Great Win, Terrible Loss

The Cardinals beat the Nationals tonight at Busch Stadium by the score of 8 - 5 in 3:07. Leading 3 - 2 going into the 7th inning, the Cards coughed up the lead when a 2-out 3-run homerun put the Nats in front 5 - 3. This was a game in which the Nationals desperately needed to win. After the homerun the Nats seemed to exhale a sigh of relief. Then, in the bottom of the 7th inning, the Redbirds scored 5 runs with 2 outs and the Nats seemed doomed. However, in the top of the ninth inning, the first 2 batters singled which sent arguably the MVP to the plate. This batter was leading the league in homeruns. During the at-bat, a wild pitch was thrown which rebounded off the back wall behind the plate right back to the catcher. Both runners took off with the lead runner stopping and going back to 2nd base thus trapping the trail runner who was tagged out. Needless to say, the baseball Gods were never going to let the National back into the game after that base running blunder. They didn't and the Cards prevailed. A great win for a great team. A terrible loss for a team now on playoff fumes.

Exhausting

In this 3 hour 8 minutes game there were 12 runs (a 7 - 5 Cards victory) 25 hits, 11 pitchers and 3 homeruns. This game had a little bit of everything. Everything but a replay review. This was a hard game to telecast. This was a game that was just relentless. Something was always happening. There was no relaxation to this contest. This was one of those games where the edge of the seat was where everyone on the TV crew was situated. This was a mentally exhausting game/telecast. I am now 1 hour into our flight home. At 32,000 feet, I am waiting for the adrenaline to subside. Mentally exhausted - yes I am. Home sweet home tomorrow.

Fans

It was a 6 - 0 victory for the Cardinals over the Giants today in San Francisco in a game that too 3:11 to play. Baseball fans would have enjoyed this game as it was a well-played contest. Cardinals fans may not have enjoyed this victory that much because the Redbirds starting pitcher left the game with a sprained ankle. TV baseball fans would have enjoyed this game because of the work of the RF camera operator. Just great great stuff. It's kind off odd that RF camera operators are either really really good or really really bad. I can't explain this but it is true. Fans of the outdoors would have enjoyed this game because the weather was absolutely perfect. Fans of San Francisco enjoyed this game because it was a day game and the rest of the day will be spent on the town. Which fan are you?

Love It

I love San Francisco. I love the ballpark and I love the TV crew. I love the restaurants and the bars. Despite the fact that the Giants beat the Cards in 3:02 by the score of 5 - 4 tonight at AT&T Park I loved the game. Some sloppy play by the Redbirds led to a 4 - 0 lead after a grand slam by the Giants. Sloppy play by the Giants helped the Cards tie the score at 4 apiece. This 4 - 4 game became a real battle between 2 great teams. A bases loaded single with a 5-man infield decided the game for the Giants. The electricity in the ballpark for the last two innings made me sit on the edge of my seat as I cut the game. One hour later and I am still pumped. The bottle of wine I purchased from a wine shop I love should help me calm down. There is a day game tomorrow with the atmosphere assured to be exciting and then dinner at Scoma's. Did I mention that I love Scoma's?

Hoping

This 3:24 game between the Cardinals and Diamondbacks in Phoenix tonight was a nightmare. Yes, the Cards prevailed 5 - 3, which is a good thing, but 3 hours and 24 minutes can be excruciating. And, tonight it was. The first 2 innings took an hour to play. As we entered the bottom of the second inning our Producer looked at me and said "This is our worst nightmare." It just so happened that I was thinking the exact same thing at the same time. Everyone loves a well-pitched well-played baseball game especially on getaway day. We are currently at 32,000 feet as we make our way to San Francisco. San Fran, like Phoenix, is one of the better stops in baseball. A well-pitched well played ballgame makes it even better. Let's hope.

The LaRussa Factor

Wait a minute! Stop the presses! Did this just happen? A well-pitched, well-played Major League Baseball game from both teams? The Cardinals prevailed tonight in Phoenix by the score of 3 - 1 in 2:35. A game with a great pace and, thus, a show with a great flow! This was truly a fun game/telecast to watch and direct. Trust me, because of the TV broadcast schedule of local telecasts - 150 games - this type of game is cherished. One may experience a game such as this between two good teams fighting for the best playoff position. This game featured the best team in baseball - the Cardinals - and a team fighting for their playoff lives - the Diamondbacks. Kudos to the AZ D-Backs! It looks to me like the Tony LaRussa influence is being felt by this club. I have seen the LaRussa influence with the Cardinals. An influence that carries over today despite the fact that he hasn't been a part of the organization for almost 4 years. Good to see with the D-Backs!!

Earlier Start/ Same Old Ending

It took 3:10 for the Cardinals to defeat the Diamondbacks 9 - 1 tonight in Phoenix. It took 3:10 for the final out to be made but the game was over after the first 25 minutes. The Cards scored 4 runs in the top of the first inning and the game was essentially over. We really like the 6:40 start they have here in Arizona. However, the 25 minute top of the first essentially eliminated any advantage the early start may have given us for an earlier than usual ending of the game. Still, getting off the air before 10:00 is a plus. Did this blog make any sense to anyone.