04/25/24
October 17, 2011
Wild Cards Beat Brewers, Advance to World Series: The St. Louis Cardinals, who earned a wild-card spot on the final day of the season, have advanced to the World Series after a 12-6 demolition of the Milwaukee Brewers in game 6 of the National League Championship Series. Albert Pujols, Matt Holliday and Series MVP David Freese accounted for 33 hits and 23 RBIs during the six games. The bullpen once again came through with Fernando Salas and four other relievers giving up just 2 earned runs over seven innings. "I wish I could chop the award up into pieces and give it to the bullpen. They deserve it," Freese said. The Cardinals and Rangers enter the World Series with shaky starters and blazing bullpens. "Expect a furious bullpen showdown," writes Tyler Kepner of the New York Times. "The Texas Rangers survived against the Detroit Tigers despite a 6.59 earned run average from their starters. The Cardinals’ rotation was even worse against Milwaukee, with a 7.03 E.R.A."
Notwithstanding the fact that the Brewers are supposedly obnoxious, fierce rivals of the Cardinals and that I am a Cardinals fan, I would have been pulling for them in the World Series. I like the enthusiasm and camaraderie they seem to have, and am sorry for their fans that Fielder is probably gone.
Looks to be an interesting series between the Cards and the Rangers. The teams are a lot more similar than one might think based on reputation and first blush and particularly so in the playoffs -- middling starting pitching, lights out bullpens, and relatively strong line-ups. If ALCS Nelson Cruz (as opposed to ALDS Nelson Cruz) shows up, it's going to be a tough one for the Cardinals (although in David Freese they have a similarly hot batter who is hitting for power and not making outs), but I basically see this as a toss-up that should go 6 or 7.
posted by holden at 01:54 PM on October 17, 2011
Well, that was depressing. Hopefully it's less than 29 years until their next LCS. I kept waiting for the Brewers O to have a game where they just blew up and won it but I guess that was game 1.
posted by tron7 at 02:06 PM on October 17, 2011
I think it was obvious to most people why the Brewers didn't win the series.
Lack of clutch hitting from ARod.
posted by grum@work at 04:11 PM on October 17, 2011
That could be it, I can't recall any balls he hit well in this series.
posted by tron7 at 05:21 PM on October 17, 2011
I'm looking forward to the World Series being an offensive showdown if the past games are any indication.
posted by insomnyuk at 07:26 PM on October 17, 2011
I don't think the bullpens will dominate the Series. One of the teams is going to get enough playoff-caliber pitching from starters to quiet the other's monster bats.
Arthur Rhodes should get a ring either way, since he joined the Cards after leaving Texas in August.