It's interesting... Everyone keeps talking about how "hot" the Cardinals were coming to the end of the regular season.  No one notes that their opponents in the World Series were even hotter.
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Texas finished the season on a 6-game win streak (and 10 of their final 11 games with the last three against the contending LA Angels of Anaheim) while St. Louis finished on a 2-game win "streak" against... the Houston Astros.  They only won 8 of their last 11 and that included the final 3 series against non-contenders.  Granted, 3 of Texas' final 4 opponents were also non-contenders.

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Maicer Izturis attacks the ball when it is bounced out to him at SS.

Yorvit Torrealba's cERA is growing.

Tommy "Big Game" Hunter still doesn't have an "out" pitch.

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The American League has the edge for the same reason the AL has the edge every year - superior hitting and competitive pitching.  Not NL-quality pitching, of course, but they are competitive.  And, they're used to facing the DH.  NL pitchers get to pad their stats facing each other wiggling a stick at home plate.

And, the NL is missing the Herculean presence of St. Albert Pujols.  The Legend of Albert won't get any new paragraphs at this years' All-Star Game.

And, Robinson Cano is hitting ... er ... eighth? for the AL squad?  Is that right?  Eighth?  Holy Thunder down low, Batman!  

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Watching the festivities after the Mavs Beat the Heat and became the NBA's version of "World Champions", the local station was showing some highlights from the Series.  One of those "highlights" was the one of Dwyane Wade mocking an ill Dirk Nowitzki.  LeBron followed suit.

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• Ok... our two best relievers are 40+ (heavy emphasis on the +)... until Neffy returns.
• Our best hitters are hovering around the Mendoza line.
• Pitching is sound one game and craters the next.
• We can't get a man home from second with one out late in a game?

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Just wanted a consolodation of the reports in a place they could get gotten to more easily...
11/24 - cleaned up and added Relievers (dropped catchers after 'em to keep all the pitchers grouped more or less together.
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10/16 - 11 Weeks of FFG (Prelude to Prospects Lists below)
http://rangersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/10/11-weeks-of-ffg.html
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10/28 - RH Starters 1-5
http://rangersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/10/prospect-previews-rh-starters-15.html

10/21 - RH Starters 6-10
http://rangersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/10/prospect-previews-rh-starters-610.html

10/17 - RH Starters 11-15
http://rangersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/10/prospect-previews-rh-starters-1115.html
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11/16 - LH Starters 1-5
http://rangersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/11/propsect-previews-lh-starters-15.html

11/08 - LH Starters 6-10
http://rangersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/11/post-1.html
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11/24 - Relievers
http://rangersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/11/prospect-previews-relievers.html
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11/18 - Catchers
http://rangersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/11/prospect-previews-catchers.html

Just wanted a consolodation of the reports in a place they could get gotten to more easily...

10/16 - 11 Weeks of FFG (Prelude to Prospects Lists below) <A HRef="http://rangersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/10/11-weeks-of-ffg.html">

10/28 - RH Starters 1-5 <A HRef="http://rangersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/10/prospect-previews-rh-starters-15.html">

10/21 - RH Starters 6-10 <A HRef="http://rangersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/10/prospect-previews-rh-starters-610.html">

10/17 - RH Starters 11-15 <A HRef="http://rangersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/10/prospect-previews-rh-starters-1115.html">

11/16 - LH Starters 1-5 <A HRef="http://rangersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/11/propsect-previews-lh-starters-15.html">

11/08 - LH Starters 6-10 <A HRef="http://rangersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/11/post-1.html">

11/18 - Catchers <A HRef="http://rangersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/11/prospect-previews-catchers.html">

Watching the sTRangers lay down and die against Roy Halliday on Saturday, I came to the conclusion that Frank Catalanotto has to go.

Late in the game, David Murhpy hit a chopper down the first base line that Lyle Overbay (Toronto 1B) clearly missed the tag; however, none of the officials had a clear enough view to say the tag was missied.  Umpires are trained to call 27 outs then they can go home for the night.  This was an opportunity they didn't overlook.

But, the next batter up, Frank Catalanotto (who couldn't hit the ground if he fell off the backstop anymore) bunted toward first.  The pitcher ran into the baseline to grab the ball and tagged Frank (who dodged around him) out.

1. Halliday is dominating the sTRangers' hitters.
2. The sTRangers NEED to get Roy out of the game.
3. He's standing right there, bending over to pick up the ball!

There are a lot of really great players (HoFers such as Curt Flood, Micky Mantle, Ty Cobb, Stan Musial, Jimmy Fox, even nice guys like Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio and pitchers like Bob Gibson, Sandy Koufax and Whitey Ford - you know... guys that wanted desperately to WIN THE DAMN BALLGAME) who would have, at the very least, made Roy prove he could hold onto the ball and get a clean tag, earning the Out.

But, these aren't the Yankees, Tigers or Cardinals -- they're the sTRangers.  And, they're just too damn nice and winning probably won't make their paycheck any better.  They'll just do their "job" and hit the links when they're done.  Hey!  Wouldn't want the uni guy to have to wash anything, would we?