Civil Rights Game, Continued
Here are a couple more pictures for those interested!
-Brady
2008 Civil Rights Game Coverage
As I arrived in Memphis, nothing seemed out of the ordinary, just another crazy weather day in the southern part of the United States. I’m used to it, living in Arkansas and all. After the two hour drive to reach Memphis, I was happy to see some civilization (it’s a very boring drive). As we drove over the very, very flooded Mississippi River and passed the somewhat now unused Pyramid, something hit me. I’m not sure exactly what it was, but it was definitely something. It could be the excitement that precedes every baseball game I go to, it could be the realization that baseball season is just about to begin, it could be the fact that for the second straight year I’m enjoying one of baseball’s most meaningful games, or it could be the fact that I realized just how meaningful this game is.
As you see at the top of this post, there is a picture of the AutoZone Park entrance. AutoZone is the home of the Cardinals’ AAA team, the Memphis Redbirds. That may explain why I was decked out in my Cardinals jacket and cap headed to the game. Regardless, just like last year, as I entered the front gates to the ballpark, adrenaline ran through my veins. This is baseball, and today, we’re honoring the players who helped integrate the sport. It’s something to celebrate and realize every day, but putting aside the Civil Rights Game each year is a wonderful way to show baseball’s appreciation.
The picture below is one I snapped as I walked through the front entrance. It was a very neat angle to take this picture from, and I thought it came out well for the cruddy little camera I was using. The rain had slowed just enough for me to take the picture:
Continuing, as I made my way inside, I was greeted by some of the Redbirds’ very friendly workers and emptied my pockets for security. I waited on my best friend, my mother, and my friend’s mother to make it through and then I picked up this year’s lanyard and a game day book, both of which were free (kind of like this new MLBlogs setup, which I happen to LOVE).
Speaking of the lanyard, this is what it looked like:
So we made our way into the ballpark and looked around a bit. I went into the gift shop and came away with an $18 Civil Rights Game t-shirt to commemorate what will likely be the last Civil Rights Game I get to attend (for multiple reasons, but I’ll get to that in a bit). I also bought three seat cushions for $5 a piece (one for myself, one for my friend, and one for my friend’s mom – note: my mother brought a towel to sit on) Then, once we were ready, I made my way to my seats. I sat with my friend in section 103, row H, seats 7 and 8. I’ll you an idea of how good the seats were in a bit, but first, I want to show you what gave me chill bumps when I walked out in the light rain to see an empty stadium.
So, I sat in the rain for a good two hours (seeing as the gates opened at two and the game started at four) and watched as Mets and White Sox fans filtered in. It was interesting to see the number of each team’s fans that would show up and the number of pure, true-to-heart baseball fans that would come to this game. In the end, the number of great, friendly people and pure, true-to-heart baseball fans greatly outnumbered the rabid Mets and White Sox fans. To give you an idea of how wonderful the atmosphere was, I actually smiled and said hi to a man wearing a Chicago Cubs jacket and cap. As I said before, I was fully decked out in St. Louis attire, so that took a lot on both parts not to talk just a little trash…but we didn’t, and that’s because today’s game was more than just a game. It was about honoring those who helped make the game what it is today. And if you think that picture of the Civil Rights Game logo on the jumbotron made me get goose bumps, take a look at this honorary guest.
Blurry as it may be, that man on the far right (just to the right of famous actress Ruby Dee) is Frank Robinson. A wonderful man with a huge heart and a great baseball mind, Frank Robinson was a great representative of the Civil Rights Game. It was a pleasure, an honor, and a wonderful moment to see him only 25 yards away from me accepting a Beacon of Life award on the behalf of Major League Baseball. That is the kind of moment I’ll treasure as a human being and a baseball fan. That is the kind of moment I want to share with you that ESPN really couldn’t put into words today…that is the kind of moment I live for and I couldn’t be happier to have MLBlogs at my fingertips to share it.
