Make the Play!

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As I watched yesterday's game between the Cardinals and the Brewers (sorry listeners I really was focused on the game) I think the key moment in the game is the one that has been talked about the least.  Perhaps because it didn't appear in the box score (or as my five year old calls them when we read the paper in the morning the "box squares).  Or perhaps because we in the media don't generally like to paint goat horns on an individual player.  And that is not my intent here.  Or perhaps it's because that after the game the Skipper took the blame himself on poor button pushing later in the game. No, the key moment in the game was the failed double-play attempt in the Brewers big inning.  Prince fielder ripped a ball to the right side that was fielded by Julio Lugo but as the second baseman spun to throw to second he couldn't get the handle on the ball in his glove.  Once that occurred he did the right thing and retired the runner going to first.  The next hitter, Magehee, hits the bomb and as it turns out...that's a deal breaker ladies.

Now, could we argue that a top pitcher must learn to pitch around mistakes.  And we could agree with the Skipper that he didn't make the right moves later in the game.  And some of you cranks might argue that Pujols didn't come through twice. 

Go ahead and argue.  I think the real lesson to be learned here is that whether the game is critical on not the team that makes the fewest mistakes usually wins.  In an ongoing effort to "stay vigilant" on a Cardinals' run into November (that's right, I said it) you must play good baseball.  Sometimes you can still be beaten.  But, if you don't make mistakes and you have the talent, like the Cardinals do, then it's all there for the taking.

The Cardinals are coming tra-la, tra-la!