory of playing baseball "the Cardinal Way." Gutsy, tough play based on fundamentals, strong pitching, running out singles, all that stuff we learned playing Little League baseball or from our parents as we watched the game when we were young. A friend of mine (originally from Nevada) remarked to me how unusual and refreshing that Cardinal fans would stand and applaud players from the other team if they used to wear the Birds on the Bat, or were great and gifted players worthy of respect.
Today is no exception.
Granted, I'm not a Yankees' fan, so I wasn't overwhelmed with sorrow, sadness and grief at hearing the news of George Steinbrenner's death earlier today at the age of 80. (Come to think of it, I think there may be a few fans of the Bronx Bombers that may not be too upset as well, but I digress...) But, like the men that take the field or step into the batters box, Mr. Steinbrenner deserves a moment of applause.
Since he took over control of the Yankees, they've gone from a shadow of the team that once had its uniform on the likes of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford, and countless other legends to what can be legitimately called as one of the premier teams of Major League Baseball. Seven of the 27 flags representing World Series Championships came under his reign. He's put together a team that, for much of the 37 years, has been a perennial contender. Ranging from Reggie Jackson, Jim "Catfish" Hunter, to Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez, the Yankees have typically represented the best money can buy. (FYI -- Steinbrenner at first saw free agency as something that could destroy baseball!) "Lead, Follow, or Get Out Of The Way" was more than a plaque on his desk -- it represented the management style of the man appropriately nicknamed "The Boss." Demanding the best was one thing, hiring and firing manager Billy Martin FIVE times takes it to a whole new level. Regardless of everything else, the man led the Yankees' back to prominence, back to success, and back to "leading," instead of following or getting out of the way.
Sadly, Steinbrenner's death comes one day after Bob Sheppard, "The Voice Of Yankee Stadium," who long served as stadium PA announcer of the Yankees. His voice and delivery is just as legendary as the players he announced coming to the plate. His voice last graced the stadium three years ago, but the standard he set is as solid as the legacy of any other Yankee honored in Monument Row. Sheppard was 99.
For more information -- From the websites of the Yankees', the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (good stuff there!)and MLB:
On Bob Sheppard
On George Steinbrenner
Views from St. Louis sports writers on Steinbrenner
Requiscat in pace, gentlemen. Well done.
12 July 2010
The "Cardinal Way"
Good morning, y'all:
Came across this article at StlToday.com (the website of the Post-Dispatch) -- thought it very appropriate given Herzog's induction into the Hall of Fame, plus the All-Star Game this week.
I've seen it in recent billboards and other promotional materials -- "Play Like A Cardinal." And, growing up in Southeast Missouri, I've grown fond of the Cardinals, and may be a little biased. But it seems that quite a few teams have their own way of playing the game -- call it their DNA. In the article, Dan O'Neill talks to several Hall of Famers who wore the "Birds on the Bat" as to whether the "Cardinal Way" of playing baseball is just a marketing campaign, or if it goes a little deeper than that.
The article is here.
I think it goes much, much deeper. More than just getting a uniform dirty with solid fundamentals, tough pitching and a gritty defense. More than running out the singles into doubles, and making opponents earn every win. And I think that the "Cardinal Way" is best personified in Stan Musial. Granted, most of my reading of Redbird history starts about 1941, so I don't know much about "The Rajah" or many of the players that held court at Sportsman's Park. But the more I read about Musial, especially in light of the LeBron James debacle, the more I sense that there's a bit more to the "Cardinal Way" than just performance on a field. Players are held to a higher standard on and off the field. A shortstop makes a disparaging display to fans in the stadium? Traded off to San Diego. (And yes, the player we got in exchange didn't do too bad at all, either!) You don't see our players at nightclubs or trolling around at 3:30 am. And if they (or their manager) are, there aren't too many forgiving eyes.
Today, many athletes on professional sports teams act in manners that are far from what we can consider "role models." The "Cardinal Way" runs opposite to that. Which made me even happier that my kids learned how to properly cheer at a baseball game in the same way I did.
"Go Cardinals!"
Came across this article at StlToday.com (the website of the Post-Dispatch) -- thought it very appropriate given Herzog's induction into the Hall of Fame, plus the All-Star Game this week.
I've seen it in recent billboards and other promotional materials -- "Play Like A Cardinal." And, growing up in Southeast Missouri, I've grown fond of the Cardinals, and may be a little biased. But it seems that quite a few teams have their own way of playing the game -- call it their DNA. In the article, Dan O'Neill talks to several Hall of Famers who wore the "Birds on the Bat" as to whether the "Cardinal Way" of playing baseball is just a marketing campaign, or if it goes a little deeper than that.
The article is here.
