I Don't Believe What I Just Saw

If Indidn't see this game, I never would have believed it. The Pirates received 10 walks and batted 6 times with the bases loaded and they didn't score. They left 16 runners on base. On the other side, the Cardinals had 3 hits through 8 innings with only 1 runner reaching second base. Also, and even more negative, the Redbirds lost one of their best players in a violent collision in the outfield. This collision was so ugly that we showed only 1 angle and that being fairly wide from the high home camera - camera 2. Trust me, the super slo-mo angle was sickening. Anyway, through 8 innings the Pirates were constantly threatening and the Cardinals were invisible. Then, to start the ninth inning, the Pirates brought in their closer - arguably the best closer in the game today - and the Cards scored 3 runs on 3 hits with one being a 2-run homerun. Unless you saw this game you would not believe it. I know - I saw it and I still don't believe it.

Shocking

This game took 3:10 and was quite shocking. The Brewers, down 3 - 1 going into the ninth inning, scored 7 runs to defeat the Cardinals. The a Cards closer was in to set the single season saves record for St. Louis and he did not retire a batter. The 4th batter he faced hit a grand slam and his day was over. Yes, this was a shocking loss but is any loss more devastating than another? I think not.

Take Your Pick

Things seem back to normal. The Cardinals won the game and are now 98 - 57. The Cardinals beat a Central Division rival and are now 44 - 28 against the Central Division. The Cardinals won at home where they are now 55 - 25. The Cardinals starting pitcher was stellar and the Cardinals still lead all of baseball in ERA. Even though the Redbirds have the best record in all of baseball, they are still only 3 games in front of the Pirates who have the second best record in the game. The Buccos beat the Cubs at Wrigley today for their 8th straight win and sit at 95 - 60. There is a real possibility that the Pirates could win 100 games and still finish in 2nd place. Yet Cardinals fans, the spoiled rotten fans that they are, are biting their nails. Would you rather be a Cardinal or a Pirate? I'll take the Cardinals.

Strange Atmosphere

Seven pitches into this 3:19 game won by the Brewers 4 - 3 the Cards starting pitcher left with shoulder soreness. The atmosphere at the start of a ballgame at Busch Stadium is ALWAYS electric. The crowd is buzzing. This energy continues throughout the game. That is the reason visiting ball players love coming to St. Louis to play. Well the energy at Busch was sapped with the injury to the pitcher. The "feeling" at Busch Stadium was quite different tonight. This certainly was not the reason the Cards lost to the Brewers tonight. The Brew Crew came up with the big hit and the Redbirds didn't come through. A strange night at the yard indeed.

Never A Doubt

The Cards beat the Brewers 7 - 3 tonight at Busch Stadium. The Brewers scored 3 runs in the top of the 1st inning but I never felt that the game was over. Usually in a TV truck there will be naysayers who will give up the ship after a 3-run top of the first inning. In our truck there was no negativity after the bad start of this game for the Cardinals. The Cards took the lead in the 4th inning with back to back homeruns and the Brew Crew never threatened again. The Redbirds are in a zone right now where they expect to win and the Brewers are playing out the season. Even after a 3-run first there was never a doubt the Cardinals would win this game.

Bad Team - Good TV

It took 2:48 for the Cards to beat the Reds 10 - 2 tonight at Busch Stadium. The Reds season is over and it shows by their play on the field - lifeless. I guess most clubs would show little or nothing being 31 1/2 games out of 1st place (32 1/2 now) on September 23. I really like the Cincinnati Reds traveling TV crew. They are friendly and fun and they work hard. Unlike the team they cover, they are not done. I watched some of their show tonight and they were still delivering. I wonder if I would respond like this TV crew if the Cards were finishing a lost season. I think I would. I hope so anyway.

