Getting by on Luck

The St Louis Cardinals beat the Pittsburg Pirates last night at PNC Park 13-0. Congratulations Red Birds. But it was a boring game and enough to put any baseball fan to sleep.

The Pirates are a struggling team. Plagued with injuries along with pitching and hitting, it's no surprise that they are losing ball games.

However, put the Cardinals up against a more challenging team like the Milwaukee Brewers and it may be a different story. No team wants to give a game away.

Another thing I miss in the lineup are key players. Due to injuries Paul DeJong has had an up and down year. The skills of this great shortstop along with his ability to hit the long ball are much needed. When will the Cardinals bring him back?

Another great player left out of most of the regular season lineup is Matt Carpenter. Just like people in real life, if Matt starts to produce hits and runs he could easily return to the lineup. But he has to remain healthy. Meanwhile he has to compete with Tommy Edman and Sosa.

But there is no such thing as luck. Baseball teams move up the ranks based on merit. The Pirates are in the process of rebuilding. Pirate fans are hopeful of a brighter future.

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There is No Joy in Losing

The word 'joy' is often used as a biblical term. Perhaps you will find it on a greeting card. It's a time to feel happy and encounter a pleasant experience. That's the way it should be.

However, there are times that we feel just the opposite. Gloom and doom come knocking at our door. What happened that derailed us? Perhaps it was circumstances beyond our control. Baseball is that kind of a circumstance.

Baseball is my kind of a game. Nothing could keep me away from watching a game with my friends. Last night we watched the St. Louis Cardinals play the Milwaukee Brewers at Busch Stadium. It was a real test playing the first place team in the division. Sorta like separating the men from the boys.

With thirty-five thousand baseball fans I felt good. The Red Birds were off to a good start. Through four innings it was 3-1 in favor of the home team. Then 3-2 in the fifth. In the ninth is was tied 3-3 before things fell apart in the tenth. Once leading 3-0 they went home losers 6-4.

There is no joy in losing. When the Cardinals play other teams that are struggling they have no problem. However, with the better teams they consistently struggle in the latter innings. 

There is no doubt about it, the Red Birds need to improve with their offense and defense. Right now they are struggling to get a play-off spot, Maybe next year will be a better year. 

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The Picker Upper

 Fuel is a good picker upper to start the day. No, I don't mean a heating fuel like coal, oil, or gas to heat your home. No, I don't mean the stuff at the gas pump to fill the tank on your car. 

My friend was on her way to church while chatting with a fellow worker on her phone. They both worked at a local church. "I feel great. I just had my second cup of coffee."

Like millions of other people I'm ready to start my day after I have my coffee. Sometimes I miss breakfast, but never my 'black gold.' There is something magic in a cup of coffee.

Did I say it makes my day? Yes! I'm mentally, physically, and spiritually, awake and ready to meet my public. Without my 'black gold' I would be good for nothing. Can't leave home without it.

It reminds me of my love for baseball. I like to hit that little white ball when it crosses the plate. It's fun to watch my friends chase that baseball all over the place. Such is baseball and it all started with my picker upper for my day.

How does your day start? Do you wake up bright eyed and bushy tailed? Is your 'black gold' burning on the stove? Turn off the burner and pour yourself a cup.

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The Cardinals Have A Problem

 

The St Louis Cardinals have a problem. The pitching team is falling apart along with scoring runs in the later innings. Why?

Tuesday night the new Cardinal pitcher John Lester, former Cub allowed the Braves to get five runs in the first inning. Eventually they won the game 6-1. 

Wednesday night the Cardinals lost 7-4 after leading in the early innings 3-0. What else could go wrong? Happ, another new Cardinal pitcher and making his debut in a Red Bird uniform got the lost. 

Last night the Cardinals lost again 8-4. What else is new? 

The solution to their problem is better and improved pitching and hitting. Did they forget about scoring runs to win ball games? Where is the pitching and hitting couch? Besides dealing with injuries the team is trying to improve however, lately they haven't done much good. 

Action requires wise decisions. Trades isn't a good solution unless the players can perform. Send the old guys back to the batting cages. Pitchers must relearn all the basics. Good luck Cardinals. Maybe next year will be a better year.

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Baseball fans liked Ernie Banks

Baseball players are accountable for the success and failure of their team. The responsibility rest on their shoulders.

Are baseball fans entertained? Everyday thousands of fans fill a ball park with eyes glued on the game while chewing popcorn, hot dogs, and drinking soda pop. It sounds like an escape from the real world.

Perform well or move on continually haunts people all over the world and doesn't go away. Let your friends know who you are. Shine your gifts and talents.

Ernie Banks was a great shortstop for the Chicago Cubs. He gobbled up speeding fast balls on the infield grass. Initiated double-play balls. Led the team in home runs. There wasn't anything Mr. Cub couldn't do.

Another player recently cheered fans with his speed in the outfield and running the bases. He challenged his opponents with a strong throwing arm. Last week he hit his first grand slam home run and since the All-Star break has improved his hitting skills. Congratulations Harrison Bader, St. Louis Cardinal center fielder.

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Practice Makes Perfect

What did you want to be where you grew up? Have you arrived or are you still searching?

When my teacher first asked me that question lots of thoughts started to race through my mind. Fireman, mailman, truck driver, nurse, you name it and it was mine. But in reality life is a lot different than I thought it would be.

I wanted to be a baseball player. Watching those guys play ball in Cub uniforms got me interested. The problem was I wasn't a good player.

When we started using a little white ball with stitches rather than a twelve inch soft ball it was hard to hit. Timing was important. Connecting with that thing required me to swing when it was an arm's length in front of home plate. I learned the hard way that practice makes perfect.

With the right tools we can do anything. So I frequently went to the batting cages. Strong arms and frustrating moments helped me to become a better player. It felt good to finally connect with the ball.

We weren't professionals, just a bunch of average kids on the block in blue jeans, sport shirt, and tennis shoes having fun on an empty lot. We challenged each other. When was the last time you had fun on an empty lot with friends???

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A Rude Awakening

 

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary a 'rude awakening' is a surprising and unpleasant discovery. There are many surprises that we can identify with.

One example of a surprise is: The man thinks he can get by without doing any work, but he is in for a rude awakening. Don't we all wish we could do without having to work for it?

Baseball players is another good example: They never know where the ball is going to travel once they hit it.

Remember Ty Cobb in The Natural with Robert Redford? Toward the end of the movie he started hitting the lights on top of the ball park. Who would of guessed otherwise?

Recently the St. Louis Cardinals were playing the Colorado Rockies in Coors Field. The bases were loaded with Red Birds and two out when Harrison Bader came to bat. On one pitch he connected with the ball and the rest was history. Grand slam. 

When the ball leaves a bat no one knows for sure how it will respond. For that reason fielders have to stay alert just like all of us do in real life. 

On a more humorous note: Recently my friend had cataract surgery. Now, many years later, he knows what his wife looks like and the faces of his buddies in small group. We all laughed as a little humor goes a long way.

So how do you handle rude awakenings? They are a part of life and something we can't get away from. Preparation is the best solution.

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