I think it goes much, much deeper. More than just getting a uniform dirty with solid fundamentals, tough pitching and a gritty defense. More than running out the singles into doubles, and making opponents earn every win. And I think that the "Cardinal Way" is best personified in Stan Musial. Granted, most of my reading of Redbird history starts about 1941, so I don't know much about "The Rajah" or many of the players that held court at Sportsman's Park. But the more I read about Musial, especially in light of the LeBron James debacle, the more I sense that there's a bit more to the "Cardinal Way" than just performance on a field. Players are held to a higher standard on and off the field. A shortstop makes a disparaging display to fans in the stadium? Traded off to San Diego. (And yes, the player we got in exchange didn't do too bad at all, either!) You don't see our players at nightclubs or trolling around at 3:30 am. And if they (or their manager) are, there aren't too many forgiving eyes.
Today, many athletes on professional sports teams act in manners that are far from what we can consider "role models." The "Cardinal Way" runs opposite to that. Which made me even happier that my kids learned how to properly cheer at a baseball game in the same way I did.
"Go Cardinals!"
10 July 2010
"The Selective Modesty of Barack Obama"
(h/t to Roy R. for bringing this to my radar screen)
This article by Charles Krauthammer ties a few things together -- from his "number one priority for NASA" to remarks over the past year. It does make me wonder how Obama views America -- not just our history or governement or process -- not the theory, but the belief in what America has been, is today, and can be tomorrow. The potential of America, in my opinion, lies in the belief that we are a collection of ordinary people capable of doing extraordinary things, due in no small part to the fact that our society and government sees the individual as sovereign and equal -- a trait that is immutable and irrevocable. Krauthammer makes some very good points here -- well worth a 5 minute read.
Greg
This article by Charles Krauthammer ties a few things together -- from his "number one priority for NASA" to remarks over the past year. It does make me wonder how Obama views America -- not just our history or governement or process -- not the theory, but the belief in what America has been, is today, and can be tomorrow. The potential of America, in my opinion, lies in the belief that we are a collection of ordinary people capable of doing extraordinary things, due in no small part to the fact that our society and government sees the individual as sovereign and equal -- a trait that is immutable and irrevocable. Krauthammer makes some very good points here -- well worth a 5 minute read.
Greg
04 July 2010
Thoughts for today
Today, there will be countless blog entries, numerous Facebook postings, and oh-so-many other expressions of what this holiday, and all our celebrations mean. For some, it's a time to celebrate the birth of our nation, our republic, arguably the most succesful, strongest and most powerful nation this world has ever seen. To others, today is a time to pay homage to, and remember all who have sacrificed, both military and civilian, to make this country what it is today. And to still others, a time to celebrate our freedoms and rights we are able to so freely exercise in this country. There will be postings of our Declaration of Independence, Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, speeches and writings from Founding father to patriot, from Paine, Jefferson and Adams to Reagan, Hannity and Beck.
But I'd like to take a moment, and turn our thoughts towards something a little simpler, something more profound, something more basic and integral to this great, 234 year old experiment.
I celebrate an idea. I celebrate a belief.
A belief that we all are, by design, a free and sovereign people.
A belief that these rights to exist, to choose our own paths, and pursue that destiny are irrevokable and undeniable.
A beleief that, as a free and sovereign people, we alone have the right and freedom to choose who governs us, in which matter, and under which laws.
A belief that God created us all equal, but left wide open our potential, limited only by our choices.
And a belief that can be but one generation away from extinction. Reagan famously said that "if we lose freedom here, there's no where left to run- this is the last stand for freedom on Earth."
While this grand experiment in liberty is a third of the way through its third century, it is far from impossible to fail. Great nations have fallen to tyranny before. But today is a day to remind ourselves of our past, and rededicate ourselves to that simple belief that has been the cornerstone of our republic.
To me, second only to my salvation, my free-will, liberty and freedom are the most important gifts from God.
But I'd like to take a moment, and turn our thoughts towards something a little simpler, something more profound, something more basic and integral to this great, 234 year old experiment.
I celebrate an idea. I celebrate a belief.
A belief that we all are, by design, a free and sovereign people.
A belief that these rights to exist, to choose our own paths, and pursue that destiny are irrevokable and undeniable.
A beleief that, as a free and sovereign people, we alone have the right and freedom to choose who governs us, in which matter, and under which laws.
A belief that God created us all equal, but left wide open our potential, limited only by our choices.
And a belief that can be but one generation away from extinction. Reagan famously said that "if we lose freedom here, there's no where left to run- this is the last stand for freedom on Earth."
While this grand experiment in liberty is a third of the way through its third century, it is far from impossible to fail. Great nations have fallen to tyranny before. But today is a day to remind ourselves of our past, and rededicate ourselves to that simple belief that has been the cornerstone of our republic.
To me, second only to my salvation, my free-will, liberty and freedom are the most important gifts from God.
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