Body Language

It was a 3 - 1 victory in 3:06 for the Cards over the Reds tonight at Busch Stadium. The 2nd batter of the game homered for the Reds and the score remained 1 - 0 until the Redbirds tied it in the bottom of the 3rd inning. The Redbirds too the lead in the bottom of the 7 th and it was still a game. However, in the bottom of the 8th the Cards added an insurance run and the game was over. For the Reds at least. After the third run scored, I took individual shots of the Reds infield between batters. The 3rd baseman was squatting like a catcher, the shortstop held his glove to his hip, the 2nd baseman had his arms behind his back, and the 1st baseman had his hands on his hips and looked totally disinterested. The Reds were done. At that point the game was over.

Play To Win

With a 2-run bottom of the 8th inning tonight at Busch Stadium the Cardinals defeated the Reds 2 - 1 in 2:34. This game was a perfect example of a team that knows how to win and a team that doesn't. There really was no way the Redbirds should have won this game. The Reds starting pitcher, a rookie whose only Major League win was against the Cards, was dealing. We said in the truck at the time that he was replaced that we didn't think this change was a good idea. It wasn't. The Reds lost. There were examples throughout this game of the Reds playing "not to lose." A team must play to win. If a team does not play this way they will lose. Proven tonight.

A Playoff Game

What a game!! The 4 - 3 Cardinals victory in 3:26 over the Cubs today at Wrigley was our most exciting game of the 2015 season. The Redbirds hit 2 homeruns in the 1st inning and led 3 - 0. The Cards had two extremely hard slides into 2nd base as well that inning and the animosity that developed in the first two games of this series grew to a new level. Then, in the bottom of the 3rd inning with the Cards now leading 4 - 0, the home plate umpire got under the skin of the Redbirds starting pitcher. When it was all said and done the score was 4 - 2 and Wrigley Field was rocking!! I thought Wrigley Field was going to explode during the bottom of the 8th inning. The Cards replaced their starting pitcher after the first two batters of the inning reached on singles. The relief pitcher proceeded to walk the first 2 batters he faced and the score was 4 - 3 with the bases loaded and nobody out. A new relief pitcher entered and the first batter he faced sent a fly ball to right field. The right fielder caught the ball and threw out the runner trying to score from third. The play was huge for the Redbirds but in the process the Cards all-star catcher sprained his thumb. He finished the inning but did not return for the bottom of the ninth. The lead off batter for the Cubs in the bottom of the ninth singled and was replaced by a speedster just called up from the minor leagues. So, you have a guy who can fly on first and a backup catcher behind the plate. Wouldn't you know it, the runner took off on a steal attempt and was thrown out at second. I have never seen Wrigley field so electric!! Just great great great fun! There is a very good chance these two clubs could face each other in the playoffs. Man would that be cool!!

Quicksand

Today's game at Wrigley Field between the Cards and the Cubs was 3 hours and 26 minutes of crap. During this 8 - 3 Cubs victory the Cardinals pitchers walked 11 batters. During a typical MLB game a TV director can expect at least 7 half innings of "comfortable" innings to cut. I remember 2 during this game. This game was a whole lotta nothin. I made this comment during the game/telecast, "Now I know what it's like to be stuck in quicksand." By the way, why is it called quicksand? There's nothing quick about it.

Thunder And Lightening - Yes!!

The Cardinals swept the Brewers tonight at Miller Park by the score of 6 - 3 in 2:51. This game was over in the top of the third inning after the Cards jumped out to a 5 - 0 lead. During the inning, the Brewers starting pitcher was hit in the head by a line drive and he collapsed to the ground. It was a very emotional moment. I had a difficult time cutting while this player was just laying there. Eventually, he got to his feet and walked off the mound into the clubhouse. Trust me, at the moment when the ball hit the pitcher, this game was over. Yes, a 3-run homer with 2 outs in the bottom of the ninth made this game seem close but the ending was never in doubt. After the injury, the Brewers left the building. They made some hugely embarrassing mental mistakes that even overshadowed the injury to the starting pitcher. The most exciting part of this day was the bus ride from Milwaukee to Chicago. Our bus drove through some of the worst storms I have ever witnessed. We arrived at the hotel at 1:00AM and, now, at 1:30AM the weather is just violent outside. On the bright side - great sleeping weather! Just what I need with a day game at Wrigley tomorrow. 7:00AM will be here before I know it.

