We're not gonna fall for the banana in the tailpipe.

Last night I noticed the Cardinals had played 82 games, pretty much the halfway point of a 162 game season.

Any surprises this season?

I'm thinking 2. First, the Cleveland Indians. Who expected them to do much? I know I didn't. Pretty much the division winners are playoff teams, so no shock there.

However, the biggest surprise of 2011 so far has been the St. Louis Cardinals and their improbable success that has at least kept them competitive.

If you've been following them, it's nothing short of unfathomable that they're in first place in the division at this point. Granted, the competition in the division seems down this year, but still.

Former Cy Young winner Chris Carpenter started the season 1-7 and looked like he was aiming at the sweet spot of the opposition's bats, giving up far too many home runs. The Cardinals lost the best starting pitcher (Adam Wainwright) for the season in Spring Training. They would have been better off had they lost their all-star closer (Ryan Franklin) before the season, since all he could do was blown saves or surrender leads. Last year he had 2 blown saves. This year, he blew 4 of his first 5 saves chances, before losing that role. Sporting a 8.46 ERA, he was completely cut from the team this week.

But it's not just the pitching staff that's taken a hit. The starting 3B Freese has missed significant time with injury, necessitating a move of Albert Pujols at times to play third. But, Albert himself has had his worst start ever. He got record streaks for games without a homer and no extra base hits. He seemed to have turned a corner and then broke his arm/wrist, putting him on the DL for 4-6 weeks. So, far they have a losing record in his absence.

All-star Matt Holliday has missed some time with injury and you'd think there's no way they'd be anywhere but the division's cellar, right? Well, some young kids have stepped up, but on a team that's been surprising this season, the highlight surprise has been Lance Berkman.

Berkman gets my vote for Cardinals MVP so far. It pains me so to applaud the former disAstros slugger who was always my most hated opposition player. He was always such a Cardinals killer.

It was almost as bad for me as when the Cowboys signed Terrell Owens. I remember when I heard the announcement thinking, C'mon, we're not gonna fall for the banana in the tailpipe, are we? This can't go well, can it?

But, unlike Owens, Berkman bounced back from a sub-par 2010 that left many convinced he was done. Now, I'm a fan. He's been the most consistent offensive player and it's been consistently good. In fact, he leads the team in homers & RBI and much of that has been rather clutch.

I said all that to say this. With Wainwright's season ending injury, Albert's slow start, and Franklin's meltdown, I thought the team should start thinking about 2012 back in April.

But, if Albert can come back healthy and if they can string together a few nice runs, they can win the division. Regardless of what happens the rest of the way with Berkman, fans are indebted to him for keeping hope alive in 2011.

Swing away, Merrill. Merrill ... swing away.

The baseball playoffs (schedule) start tomorrow, so it's prediction time. Yours are most welcome.

10/7/2009 UDPATE: This just in, Vegas oddsmakers pick Cardinals & Yankees in the World Series.

NLDS
Cardinals at Dodgers - Cardinals
Rockies at Phillies - Rockies

ALDS
Tigers/Twins* at Yankees - Yankees
Red Sox at Angels - Red Sox

NLCS
Rockies at Cardinals - Cardinals

ALCS
Red Sox at Yankees - Yankees

World Series
Cardinals at Yankees - Cardinals Win!


COMMENTARY:

• NL: With the Cardinals top 3 in their pitching rotation and Pujols & Holliday, they have a chance against anybody. That being said, the Cardinals match up MUCH better against the Dodgers than the Rockies or Phillies. The key will be the pitching. Worst case scenario, Carpenter pitches Game 1 & Game 5 in LA. He could still pitch Game 3 & Game 7 in the NLCS, with Wainright & Pinero in Games 1 & 2 and 5 & 6. Ideal would be finishing off the Dodgers in 4 games to start Carpenter, Wainwright, and Pinero in Games 1-3 and 5-7 in the NLCS. Either way, some off days favor the Cardinals being able to maximize their starting pitching.

• AL: The Yankees & Red Sox shouldn't have much difficulty in the first round, even though the Red Sox start on the road. I wouldn't be surprised by another epic match up in the ALCS, but I think the Yankees have upgraded a bit, but I wouldn't say the same for Boston.

*Regardless of who wins the one-game playoff tonight, neither poses much of a threat to NY. However, I am rooting for the Twins after the Cabrera's recent incident of potent drunkeness and spousal physicality. I just wish the sport commentators were more upset about the latter than the potential "distraction" he's caused the Tigers.