I sat down with my friend and we took a few pictures to savor the great time we were having. She isn’t a fan of baseball and doesn’t know much about the sport, but I’ve been trying to teach her and despite the fact that she refuses to watch it on TV, she really enjoyed the game today, which was pretty cool in my book. Anyway, before the game started, the Tennessee State Aristocrat Band came and played several songs in the outfield, and despite the strangeness of hearing band music at a baseball game, it was refreshing and unique. It just added to the experience, really.
By the time 4:00 p.m. central time rolled around, I was ready for some baseball. It had rained and rained and drizzled and dripped and sprinkled til I was at my wit’s end, but just like last year, nothing was keeping the Civil Rights Game from taking place. Sure enough, it only rained one more time during the game, and it lasted a whole three minutes or so. But, just for the sake of enjoying each moment of a baseball game, I snapped this picture of the first pitch thrown by John Maine of the New York Mets to Nick Swisher of the Chicago White Sox. Well, it was about to be thrown, an
yway. And it gives you an idea of how good my seats were.
So, the game went on, and I had to make up my mind who to root for. I used to co-host a radio show and my co-host is a huge Mets fan. I also am good friends with Zack Hample here on MLBlogs, and I know he roots for the Mets when possible, too. Then again, once I was seated and comfortable on my seat cushion, a woman and her young son sat down beside my friend and I. She had driven from Chicago just for this game. She was a pure, true-to-heart baseball fan, although both her and her son were covered in White Sox logos. We talked for about ten minutes just about baseball and the Cardinals and the White Sox and the Mets and the Civil Rights Game and about where we come from and so forth, and that’s something I fail to mention when talking about baseball games – the people are for the most part great. After talking to her, I felt inclined to root for the White Sox, despite my intense dislike for Ozzie Guillen and catcher A.J. Pierzynski (Pierzynski at least lived up to his reputation today, yelling the F-word very loudly after a strikeout early in the game).
I also spoke with a Mets’ fan behind me who had been to every MLB stadium, including a few no longer in existence. He was a great guy, very knowledgeable baseball fan, and I gave him a no-harm-intended jab about Adam Wainwright striking out Carlos Beltran in the ’06 NLCS. It was fun to meet someone like that who had traveled and seen so many baseball games. The only other person I know to have seen as many is the man, Zack Hample.
Continuing, in the Mets’ half of the fourth inning, Beltran himself took Jose Contreras yard for the first runs of the game (the Mets then lead 2-0). I’m not even entirely sure this was the at-bat, but here’s a picture of Beltran at the plate at some point during the game (notice the rain-thinned crowd – only 7,717 showed up for a game that was sold out).
The Mets would end up winning the game 3-2, and despite not knowing exactly who to root for, I knew where my loyalties lied today: with baseball. It’s not a game, it’s the game. And as a fan of all college sports, I will argue up and down that Major League Baseball is the best, most-loved, and truest professional sport there is. Cheaters, liars, and high salaries aside, baseball is America’s Past-time. I love this sport. I live for this.
On a final note, I read on Yahoo! Sports today that those in charge of the Civil Rights Game are considering moving it away from Memphis after this year. I was very – no, extremely – upset upon reading this. Memphis is the true home of the Civil Rights movement. Memphis is where it began. Memphis has that southern hospitality, right-at-home feel that no place else can offer. The staff at AutoZone Park have worked their tails off to make this game a success, and even though the weather affected the crowd the first two years, I can say from my own account that the game was a tremendously positive experience. The fact that it is played at a Minor League ballpark is another big plus, especially with it being as nice as AutoZone. The staff were super-friendly and ultra-helpful. Twice before the game a worker came and used a towel to dry off the seat-backs for my friend and I. You’re not going to get that kind of service at Atlanta or Washington D.C. My voice may not be heard by those who make the decisions, but I wish it would. The Civil Rights Game belongs to those who took part in the Civil Rights movement and those who helped integrate baseball. Memphis was chosen for a reason, and for that reason, the simple approach of “don’t fix it if it ain’t broke” should apply here. I would be extremely disappointed if anything to the contrary were to take place.
