Here Come The Cardinals

While the opening series is always big in Cincinnati this year I have caught myself looking forward to the second series of the season as much as the opener, maybe more. It's the St. Louis Cardinals coming in. The minute the schedule was released I noticed there were two series against the Cardinals early in the season. It may have caught my eye, but it certainly didn't catch the attention of veteran Scott Rolen. Rolen claimed he had no clue what was happening after the Marlin series. I thought he might be putting me on since he likes to mess with the media a little, but I think he was serious. He and a lot of the players make it a point to not look past anything. That is a great stance for them to take. But I always look forward to the Cardinals coming to town. In the 1970's Cincinnati had what St. Louis has now. I keep waiting for Cincinnati to yank back the title of "best baseball city in America." Maybe the commitment to players like Votto and Bruce is a step in that direction. But the Cardinals never stand pat. Lose and Albert Pujols, bring in a Carlos Beltran. It's an organization that always gives itself a chance to win. I think the Reds are setting themselves up to be that kind of program. There are still plenty of vibrant players at the minor league level who could pan out in the coming years. The Reds not only draft well, they sign well. They are not afraid to invest in young talent. So far it has brought them from the dark ages to a team that has won a division title. Staying on this path will deliver a team that is more than a one-hit wonder. After years and years of frustration it's fun to see the Reds on the right path. It's the same path the Cardinals have been on for decades.


 By the way, I absolutely loved the Masters this year. I know, I get into it every year, but there was something crazy every day. I know golf hasn't quite emerged from the age of "if Tiger isn't in it, I'm not interested." But maybe people who say that should wake up. There is crazy play in these tournaments every week. Keegan Bradley is a young guy who has shown an ability to hit wicked shots. Nothing more needs to be said after what Bubba Watson did Sunday. You want fearless? Bubba's shot out of the woods and hooking around the bend to the green in sudden death took more guts than a bungee jump on an old rubber band. Bubba went for it, and his reward was a Masters title and his first green jacket. It may not be his last the way left-handers are ripping through Augusta these days. Five of the last ten titles have been won by lefties. Mike Weir started the run in 2003, then Phil Mickelson won three, and along comes Bubba. By the way, for more on Bubba and his guts, check out this video Bubba appears in that was released last week. The more people watch this thing on Youtube, the more money will go to charity. By the way, Ben Crane, Hunter Mahan, and Rickie Fowler display a lot of guys for their appearance in the video too. Crane seems like a crazy dude. By the way, Bubba is the one in the bib overalls. Beautiful!