And now you must go into the forest and cut down the largest tree with ... a herring!

Who will win the National League Central?

The Cardinals have 50 games left and they are presently 4 games behind the Cubs for 1st place.

Of those 50 games:
Home games = 25
Away games = 25

Games against teams that are .500 or better = 20
Games against teams that are sub .500 = 30

Home games vs. .500+ = 10
Home games vs. sub .500 = 15

Away games vs. .500+ = 10
Away games vs. sub .500 = 15

Cardinals Home record = 31-25
Cardinals Away record = 31-25

If the Cardinals kept those winning percentages ...
Remaining home games = 14-11
Remaining away games = 14-11
Going 28-22 in their last 52 games,
finishing 90-76.
(I think they will need at least 93 to win the division.)


The Cubs remaining 52 games:
Home games = 27
Away games = 25

Games against teams that are .500 or better = 28
Games against teams that are sub .500 = 24

Home games vs. .500+ = 15
Home games vs. sub .500 = 12

Away games vs. .500+ = 13
Away games vs. sub .500 = 12

Cubs Home record = 39-15
Cubs Away record = 26-30

If the Cubs kept those winning percentages ...
Remaining home games = 19-8
Remaining away games = 11-14
Going 30-22 in their last 52 games,
finishing 95-67. (5 games ahead)


The Cubs are 7-3 in their last 10 games. The Cardinals are 5-5. That will not do.

The Cardinals have 9 games left with the Cubs (6 away, 3 home). The percentages would say the Cardinals go 4-5 in those games, thereby losing a game in the standings. I contend that the Cardinals must go 6-3 (thereby gaining 3 games) to have a chance to win the division.

That will not be easy, even if the schedule slightly favors the Cardinals. In fact, it might be easier to cut down the largest tree in the forest with ... a herring.

Men don’t follow titles; they follow courage.

Since football season is over, my thoughts turn to baseball. During the offseason, the Cardinals have been making some deals, some more painful than others.

Jim Edmonds won't be wearing the "birds on the bat" in 2008. The Cardinals Nation mourns the departure of the 4-time All Star and 8-time gold glover. But, he didn't just play awesome defense, he won the Silver Slugger award in 2004, the best batting average at his position.
"Jimmy Baseball" was my favorite player after the Ozzie era. Ozzie had such range at shortstop, just as Jimmy had incredible range in center field.

My favorite of all time is Bob Gibson and I may be overly nostalgic, but Edmonds makes my top 10 and perhaps even my top 5.

He's no lock for the Hall of Fame, but I so enjoyed watching him play, and I'm not alone. In all honestly, however, I would yell at him before every AB knowing they might as well just spot the pitcher an 0-2 count to save everyone the time and aggravation.

Next to only Ken Griffey, Jr., Edmonds had the sweetest left-handed swing in baseball. His dramatic catches and clutch hitting solidified his reputation while with the Angels, but he only added to it as a Cardinal.

In the 2004 NLCS, with the Cardinals down to the disAstros 3 games to 2, Jimmy's "walk off" homer (3:05 of video) in the 12th inning set up a Game 7 in St. Louis against Roger Clemens. That night, at a critical point in the game, Jimmy laid out horizontally, running away from the ball to snag one of the greatest catches I've ever seen (2:50 of video). The Cardinals went to the World Series.

Here's a great tribute video for his 8 years in St. Louis.


It's been said that 70% of the earth is covered by water, and the other 30% is covered by Jim Edmonds, and I believe it.

His courageous play made him a leader on the team, for men don't follow titles; they follow courage. Such a courageous player/leader will be hard to replace.

Thanks for the memories, Jim Edmonds.

you want me on that wall, you need me on that wall

The Cowboys were humiliated on Sunday, at least the offense was. They were humiliated ... at home ... to the hated Eagles. I'm not sure I'd call that match up a "rivalry," but it got me to thinking about this year's team and what's lacking.

It's not a stretch to think that the Cowboys will make it to the Superbowl this year, but I find myself thinking that there's just a little something missing from a Superbowl run ... a rival.

Winning something is all the more sweet when there's a rival to overcome. Winning in the 90s was great because we got to rub the 49ers noses in it.

I got to thinking about the need for rivals and then to my favorite rivalries. This may be different than "the greatest rivalries" that some sports show may list. Michigan & Notre Dame may be great, but I don't care, so it's not great to me.