So, I’m home and blogging again. Baseball season starts Monday, and I’m as excited as I’ve ever been despite the so-called “experts” having no hopes for my Cardinals. I look at it this way, though. The last time the experts went very heavily against the Cardinals, they picked the Tigers to win in three games in the ’06 World Series. The Civil Rights Game means so much to this sport, and this sport means a whole lot to me. I’m headed to bed now, seeing as I have church tomorrow, but I won’t be sleeping off today’s experience. Today, I rooted for human freedom and for the great sport that is baseball. That’s the way it should be.
That’s me and my friend above, just so you guys have an idea of what I look like. Like I said, I live for this. I hope more of you can enjoy the Civil Rights Game in the near future, and I hope it can stay at Memphis, Tennessee, where it belongs. This has been the easiest and most-enjoyable post I’ve done since I started with MLBlogs. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it.
My Season Predictions (Cards and MLB)
Monday is the day. Yes, baseball season is only a weekend away from starting. It’s crazy, but I’m ready for it. I think it’s going to be a heck of a baseball season this year all-around. I noticed on Yahoo! Sports that there were season predictions up, and one particular article caught my eye: player awards and individual leader predictions.
After reading these, I decided to do my own.
So, here goes:
AL MVP: Alex Rodriguez. Another monster year and a big one for the Yankees could easily give him the award again. Look for Miguel Cabrera to come in second place with the Tigers, who will be the best team in baseball this year despite a weak bullpen.
NL MVP: Albert Pujols. Guys, here’s an interesting point that came to my mind while reading that Yahoo! Sports article. Not one writer picked Pujols as the winner or as a dark horse. Is it possible at all that after a "down" year last year that Phat Albert is being overlooked? I think so. And in all honesty, I really and truly believe that 2008 is going to be Albert Pujols’ best campaign yet. I think he’ll put up the best numbers of his career and take the MVP. I also believe that Matt Holliday of the Colorado Rockies has a great shot to win it. That team is going to be just as good this year, and he’s a great player.
AL Cy Young: Justin Verlander. I think this guy has everything in takes in his third season to be a star. He was a great rookie in 2006, had a little slump last year, and is going to come back on fire with a great surrounding cast in 2008. The Tigers are loaded, and Verlander is leading in my opinion one of the best rotations in baseball (not to mention a great defense behind him). My dark horse candidate is Josh Beckett. He was great last year, and we all know what Boston is capable of as a team. Can he stay healthy? Who knows…but if he does, watch out for Beckett.
AL Rookie of the Year: Evan Longoria. Longoria is going to be a BEAST for the Devil Rays, and he’ll put great numbers his frosh year as a pro. If he doesn’t win the ROY award though, it will be Jacoby Ellsbury of the BoSox who brings home the hardware. Both kids are going to be stars, it just depends on who rises to the top the fastest.
NL Rookie of the Year: Kosuke Fukudome. The Cubs got a great player in Fukudome, and he’s going to really help that team reach the next level. (It pains me to say that, but it’s the truth.) If he can produce consistently, his impact on the team itself and getting the Cubbies over the hump will give him this award. Johnny Cueto, starting pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds, will also make a lot of noise. Don’t be surprised if he wins the award. I’ve heard some great things about him coming out of camp…
AL Home Run Leader: Alex Rodriguez. This was an easy pick, and the same pick as all of the Yahoo! Sports writers. If A-Rod doesn’t lead the American League in home runs, I’ll eat my shoe (barring Rodriguez getting hurt). David Ortiz could pull it off though, but Big Papi had a somewhat down year in 2007.
NL Home Run Leader: Albert Pujols. I’m telling you, this isn’t even my Cardinals bias setting in, this is what I really believe. He’s going to put up sick numbers this year, possibly 45-50 home runs with Glaus batting behind him and Rick Ankiel in the lineup. (Also worth noting is that Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports said Ankiel was his dark horse candidate for this category…) Ryan Howard is who I think could take the award from Pujols. Injury can always change everything though, but if Albert stays healthy, look out in Big Mac Land.
