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Break out the Brooms: Cardinals sweep Twins to open the season · Cardinal Territory: A St. Louis Cardinals Podcast

• 0:04
  Speaker 1: Break out the brooms. The Saint Louis Cardinals sweep the
• 0:07
  Speaker 1: Minnesota Twins nine to two. How's that for an opening series.
• 0:12
  Speaker 1: I'm Katie Wu, He's Bernne Nicholas. Welcome back to Cardinal Territory.
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: As we record this, it's around seven to fifteenth Central time,
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: Sunday night. There are four teams in Major League Baseball
• 0:22
  Speaker 1: who are undefeated. They are at the Los Angeles Dodgers,
• 0:26
  Speaker 1: the New York Yankees, the San Diego Padres, and just
• 0:29
  Speaker 1: like we all predicted, the Saint Louis Cardinals. Bernie, what
• 0:34
  Speaker 1: a series for these Redbirds.
• 0:36
  Speaker 2: You know, it's never too early to win, especially if
• 0:39
  Speaker 2: you haven't won you know, the past two years, not really,
• 0:42
  Speaker 2: you know, twenty second out of thirty teams in winning
• 0:45
  Speaker 2: percentage in twenty three, twenty four, and so we were
• 0:49
  Speaker 2: all kind of wondering, like, well, you know, the Cardinals
• 0:53
  Speaker 2: said the right things about themselves. You know, we're all together,
• 0:56
  Speaker 2: there's energy, there's enthusiasm, the team's close, the vibes awesome,
• 1:00
  Speaker 2: and that's always good to hear. But I also know that,
• 1:04
  Speaker 2: you know, there were like twenty nine other teams saying
• 1:06
  Speaker 2: the same thing, so right, they really came out and
• 1:10
  Speaker 2: proved the point. They really hate to use the cliche.
• 1:12
  Speaker 2: They really made a statement that a lot of that
• 1:15
  Speaker 2: talk in spring training wasn't just talk. It looked like
• 1:18
  Speaker 2: a really sharp team. It looked like a team that
• 1:21
  Speaker 2: was on point in every area. And we'll get into
• 1:24
  Speaker 2: all that. I don't want to steal all the thunder here,
• 1:26
  Speaker 2: but they I was just kind of like, wow, I
• 1:30
  Speaker 2: mean to it's too soon for me to say this
• 1:32
  Speaker 2: team is. That was a transformation. But they weren't kidding
• 1:37
  Speaker 2: when they talked about the way they felt about themselves
• 1:39
  Speaker 2: going into twenty twenty five. They weren't kidding, at least
• 1:42
  Speaker 2: for the first three games.
• 1:44
  Speaker 1: The intensity I think with this team was evident from
• 1:47
  Speaker 1: the first pitch on Thursday. Sonny Gray comes in really
• 1:50
  Speaker 1: the first half of the Indian six pitches, mows down
• 1:52
  Speaker 1: the Twins. He knows doesn't have as vlo doesn't matter,
• 1:55
  Speaker 1: finds a way to have like an easy, breezy first inning,
• 1:57
  Speaker 1: and Lars new barsats the tone immediately with that single
• 2:00
  Speaker 1: to write Brendan Donovan, you know chops that one shoots
• 2:03
  Speaker 1: when just passed. Carlos Carea, Cardinals are on the board
• 2:06
  Speaker 1: and you know it sounds a little dramatic, but I
• 2:09
  Speaker 1: was like, wait a seconds, that's a really quick way
• 2:11
  Speaker 1: to start this ballgame. And I'm intrigued, and all throughout
• 2:15
  Speaker 1: Thursday's home opener, which I'm an Opening day girl, we
• 2:17
  Speaker 1: know this.
• 2:18
  Speaker 3: I was feeling a little down.
• 2:20
  Speaker 1: I'm not gonna lie.
• 2:21
  Speaker 3: It was the weather.
• 2:22
  Speaker 1: There was no arch in the grass, which look, I
• 2:25
  Speaker 1: know is a small thing, but it matters. And it's
• 2:27
  Speaker 1: not the groundskeepers, like they worked so tirely to make
• 2:30
  Speaker 1: that happen, but the weather just made it impossible. I
• 2:32
  Speaker 1: missed the start to the Clydesdales. That was my own fault.
• 2:35
  Speaker 1: It was raining, so I thought I had time to
• 2:37
  Speaker 1: go to the snack bar behind the press box. I
• 2:40
  Speaker 1: did not, and I was just kind of like, okay,
• 2:42
  Speaker 1: all of my favorite things about Opening Day, it's kind
• 2:44
  Speaker 1: of suck right now. And then the game started, and
• 2:48
  Speaker 1: I can't tell you the last time I had so
• 2:50
  Speaker 1: much fun watching a Saint Louis Cardinals game. I thought
• 2:52
  Speaker 1: that Thursday home opener embodied every single thing about a
• 2:55
  Speaker 1: good quality Cardinal baseball win. From starting pitcher if way
• 3:00
  Speaker 1: to get it done, even if he didn't have his
• 3:01
  Speaker 1: best stuff. You had some greated bats from New Bar,
• 3:04
  Speaker 1: some great bats from the whole lineup, to be honest,
• 3:07
  Speaker 1: quality competitive, very smart, very disciplined. The defense was off
• 3:10
  Speaker 1: the charts, you know, Victor Scott making it play, Brendan
• 3:13
  Speaker 1: Donovan turning that double play from his stomach, and we'll
• 3:16
  Speaker 1: get to this. My favorite moment was that Nolan Arnado
• 3:18
  Speaker 1: curtain called insurance run solo homer in the eight. You
• 3:22
  Speaker 1: know the way that opening day started there the I
• 3:26
  Speaker 1: think the Cardinals do a fantastic job. In my opinion,
• 3:28
  Speaker 1: it's the best opening day in baseball. But when the
• 3:31
  Speaker 1: Cardinals started their ceremony after the rain delay, they brought
• 3:35
  Speaker 1: out Build Aehet Junior and build a with the third
• 3:37
  Speaker 1: and the booze in that stadium for the owners were
• 3:41
  Speaker 1: so loud, and I've never heard the Dewits have a
• 3:43
  Speaker 1: reaction like that, And I honestly think just looking at
• 3:46
  Speaker 1: the camera that Buildwhitt Junior was surprised just because it
• 3:49
  Speaker 1: doesn't happen here. And the same can be said for Mo.
• 3:52
  Speaker 1: He did not really have a rousing ovation either. I
• 3:54
  Speaker 1: thought the Cardinals video tribute they put to him was
• 3:56
  Speaker 1: nicely done and there was some applause there at the end.
• 3:59
  Speaker 1: But you know, it was a forty seven thousand people
• 4:01
  Speaker 1: at Bush Stadium for opening Day, and they let their
• 4:05
  Speaker 1: displeasure with the ownership in front office, know which is
• 4:07
  Speaker 1: they're right. Fans have every right for buying a ticket.
• 4:09
  Speaker 1: You have every right to express how you feel. And
• 4:12
  Speaker 1: then they got behind the club and they got behind
• 4:14
  Speaker 1: the players and they said it we if you're going
• 4:17
  Speaker 1: to give us a good baseball, we're going to get
• 4:19
  Speaker 1: behind that. And bringing for the last the last three days,
• 4:22
  Speaker 1: the Cardinals have given them great baseball.
• 4:24
  Speaker 2: There's no doubt about it. If I could like throw
• 4:27
  Speaker 2: something in about the booing of Bill Dewett Junior, and
• 4:30
  Speaker 2: you know, especially and I think people get mad at
• 4:33
  Speaker 2: me when I when I say this, And first of all,
• 4:35
  Speaker 2: I if you were if you want to boost someone,
• 4:37
  Speaker 2: you can't do anyone you want in this build a
• 4:39
  Speaker 2: wit let this thing slide. And that's that's on him.
