New on the Scene

After being alerted to this blog by Mrs. Chase Utley, I am humbled and thankful that you are allowing me to participate in a most-worthy blog of a most-worthy sport. For any who were not aware of this and find me an intrusion...well, you are probably more right than you know. But, it is good to be on the scene.

I have read a few of the posts so far, but not too many, so I don't know if there is any sort of preferred topic or method to this--it seems that it is a good place to vent about/exult in your team and occasionally other things pertaining to the pasttime. Perhaps it is clear from my name, but I am a St. Louis Cardinals fan. This certainly does not bring any warm feelings to Ms. Shunta, as I already know, and maybe more of you. If you are like me there are certainly times I start disliking or having negative reactions to the team that recently won or seems to win too often--usually because the media likes to go on incessantly about how great this or that champion was (like Dick Vitale with Duke basketball anyone?)---this is precisely why I had more of a sour taste in my mouth a couple months after the Red Sox win in '04 (sorry John) than I did during their drubbing of my Cards. They were the one team I was ok losing to since I had wanted them to get one after so long...but then the media fell in love with talking about them and hasn't stopped, really. Not the Sox' fault, but we get it, it was amazing.

Ok, maybe not a good start here (There is no remaining ill will toward Boston, to be clear). And I doubt many even think much about last year's Series outside St. Louis and Detroit so it is not too likely for the over-attention of the media thing to happen. Where was I? Confessing to being a Cards fan and hoping not to be shunned for it. At least I'm not a Yankees fan...

Like some of you I was lamenting the start of my team, after 1-4, and not feeling too sure about our pitching even with Carpenter healthy. But now after 4 in a row I am back to feeling like we are a team capable of the playoffs...of course being in the central and seeing 83 (?!) wins enough last year makes that easier. Seriously, though, how fickle can I be? We get swept one series and I fear the team tanking the whole season, then we win a few and I am back to feeling like we should be able to do that all the time. I noticed this the last couple years, too. My confidence in the team often rides on the current streak. Did last year teach me nothing?

I may feel the same way as thempirates if the history of losing teams was so long, I suppose, but let's give it some time. Who knows...I remember last year after Milwaukee and Detroit started hot, one columnist said, "calm down Brewers/Tigers fans, this won't last". Well, for one it didn't but after five more months of those statements the other held on all the way to the Series. Of course, there is a big difference between starting at the front and starting at the back. And of exceeding low expectations and living up (or down?) to them. If the young Pirate pitching matures the way Detroit's did, they may have a chance to pile up errors in the WS in a couple years or so.

Well, glad to be here talking about the greatest game in the world. A true pleasure.