Well, there are my individual predictions.
I want to talk about the Cardinals right now though.
A lot of people have been saying the Cards aren’t going to be any good this year. Sports Illustrated’s most recent issue has the Cards finishing second to last in the division, above only the Pirates, and 18 games back of the Cubs. I do agree, the division is the Cubs’ to lose. But here’s why the St. Louis Cardinals are going to be right in the thick of things come September.
10 Reasons Why the Cards Can Win the Division:
1. It’s the Cubs. They choke, what more can you expect out of them? 100 years and counting 
2. The Astros have no chance of being a contender this year. They have more of an aging team than the Cardinals have had recently.
3. The Brewers are going to struggle because Ryan Braun, Rickie Weeks, and Prince Fielder are going to go into slumps this year. Braun has to stay healthy, Weeks is not the star he was supposed to be, and Fielder has gone on a vegetarian diet and isn’t approaching things the way he used to on the field.
4. The MV3 is back…well, sort of. The St. Louis Cardinals had Albert Pujols at first, Jim Edmonds in CF, and Scott Rolen at third base to make up the MV3 in the past. All three put up MVP like numbers but recently faded into the distance. Rolen and Edmonds were inconsistent and injury prone. Now, the Cardinals have Pujols at first, Rick Ankiel in center, and Troy Glaus at the other corner spot. Pujols and Glaus are used to putting up MVP like numbers and Glaus is primed for a major comeback. Ankiel is going to stun the baseball world, as well. The MV3 makes for a dangerous lineup…
5. The Cardinals starting rotation is going to surprise people. Many see that as the biggest team weakness, but believe it or not, Kyle Lohse is going to win some games. Adam Wainwright is going to lock down that number one role. When Matt Clement gets back, he’s going to be a reliable number three guy. Todd Wellemeyer is going to be inconsistent, but he’s going to pitch well when he’s got his head on straight. Braden Looper needs to work on his day game performances (correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t he struggle in day games last season) and he will be the best number three or four starter in baseball. Brad Thompson is going to struggle at times but when he is doing well, he’s going to win games. He used to have a problem with giving up the long ball (strangely enough for a pitcher with a great sinker) but I think he’s fixed that problem now. Oh, and guys, this isn’t the rotation. Remember that. If this group of pitchers can keep the Cards at LEAST around .500 by the All-Star Break, the Cards can have a rotation of Chris Carpenter, Wainwright, Lohse, Mulder, and Looper/Piniero. That’s a darn good rotation that can help this team win the division.
6. Skip Schumaker and Brian Barton. There’s something about these guys. Chris Duncan has struggled mightily in ST, but these two kids keep producing. And I think they’ll be great corner outfielders for the Cardinals and will hit anywhere from .285 to .310 (both of them) this season. It’s optimism, but I really am impressed from what I’ve seen so far. Great bat speed for both.
7. Rick Ankiel. He’s going to hit a lot of home runs and hit for average this year. He’ll be as feared in this lineup as Pujols and Glaus. And my friends, that’s saying something.
8. The Reds are not going to be any good. If they are, I’ll eat crow, but the way things look, Adam Dunn isn’t going to do much but strike out and their pitching staff is very, very young.
9. Tony La Russa. He’s the winningest CURRENT manager in baseball. Like him or not, he’s doing something right.
10. The bullpen. Jason Isringhausen will be back to his normal game as closer this year, and that’s a huge boost to the bullpen. I’m not sure Anthony Reyes is suited for long reliever, but either he or Kelvin Jiminez will be able to provide bullpen support. Ryan Franklin is a great reliever as evinced by 2006 and 2007, and Russ Springer is the most underrated guy on the team. He’s going to pitch consistently well yet again.
Do you feel better about the Cardinals? I know I do. I now say we finish second in the division, but our odds of winning it keep rising in my opinion. It’s going to be an exciting season, and the possibility of disappointment is always there. But I truly believe the Cards are going to compete. That’s what they do. They play a hard nine. That’s all you can ask for.