• 4:42
  Speaker 2: The thing that was his baby player development, he just
• 4:46
  Speaker 2: let that. He just let that thing fall into neglect
• 4:49
  Speaker 2: and disrepair. So that's totally on him. And I've I've
• 4:52
  Speaker 2: criticized him, as you know, many many times over that. However, however,
• 4:58
  Speaker 2: call me a softy but it's opening and it's supposed
• 5:01
  Speaker 2: to be a day to celebration, celebrate Cardinals baseball the
• 5:05
  Speaker 2: past with all the Red Jackets, you know, the World
• 5:08
  Speaker 2: Series trophies, the Pennants are everywhere. You know, this has
• 5:12
  Speaker 2: been such a great franchise under Bill to win. You know,
• 5:15
  Speaker 2: he's eighty three years old. And again I realize that
• 5:19
  Speaker 2: they've made a lot of money, and I realized that
• 5:22
  Speaker 2: it's his fault that they let the thing, their model,
• 5:25
  Speaker 2: kind of get old and moldy and covered with barnacles
• 5:28
  Speaker 2: and all that stuff. But I also there's part of
• 5:32
  Speaker 2: me that also who has you know, just it's like,
• 5:35
  Speaker 2: wait a minute, can can we talk big picture? We
• 5:38
  Speaker 2: all agree the last few years have been very disappointing,
• 5:41
  Speaker 2: but can we talk big picture? And since he's been
• 5:43
  Speaker 2: the owner, Mike got you know, their fourth in the
• 5:46
  Speaker 2: majors in winning percentage, They've won more playoff games than
• 5:50
  Speaker 2: any team in the National League. They you know, four Pennants,
• 5:54
  Speaker 2: two World Series. They they've had I believe, I shouldn't
• 5:58
  Speaker 2: I won't to say. I know, at one point they
• 6:00
  Speaker 2: had the most home wins in the postseason for a
• 6:02
  Speaker 2: long long time. And you know, and during his time
• 6:06
  Speaker 2: as owner, They've won eighteen postseason rounds in a wild card.
• 6:11
  Speaker 2: And think about all the Hall of Fame players, think
• 6:14
  Speaker 2: about all the great players, all the all stars, I mean,
• 6:17
  Speaker 2: just as cavalcade of stars. And I understand being upset
• 6:21
  Speaker 2: with the last few years, But does the stuff that
• 6:26
  Speaker 2: came before that? Does that not count anymore? Like, oh,
• 6:30
  Speaker 2: that's in the past. We don't care about that. See,
• 6:33
  Speaker 2: I'm not wired that way. I really appreciate the overall
• 6:37
  Speaker 2: track record of Bil DeWitt Junior as the owner of
• 6:40
  Speaker 2: the Saint Louis Cardinals. I mean, it is a superb
• 6:44
  Speaker 2: overall record. Even with the last several years of major disappointment,
• 6:49
  Speaker 2: it is still an overall wonderful record. So I can't
• 6:53
  Speaker 2: lose sight of that. But I thought he won the day,
• 6:56
  Speaker 2: so to speak, because you know, he may have been
• 6:59
  Speaker 2: a little prize. I agree with you. But then he
• 7:01
  Speaker 2: then he took you know, he walked calmly over to
• 7:03
  Speaker 2: the line, and he was smiling and welcoming all the
• 7:06
  Speaker 2: players and shaking hands with the Red jackets, and he
• 7:09
  Speaker 2: was happy. So it was okay. But I just you know,
• 7:13
  Speaker 2: I know, I get pounded for saying this stuff. I
• 7:15
  Speaker 2: don't know why, because the record is the record and
• 7:18
  Speaker 2: it's awfully good. But I just I just wanted to
• 7:22
  Speaker 2: kind of weigh in on that a little bit. And
• 7:24
  Speaker 2: that's all. Yeah, fans have the right. Yeah, I'm sorry,
• 7:28
  Speaker 2: they have the right to boo. I'm not questioning that
• 7:30
  Speaker 2: at all. Go ahead, I'm sorry, No, you're fine.
• 7:32
  Speaker 1: It surprised me a little bit just because of what
• 7:34
  Speaker 1: we said. It doesn't happen with I mean with MO.
• 7:36
  Speaker 1: We've heard it a little bit more since twenty twenty three,
• 7:38
  Speaker 1: but this was to me the loudest. The reaction has
• 7:41
  Speaker 1: been in a not positive way for the DeWitt family,
• 7:44
  Speaker 1: but I've really enjoyed the fan reaction throughout the game
• 7:49
  Speaker 1: and throughout the series, and the crowds on Saturday and Sunday. Yes,
• 7:51
  Speaker 1: I know there's weather permitting. They weren't the liveliest of crowds.
• 7:55
  Speaker 1: There were some plenty of empty sections, as we thought
• 7:57
  Speaker 1: would happen at Bushtadium, but the fans that shop. And again,
• 8:00
  Speaker 1: if you're not coming to Cardinals games because you're mad
• 8:02
  Speaker 1: about the team or upset about the direction, I get it.
• 8:05
  Speaker 1: That's your right. And I'm never going to say I'm
• 8:06
  Speaker 1: spend your money. But I said this multiple times on
• 8:10
  Speaker 1: the show, and I believe it, and I think we
• 8:12
  Speaker 1: saw it a little bit today. If you give the
• 8:14
  Speaker 1: Cardinals fans a good product, they will support the team.
• 8:18
  Speaker 1: And we saw three great Cardinal baseball games over the weekend,
• 8:23
  Speaker 1: and Bernie was honestly some of the most fun I've
• 8:25
  Speaker 1: had at work in a long time. And I know
• 8:26
  Speaker 1: it's only three games. We saw one hundred and fifty
• 8:28
  Speaker 1: nine to go. And you know, who knows if the
• 8:31
  Speaker 1: Twins are good or bad? Who knows that the Cardinals
• 8:33
  Speaker 1: are good or bad? But I am really excited to
• 8:35
  Speaker 1: get into the differences that we saw with this team.
• 8:39
  Speaker 1: But first to do that, let's hear from our friends
• 8:42
  Speaker 1: at fandel Sports Network. You can now stream the Saintless
• 8:47
  Speaker 1: Cardinals games through FanDuel Sports Network and if you use
• 8:49
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• 8:52
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• 8:56
  Speaker 1: com slash packages. This expires May second, twenty twenty five.
• 9:01
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• 9:05
  Speaker 1: During the free trial to avoid charges, eligibility restrictions, supply
• 9:09
  Speaker 1: visit pandelsportsnetwork dot com for details. I streamed the game
• 9:13
  Speaker 1: on this when MLBtv went out to start the season.
• 9:17
  Speaker 1: That's what you want from your company. And it was
• 9:19
  Speaker 1: great to hear my friends, Chip Carrey, Brad Thompson, Jim Hayes,
• 9:22
  Speaker 1: Alexa dat, Rickey Horton and the squad just being able
• 9:26
  Speaker 1: to stream Cardinals baseball.
• 9:27
  Speaker 3: It is about time.
• 9:29
  Speaker 1: Let's talk about some Cardinals baseball, if you will.
• 9:33
  Speaker 3: Over the last three.
• 9:33
  Speaker 1: Games, nineteen runs, thirty hits, five homers, Bertie, who are
• 9:38
  Speaker 1: these guys?
• 9:40
  Speaker 2: You know? And then the other thing, they're big curse.
• 9:43
  Speaker 2: Last year, you know, two twenty nine batting average of
• 9:45
  Speaker 2: runners in the scoring position, which just killed the offense.
• 9:47
  Speaker 2: And so this this series had like hit three twenty
• 9:50
  Speaker 2: three and they were hitting for power as well with
• 9:52
  Speaker 2: the runners of the scoring positions. So all the things
• 9:54
  Speaker 2: we hated about this team, not not literally all the
• 9:57
  Speaker 2: teams you kind of hated about the Cards. Oh you
• 9:59
  Speaker 2: got a wh this again. You know, it was all
• 10:02
  Speaker 2: of a sudden, bright sunshiny day, even though it wasn't literally.
• 10:07
  Speaker 1: No.
• 10:07
  Speaker 2: I was just impressed. Listen the lineup that Ali Marmel
• 10:10
  Speaker 2: set up at the top and at the bottom worked
• 10:13
  Speaker 2: very very well, very very well. And you know, I
• 10:18
  Speaker 2: know that Contreras and Wind had hitless series, so what
• 10:23
  Speaker 2: I think they're gonna be fine, But they got I
• 10:26
  Speaker 2: was wondering about the middle of the lineup, and actually
• 10:29
  Speaker 2: that worked out well too, with Hour and Out on
• 10:31
  Speaker 2: the cleanup spot. Burlison had some big moments. Both catchers
• 10:36
  Speaker 2: hit well in that series, and then Jordan Walker had
• 10:40
  Speaker 2: some really good at bats and the whole team had
• 10:45
  Speaker 2: great at bats. And then it rolls into the bottom
• 10:47
  Speaker 2: of the lineup where you know, it's exciting to have
• 10:49
  Speaker 2: Win and Victor Scott down there. Victor Scott and Win
• 10:53
  Speaker 2: down there, I should say, because uh, Win will be fine.
