Cardinals Finish Off Rangers - Fire "Wash' Countdown Begins

St. Louis Celebrates World Series Win.  The Texas Rangers did their job by allowing smart bettors to cash big tickets. I made my largest sports wagers of the year AGAINST the Rangers and over the total (7). The Cardinals not only won the game but easily covered the -1.5 run line. $$$$$    Box Score

The Texas Rangers won’t win a World Series until they hire a real major league manager to replace their head cheerleader.  A manager should NEVER cost you a game and a good one will actually win a few for the team.  Washington’s late inning moves in Game 6 were the most moronic in World Series history.  Cruz was not positioned correctly (to prevent a double) to make the final out.  In fact, his positioning allowed a TRIPLE.  That’s on the manager.  Bringing Oliver and Lowe into the game in the late innings and batting German (pinch hitter) were the worst baseball managerial decisions in the history of major league baseball.  Oh well, you get what you pay for… It’s not like Washington has EVER shown ability to competently manage a major league baseball game.

  The Cardinals won Game 7 of the World Series, coming back from 3-2 down in the series — and twice being a strike away from losing in Game 6 — to win their 11th title.

The Cardinals turned a one-run game into a three-run game by not getting a hit in the fifth inning. Scott Feldman, in to start the inning in relief of starter Matt Harrison, issued a one-out walk to Allen Craig. He got ahead 0-2 on Albert Pujols, but then hit him on the sleeve. After Lance Berkman grounded out, the Rangers intentionally walked David Freese to load the bases. Feldman then fell behind Yadier Molina 3-0 before getting the count back to 3-2 and then walking him to score a run.

C.J. Wilson came in to relieve Feldman and hit Rafael Furcal with the first pitch he threw to give the Cardinals a 5-2 lead.  The rest is history.  Worst choke in Dallas Fort Worth post season history…

“I grew up in Highland Heights (housing development) just down from the store. If we didn’t make three trips, we made five.”

“Whenever one of those styles is needed, I know how to use it. If I have to take it to the opposing team, I will. If the team is going well, I’ll kick back and watch them play. If my offense is struggling, then I have to do something to help get them over it. You adjust to whatever the situation is.”

“That’s the way baseball go.”

Game 7 World Series Preview

Ron Washington is a terrible in-game manager. I’ve been writing that all season but since the players always bailed him out, nobody cared. Washington did not get the Rangers to the World Series but if they lose tonight, he will have prevented them from winning one.  Washington has done more to prevent the Rangers from winning the 2011 Series than anyone else in uniform.

That said, they’re still one win away and every other team in the American League would trade places with the Ron Washington managed Rangers.

Washington talked briefly to his team after Game 6, telling them essentially to keep their heads up and get ready for Game 7. He talked to the Rangers briefly before batting practice today. 

“It’s just matter-of-fact,” Washington told ESPN. “This is what we play for all year. The prize is still within reach and we’ve bounced back from tough defeats before and last night was a tough one. I expect us to bounce back. Let’s still have fun, still play our game, still do what we do. Let’s not change a thing.”

St. Louis is the National League’s version of the New York Yankees, as they are back in this round for the 18th time in team history following impressive wins over the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS and the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS.

Tony La Russa is one of two managers to win World Series championships in both leagues. He is third all-time in managerial victories and with another postseason win he will tie Atlanta’s Bobby Cox for the second most all-time. This is also the third St. Louis team he has taken to the World Series in the last eight seasons. He may drive you crazy with all his little moves, but at the end of the day La Russa is one of the best managers to ever manage a Major League Baseball game.

Washington has his team back in the World Series for the second straight season and with a better team than the one that lost in five games last year to the San Francisco Giants. Players love playing for him but he has made more bad moves than any manager in World Series history.  Until last night, the players always bailed him out.  Washington has to hold the record for bad moves/good results in Major League baseball.

But in the end, a Series that was dismissed by many around the country before it began for lacking glamour teams suddenly has turned into must-see TV. And fans can savor the prospect of the first World Series to reach Game 7 since 2002, when the Angels beat the Giants.

