Baseball and Traditions

The Cardinals have earned their way to the World Series and now await a partner.  St. Louis rode the arm of Michael Wacha, who I thought would be more likely to fail.  The Dodgers are still looking for Clayton Kershaw, who had given up one earned run since the middle of September.

He was found under a missed third strike call.

Score was 2-0, two on, two out, and a full count to Michael Adams, when Kershaw delivered a a nasty, moving fast ball around the knees.  Adams took the pitch, called ball four by home plate umpire Greg Gibson.  The TBS booth thought it was too close, the Dodgers thought it was too close, even the pitch tracker from TBS, electronic in nature, thought it was too close.

The next batter, Shane Robinson, singled to right, followed by a poorly advised and executed Yasiel Puig throw, and the manageable 2-0 deficit was 4-0 instead at the end of the inning.

I will grant that the first domino to fall was the 11 pitch battle with Matt Carpenter, but the missed third strike opened the flood gates.  Shaken confidence and desperation lead to the five run Cardinal fifth that settled the issue.  The mental battle is as important as the physical one, and everyone, including this year's best pitcher in the National League can be shaken.  Want to give Michael Wacha huge credit for being the first rookie to not allow a run in two League Championship Series starts, winning the biggest game of all against the probable Cy Young winner.

-High School football regular season ended in Indiana last night.  Senior nights at every game, and plenty of tradition to go around.  A little controversy has come to light locally.

Plymouth High School has had recent controversy over the song "Rocky Top".  The school decreed the removal of the song because of it's reference to moonshine.  The band won't play it any more, so the students sing it anyway, emphasizing the evil word within.

I believe an old country song do not mean what politically correct activists think they mean.  Songs like Rocky Top will be remembered long after the games are over, a reminder of home, even if you live in a different country.  If the games are about the kids, leave them alone.

Oh, yeah!  I forgot!  It became about money long ago.

So...am I off base?