• 10:56
  Speaker 2: And you know, Victor Scott had a really good series,
• 10:59
  Speaker 2: so he proved that he belong. There's no doubt about
• 11:01
  Speaker 2: it already. You can tell they made the right decision.
• 11:03
  Speaker 2: So there was a lot to like about this offense.
• 11:06
  Speaker 2: I mean, they've seen in the three games they really
• 11:09
  Speaker 2: worked those Twins pitchers into I don't know if his exhaustion,
• 11:14
  Speaker 2: but they tired him out. And the Cardinals like in
• 11:16
  Speaker 2: the series, they averaged like around four point one four
• 11:20
  Speaker 2: point two pitches per plate appearance, which is really really good,
• 11:24
  Speaker 2: and it was like a whole new approach. And I
• 11:26
  Speaker 2: don't know, Katie, we can talk about that too. I mean,
• 11:28
  Speaker 2: it seems like whatever they're preaching to the players, the
• 11:31
  Speaker 2: players got the message. Yeah.
• 11:33
  Speaker 1: I mean, I think we've been hearing all spring about
• 11:35
  Speaker 1: new hitting coach Brent Brown and his message and his approach.
• 11:37
  Speaker 1: And I think the offensive output for the last three
• 11:40
  Speaker 1: games can be broken into two things. It can be
• 11:43
  Speaker 1: broken into the lineup construction with Alie Marmal and we'll
• 11:45
  Speaker 1: get to that, but it can also be put into
• 11:48
  Speaker 1: the team wide approach.
• 11:50
  Speaker 3: Just some quotes.
• 11:51
  Speaker 1: From Olie Marmal today after the game, I asked him about,
• 11:55
  Speaker 1: you know, what he liked, what really surprised him, what
• 11:58
  Speaker 1: impressed him, and he hit me with this one, which
• 12:01
  Speaker 1: I thought was a great quote if I could find it.
• 12:04
  Speaker 3: He said, every bat is.
• 12:07
  Speaker 1: A damn dogfight. Every pitch is important. Every inning is
• 12:09
  Speaker 1: its own game within a game, and you can see it.
• 12:12
  Speaker 1: We score a couple of runs and the next inning
• 12:14
  Speaker 1: world starting from scratch. He said, each inning is like
• 12:17
  Speaker 1: its own game, and you can see that with the
• 12:19
  Speaker 1: competitive of bats.
• 12:20
  Speaker 3: What I like about this the.
• 12:22
  Speaker 1: Approach that Brandon Brown is teaching, We're going to hear
• 12:24
  Speaker 1: this quote a lot. There's a time to hit and
• 12:25
  Speaker 1: there's a time to slug, and the Cardinals really bought
• 12:29
  Speaker 1: into that.
• 12:29
  Speaker 3: Over the last three days.
• 12:31
  Speaker 1: They had five homers, but they did some really nice
• 12:34
  Speaker 1: situational hitting to put runners in scoring position. And already
• 12:36
  Speaker 1: they're doing a much better job. We know that they
• 12:38
  Speaker 1: did not do such a good job with runners in
• 12:40
  Speaker 1: the scoring position last year, if the worst team in
• 12:42
  Speaker 1: the National League at that.
• 12:43
  Speaker 3: But what I really liked about this is.
• 12:45
  Speaker 1: The way that the lineup is constructed allows players to
• 12:49
  Speaker 1: know if they're going to hit or if they're gonna.
• 12:50
  Speaker 3: Slug, and what their roles are.
• 12:52
  Speaker 1: So this lineup is going to change a little bit,
• 12:54
  Speaker 1: especially with the Angels coming up. They're going to throw
• 12:56
  Speaker 1: two lefties in there, so it's going to vary. But
• 12:58
  Speaker 1: based off what we saw, three guys at the top
• 13:02
  Speaker 1: of the order that I think are going to remain
• 13:03
  Speaker 1: that way regardless of handedness. Ninety percent of the time,
• 13:05
  Speaker 1: I think we're gonna see Noop bar one, Contraras, two,
• 13:08
  Speaker 1: Donovan three. Those guys are high on base guys, They
• 13:12
  Speaker 1: work deep counts, and they have a little bit of everything, right.
• 13:15
  Speaker 1: They're not just strictly you know, singles hitters. They have
• 13:18
  Speaker 1: some slug in them too, so they're versatile, but they're
• 13:20
  Speaker 1: biggest traits that they get on base.
• 13:23
  Speaker 3: Then you have the guys that can swing it.
• 13:24
  Speaker 1: Nolan onar Auto, he looks great, he looks like a
• 13:27
  Speaker 1: very convinced Nolan Arnaudo, very motivated Burlison behind him, You're
• 13:31
  Speaker 1: gonna get some version of Herrera, Gorman and Walker after that,
• 13:37
  Speaker 1: just depending on the day.
• 13:38
  Speaker 3: Those guys can swing, they can do damage. And then,
• 13:40
  Speaker 3: like we talked about on prior.
• 13:41
  Speaker 1: Episodes, you have the speed with Victor Scott, the second
• 13:44
  Speaker 1: stole free bags over the series. And then Mason Winn
• 13:47
  Speaker 1: I know he's scuffling right now, but he's gonna get it,
• 13:49
  Speaker 1: and you're already seeing how that speed plays and turns
• 13:51
  Speaker 1: it over to the top of the lineup. I talked
• 13:53
  Speaker 1: to a number of players over the weekend on what
• 13:56
  Speaker 1: they were seeing from the lineup. Nolan Gorman, great game
• 13:59
  Speaker 1: Sunday and like your first start and getting going three
• 14:02
  Speaker 1: for four with a home run he called new bar
• 14:06
  Speaker 1: like the snowball effect, he says, with speed at the
• 14:08
  Speaker 1: bottom of the lineup, and those guys being able to
• 14:10
  Speaker 1: turn the lineup over to the guys getting on base.
• 14:12
  Speaker 1: It's a recipe for success, but it really starts with
• 14:15
  Speaker 1: new Bar setting the tone.
• 14:16
  Speaker 3: Nolan and Ado had a lot of good things to say.
• 14:19
  Speaker 1: Send Lars Newbar works pitches. He sees a lot of pitches.
• 14:22
  Speaker 1: Wilson does the same thing, Ben Donovan, and then after
• 14:25
  Speaker 1: that we have guys that swing it.
• 14:26
  Speaker 3: Nolan said, I love the way our.
• 14:28
  Speaker 1: Lineup works, and I think Cardinals fans are loving it
• 14:30
  Speaker 1: as well. Because when you combine that approach that brand
• 14:33
  Speaker 1: Brown is teaching, know your role, no one to hit,
• 14:36
  Speaker 1: no one to slug, and then a lineup that's constructed
• 14:38
  Speaker 1: that allows these guys to prosper in those roles, you
• 14:42
  Speaker 1: get an offensive outcome like we saw the last three days.
• 14:45
  Speaker 2: Yeah, they took those at bats on their terms, and
• 14:48
  Speaker 2: we haven't seen that, you know, we certainly didn't see
• 14:51
  Speaker 2: that last season. Like and I don't I'm not trying
• 14:53
  Speaker 2: to pick on Nolan Gorman. He just sort of personified
• 14:56
  Speaker 2: the problem. Sure it was true of a lot of
• 14:58
  Speaker 2: their guys, even their good hit they took too many
• 15:01
  Speaker 2: called strikes and they chased too many out of the zone.
• 15:04
  Speaker 2: Like if you look at Burlason's numbers, and we all
• 15:06
  Speaker 2: know he's a great contact hitter, but there were some
• 15:08
  Speaker 2: pitches he just had there was no reason to chase him.
• 15:12
  Speaker 2: Even though he made contact, his numbers were terrible when
• 15:14
  Speaker 2: he did, but when he hit strikes, his numbers were awesome.
