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Thanks to the now-defunct blog MOsanthrope.

Catching Up On Baseball

Sorry if this blog is becoming all baseball all the time, but it's been 4 days since I last blogged, and alot has happened in the baseball world in the meantime.

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The NLCS is Rockies vs. Diamondbacks, and the ALCS is Red Sox vs. Indians, which means I got both AL predictions right and both NL predictions wrong so far.

My revised World Series prediction: Red Sox beat the Rockies.

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The Cubs got swept, and I would be falling down on my duty as a Cardinals fan if I failed to point out that this guarantees a 100 year World Series drought for the Cubs. Technically, they would have to lose next year to make it 100 straight seasons, but since they last won a World Series in early October 1908 and they now can't win one until late October 2008, that's 100 years.

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Lou Piniella got what was coming to him.... Carlos Zambrano will be very well rested for his next start. In April.

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The Yankess lost too, which means they've spent $1.2 billion in payroll since their last championship in 2000. Steinbrenner is pissed and has threatened to fire Joe Torre. Because, you know, it was Joe Torre that caused the Yankees to lose 12-3 in game one.

Granted, Torre is overpaid, like alot of Yankees. I don't really blame Steinbrenner for firing Torre, because no manager should make as much as he does. But I'm sure Steinbrenner will overpay for another manager. And in my eyes, the obvious candidate is....

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Tony La Russa. Yes, the manager of my beloved Cardinals. Tony's partner in crime during his tenure in St. Louis, general manager Walt Jocketty, got canned last week. Tony has technically been offered the job to come back, but I think the writing's on the wall. He's gone. He'll leave or ownership will relent on their offer... I'm hoping he's gone, personally... just seems like a very uncomfortable situation if he's still the Cardinals manager next year.

If he leaves, he's the biggest splash the Yankees, a.k.a. Steibrenner, can make in replacing Torre. And I think Tony would jump at the chance to be with an automatic contendor again.

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So if Tony's out in St. Louis, who's in? Could it be... Joe Torre? That's right, is there a straight-up switch in store for the Cardinals and Yankees?

It's certainly possible. Torre played for the Cards and managed them once before. But I'm thinking they'll go young... former Cardinal utility man and current third base coach Jose Oquendo has pretty much been groomed for the job. Oh, and there's this guy named Ozzie Smith who is likely to have some role in the Cardinals organization once Tony's gone.

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Any Yankees fans who STILL want to see A-Rod go are crazy. He went 4 for 15 in the Yankees' four game postseason, including a home run in game four. Sure, he started out 0 for 6 in the first two games (walking twice in game one)... which means he went 4 for 9 in elimination games. Almost .500!

Yet some Yankees fans, and journalists, STILL think he's a postseason liability. The Fire Joe Morgan blog has an excellent rundown (just look at the last ten posts or so).

Fortunately for those Yankees fans, Yankees management isn't as dumb as them. There's still a good chance he'll remain a Yankee (as a Cards fan I hope so... otherwise he's likely to become a Cub). But if there's ever a Cardinals-Yankees World Series while A-Rod is a Yankee... I'd gladly take postseason A-Rod off their hands and have him switch teams, so as not to be a liability.