Um...What?

By JP

What the hell just happened? I watched game 3 of the 2013 World Series, watched the replays of how the game ended, rewound my DVR and watched it again. I get how the game ended, I understand why the call was made, but it still feels kind of...hollow? Is that the right word?

Bottom of the 9th, 1 out and Yadier Molina up to bat. He gets a single to bring in Allen Craig as a pinch hitter. Craig doubles to left field, putting Molina on 3rd, Craig on 2nd. Jon Jay comes up to bat and his right to Dustin Pedroia who throws the ball to home and throws Molina out by a mile. But then Craig heads for third and Boston catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia throws to Will Middlebrook at 3rd base. Craig was going to be safe, there was no way Salty was going to throw him out. However, the throw was wide and Craig ran home. Except, he tripped over Middlebrook (who may have been trying to get out of the way) as Middlebrook lifted his feet up. The throw from Johnny Gomes just barely beat Craig to home as it was, even with the unintentional trip, so Craig would have been safe and the game would have been over regardless. But the 3rd base umpire made the obstruction call. All the umpires conferred and agreed it was an obstruction. According to the rule, it was clearly obstruction and Craig should have been awarded home plate.

But as a Cardinal fan, I don't feel good about it. For several reasons. First, it feels like a tainted victory because Craig was "awarded" home plate. Had there been no obstruction, Craig probably would have scored and the game would have been over on a bad throw by Saltalamacchia. This will  give Boston fans, Cubs fans, TBS, and others something to complain about and say that it wasn't a "real" victory or some such nonsense. At least Yankee fans are probably cheering. Secondly, This may give a fuel to Boston players to play even harder. Lance Lynn pitches Sunday and that scares the hell out of me. A Boston win on Sunday means going back to Boston on Wednesday.

The Cardinals DIDN'T DESERVE THIS WIN! Yes, I said it. The real kick in the ass is that, really, the Cardinals should have NEVER been in this position. Bases loaded no outs in the fourth inning and Jake Peavy strikes out Pete Kozma and gets Joe Kelly and Matt Carpenter to pop out to the infield. Inning over, no runs. I am guessing here (I don't feel like doing the research), but it seems like that was the millionth time this post-season that the Cardinals have had bases loaded and one or no outs and failed to score. A weak pop up or grounding into a double play and the inning is over. I don't know how the Cardinals are winning these games, but if they don't start getting hits with the bases loaded it WILL come back and bite them in the ass. This Boston team is to dangerous to play it close like this in a long series. I honestly feel like if the Cardinals don't close it out at home, Boston will win it all.

There are still two more games to win and some times it's extremely difficult to win one game. 1968, 1985, 1996, and 2012 are just a few examples. In all four of those post-season series, the Cardinals had a 3-1 series lead and lost.

I know I come across as negative in most of my blog posts, but it's, honestly, a defense mechanism. If I expect the Cardinals to lose and it happens I am less disappointed than if I didn't expect the loss. However, if I expect a loss and they win, then I am even happier. Maybe I should change my name from JP to Negative Nelly. We shall see.

Go Cards