• 15:17
  Speaker 2: And that's generally true of all hitters. But that team,
• 15:23
  Speaker 2: I was so frustrated watching them just take lousy at
• 15:25
  Speaker 2: bets and so there was never you know this better
• 15:28
  Speaker 2: than I do. There was never any There was never
• 15:31
  Speaker 2: any kind of universal approach. There was never any kind
• 15:35
  Speaker 2: of philosophy for situal situational hitting. As you mentioned, it
• 15:40
  Speaker 2: was just kind of like, and I joked about it
• 15:42
  Speaker 2: on the videos that I do, it was just like,
• 15:44
  Speaker 2: go on up there, hit the boys, hit the ball
• 15:47
  Speaker 2: hard boys, you know, just you know, there just was
• 15:50
  Speaker 2: no plan. There was no like you're like, you're you know,
• 15:54
  Speaker 2: you go to spring training and we all know you're
• 15:56
  Speaker 2: you know, the players are drilling physically and all that,
• 15:58
  Speaker 2: but they really needed a mental reset, there's that word.
• 16:02
  Speaker 2: But they did in terms of their approach to hitting.
• 16:05
  Speaker 2: And it's three games, but man, it would look like
• 16:07
  Speaker 2: a different product. There's a lot of so many great
• 16:09
  Speaker 2: at bats, and I think, I see, It's one thing
• 16:12
  Speaker 2: if we look at that and we think like, well,
• 16:15
  Speaker 2: they had a good weekend, it's kind of flutkey whatever
• 16:18
  Speaker 2: not that we expect them to average six point three
• 16:20
  Speaker 2: runs per game, you know, which they did in this series.
• 16:22
  Speaker 2: But if you take if your quality at bats is
• 16:26
  Speaker 2: at a high level, and you can be consistent about that,
• 16:29
  Speaker 2: you're gonna have slumps, You're gonna have bad days. But
• 16:31
  Speaker 2: if you can just make sure to take care of
• 16:33
  Speaker 2: the quality of those at bats, your offense will be good.
• 16:37
  Speaker 2: It will be much better than it has been. And
• 16:41
  Speaker 2: that was a really uplifting thing to watch. If you're
• 16:44
  Speaker 2: a Cardinals fan, It's like, well, who are these guys?
• 16:47
  Speaker 2: They had a plan up there? Oh, like they had
• 16:50
  Speaker 2: a two strike approach. Wow, this is new, you know
• 16:56
  Speaker 2: that kind of thing. I really I was struck by that.
• 16:58
  Speaker 3: I was you can see it.
• 17:01
  Speaker 1: I mean, when you're looking at Laura's Nubar said this.
• 17:03
  Speaker 1: He pointed out, he was like, yeah, like, I really
• 17:05
  Speaker 1: like what we're doing on the top of the lineup.
• 17:06
  Speaker 1: But what's really cool is to see later in the
• 17:08
  Speaker 1: lineup Von Herrera working the counts. Jordan Walker took some
• 17:11
  Speaker 1: great AED bats this series. I mean, those pitches low
• 17:14
  Speaker 1: outside of the zone got him every single time, and
• 17:17
  Speaker 1: it's really hard to break those habits. But looks good.
• 17:20
  Speaker 1: And I know that there's gonna be an emphasis on
• 17:21
  Speaker 1: getting the ball in the air. I know that, but
• 17:23
  Speaker 1: baby steps. I thought the ad bats that Walker took
• 17:25
  Speaker 1: looked much better. It seems like these guys not only
• 17:28
  Speaker 1: understand their approach, but they're convicted in it.
• 17:31
  Speaker 3: And it's a different sense of confidence you get.
• 17:33
  Speaker 1: Last season, Cardinals had runners in scoring position and you
• 17:36
  Speaker 1: could feel like the weight on the shoulders collectively from
• 17:40
  Speaker 1: the dugout from the individual hitter, like we have to
• 17:42
  Speaker 1: cash in right now.
• 17:44
  Speaker 3: And now I feel like guys go up there.
• 17:46
  Speaker 1: And I was surprised when the Cardinals did not score
• 17:48
  Speaker 1: with runners in scoring position, and I it's like the
• 17:52
  Speaker 1: exact opposite.
• 17:53
  Speaker 3: I was surprised when they did last year. I was like, oh,
• 17:55
  Speaker 3: this is new.
• 17:56
  Speaker 1: But now, just based on there are bats, how confident
• 17:59
  Speaker 1: they look, how they're approaching each sequence, I'm like, yeah,
• 18:02
  Speaker 1: this is a team that's really unlocked something.
• 18:04
  Speaker 3: And you know, we'll see how this looks.
• 18:06
  Speaker 1: Cardinals will get a big test to me, we will
• 18:09
  Speaker 1: see if the offense is truly fixed on Tuesday. Because
• 18:12
  Speaker 1: Kyle Hendrix is supposed to pitch for the Angels against
• 18:14
  Speaker 1: the Cardinals.
• 18:15
  Speaker 3: You can't escape him.
• 18:16
  Speaker 1: And as Cardinals fans know, Kyle Hendricks is like freaking
• 18:18
  Speaker 1: Cy Young against them, So that'll be a good test.
• 18:21
  Speaker 1: But all things considered, you know, those Twins starters are
• 18:24
  Speaker 1: the Pablo Lopez.
• 18:25
  Speaker 3: He's a great arm.
• 18:26
  Speaker 1: Joe Ryan. I know Bailey Ober did not have a
• 18:28
  Speaker 1: good day. I think I saw him from one of
• 18:30
  Speaker 1: the Twins writers that he's ended, he's sick or something.
• 18:32
  Speaker 1: But those are good arms and the Cardinals just carved
• 18:35
  Speaker 1: them up and it was it was really fun to watch.
• 18:38
  Speaker 1: I really think that we see are seeing a different lineup.
• 18:40
  Speaker 1: I'm wondering how Allie is going to continue working dead
• 18:43
  Speaker 1: bats in this was I believe a pre scheduled day
• 18:46
  Speaker 1: off for Jordan Walker because his swing doesn't really match
• 18:48
  Speaker 1: up well with Bailey Ober's pitching arsenal, and that's going
• 18:52
  Speaker 1: to be something obviously that managers are always thinking about.
• 18:55
  Speaker 1: But for Allie in particular, he went into detail and
• 18:57
  Speaker 1: I hope to get into more in this. On the
• 18:59
  Speaker 1: athletics soon. He's planning a week ahead, so the Twins,
• 19:04
  Speaker 1: that line of the Twins series lineup that's done, that's
• 19:06
  Speaker 1: been done, and the Angel's lineup is done. He's looking
• 19:09
  Speaker 1: at planning in Boston so he can look at, you know,
• 19:11
  Speaker 1: probable starters, working his advats. Who profiles well? Does Nolan
• 19:15
  Speaker 1: Gorman profile well against the starter? Is this a good
• 19:17
  Speaker 1: way to put him in? Angels have two lefties coming up,
• 19:20
  Speaker 1: so we got to get Luke and Baker in there,
• 19:21
  Speaker 1: which means Nolan Gorman needs to play at some point
• 19:23
  Speaker 1: because he's probably not going to play against the lefties.
• 19:25
  Speaker 1: And it's like a fascinating Rubik's Cube jigsaw puzzle of sorts,
• 19:29
  Speaker 1: and it's not easy.
• 19:30
  Speaker 3: And I know every day we'll get a.
• 19:32
  Speaker 1: Lineup and we'll publish it and you'll expect to see
• 19:34
  Speaker 1: some guys in there and you'll be like, well, why
• 19:35
  Speaker 1: is Walker sitting? Or why is Gorman out again? When's
• 19:38
  Speaker 1: Baker going to get in there? These are all things
• 19:40
  Speaker 1: that the staff is working on. But how fun is it,
• 19:43
  Speaker 1: Bernie when you have tough choices to make because everyone
• 19:47
  Speaker 1: seems to be hitting and locked in and not the
• 19:49
  Speaker 1: other way around, which is what I think.
• 19:50
  Speaker 3: Oli Marmle had a lot of struggles with last year.
• 19:53
  Speaker 2: Well, as usual, you nailed it. That's that's the point.