--- Be thinking about YOUR favorite rivalries in sports and/or which you think are the greatest. ---

I'll share my favorite rivalries.

Cardinals vs. Cubs - I grew up a Cardinals fan and there's always been great joy in beating the Cubbies. They're the team you love to beat. They're not typically a rival for winning the division, but over the years some great games have been played.


Lakers vs. Celtics (1980s) - After writing a book report about a man named "Lew Alcinder" in 3rd grade, I was forever thereafter a fan of the Mighty Lakers, the new home of "Kareem." How great were those games in the 80s with Lakers (Kareem, Magic, Worthy, Rambis, Scott, Nixon, McAdoo, Cooper, etc.) matching up with the Celtics (Bird, Parrish, McHale, DJ, Ainge, Walton, etc.), particularly in the NBA Finals? That was the Golden Era of the NBA for sure.


Cowboys vs. Redskins - As long as I can remember I've been a Cowboys fan, even while living in Kentucky and Alabama and other parts of the globe that my dad's Army career took us. This rivalry tends to work best when at least one of the teams is good, which is probably why the rivalry has been its weakest the past five years.

Back in the day those 2 teams really hated each other. I remember the recent game where the Cowboys were up by 13 with less than 2 minutes left and the Redskins smoked us with 2 big touchdown passes. I was so mad. But, there were our "paycheck players" yucking it up afterward, smokin' & jokin' with the Redskins as though they were teenagers hanging out at the mall.


Aggies vs. Longhorns - I'm an Aggie, so this one needs little explanation. However, I will point out that the Ags have smoked the t-sips like a cheap cigar the past 2 years in a row. Who's your daddy?


Cowboys vs. 49ers (1990s) - I still rejoice to see the 49ers watching the playoffs on their television screens, but the rivalry has dissipated. With Michael Irvin & Steve Young all friendly-like, you know it's over. I appreciate T.O. trying to resurrect it a few years back when his celebrations on "The Star," but all that did was show us that Emmitt still cared and that George Teague should be in the "Ring of Honor."

Still, in the 90s we had a great rivalry. Remember Kenny Norton, Jr. turning traitor on us by going to San Fran? Remember really turning up the hate meter when Deion left Atlanta for San Fran? Remember how you felt being down 21-3 in the NFC Championship game in '94 inside like the first 3 minutes of the game? I refused to watch the Superbowl that year, knowing that the Cowboys should have been the ones whipping up on the Lightning Bolts to the tune of 55-10.
November 12th 1995 (PM) was the 2nd time ever for me to preach and it was hard dragging my badself up to church to share our obligation to "Serve the Living God" after losing that game, a turning point in the rivalry. Honestly, we were fortunate that SF lost to Green Bay in the '95-96 playoffs so we could play them in the NFC Championship Game instead.

I was not a Barry hater, but I'm thinking that if Jimmy had stayed in Dallas, 5 Superbowls in a row, without a doubt. This rivalry also taught me that the chief characteristic of a fan is rooting for the laundry, a uniform. I loathed nobody more than Deion ... until he became a Cowboy. Then I was a big fan all of the sudden. I'm even warming up to T.O. this year.


Stars vs. Red Wings - This one really kicked in for me in '98 when the Stars were bounced by Wing in the Western Conference Finals. I never had any particular players who bear my ire, but the uniform in general. In both our trips to the Stanley Cup Finals ('99 & 2000) we were fortunate that Lanche knocked off Wing, because I don't think we could have taken Wing in a 7-game series either year. This rivalry died some, but not for me. I got particularly tender (even with the Stars) when Brett Hull AND Derrian Hatcher (my favorite Star) wound up wearing the hated red & white.

Though we've not had any good encounters in the playoffs lately, I still root for the Red Wings to eat it ... Reno-style.


Cardinals vs. disAstros - This one rivals the Longhorns for personal intensity and animosity. In fact, when Rachel was 2 I got in trouble from Mom for teaching Rachel to answer the question, "What do you think of the disAstros?" with "We hate 'em."

During baseball season I check the scores of 2 teams, the Cardinals and the disAstros, and a "W" for the former is just as good as a "L" for the latter. Since the wacky creation of the present divisions, the DisAstros have been the chief competition for the division title.


Honorable Mention: Mavericks vs. Spurs, Rocky vs. Apollo, and the Von Erichs vs. the Fabulous Freebirds.


What are your favorite rivalries in sports? OR What do you think are the greatest rivalries in sports? OR What teams do you love to "hate"?