-Brady
BTW, check back soon for Civil Rights Game coverage. I’ll be there tomorrow afternoon!
Updates from this week and today’s game so far
Two more days to the Civil Rights Game. I’ll be bringing you coverage right here on the blog after I get home and have time to write and upload pictures. It’ll be a great experience.
Wanted to update everyone on some things. Matthew Leach said on www.stlcardinals.com that Juan Gonzalez is done for now, being placed on the temporarily inactive list this week. He also said that reliever Kyle McClellan and outfielder Brian Barton are going to almost for sure make the roster. (http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080326&content_id=2459106&vkey=spt2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=stl)
Another great article written by Leach details the battle between Anthony Reyes and Kelvin Jiminez for the final remaining bullpen spot (likely the role of long reliever). Go here to read about it. My personal opinion is that Jiminez should get the job and the Cardinals should trade Anthony Reyes for either starting pitching or infield help. He’s pitched well enough this Spring to have trade value again, so it would be a smart move for the Cardinals. Of course, if he can be a dominant long reliever, I vote to keep him, but as inconsistent as he has been over his time with the Cardinals, I’m not sure about it. Jiminez has earned my respect as a reliever, and I think he fits that role perfectly. I just don’t think Reyes will be what the Cards are looking for.
An update on today’s game, Kyle Lohse is on the mound, and I have very high hopes for him. He’s pitching very well so far in Spring Training, and so far today he has allowed two hits and no runs in three innings to the Florida Marlins. Skip Schumaker, Chris Duncan, and Cesar Izturis have the only hits for the Cardinals and Albert Pujols reached base his second time up via a walk. Duncan had a two-out RBI single, bringing home Izturis to put St. Louis up by a score of 1-0. A live box score can be found here.
Well everyone, as I sit here at 1:04 P.M. central standard time, it is 4 days, 2 hours, 12 minutes, and 40 seconds til opening day. It’s baseball time, and I’m pumped…let’s get your season predictions in! Let me know what place you think the Cards will finish in and what their record will be. I’ll put the comments up as a post and average them out to find what the fans overall think what the Cards will be this year.
Go Cardinals!
D.L. update and Reyes wins
Carp, Mulder, Clement, and Piniero to start season on Disabled List…no surprise there. But, on the bright side, the second half of the season I feel confident in saying this rotation will be better than in 2007 by far.
Reyes pitched 6 shutout innings today and the Cards beat the Nationals 3-0. Besides not having Yadier Molina behind the plate and Waino pitching, Derrick Goold over at www.stltoday.com pointed out that is likely to be the opening day lineup (besides those two.)
We had Schumaker in right, Barton in left, Ankiel in center, Pujols at first, Miles at second, Glaus at third, Izturis at shortstop, LaRue catching, and Reyes on the mound today. Kennedy will likely get to start against righties this year with Miles going against lefties.
Getting closer, guys!
Civil Rights Game on Saturday, looking forward to it.
-Brady
Three Stories to Read; My Thoughts
Here are three St. Louis Post-Dispatch stories I suggest you read:
Why the Cardinals won’t be as bad as feared
With that said, I have a few talking points for the day.
The starting rotation (at least the opening day one) is starting to make me a little more comfortable. I expect production from Adam Wainwright, and rightfully so, he’s proven he can pitch in the big leagues. I think Braden Looper will be fine, albeit somewhat inconsistent. Kyle Lohse is going to be someone to watch this season, I think he’ll pitch very well to be honest. Todd Wellemeyer and Anthony Reyes are the x-factors, but I think Brad Thompson will come in and help balance things out.
As for offense, how about Rick Ankiel? .397??? My gosh. He’s going to have a HUGE impact this year for the Cardinals. Pujols will be great, although he’ll play less games than before. Glaus is going to come in and play very well in my opinion, as well. I only worry about Cesar Izturis. I hope he never sees the field the way he’s played. Pitiful plate appearances, and his defense has been horrid, too.