• 19:56
  Speaker 2: You know, last year, so many times it's like, well,
• 19:59
  Speaker 2: who's going to hit? Can anybody hit? And it's just like,
• 20:02
  Speaker 2: you know, no disrespect to Paul Goldsmith Hall of Famer,
• 20:05
  Speaker 2: but he was in the two hole way too long,
• 20:07
  Speaker 2: and you know he you know, bless him, but he
• 20:10
  Speaker 2: was just having, by his standards, a really miserable year
• 20:12
  Speaker 2: and nothing changed Goldie in the two hole, and there
• 20:16
  Speaker 2: weren't enough options when you had you know, Gorman just
• 20:20
  Speaker 2: having his year and Walker having his year and some
• 20:23
  Speaker 2: other things going on. I mean, newt Bar being hurt.
• 20:26
  Speaker 2: It's like they weren't they weren't enough options. So having
• 20:32
  Speaker 2: tough choices where you're you're probably you're gonna be putting
• 20:35
  Speaker 2: a good hitter or two on the bench every day,
• 20:38
  Speaker 2: that's a positive thing, you know, it really is. And
• 20:42
  Speaker 2: so we have to kind of remember that. I think
• 20:43
  Speaker 2: Ali's actually done a really good job putting this together.
• 20:46
  Speaker 2: I think he's got more information now from the front
• 20:49
  Speaker 2: office in terms of some some finer point info data
• 20:55
  Speaker 2: on opposing pictures and the strengths or weaknesses of his
• 21:00
  Speaker 2: based on who that opposing picture is. So they got
• 21:03
  Speaker 2: some good things going on behind the scenes as well.
• 21:05
  Speaker 2: But I just like the complete nature of the entire
• 21:09
  Speaker 2: three games. I mean, the run prevention was terrific. The
• 21:13
  Speaker 2: three starters did a really nice job. Betty was fantastic,
• 21:17
  Speaker 2: Polonte really fought through some things. He also got some
• 21:20
  Speaker 2: swing and miss today too, and then the bullpen was
• 21:23
  Speaker 2: just fantastic. So you know, they end up out scoring
• 21:27
  Speaker 2: the Twins, you know, nineteen to six, and that's an
• 21:31
  Speaker 2: indication of how thorough their domination was in this series. Anyway,
• 21:35
  Speaker 2: the defense was fantastic. I like the way Ali you
• 21:39
  Speaker 2: could tell, like we could tell them in the first game,
• 21:42
  Speaker 2: the way he's going to play it if he has
• 21:43
  Speaker 2: a late inning lead, where he you know, he looks
• 21:45
  Speaker 2: for the right moment, not just not just to put
• 21:48
  Speaker 2: Siani in there, but also to get Pages in there
• 21:51
  Speaker 2: and just move some pieces around where he has his
• 21:54
  Speaker 2: best defensive alignment out there for the last couple of innings. Now,
• 21:58
  Speaker 2: he may not be able to do that every single time,
• 22:01
  Speaker 2: but olli Oli was really sharp. I mean, he he
• 22:05
  Speaker 2: had a plan and he had plans for any type
• 22:08
  Speaker 2: of scenario, and it looked good. He had a really
• 22:12
  Speaker 2: good series. Now you know, again, got one hundred and
• 22:16
  Speaker 2: fifty nine to go, so we'll see. But uh, I
• 22:19
  Speaker 2: thought it was really really important for the Cardinals to
• 22:21
  Speaker 2: get off to a good start for many many many reasons.
• 22:25
  Speaker 2: Business at the box office, right, keep getting giving their
• 22:28
  Speaker 2: fans something wow, a little bit of a wow factor.
• 22:31
  Speaker 2: But also just the Cardinals last season got off to
• 22:36
  Speaker 2: a terrible start at home. They lost, right, remember that
• 22:41
  Speaker 2: White Sox series.
• 22:42
  Speaker 1: Unfortunately, do you remember the White Sox series.
• 22:45
  Speaker 2: So they lost four out of their last excuse me,
• 22:47
  Speaker 2: four out of their first six series at home, and
• 22:50
  Speaker 2: their record in those series was six and eleven, and
• 22:55
  Speaker 2: that put them in a hole. And it was they
• 22:57
  Speaker 2: were trying, they were trying to climb their way out
• 22:59
  Speaker 2: of that for a long time, and they could get
• 23:02
  Speaker 2: to five hundred, and then they stayed at five hundred,
• 23:06
  Speaker 2: you know. And that's why, you know, the people that
• 23:08
  Speaker 2: are already saying, well, totally, you know, let's early, let's
• 23:13
  Speaker 2: calm down time. Well, first of all, you know, we're
• 23:16
  Speaker 2: talking about I'm talking about fans. I'm sticking up for them.
• 23:20
  Speaker 2: They shouldn't. Why should they have to calm down. They
• 23:23
  Speaker 2: saw great baseball for three games, and they.
• 23:25
  Speaker 3: Saw the car Yeah a long time here.
• 23:27
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, so you saw a team you wanted,
• 23:29
  Speaker 2: a team that would look different, played different, think different,
• 23:32
  Speaker 2: perform different. You saw it at least for three games,
• 23:36
  Speaker 2: so it got your attention. So I don't like all
• 23:39
  Speaker 2: these you know people out there. It's only one series,
• 23:42
  Speaker 2: yeah you know, so so what then what would have
• 23:46
  Speaker 2: happened if they would have lost three or lost two
• 23:48
  Speaker 2: out of three.
• 23:49
  Speaker 1: That would be a disaster exactly.
• 23:53
  Speaker 2: So when when you had such a terrible start at
• 23:57
  Speaker 2: home last season and that puts you in a deficit,
• 23:59
  Speaker 2: pa Is, you never really could overcome. It's really important
• 24:05
  Speaker 2: for this team. And by the way, the Angel series
• 24:08
  Speaker 2: is another test, but it's really important for this team
• 24:11
  Speaker 2: to get off to play winning baseball, especially at home.
• 24:16
  Speaker 2: And if they come out against the Angels and they
• 24:19
  Speaker 2: lose two out of three, they lose a series. Then
• 24:21
  Speaker 2: all of our happy talk, which is well founded based
• 24:24
  Speaker 2: on the three games we just saw, all that happy talk,
• 24:28
  Speaker 2: it'll be the volume on that'll be turned down a lot.
• 24:31
  Speaker 2: So they got to go out and take care of business.
• 24:33
  Speaker 2: That's the thing you get no one's going to take
• 24:35
  Speaker 2: them totally seriously, including nationally. And I understand unless they
• 24:39
  Speaker 2: do this not necessarily a sweet but unless they do
• 24:42
  Speaker 2: this over and over and over and over against like
• 24:46
  Speaker 2: Tony LaRussa, I could quote his most repetitive statements. They're
• 24:50
  Speaker 2: like embedded in my brain. You know, he talked about
• 24:54
  Speaker 2: boy telling your team side. He says, like we just
• 24:56
  Speaker 2: you know, all we got to do is win series.
• 24:59
  Speaker 2: So it's the only thing matters. Win series. You keep
• 25:01
  Speaker 2: winning series, you're gonna have a really good year. Just
• 25:03
  Speaker 2: win series. Don't worry about well, well we failed it.
• 25:06
  Speaker 2: We didn't get a sweep there. We could have just
• 25:08
  Speaker 2: win this series. Win a series, stack them up, stack
• 25:10
  Speaker 2: them up. And it's true, it's really true. Win series.
• 25:14
  Speaker 2: And so they got their season off to a good
• 25:16
  Speaker 2: start by doing that. Now they got to do it
• 25:17
  Speaker 2: again against a team. It's not very good correct.
• 25:20
  Speaker 1: Winning teams win series. That's something that we all know.
• 25:22
  Speaker 1: We've heard so so many times. And Sandles Cardinals did
• 25:25
  Speaker 1: what they were supposed to do this weekend, took care
• 25:27
  Speaker 1: of business against the Twins. I agree with you, the
• 25:29
  Speaker 1: absolutely should take the series against the Angels. Some tough
• 25:32
  Speaker 1: pitching I don't want to diminish that Tyler Anderson's a
• 25:34
  Speaker 1: good arm cacuchie. Obviously it's a big signing for them,
• 25:36
  Speaker 1: and we all know about Kyle Hendricks, so we'll see. Yeah,
• 25:40
  Speaker 1: but I agree, I.
