Submitted by NeilT
Cards 13
Phils 4
Hey! This is NeilT! Really!
I, NeilT, am writing this week’s Friday recap. I signed in using my, NeilT’s, favorite password, Astros4Ever, which I would only know if I were NeilT. I wouldn’t know that password if I were in the Cardinals’ front office.
Tonight the Houston Astros play the Seattle Mariners, which is an American League team. Did you know that another American League team, the New York Yankees, have played the Cards in the World Series five separate times? And did you know that the Cards have won the World Series 11 times? I, NeilT, believe the Redbirds are a great organization, and one that any team in baseball, and particularly the Houston Astros, should emulate.
Of course it’s been a roller coaster couple of weeks for my, NeilT’s, team, the Houston Astros. Just last week the Houston Astros ended a seven game losing streak. Meanwhile the Cards, which have the best record in baseball, have won 6 of their last 10 games for a season-leading 44 wins! Why would a team with that kind of record need to hack into the Houston Astros’ database? It seems very unlikely to me, NeilT.
The best news for the Houston Astros is the performance of their rookie first draft pick, Carlos Correa. Did you know that the Cardinals have many draft picks who are successful major league players? Here are just some of the Cards’ great recent draft picks: Colby Rasmus, Allen Craig, Daniel Descalso, Jaime Garcia, Jon Jay, Luke Gregerson, Chris Perez, Matt Carpenter, Trevor Rosenthal, Matt Adams, and Lance Lynn. They once drafted Brett Wallace in the first round! Jockety! Why would a team with such a successful history of great drafts want to hack into the Houston Astros’ database? The Houston Astros need to learn from the Cardinals, particularly about getting rid of Jeff Luhnow. He was an arrogant insufferable twit when he was here, and I’m certain he hasn’t changed. That’s me, NeilT. I, NeilT, am certain that he hasn’t changed.
Yes, I, NeilT, think that there is much that the Houston Astros could learn from a great organization like the Redbirds. Tonight the Houston Astros playthe Seattle Mariners, both American League teams, while the Cardinals played the Phillies. Since 1948, the Cardinals have won 552 of their 1029 meetings with the Phillies, for a winning percentage of .532. And, by the way, the Cardinals have won 377 of their 706 meetings with the Houston Astros, for an even higher winning percentage, .536. I, NeilT, using my favorite password, Astros4Ever, think that if officials of the St. Louis Cardinals fine baseball organization hacked the Houston Astros database, they must have done so for a higher purpose, like protecting the Houston Astros from being embarrassed in a World Series against an excellent team like the Cards.
So the Houston Astros play the Seattle Mariners on the West Coast, and that game’s not over yet. Meanwhile in the first inning against the Phillies, Tyler Lyons got the start in place of Lance Lynn (right forearm strain), against Phillippe Aumont for Cole Hamels (minor hamstring strain). The Astros had a lot of information on Hamels in their Ground Control database, but these things change so quickly.
Not much changes with the Cardinals though, they are still the best organization in baseball. Lyons gave up two singles in the first , but got out of the inning with a 4-6-3 double play, Wong to Peralta to Reunolds. The second was also rough, with two walks, an error, and a coaching visit. There’s nothing like the Cardinals’ coaching staff, and the visit was followed by a fly ball out and a flawless third, and a one- hit fourth. Lyons gave up 3 in the fifth, but what a quality start.
Lyons came out for Villanueva in the sixth. The Phils scored one more in the bottom of the eighth off of Socolovitch.
Meanwhile the Cardinals’ offense was destroying Aumont. Heyward led off the second with a double, followed by Molina’s second bomb of the season. I think Molina is kgetting hot. With two outs, Lyons helped himself with a single followed by a Wong (8) line-drive Wong Kabong. End of the second, 4-0.
In the fourth, Lyons walked and made third on a Wong ground out, Carpenter walked, then both scored on a Peralta double. End of the fourth, 6-0.
Top of the fifth, de Fratus replaced Aumont but had no better luck. Molina singled, Grichuk singled, Jay singled, then Lyons singled and drove in Molina. Was Lyons on fire or what?
Wong k’d. Carpenter singled, driving in Grichuk. Jay scored on a Peralta sac fly. Reynolds doubled, driving in 2 more. End of the inning, 11-0.
Grichuk (4) homered in the sixth. 12-3. With the final Phillies score, that was all she wrote.
This is NeilT with another great recap! Really!