Last night’s game had the best rating for any World Series game since Game 6, the deciding game, in 2009 between the Yankees and Phillies. Fox also said that this was the most-watched World Series game with teams other than the Yankees or Red Sox – by far the biggest draws for television – since Game 7 in 2002 (Angels and Giants).

This will be the 36th double-elimination Game 7 in World Series history.  Home teams have won the last eight Game 7s in the World Series, a streak that started with the Cardinals beating Milwaukee in 1982.

Oh, and this: By far, the Cardinals have won the most Game 7s in Series history, going 7-3.

Good luck to the Rangers.  I’m extremely pessimistic about their chances.  I believe Ron Washington lost the Series last night.  We’ll know in a few hours.

Cardinals Stun Texas and Force World Series Game 7

The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, which has been played between the American League and National League champions since 1903.

It took 50 Years for the Rangers Make World Series History.

One pitch. One pitch away. Twice.

The Rangers blew five different leads. The Rangers bullpen blew 3 saves in the same game!

In the words of longtime baseball writer Randy Galloway, who has covered the team for 40 years, “From the best moment in franchise history, this Game 6 became the worst moment in franchise history.”

The Cardinals are the FIRST TEAM IN WORLD SERIES HISTORY TO COME BACK FROM A 2-RUN DEFICIT TWICE IN THE 9TH INNING OR LATER. 

The Cardinals are the FIRST TEAM IN WORLD SERIES HISTORY TO SCORE IN 8TH, 9TH 10TH AND 11TH INNING.

That means the Rangers are the FIRST TEAM IN 118 YEARS TO ALLOW A TEAM TO COME BACK TWICE FROM A 2-RUN DEFICIT IN THE 9TH INNING OR LATER IN A WORLD SERIES.

That also means the Rangers are the FIRST TEAM IN 118 YEARS TO ALLOW A TEAM TO SCORE IN THE 8TH, 9TH, 10TH AND 11TH INNING of a World Series game.

Cardinals win 10-9 in 11 innings, on a David Freese home run off Mark Lowe leading off the 11th. Mark Lowe? What the fuck was he doing in the game?  I guess that tells you all you need to know about closer Neftali Feliz?  Or has Ron Washington’s horrible moves, great results-streak run its course?  Probally some of both.

Here’s why the Rangers are done.

The Rangers were one strike away from the championship when Freese hit a 1-2 pitch to the wall in right. Nelson Cruz appeared to have a play on it (the Rangers players and Eric Nadel the radio play by play voice thought he was going to catch it), but Cruz took his eye off the ball to find the wall. The ball hit the wall and two runs scored to turn a 7-5 score into tie game. It was a blown save for Neftali Feliz.

Ponder this carefully…one more strike and the Rangers would have had their first World Series in their 50-year franchise history. Feliz threw a fastball. Freese drilled it. Cruz, playing all the way back near the warning track, needed just a few steps to get to the wall. Somehow, he still missed the ball by a mile, the carom whizzing by him, and Freese buzzing into third with a triple. A two-run, game-tying, down-to-their-last-strike, outfield-can’t-possibly-allow-a-triple, triple. Watch the play here

Darren Oliver came in for the 10th after the Rangers took a 9-7 lead and gave up consecutive singles and then a sac bunt by pinch-hitter Kyle Lohse to put runners at second and third. Scott Feldman came in to face right-handed hitter Ryan Theriot. Feldman got him to ground out as a run scored. Albert Pujols was intentionally walked (despite being the winning run) to bring Lance Berkman to the plate. Berkman delivered on a 2-2 pitch with a single to center to score two runs and tie the game again. It was the fifth time the Cardinals tied the game.

With two outs in the top of the 11th and a runner on first, Washington sent up light-hitting, seldom-used utilityman Esteban German to die a quick pinch-hit death against Jake Westbrook, yanking Feldman out of the game in the process and leaving the Rangers bullpen exposed.

Then Washington went to his worst, and least-used reliever, Mark Lowe, with the game on the line. Ballgame. Watch here if you can stomach seeing the worst moment in Rangers history again

Box Score

Is there ANY chance that the Rangers can recover from the biggest team choke in 118 years of World Series history to win game 7?  HELL NO.  It’s over.  PERIOD. Chris Carpenter vs Matt Harrison 0-1, 7.36 ERA this postseason. Harrison couldn’t make it out of the fourth in his one Series start. The Rangers lost that game 16-7.