• 25:42
  Speaker 2: Do no, I can't help. I got to get I
• 25:45
  Speaker 2: got to get a little what's the word, I don't know,
• 25:48
  Speaker 2: maybe being a jerk. Okay, that's fine. So everything's rolling
• 25:52
  Speaker 2: really nice, and then it's like, oh, here he comes
• 25:54
  Speaker 2: and smiles michaelness. So michaelas yeah, So I hope uh,
• 26:00
  Speaker 2: And I'm being sincere because you know, everybody so down
• 26:05
  Speaker 2: on him. It would be kind of funny if he
• 26:06
  Speaker 2: comes out and pitches this great game. But if they
• 26:09
  Speaker 2: win three in a row and he comes out and
• 26:11
  Speaker 2: it's kind of one of those wah wah you know
• 26:14
  Speaker 2: starts by him, that'll definitely kill the buzz here, right,
• 26:18
  Speaker 2: that will.
• 26:18
  Speaker 3: Create a different kind of buzz for me. And here's
• 26:20
  Speaker 3: here's I like Miles.
• 26:22
  Speaker 1: He's been nothing but kind to me and just a
• 26:24
  Speaker 1: total pro. And the now five years that we've worked together,
• 26:27
  Speaker 1: I found it so funny that in Spring Miles michaelis
• 26:31
  Speaker 1: and Steven Matt's Michael mcgreeby too, But I'm the starters
• 26:33
  Speaker 1: that we knew we're going to make. The team looks
• 26:35
  Speaker 1: by far the best, and fans are out and Matt's
• 26:38
  Speaker 1: by the way, was fantastic today. Four innians, one hit
• 26:42
  Speaker 1: ball picked up his first career save. First of all,
• 26:45
  Speaker 1: I didn't really register that he was able to not
• 26:47
  Speaker 1: just save for me until ninth inning, where I was like,
• 26:49
  Speaker 1: wait a second. I was doing the math and I
• 26:51
  Speaker 1: was like, wait, are you gonna pick up the savior?
• 26:53
  Speaker 1: So we'll see. We'll see about Miles. I understand fan frustration.
• 26:58
  Speaker 1: I think that's more after you have the two disappointing
• 27:01
  Speaker 1: seasons that he has. But hey, everyone else has stepped up.
• 27:04
  Speaker 1: We're about positive vibes this week on Cardinal Territory, So
• 27:08
  Speaker 1: we'll see. But yeah, Bernie, I think, just from a
• 27:12
  Speaker 1: personal standpoint, I really enjoyed being at the ballpark this weekend.
• 27:15
  Speaker 1: Spring training was long, but kind of going through it,
• 27:18
  Speaker 1: and I was joking to my family and friends after
• 27:21
  Speaker 1: Thursday's game, I was like, I enjoyed Opening Days so much.
• 27:25
  Speaker 1: I think that baseball game just cured my depression. And
• 27:27
  Speaker 1: while it was a slight joke, I really just feel
• 27:29
  Speaker 1: like a different energy covering this team right now, because
• 27:33
  Speaker 1: you know, I've feed off the fans. I've worked for
• 27:36
  Speaker 1: the fans essentially, and you know this well as your
• 27:38
  Speaker 1: many many years as a sports writer. It's so much
• 27:42
  Speaker 1: more fun and well, I don't have a rooting interest
• 27:43
  Speaker 1: in the team, that's not my job, nor can it be.
• 27:46
  Speaker 1: Delivering fun stories to the fans is so much more
• 27:50
  Speaker 1: rewarding and fun for me because I feel like we're
• 27:53
  Speaker 1: just building more camaraderie and we're experiencing this together. And
• 27:55
  Speaker 1: I had so much fun just this whole series, like, Hey,
• 27:59
  Speaker 1: who who are these guys? What's going on?
• 28:02
  Speaker 3: Is this the same most.
• 28:02
  Speaker 1: Cardinals team that we know and sometimes love before fans?
• 28:07
  Speaker 1: So that was exciting for me.
• 28:09
  Speaker 2: I hear you.
• 28:11
  Speaker 3: It was just really fun to be back at the ball.
• 28:12
  Speaker 2: Bar, you know. And I've been doing this for so long.
• 28:15
  Speaker 2: I'm almost like when I mentioned how long I've been
• 28:18
  Speaker 2: doing this, I'm kind of like, oh man, did I Hey,
• 28:24
  Speaker 2: did we have we looked at those cemetery pots? No,
• 28:30
  Speaker 2: I'm only kidding. I'm interjecting some like like twisted self
• 28:34
  Speaker 2: deprecation there. So anyway, but I know I've seen you've
• 28:38
  Speaker 2: been around here doing this a long time. And that's
• 28:43
  Speaker 2: why I truly loved what you just said. And I
• 28:47
  Speaker 2: give you one hundred percent approval on that. Because our
• 28:50
  Speaker 2: jobs are misunderstood, and that's okay. But my great memories
• 28:55
  Speaker 2: and the things that I have cherished over the last
• 28:57
  Speaker 2: forty some years doing this, it's all about successful teams
• 29:02
  Speaker 2: and great players and great performances, and whether it be
• 29:06
  Speaker 2: the Old Dome with the greatest show on turf rams
• 29:10
  Speaker 2: when the Blues won the Stanley Cup in twenty nineteen,
• 29:13
  Speaker 2: all the great Cardinals teams, all the Hall of famers,
• 29:16
  Speaker 2: and all the history that's on display all the time.
• 29:20
  Speaker 2: It made you feel great to walk into the stadium.
• 29:22
  Speaker 2: It made you feel great to sit in the press box.
• 29:24
  Speaker 2: It made you feel great to be able to tell
• 29:26
  Speaker 2: the stories, to kind of capture the moments. I mean,
• 29:30
  Speaker 2: the night of Game six of the twenty eleven World Series,
• 29:34
  Speaker 2: thank goodness for you know, online journalism. At that time.
• 29:39
  Speaker 2: I was in the press box because I knew that
• 29:41
  Speaker 2: we couldn't I couldn't sum this up like in terms
• 29:44
  Speaker 2: for like a print edition. It just was no time
• 29:47
  Speaker 2: I sat in that press box. I was so keyed
• 29:49
  Speaker 2: up after that game, and I just kept writing and
• 29:52
  Speaker 2: writing and writing because I'm like, no, the fans who
• 29:55
  Speaker 2: they deserve the best I can give them, you know,
• 29:58
  Speaker 2: because I'm excited. I want them to share my excitement.
• 30:01
  Speaker 2: We all share in it together. And I left the
• 30:04
  Speaker 2: press box that night at like three forty five in
• 30:08
  Speaker 2: the morning because I was just determined to write a
• 30:12
  Speaker 2: piece that would just kind a rise to the moment
• 30:15
  Speaker 2: of what we just observed. Right, So I'm glad, see
• 30:19
  Speaker 2: you prompted me to just give a testimonial here, But no,
• 30:23
  Speaker 2: I'm totally in synch with you on that stuff. I mean,
• 30:25
  Speaker 2: I never got into this business to cover failure. I
• 30:29
  Speaker 2: got this business to cover all the great things I've
• 30:31
  Speaker 2: been blessed to cover, you know, Joe Montana, Michael Jordan, Olympics,
• 30:36
  Speaker 2: you know. I mean, I can't even tell you how
• 30:38
  Speaker 2: many great things I've witnessed. And that's why I, as
• 30:42
  Speaker 2: a little kid, that's why I wanted to do this
• 30:44
  Speaker 2: for a living, you know, not to be miserable. Not
• 30:47
  Speaker 2: to be miserable.
• 30:48
  Speaker 1: Right So anyhow, I mean, hey, I didn't take this.
• 30:51
  Speaker 1: See was Cardinal's job for mediocre baseball? That was not
• 30:54
  Speaker 1: what was one of the decision makers. In my mind,
• 30:56
  Speaker 1: it was wow, this is such a historic franchise with
• 30:59
  Speaker 1: a past fan base and a high expectation for winning.
• 31:03
  Speaker 1: I mean I would have gone anywhere. Don't get me wrong.