A Fun One

This was a fun game to do. The Cards beat the Brewers in Milwaukee 5 - 4 in 3:05. After the Cardinals jumped out to a 5 - 0 lead thanks to two 2-run homeruns by a Redbirds rookie (who also clubbed a triple) the game was basically over. Even though the Brew Crew narrowed the lead to 5 - 4 with a 4-run inning, this game was never in doubt. More attention was paid the the Cubs/Pirates game (won by the Cubs) than this contest. A night game getaway followed by a 2 hour bus ride to our hotel in Chicago. Then, 3 day games at Wrigley Field. More fun indeed!!

Defense!!

It took 3:14 and 10 innings for the Cardinals to defeat the Brewers 3 - 1 tonight at Miller Park in Milwaukee. This game had many wonderful moments including a 2-run bomb by the Redbirds in the 10th inning. There were great great defensive plays by both clubs throughout the game. In fact, this was the best "defensive" game of the 2015 season for baseball fans who witnessed this game at the ballpark and on television. I love good defense and great pitching and this game supplied both. Truly one of my favorite game/telecasts of the 2015 season.

Spoiled

The Cardinals, losers of 8 of their past 10, finally won a game in blowout fashion today in Cincinnati. The final was 9 - 2 and it has been a long time since Cards fans could enjoy a win such as this one. It certainly didn't seem like 3 hours and 18 minutes to complete this contest and this victory was greatly welcomed by a fan base beginning to lose faith. Cardinals fans, of which I consider myself, are spoiled. We expect victories. Anything less is undesirable. I am now in Milwaukee with an off day tomorrow and then a 3-game series with the lowly Brewers. I wonder how I will feel come Friday.

Thank You

Tonight's game between the Cards and Reds at Cincinnati was tied a 8 in the top of the 8th when the rains came. The forecast was for steady rain for the next 3 hours which meant we would resume play about 12:30 AM. However, Big Fox was scheduled to televise tomorrow's game beginning at 11:30 Eastern. Many factors were now in play. Big Fox was using the home show truck for their telecast and our truck was leaving to do a college football game. And, most of our crew was not available for Saturday. Here is the final decision about the suspended game. The game is scheduled to begin at 12:30 Eastern with the Big Fox game to begin 30 minutes after the conclusion of the suspended game. So, Big Fox will cover the suspended game for Fox Midwest and Fox Ohio and then televise the regularly scheduled Big Fox game. Which means I have tomorrow off. Although I would like to complete our suspended game, I understand this decision. Now, trust me, I am in no way disparaging this decision. But, the Big Fox production team may have a long day (I hope they don't) but, right now, the Cards and Reds are having a difficult time scoring. This suspended game could go on for a bit. For my colleagues at Big Fox - I hope not. But thank you for the complete off day anyway.

WTF

The 3 hours and 16 minutes it took for the Reds to defeat the Cards tonight by the score of 11 - 0 is really inconsequential. Memo to the Redbird fans who are beginning their trek to the nearest bridge - RELAX. Did you not know that the Pirates lost to the Brewers tonigh AT HOME in 13 innings? I have been on the planes, in the hotels, and at the ballparks with this outstanding Cardinals squad for the complete 2015 season. They are the best team in baseball - Period! Do you want to be a Pirates fan right now? Do you want to be a Cubs fan EVER? Read a book. Watch Spongebob. Go for a walk. 159 days and 140 games into this season and they are the best team by far!! WTF!!