The Rangers players looked tight most of the game and they played sloppy.  How do you think they will play in Game 7 after the most devastating loss in World Series history?

I think the best Texas Rangers fans can hope for now is a REAL MLB first baseman next season.  The Rangers will be a major player in the Puljos/Fielder sweepstakes.  THEY HAVE TO SIGN ONE OF THEM.

This franchise waited 50 years to come within 1 strike (TWICE), of winning a World Series and lost the game.

The only thing that would surprise me more than the Rangers loss in Game 6, would be a Rangers win in Game 7.

I can only hope that as slim as their chances are, this team makes a fool out of me.   Prove me wrong, Texas Rangers. I think you have less than a zero chance to win tonight.  One pitch. One pitch away. Twice.

World Series Game 6 Lineups Posted

Rangers manager Ron Washington has Craig Gentry is in center field and batting ninth, shifting Josh Hamilton to left. Michael Young is at first base. St. Louis skipper Tony La Russa moved Lance Berkman to the cleanup spot, hoping to give Albert Pujols more protection with Matt Holliday struggling.

St. Louis Cardinals

1. Rafael Furcal (S) SS
2. Skip Schumaker (L) CF
3. Albert Pujols (R) 1B
4. Lance Berkman (S) RF
5. Matt Holliday (R) LF
6. David Freese (R) 3B
7. Yadier Molina (R) C
8. Nick Punto (S) 2B
9. Jaime Garcia (L) P

Texas Rangers

1. Ian Kinsler (R) 2B
2. Elvis Andrus (R) SS
3. Josh Hamilton (L) LF
4. Michael Young (R) 1B
5. Adrián Beltré (R) 3B
6. Nelson Cruz (R) RF
7. Mike Napoli (R) C
8. Craig Gentry (R) CF
9. Colby Lewis (R) P

Napolitano Grilled on Operation Fast and Furious

Yesterday was DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano’s turn to get roughed up by Rep. Darrell Issa, who is  spearheading a probe into ATF’s controversial Operation Fast and Furious. The Operation encouraged Arizona gun dealers to work with ATF and sell assualt weapons to straw purchasers, all with the hopes of tracing guns to the Mexican cartels.

Two federal agents under the jurisdiction of the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement HSI Special Agent Jamie Zapata and Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry, were killed as a result of Operation Fast and Furious, yet Napolitano denies knowing anything about the program or speaking to Attorney General Eric Holder about the operation up to this point about.

When asked if she would assign an inspector general within DHS to investigate the connection between Operation Fast and Furious and the death of two of her agents, she refused to give a straight answer. Napolitano also says “we should all be outraged by the death of Agent Terry,” yet doesn’t show any outrage, just as Holder and Obama have not shown any outrage over the program.

At a House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, Issa lit into Napolitano, suggesting she acted too slowly to look into the circumstances surrounding the shooting death of a Border Patrol agent Brian Terry, who was killed last December in Arizona.

At the time, two guns recovered from the scene were linked to the controversial ATF Operation Fast and Furious.

Napolitano had testified during the session that said she had held off inquiring into the relation between the controversial Fast & Furious operation and Terry’s death because that matter was being looked into by the Inspector General at the Justice Department.

Issa pointedly said that Terry was killed on Dec. 14 and the IG probe was requested by Attorney General Eric Holder in February, Politico reported.

That, he said, left a gap for her to explore the matter.

“You had two dead agents…..It has been months and you tell me you weren’t doing it because of an IG investigation,” said Issa.

“Wait just a minute,” Napolitano countered. “That insinuation is not accurate.”

Issa responded: “For three months, you had a dead Border Patrol agent and there was no IG investigation. What did you do between December and February to find out about Fast & Furious?….People on the ground knew those were Fast & Furious weapons found at the scene within hours. It wasn’t something that wasn’t known. It was known at the time.”

Eventually, she said the goal was to find Terry’s killers.