• 31:04
  Speaker 1: I was twenty four frush out of college and didn't
• 31:06
  Speaker 1: have a job. But to have the same as Cardinals
• 31:10
  Speaker 1: and to get that assignment as my first major league beat,
• 31:12
  Speaker 1: I mean it goes to everything you just said. You
• 31:14
  Speaker 1: do it because of the success stories. I love sharing
• 31:17
  Speaker 1: it with fans. I think it makes it's closer. My
• 31:19
  Speaker 1: favorite night at work was Albert Poohle siting hitting seven hundred,
• 31:24
  Speaker 1: and I was I actually remember my first gut feeling was,
• 31:29
  Speaker 1: oh shit, I have to make sure the story is good.
• 31:32
  Speaker 1: I have to make sure this story is good. So
• 31:35
  Speaker 1: he's like circling the bases and I'm watching Albert take
• 31:38
  Speaker 1: it all in and I'm trying to capture the scene
• 31:40
  Speaker 1: for the story. But there's like this pit in my stomach, like,
• 31:43
  Speaker 1: you cannot mess this up. This is the most important
• 31:45
  Speaker 1: story for the Cardinals in years. You better make sure
• 31:47
  Speaker 1: that story delivers. And I actually did not fall asleep.
• 31:50
  Speaker 1: I found the story obviously quickly, but I didn't fall
• 31:52
  Speaker 1: asleep that night until five am, because I was just
• 31:55
  Speaker 1: so overwhelmed by the opportunity of being there in that
• 31:58
  Speaker 1: moment and having the privilege to share that with fans
• 32:00
  Speaker 1: and share that connection and be a part of baseball
• 32:03
  Speaker 1: history in my own small way. So I don't know,
• 32:05
  Speaker 1: I think I got a little sentimental this this weekend,
• 32:09
  Speaker 1: just as because I was back and sharing baseball with
• 32:12
  Speaker 1: all you siccos out there, and it's just really fun
• 32:14
  Speaker 1: to five years in have a community established here Saint
• 32:18
  Speaker 1: Louis and you guys are you guys are different?
• 32:20
  Speaker 2: Hey, pool Albert pool Holes caused me many a sleepless nights,
• 32:24
  Speaker 2: but in a good way that you just referred to
• 32:26
  Speaker 2: the Brad Lidge home run. Also that three home run
• 32:29
  Speaker 2: World Series game, you know where he just uh, I
• 32:34
  Speaker 2: know we did. We didn't. We're not doing like go
• 32:36
  Speaker 2: down memory lane on this. But I remember pool Holes
• 32:39
  Speaker 2: got into like media was all mad at him because
• 32:41
  Speaker 2: he didn't show up to talk after Game two. The
• 32:44
  Speaker 2: Cardinals lost in the off day and so this was
• 32:46
  Speaker 2: big national people ripping them and everything. It's just unprofessionally,
• 32:50
  Speaker 2: need to show up. And I told Joe Buck, I said,
• 32:53
  Speaker 2: you know, you've been watching him, I said, you just
• 32:57
  Speaker 2: and he came out and he was kind of testy
• 32:58
  Speaker 2: before in the off day, and I remember talking to
• 33:02
  Speaker 2: Joe Buck around the cage and I said, you know,
• 33:05
  Speaker 2: you know it, and I know it. This guy is
• 33:08
  Speaker 2: going to go off because when he some people, when
• 33:13
  Speaker 2: they're mad, it works against him. Pootholes always channeled that
• 33:17
  Speaker 2: to just where you all better just stand down. You
• 33:20
  Speaker 2: have no idea, and that's what he did on that
• 33:22
  Speaker 2: Saturday night game that was so anyway. Yeah, but that's
• 33:25
  Speaker 2: but again, see you and I are in this totally
• 33:28
  Speaker 2: the same wavelength. I mean, that's why even at my age,
• 33:31
  Speaker 2: as long as I've been doing this, those moments still
• 33:35
  Speaker 2: really matter to me. They're so great and you just
• 33:39
  Speaker 2: want more and more and more in them. People some
• 33:41
  Speaker 2: people seem to think, seem to think that when it's
• 33:45
  Speaker 2: negative it's better. You know, the media likes the negative stuff. Hey,
• 33:48
  Speaker 2: I know all those years of the Post Dispatch, whether
• 33:50
  Speaker 2: in print sales and also online traffic through the roof
• 33:55
  Speaker 2: when the team was good through the roof, right, and
• 33:59
  Speaker 2: you know, I'm sure you're fine and out the same
• 34:00
  Speaker 2: thing you found because you've had both experiences good and
• 34:03
  Speaker 2: bad with the Cardinals. So anyway, yet, man, you gosh,
• 34:07
  Speaker 2: I love your attitude. Yeah, I do. It reminds me,
• 34:12
  Speaker 2: it reminds you, It reminds me of somebody. Oh go ahead,
• 34:15
  Speaker 2: I'm sorry. I cut you off. I cut you off.
• 34:18
  Speaker 1: No, we're all good, Bernie. This is I say this
• 34:20
  Speaker 1: a lot, but I feel like we we resonate with
• 34:22
  Speaker 1: each other and how fun. This is another thing I
• 34:25
  Speaker 1: just like about sports media, and I promise we're gonna
• 34:26
  Speaker 1: get back to the Cardinals.
• 34:28
  Speaker 3: Just the connections that you make online.
• 34:30
  Speaker 1: It's it's been I don't have I don't think I
• 34:32
  Speaker 1: have a platform. I know I don't have a platform
• 34:34
  Speaker 1: or a career without the online social media, whether it's Twitter, YouTube,
• 34:39
  Speaker 1: the athletics.
• 34:40
  Speaker 3: So I'm very grateful.
• 34:41
  Speaker 1: And another thing I was very grateful for was this
• 34:45
  Speaker 1: moment because baseball is about cool moments. Here, So let's
• 34:50
  Speaker 1: walk through what my favorite moment of the Cardinals series was.
• 34:54
  Speaker 3: And there were a lot. Give me one second. Sure,
• 34:59
  Speaker 3: there we go almost there. Oh yeah, I did it
• 35:03
  Speaker 3: right home on it.
• 35:06
  Speaker 1: Let's talk about our star of the series, presented by
• 35:09
  Speaker 1: Fandel's Sports Network or Player to watch if you will.
• 35:12
  Speaker 1: So I had a hard time choosing one player could
• 35:17
  Speaker 1: have gone Lars new Bar, could have gone Victor Scott
• 35:18
  Speaker 1: the second. But this moment right here, Nolan Arnado, bottom
• 35:23
  Speaker 1: of the eighth Cardinals up four to three home opener,
• 35:27
  Speaker 1: turns on ninety eight high and inside for a patented
• 35:30
  Speaker 1: Nolan Arnaudo pull side homer. And it was such a
• 35:34
  Speaker 1: fun moment because the fans had responded to him all day.
• 35:39
  Speaker 1: The second he came out on bus Stadium on that truck,
• 35:41
  Speaker 1: you knew because they you heard it, and they cheers,
• 35:44
  Speaker 1: followed him around the warning track. He was announced up
• 35:48
  Speaker 1: at home plate, huge crowd before his first abat same thing,
• 35:53
  Speaker 1: huge crowd reception, and then he does this and delivers
• 35:58
  Speaker 1: that key insurance run and to get that curtain call
• 36:01
  Speaker 1: from the fans, given all that Nolan has been through
• 36:03
  Speaker 1: over the last four months, and he has handled it,
• 36:05
  Speaker 1: both him and the team like true professionals, and that's
• 36:08
  Speaker 1: really hard to do in this day and age.
• 36:10
  Speaker 3: Either side could have gone sideways. For him to have
• 36:13
  Speaker 3: that moment come.
• 36:13
  Speaker 1: Cluesch in a big spot and then be rewarded with
• 36:16
  Speaker 1: a curtain call, and he felt like he was rewarding
• 36:19
  Speaker 1: the fans. And this is one of the cooler moments
• 36:20
  Speaker 1: I've seen at bus Jadum and I loved this for Nolan, I.