More as it happens, guys. Cards are tied 1-1 with Lohse on the mound. He got out of a jam in the first, and Kennedy had an RBI base hit earlier to tie it up after Glaus got on base via a double. Pujols is already 1-for-1 in this game, raising his average to .383. Glaus is at .378 and Kennedy at .341.
Cya later guys.
My Fantasy Baseball Team
Got my team drafted now on Yahoo! Sports Fantasy Baseball ’08…here’s what I will start the season out with as my starting lineup and my SP and RP. Dunno if I’ll win. I had a little Cardinals bias here, but I didn’t put Cesar Izturis or anything. I thought about drafting Spiezio at the end for the heck of it…but nope.
C – Brian McCann (Atlanta Braves)
(McCann brings power and average to the plate that I wanted in my catcher, and he was there so I took him. He’s just what I wanted at catcher.)
1B – Albert Pujols (STL)
(‘Nuff said! If Albert doesn’t get hurt (crosses fingers) then he’s going to put up some of his best numbers ever. I sincerely believe that.)
2B – Placido Polanco (Detroit Tigers)
(I love watching Polanco play, and this former Cardinal hit .341 last year. Good numbers, plays hard, just what I needed here.)
3B – Troy Glaus (STL)
(I have a lot of faith in Glaus being a HUGE contributer this year. He’s playing on grass now, not turf, and that will ease the pain with his foot injury. He’s going to truly help Pujols put up big numbers and in turn make some noise himself.)
SS – David Eckstein (Toronto Blue Jays)
(I was a little biased here. I miss Eck being on this team, even if it was best that he move on. He’s going to hit for average and he fits that Blue Jays lineup well. His RBI total will be low and his runs may be lower than I would hope, but his batting average I think will make up for that. And who knows, he might just have a big year in a new environment.)
OF – Rick Ankiel (STL)
(Baseball, watch out. Rick Ankiel has settled in, and has found a groove. He’s going to make a name for himself AGAIN – yes, for the third time now – in baseball.)
OF – Brad Hawpe (Colorado Rockies)
(I wanted Matt Holliday, but he was gone. Hawpe is very good too, and I wanted him if I couldn’t get Holliday in this spot.)
OF – Shane Victorino (Philadelphia Phillies)
(I was not completely sold on this pick. I’m not a huge fan of Victorino, and he doesn’t put up monster stats…but his 37 stolen bases and 78 runs scored sold me. If he starts struggling, Johnny Damon or Melky Cabrera are going in.)
Util – Johnny Damon (New York Yankees)
(27 stolen bases, 63 RBI, 93 R, .270 avg. not great, but good enough for utility over Casey Blake.)
BN – Melky Cabrera (New York Yankees)
(He had a down year last year, but if he turns around in 2008, he’s making his way up to Victorino’s spot.)
BN – Adam Kennedy (STL)
(BELIEVE IT. Kennedy is healthy now, and I think he’ll bat over .300 this year. I think he’ll have more runs scored this year. If he really does well, he could bump Blake out of the utility spot…or if Polanco just bombs, he could end up at second base.)
BN – Casey Blake (Cleveland Indians)
(81 runs, 78 RBI, 18 HR…he can switch with Johnny Damon at any time though.)
BN – Stephen Drew (Arizona Diamondbacks)
(I saw Stephen Drew play in college…in the super regionals…against my Arkansas Razorbacks. He is good. He just hasn’t gotten "it" yet in the pros. He’ll get it though. And when he does, watch out.)
SP – Josh Beckett (Boston Red Sox)
(Easy choice, he’s the real deal. 20-game winner, 3.27 ERA.)
SP – Fausto Carmona (Cleveland Indians)
(Another easy choice. 19 wins, 3.06 ERA last year.)
RP – Bobby Jenks (Chicago White Sox)
(40 saves? Oh yeah.)
RP – Russ Springer (STL)
(2.18 ERA last year in relief for the Cards. He’s consistent, I like that in a relief pitcher.)
