3 Games - 1 Swing Each Game

Monday night, the Cards beat the Reds 4 - 1 with 1 swing of the bat - a grand slam homerun. Yesterday, the Reds defeated the Cards 4 - 0 with 1 swing of the bat - a 3-run homerun in the 6th inning. Tonight the Reds beat the Cards with 1 swing of the bat - a solo homerun. For the game the Reds collected 2 hits and they still won the contest. This 2:18 affair featured 2 great pitching performances. Indeed, the Redbird's starting pitched, arguably, the best game if the 2015 season for the Cards and he lost. Sometimes the only thing that happens during a game is 1 swing. The last 3 games proves this.

One Pitch

Tonight's contest between the Reds and Cards at Busch Stadium too 2:22 to play. During the 2:22, in which the Refs won 4 - 0, there was only one pitch that mattered. That pitch resulted in a 3-run homerun by the Reds. One pitch in 2 hours and 22 minutes does not mean that this was a boring baseball game. To the contrary, this was a well-pitched, well-played game. The game had a nice rhythm and the show had a good flow. One pitch was the difference.

Just Fantastic!!

The Cards beat the Reds in 2:38 at Busch Stadium by the score of 4 - 1. Back and forth we go with the flow if the show. This game/telecast flowed and flowed and flowed. A grand slam homerun was the difference in this game. Our RF (radio frequency) camera was situated in the stands down the leftfield line about a dozen rows from the field during the slam. Out very talented RF camera operator was sitting in a seat acting like a fan watching the game. This was one of the most incredible angles I have ever seen in a baseball game. His shot remained static on the field and totally captured the effect of a fan in the stands. I took his camera as the homerun hitter was rounding second base and stayed there until the player was reaching third. One of the most incredible moments I have ever had the privilege to witness. Just fantastic!!

No Flow

The Braves beat the Cards 3 - 2 in 3:02 today at Busch Stadium. For the first 4 innings this game was very difficult to cut. There was absolutely no rhythm to the game during the first 4 innings. The most comfortable games are those with a good flow. A good flow to the game means a good flow to the show. When you have a game such as today's contest between the Braves and Cardinals it can be fairly easy to get frustrated. The trick is to find a flow to your game cut despite the crummy nature of the game. Stay on camera 4 (CF) for a couple of pitches or stay away from the game and cut in fan shots, the concourse and/or vendors. Depending on the nature of the game, this method helps me to develope some kind, any kind of rhythm. Some games can be so bad in regards to rhythm that it is impossible to get a good flow to the show. The first 4 innings of this game were a perfect example of this.

A Blink

I looked at the clock right before the first pitch of the bottom of the 7th inning and the time was 7:48. With the first pitch of this game being thrown at 6:16 it meant that the first 6 1/2 innings of this game took 1:32 to play. The game ended at 8:29 so the final 2 1/2 innings took 41 minutes to play. Why so fast you ask? This was a classic pitchers duel. The Cardinals won the game 1 - 0 with a run scoring on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 8th inning. Both starting pitchers were brilliant and they are 23 and 24 years old! This classic game was on Fox Sports 1. If this game aired on our usual outlet - Fox Sports Midwest I doubt we would have been able to air our complete inventory of paid drop-ins. It was that fast. It was a blink.

Confidence

In 2:55 by the score of 4 - 2, the Cardinals defeated the Braves tonight at Busch Stadium. When Albert Pujols was a Cardinal, I always got "that feeling" that something big was about to happen whenever he was in the batters box. With the 2015 Redbirds, I am getting "that feeling" that this team will win every game at Busch Stadium. Indeed, they are 35 - 12 at home this season. Confidence is the most important factor a professional athlete can own. The Cards are a confident club and it is evident in their play especially at Busch Stadium. This attitude has an effect on the teams they are playing. When the Cards have a lead, one can sense that the opponent's confidence takes a hit. Covering a successful winning team is something I don't take for granted, yet, I admit that I have been spoiled by the success of the Cardinals. Thank you Redbirds!

No Strategy

The Cardinals have the best record in all of baseball. The Royals have the second best record in all of baseball. Tonight, they faced off at Busch Stadium for a make-up game from a June rainout. The Cards beat the a Royals 4 - 3 in 2:56. Whenever the two best teams in baseball - yes I said it - the two best teams in baseball - whenever this occurs you can expect a game of excitement and high drama. That is exactly what transpired tonight in St. Louis. The Royals, the best team in the American League score 2 runs in the top of the first inning. The Cardinals, the best team in the National League and, in fact, all of baseball hit 2-run homeruns in the 2nd and 3rd innings to take a 4 - 2 lead. This lead lasted until the 9th inning. Then the drama started. The Royals lead off batter singled and the next batter tripled. 4 - 3 Cards with a runner on 3rd base and nobody out. After a strikeout, an out on a play at the plate and a groundout, the Redbirds prevailed. I am not a manager in the Big Leagues but this game was won in the top of the 4th inning when the Royals were threatening with 2 outs. They pinch-hit for their starting pitcher with their best hitter (a usual DH) who flew out to centerfield. Game over. No weapons left for late in the game. In fact, a pinch hitter in the top of the ninth for the Royals had yet to collect his 1st big league hit. He struck out. In the game of baseball, National League managers gave a better grasp of strategy than American League managers. This is proven. There is no strategy in the American League. American League fans watch boring baseball.