They Knew

The Cardinals defeated the Cubs 4 - 3 in 2:47 today at Busch Stadium. Once again, the Cubs jumped out to an early lead and the thought did cross my mind - "Here we go again." However, that negative thought evaporated as the game went along. Then, in the 8th inning, the Redbirds scored 3 runs to take a 4 - 3 lead. At that point I took a shot of the Cubs dugout and I knew. I knew they were done and they knew it too. Their bubble had burst. The game was over. Sure enough, they went down meekly 1-2-3 in the ninth. Don't get me wrong. The Cubs are finally good. But, they are not great. Great teams NEVER think the game is over. The Cubs did today. Get over that final hurdle and they will get there. They are not far off.

Calm Down

The Cubs, once again, jumped out to a big lead (6-0) after 2 innings and the game was over. The Cardinals made things interesting in this 3:07 game by scoring 5 runs in the 7th inning but the Cubbies prevailed 8 - 5. Indeed, the most suspense after the 2nd inning was whether or not there would be a rain delay as there was rain throughout the area. Despite a few sprinkles during the game there were no delays. Now a message to Cardinals AND Cubs fans - Calm Down!!! I do understand why Cardinals fans are jittery. They have been spoiled by an organization that has been very successful for the past 20 years. I also understand why Cubs fans are so excited. I would be excited as well if my team was horseshit for the past century. CALM DOWN - both of you!!

False Hustle

Exactly 34 years ago today the Cubs shutout the Cards while scoring 9 or more runs. The final today at Busch Stadium was 9 - 0 in favor of the Cubbies. Even though the game took 2:47 to play, the game was really over after 3 innings when the score was 8 - 0. Maintaining focus when the game is essentially over can be very difficult. It was today. I slowed my cut down and tried not to be aggressive. It is my opinion and an opinion shared by many that one of the most embarrassing actions on the field is "false hustle" by a player. An example of "false hustle" by a TV sports director is cutting a 9 - 0 game like a 1 - 0 game or the 7th game of the World Series. No false hustle on our air today.

Learning

The final score of this 2:56 game was 4 - 1 in favor of the Cardinals over the Pirates. As far as the game went, this was well-pitched and fairly well-played. As far as the telecast went, this broadcast was a bit weird. Our feed was on 2 different outlets - Fox Midwest locally and Fox Sports 1 nationally. Ever mindful of my respect for the game I cut these two types of telecasts a bit differently. For the Fox Midwest games, I cut the game emphasizing Cardinals baseball. For National games, equal emphasis is put on both teams. Today, the national audience took precedence as I cut the game. It was different but I truly enjoyed the day because it was a learning experience. That is the best aspect of televising baseball, in fact - all sports, one learns each and every game/telecast. A fun day indeed.

Drip, Drip, Drip

From the 8-pitch at-bat to the first batter of the game until the final out 3 hours and 21 minutes later, this game was pure torture. No flow and, thus, no rhythm. When a telecast never develops a rhythm and there never is a "flow to the show", it is truly painful to sit in the chair and cut the game. I would rather experience the water torture of drip, drip, drip on my forehead until I go insane. Trust me, a game like tonight would drive a person to insanity much quicker than the drip, drip, drip of a water torture. A quick turn around with a 3:00 game tomorrow and then an off day because of Sunday Night Baseball. Hopefully some of my sanity will remain intact until Monday.

Not Tonight

Could they do it again? Not tonight. The Nats beat the Cards tonight at Busch Stadium by the score of 4 - 3 in 3:34. The two previous gams found the Cardinals coming from behind in the 7th inning to defeat the Nationals. Not tonight. It looked as if the Redbirds would do it again as they had runners on first and third with 1 out in the bottom of the ninth inning but, alas, not tonight. Did I just say "alas"?

Deja Vu

The Cardinals scored 2 runs in the bottom of the 8th inning and won the game with a 3-run walk off homerun in the bottom of the 9th. It took 3:38 for the Redbirds to defeat the Nationals 8 - 5 at Busch Stadium. Once again, like last night, this was an incredible win for the best team in baseball - the Cardinals and a devastating loss for the team once picked to be a shoo-in for the World Series - the Washington Nationals. If two games ever described the season long journey of two baseball teams it was these two games. An incredible season for St. Louis and a devastating season for Washington. Wow!