P – Kelvin Jiminez (STL)
(He has talent, and he has the job as a reliever. He had that last year too, and his era was 7.50. This year though, he has confidence, and oh what a difference that makes.)
P – Al Reyes (Tampa Bay Devil Rays)
(26 saves last year. Really pitched well at times. I’m still mad the Cards let him slip away.)
P – Adam Wainwright (STL)
(I saw Waino still there, and had to take him. He can easily move up if someone else struggles.)
BN – Dontrelle Willis (Detroit Tigers)
(Another one I was amazed to see still sitting there. He’s in the same situation as Wainwright.)
RedbirdsNation
Just thought I’d give all you Cardinals fans a heads up on a good Cardinals forum out there. I just joined up, but I do recognize some friends from another Cards forum I used to be a member of…
but anyway, definitely check out http://www.redbirdsnation.com/forum/, it’s a great site, great fans, great people, great discussions…hope to see you there!
If you sign up, list your username here on the comments and I’ll look for you there.
-Brady
A sign of things to come
Yeah, there are negatives. Josh Phelps is batting .063. Cezar Izturis .175. Aaron Miles .200. Molina .209. Ludwick .267. Duncan .107.
Here’s the positives though. Just look at today’s game (at least through the 8th inning as I’m writing this)
Skip Schumaker: 3-for-6 today with a home run, 2 RBI, 3 runs scored. Batting .354 this Spring.
Brian Barton: 0-for-1 today with 1 run scored. Batting .341 this Spring.
Chris Duncan: 2-for-2 today with a home run, 1 RBI, 1 run scored. Still batting only .107, but this is a step in the right direction.
Albert Pujols: 2-for-2 today with a 2-run home run, 3 total RBI, 2 runs scored, and a walk. Batting a wicked .381 this Spring.
Troy Glaus: 2-for-2 today with 1 RBI and 1 run scored. Batting a very nice .368 now.
Rick Ankiel: 2-for-3 today with 2 RBI and 1 walk. He’s batting a yet again WICKED .380. Ankiel has me excited about what he can do this year.
Adam Kennedy: 1-for-3 today with a run scored and a walk. Batting .350 this Spring. A HUGE step up from last year.
Cezar Izturis: 2-for-4 today with an RBI and two runs scored. That’s a step in the right direction, as well. I don’t know if he can keep it up, but hey, I’ll take it. Only batting .175 though…I’ll still take Brendan Ryan over him.
Now, this game is not over as I started typing this, but those are positives to look at. Makes me anticipate opening day just that much more.
Cards are up 12-2 though, for your information (over the somewhat lowly Orioles).
Stop, I’ll take that back. Just checked the score, it’s now 12-3.
Check back with everyone later, hectic schedule right now!
-Brady
Civil Rights Game
Hey everyone, just thought I’d give you all a head’s up.
For the second straight year (and I do believe this is the second year of its existence) I’m going to the Civil Rights Game (Saturday, March 29th) in Memphis at AutoZone Park (home of the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds). The game honors the integration of the sport, and some players and important figures who attended last year included Frank Robinson, the family of Jackie Robinson, Bud Selig, and many more. Last year, the Cardinals took on the Cleveland Indians and won. This year, it’s the New York Mets and the Chicago White Sox. I’ll be in attendance yet again, and I’ll be taking plenty of pictures and bringing you great coverage right here on my blog the night of (or the day after, depending on internet access). It’s a lot of fun, and anyone in Memphis area that reads my blog, I hope you get to go, it will be a great game and the chance to witness the honoring of some amazing baseball history.
If anyone is going and wants to say hi at the game, just let me know. I’ve included below a link to a picture (you can see a smaller version on the left side of this page) that I took at the Civil Rights Game last year. It was luck that I took that good a picture, but I think that sums up the game pretty well. It’s beautiful baseball, nothing more, nothing less. Just thought I’d give everyone a heads up on this! Thanks for reading,
-Brady
PHOTO BELOW: Click to see it!
View this photo
bradyholzhauer
Recent Comments