Will Leitch’s two month Twitter conversation AT the Cardinals: Part Two

by on November 8, 2012 · 1 comment

Sometime in mid-August (ok, August 12 to be exact – it’s right there on the Tweeter box) Cardinal fan Will Leitch began a dialogue “with” the Cardinals. Er, maybe AT the Cardinals is more appropriate. The first installment was posted yesterday.

With Will’s permission, and maybe he’ll chime in with some of his own feedback and insight upon review of his 140 character or less outbursts, we present to you a review of the Cardinals’ season from mid-August until the unfortunate end – as told by @williamfleitch.

Please allow a little time for the post to load after the jump, the fancy Tweeter boxes take a little bit to load, but are worth it.

We pick up Will’s addressing the @Cardinals Twitter custodian on the 13th of September.

This was either referring to Skip Schumaker‘s at-bat in the top of the sixth with two runners on, or Jon Jay‘s at-bat in the top of the seventh with one runner on. Schumaker did not bunt, Jay did…

Yeah, Jay popped out. It’d be one thing if the Cardinals were having great success every time the bunt was put on, but not only are they being called at awful times, with good hitters at the plate (remember Yadier Molina‘s bunt from yesterday?) – but the hitters couldn’t execute either.

You don’t run on Yadi, Dee Gordon. I don’t care what your manager says.

After a Carlos Beltran double in the top of the eighth, with a precarious two-run lead, and a hitter that screams bunt at the plate (Skip Schumaker) – NOW you decide not to bunt, Mike?

This sounds like a threat of some sort.

Naturally, Allen Craig grounds into a double play to end the inning and the scoring threat in the top of the ninth – only emboldening the pro-bunt contingent.

Alas, all of the bunting heartburn is unnecessary as Jason Motte closes out the Dodgers in the bottom of the ninth to secure the win. Hugs, indeed.

Despite only having four hits (and one walk) against Dodgers pitcher Joe Blanton in 5 2/3 innings, the Cardinals held onto a slim 3-2 lead going into the bottom of the ninth. Jason Motte retired the first two batters on six pitches, then it was floodgates. Single, stolen base, double, single, ballgame. Dodgers 4, Cardinals 3. Joe Blanton, Cardinal beater.

If Will seems negative here, you’ll have to forgive him. After all, the Cardinals were going into extra innings – and we all know how well that’s turned out for them so far in 2012…

Fernando Salas escaped a situation in the bottom of the tenth, Shelby Miller put up a scoreless eleventh, the Cards scored three runs in the top of twelve (including a – wait for it – SAC BUNT!), and Jason Motte closed it out. Extra innings win! Huzzah!

The Cardinals held a 4-0 lead over the Astros heading into the eighth inning, where Mitchell Boggs made things interesting by allowing a run with runners still on first and second with only one out. Boggs proceeded to strike out the next batter, and Marc Rzepczynski got the final out of the inning to escape the threat.

Don’t feel guilty, Will. By now, they’re not reading anyway.

At this stage, this Tweet had to be about either Jose Valdez from the Astros or Jason Motte.

By now, you’re probably seeing a trend from Will after a Cardinal victory. Regardless of strength of opponent, as in this case.

Molina, as we know, would finish the 2012 season with his best hitting numbers of his career. Still waiting word on whether he can fly or not.

The September 19th victory over the Astros was the Cardinals’ third straight win and the middle game of a sweep of the ‘Stros. The Cards would put up an 7-2 stretch against Houston, the Cubs, and Houston again to really cement their place in the Wild Card race.

I think this Tweet sums up the feeling of all Cardinal fans, no? The Cardinals should respond to us, love us back, and listen to our deepest feelings and concerns. I’ll hold my breath.

Completed the sweep of Houston mentioned earlier.

Must-win games down the stretch against an inferior opponent often carry the aforementioned feeling of magnitude.

The Chicago Cubs’ Darwin Barney hit a two-run home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to tie the game at four. Darwin Barney hit a home run. Darwin Barney. Fernando Salas had a tough year, huh?

And of course, the blown ninth inning lead turned into extra innings, which inevitably (almost) always turns into a Cardinal loss. Gut punch.

Will’s tumblr – The Will Leitch Experience – is a magnificent thing. You should visit it, often.

Another appearance by Bad Adam Wainwright was to blame for this self-inflicted punishment. No person should ever feel forced to watch Big Ten football of any sort. Trust me, I speak from experience. (And I know Will does too.)

Oh, those Cardinals – they just continue to suck us all back in. Carlos Beltran goes yard in the top of nine to tie this game at four.

Trevor Rosenthal gets the first two outs in the bottom of the ninth, and then the parade of hits starts again. Single for Josh Vitters. Single for Luis Valbuena. Mitchell Boggs comes on for the final out. Whew.

Oh great, not “whew”, now we’ve got extra innings ag… wait, what? Jon Jay doubles in a run? The Cardinals win in extra innings? Jason Motte strikes out the side in the bottom of ten for the victory. If Josh Harrison couldn’t stop Molina by almost taking off his head, a little back spasm sure as hell isn’t going to stop him.

The Reds clinch the NL Central. In hindsight, the Cardinals may have been better off facing the Reds in the NLCS. It sure would’ve been more exciting than Scutaro-Fest.

Smell ya later, Wrigley.

Pete Kozma hit a home run (his second of the season at that point, mind you) and everyone was like “whhhhaaaaaaaaa?”

Cards shut out the Astros 4-0 to move their record to 84-71.

Cards get shut out by the Astros 2-0, just in time to cause consternation and worry as Will heads for Busch III.

In said first two innings at Busch, the Cardinals put up five runs in the first and four runs in the second. THANK YOU.

So Adam LaRoche leads off the top of the tenth inning (of course it’s extras) with a walk. Davey Johnson gives away an out (sacrifice bunt) and Fred Salas gets a flyout. Two outs. LET’S WALK DANNY ESPINOSA TO SET UP THE FORCE OUT! Not a double play mind you. Just a normal ol’ force out. Of course that turned into a passed ball and two-run double. So yeah, I can’t say for certain, but I would guess I was doing some yelling at Mike Matheny too. At least I didn’t have to see it in person.

With Will comfortably back at home without having harmed Matheny, the Cards put up more crooked numbers on the Nationals, a 10-4 victory. Only three games with Cincinnati remain.

Victory, 4-2 over the NL Central Champion Reds. Indeed, the Cardinals needed the 2012 NL Bud Selig Play-In Series to be playoff eligible, but we won’t quibble over the minute details.

—–

Come back tomorrow to read the final installment – the playoffs!

Writing about the Cardinals and other loosely associated topics since 2008, I've grown tired of the April run-out only to disappoint Cardinal fans everywhere by mid-May. I do not believe in surrendering free outs.
Nick
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Posted in: 2012 Cardinals Game Notes,Cardinals Coaches,Current Cardinals,Non-Cardinals

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