Some Thoughts on Opening Week

It’s been an interesting week. Hasn’t it? During the offseason, baseball analysts said that the St. Louis Cardinals would have a very rough time when it came to finding some offensive production to make up for the loss of Albert Pujols.

Of course, during Spring Training, analysts also said that without Chris Carpenter, the Cardinals would have a very hard time competing with the likes of the Cincinnati Reds in the NL Central. I did, too. In a way. Taking the absence of Carpenter into account, I did predict that the St. Louis Cardinals would earn one of the two Wild Card spots, I had no clue that we would crush Cincinnati in the first game of the year against them. A game located at Great American Ballpark, no less.

It may be that the Cardinals were going up against Homer Bailey. I don’t know. He’ll be one to keep an eye out during the season to see if he lives up to expectations.

Then again, last Friday, the Cards erupted against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Freese Warning in Effect
David Freese started this season exactly where he left off in October. He’s had a very good first week of play. The third baseman has gone yard 3 times this season and has knocked in 10 runs this season. The 10 RBI, by far, are the most driven in by a Cardinal this season? The next closest is a multiple tie with 4 RBI. Mike Matheny gave him the day off yesterday in Cincinnati but his bat would have been appreciated given the 1-run loss. Well, he did make one appearance at the plate but it resulted in a strikeout.

Please don’t jinx the pitcher
I was out of town last weekend for Passover but I had the opportunity to watch the opening night game against the Miami Marlins. I actually meant to write about this last Thursday but didn’t quite have time to do so. Anyhow, I couldn’t help but note how much instant replay is needed for baseball. Not just for home runs but all calls that an umpire makes when it comes to base runners being called either safe or out. When replays clearly show the umpire botching a call, it should be allowed to be reversible in all instances. Unfortunately, it isn’t the case at all. But it should be.

There was a controversial call—if you remember—and the umpire called a guy safe when he was clearly, on an ESPN replay, out by a mile. Mike Matheny had every right to argue with the umpire. You know what? I don’t blame him one bit. Umpire Angel Hernandez botched the call on the play at first.

I realize that there are folks out there that say making instant replay available on all plays would not only ruin the game, it would lengthen a game that is already as long as a football game, if not longer. If anything, umpires need to cut down on the amount of time that is allowed for pitchers when it comes to taking their time while choosing which type of pitch to throw.

Kyle Lohse was lights out against the Florida Marlins. He would have had the no-hitter, too, had ESPN not jinxed him. There ought to be a law in the broadcasting of games that says nobody can talk about a no-hitter. Orel Hershiser, himself a former pitcher, tweeted during the broadcast about a no-hitter going on. He should have known better. It’s always ESPN that jinxes a no-hitter.

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