Cards/Pads - Game 3

Well, the Cardinals were living a charmed life. AP had carried them through 2 games - could he complete the sweep?

No.

Pads 3, Cards 1.

Woody Williams vs Chris Carpenter tomorrow. Wood's 1-2 lifetime vs the Redbirds. However, for those wondering why he's starting and not Peavy, Wood was the hottest pitcher the Pads had the last 6 weeks of the season. Of course, Carp is the best StL has.

Prediction: If StL can't close out the series tomorrow, they aren't winning Monday in SD. Take that to the bank.

Thanks to the Yankees laying an egg against Detroit, at least we can look forward to lots of National League baseball on Fox during the League Championship Series - instead of FX where it would have been relegated to had the Yanks pulled through.

Some more news and notes from the day in baseball:

- Chris Duncan really, truly, is a horrible outfielder. He's worse than Reggie Sanders, if that's possible. Love the attempt to catch Todd Walker's drive in the first inning with his left knee. Uh, Chris: that's what the glove is for. Of course, I can see why he didn't trust the leather, after dropping a ball that HIT THE GLOVE in the eighth. Although they awarded Bowen a hit, come on. I can play LF better than Chris Duncan, and that's not saying much for me.

- Anyone besides me expecting to find A-Rod in the University of Texas clock tower sometime in the next year?

- Grady Little has no more idea how to manage a major league game than my 2-month old son. To wit: today, bottom of 5, LA has all the momentum in the world after erasing a 4-0 deficit and taking a 5-4 lead with 2 out. Olmedo Saenz is his best pinch hitter. Here's a chance to take firm control of the game. His choice: one-legged Nomar. Predictably, Nomar hits back to the box to end the inning. Way to go for the jugular, Grady. Someone should have told him the "one-legged man comes up with the huge hit at Chavez Ravine" Magic card was cashed in 1988. NY(N) comes out, scores 3 in the 6th, and never looks back.

Although any manager who uses Brett Tomko twice in relief deserves to lose.

- When a pitcher is struggling, you DON'T swing at the first pitch he throws to you. You hear that, Kenny Lofton and JD Drew? No, I didn't think so.

- Kudos to the Detroit Tigers - now THAT's how you celebrate a series win. Well done. In that vein, if I was Commissioner of Baseball, my third act (after banning the DH and ending interleague play) would be to require the World Series trophy presentation to occur on the field. Just like the rest of the major North American sports do. It's time to reward the fans who shell out $150 to take a family of 4 to the ball park with seeing the presentation.

Until tomorrow, sports fans...