Play-Off Bound?

Matt Holliday, Mark DeRosa, Julio Lugo have been added to the Cardinals lineup in the last couple of weeks. This says that Cardinals management can smell play-off games...

Over the weekend my excitement about the new defense/offense additions was questioned by a few family members. We had the worst road trip of the season. The Astros swept us in Houston. The Phillies tried to demoralize us Saturday and Sunday. We beat them soundly in Philadelphia Friday night. Saturday we lost 14 to 6. Sunday we held them to 9 runs while we had 2. It was a horrible end to a miserable road trip.

Monday we were back at home. Good News. We were facing the team with the best record in the National League. Bad News. Carpenter was on the mound. Great News.

If you have watched any Kevin Costner baseball movie, you know that superstitions in baseball are HUGE. Well, I have been reluctant to blog about games won and lost due to my baseball superstitions. However, I think it is time to talk.

My boys (as my cousin calls them) have been able to hold the Dodgers down. Resounding victories were won Monday and Tuesday. Tuesday the victory came after an hour and a half rain delay. Last night was a game for the record books. They managed to keep Manny's bat quiet. That in itself is an incredible feat. Everytime LaRusa goes to the bullpen I shiver. This is our achilles heal. Last night, however, was proof to the world that the St Louis Cardinals 2009 team is world class!

The fans are the best you can get. At 12:15am - the stadium was still full. Still cheering loudly for the Redbirds. I didn't even have to look to know that Manny was going to the plate - the boo's could be heard in Tulsa without the aid of television. 15 innings and almost 5 hours after the game began - the great Albert gave us a walk-off base hit. We won 3 - 2.

Wednesday night review by Matt Leach: "In short, the Cardinals did nearly everything right on a night when they had to. A team that had been 8-31 when the opponent scored first got a win when the opponent scored first. A team that was winless when trailing after eight, won when trailing after eight -- and after 10 1/2 as well. A team that hasn't been to the playoffs in three years played an awful lot like a playoff team."

Long days and pleasant nights...