• 36:23
  Speaker 2: Thought it was awesome. I thought it was touching. I
• 36:26
  Speaker 2: also love to see that guy happy and smiling and
• 36:30
  Speaker 2: sort of his energy, you know when he's happy, Like
• 36:34
  Speaker 2: you can just see all the younger guys are really
• 36:36
  Speaker 2: happy and they're kind of feeding off each other. It's
• 36:40
  Speaker 2: such a cliche. Couldn't think anything better to say there,
• 36:43
  Speaker 2: but just to see Aronato after that with you know,
• 36:47
  Speaker 2: the chest thump, you know, hitting his heart, sending it
• 36:51
  Speaker 2: to the fans, that show of emotion was just really
• 36:57
  Speaker 2: really strong stuff. And you know, you're you look at
• 37:00
  Speaker 2: him and you're like, he's been so tormented here the
• 37:03
  Speaker 2: last couple of years. He puts himself into a state
• 37:06
  Speaker 2: of torment because he's so intense. He hates failure, his
• 37:10
  Speaker 2: own failure, he hates the team failure, and there is
• 37:14
  Speaker 2: a there is a spirit there that just wants to
• 37:20
  Speaker 2: get out, not to get out of Saint Louis. Obviously
• 37:23
  Speaker 2: he had a chance and he said.
• 37:24
  Speaker 1: No, he's still here.
• 37:26
  Speaker 2: Right, but there's a spirit in him that just wants
• 37:29
  Speaker 2: to be released, you know, it wants to be released.
• 37:32
  Speaker 2: And this happy man, this positive energy guy. That whole series,
• 37:37
  Speaker 2: he looked like that guy, and you just hope that
• 37:40
  Speaker 2: that stays. For his sake, the team's sake, the fans sake.
• 37:43
  Speaker 2: You hope that that stays. That spirit. He just wants
• 37:46
  Speaker 2: that positive energy pouring out of him. You hope that
• 37:49
  Speaker 2: that stays. It can't happen every day, but like just
• 37:54
  Speaker 2: so to speak, day week after week after week after week,
• 37:57
  Speaker 2: it's it'll be a much better team to be a
• 37:59
  Speaker 2: much happy your team. And can I ask you a
• 38:02
  Speaker 2: question about that? I know you probably want to wrap
• 38:05
  Speaker 2: it up, but I always like to ask you questions,
• 38:07
  Speaker 2: which is, you know, the Newt Bar and iron Otto
• 38:12
  Speaker 2: relationship is obviously a really strong one because they're boys
• 38:15
  Speaker 2: and so cal it during the offseason working out together
• 38:18
  Speaker 2: and stuff. But how much do you think the young
• 38:22
  Speaker 2: players now that Goldie's going And by the way, I'm
• 38:24
  Speaker 2: not blaming Goldie for anything, but I'm just saying the
• 38:26
  Speaker 2: dynamics have changed. Do you sense that he is the
• 38:33
  Speaker 2: young players and their vibe and their energy and the
• 38:36
  Speaker 2: fun they're having. Do you do you think that that
• 38:39
  Speaker 2: has rubbed off him in any way?
• 38:42
  Speaker 1: I think he's learning to embrace it. I think he's
• 38:44
  Speaker 1: he came into twenty twenty five understanding, like, hey, this
• 38:47
  Speaker 1: was a very wild offseason. Thought I wasn't going to
• 38:50
  Speaker 1: be here. I still am. The optics are much different,
• 38:53
  Speaker 1: the expectations are much different from when I first was
• 38:55
  Speaker 1: traded here, from when I decided to opt back in.
• 38:58
  Speaker 3: And there's no use pouting about it.
• 39:00
  Speaker 1: So I'm gonna let these kids teach me how to
• 39:02
  Speaker 1: relax a little bit.
• 39:03
  Speaker 3: And like he said, Nolan not it doesn't relax.
• 39:05
  Speaker 1: He's not one of the best in the game, the
• 39:08
  Speaker 1: third basement of this generation, because he relaxes. All right,
• 39:11
  Speaker 1: this dude is taking practice hacks at like two am
• 39:14
  Speaker 1: in his hotel room.
• 39:15
  Speaker 3: His teammates will tell me.
• 39:16
  Speaker 1: And I think what he's done is he's learned, like, hey,
• 39:19
  Speaker 1: you know what, I can't control what this team is doing,
• 39:21
  Speaker 1: but I can control how I'm reacting to things, and
• 39:23
  Speaker 1: I can control playing loose, and I can control whether
• 39:25
  Speaker 1: or not I'm a better baseball player. And I thought
• 39:29
  Speaker 1: Thursday's moment was was so healing for him. And I'm
• 39:32
  Speaker 1: not sure that's a word he would ever use, but
• 39:33
  Speaker 1: maybe this is like the emotional woman in me, because
• 39:36
  Speaker 1: he I've never seen him. He's not like a flashy guy.
• 39:40
  Speaker 1: There's no ego there. Really, He's always very respectful in interviews.
• 39:43
  Speaker 1: But for him to get that curtain call and put
• 39:44
  Speaker 1: the hand to the ear sally like I want to
• 39:47
  Speaker 1: hear more of it, like let me hear you. That
• 39:49
  Speaker 1: was so cool, Like that's salververtion went hard for me.
• 39:51
  Speaker 1: I think he needed that from the fans, and I
• 39:54
  Speaker 1: think that's helped him realize, Hey, guess what, they still
• 39:57
  Speaker 1: want me here. Things did not go the way that
• 39:59
  Speaker 1: I've thought it was going to go where the team
• 40:01
  Speaker 1: thought it was going to go, But this city still
• 40:03
  Speaker 1: wants me here, and this city still knows I have
• 40:04
  Speaker 1: a lot left to prove.
• 40:05
  Speaker 3: And I think he needed that.
• 40:06
  Speaker 1: So you combine the fan reception with guys like you
• 40:09
  Speaker 1: know new Bar Obviously, he's very tight with Pedro Pajes,
• 40:13
  Speaker 1: mix Siani, just that group keeping him young. I know
• 40:17
  Speaker 1: him and Mason have a nice relationship on that side
• 40:19
  Speaker 1: of the infields. I think that's really going to help him.
• 40:21
  Speaker 1: And I'm excited to see what Nolan Arnando does this year.
• 40:24
  Speaker 1: I think it could be a big year.
• 40:26
  Speaker 2: For him and I would and I'll be very quick
• 40:28
  Speaker 2: with this, you know, because you nailed the right choice there.
• 40:32
  Speaker 2: But I would I would go with Lars Newbar is
• 40:34
  Speaker 2: my MVP, because he's simply Ali Marmeld did the right
• 40:39
  Speaker 2: thing by putting him at the top of the lineup
• 40:41
  Speaker 2: and the very first at BET. He set the tone
• 40:45
  Speaker 2: for that whole series, and he kept setting the tone
• 40:47
  Speaker 2: over and over and over again, including defensively as well.
• 40:50
  Speaker 2: And I know we're not going three dep here, but
• 40:52
  Speaker 2: I would give the bronze medal to Victor Scott.
• 40:54
  Speaker 3: I thought, yeah, man, what a fun series. Yeah, what
• 40:57
  Speaker 3: a fun series for Victor.
• 40:58
  Speaker 1: Talk about a game chater with speed and you know,
• 41:01
  Speaker 1: the situational hitting, and then all of a sudden, the
• 41:04
  Speaker 1: three run jack.
• 41:05
  Speaker 2: Yet catch in game one, save the game, you know, And.
• 41:09
  Speaker 1: You know what, Bernie, that's not a I was talking
• 41:10
  Speaker 1: to Ollie Marmel about this with other reporters. I'm not
• 41:13
  Speaker 1: sure if that's a catch that Victor Scott makes last year.
• 41:16
  Speaker 1: I mean from you could tell the work that he's
• 41:18
  Speaker 1: been putting in with John Jay. If you look back
• 41:19
  Speaker 1: and you look at the metrics and you watched it
• 41:21
  Speaker 1: in real time, I knew he was going to get
• 41:23
  Speaker 1: there because of his jump, the first step, jump quickness,
• 41:25
  Speaker 1: the route efficiency, and good players make that catch regardless,
• 41:30
  Speaker 1: great players make that catch on their feet.
• 41:32
  Speaker 3: He got there on his feet.
• 41:33
  Speaker 1: He didn't lay out, he didn't have to because he
• 41:35
  Speaker 1: had such a good read on it. He had good
• 41:37
  Speaker 1: initial reactions, great speed. Obviously, he's worked his butt off
• 41:41
  Speaker 1: to be able to make those plays and saved a run,
• 41:44
  Speaker 1: potentially saved the game, and it was really great to
• 41:46
  Speaker 1: see for Victor. So I think our podium is pretty stacked,
• 41:50
  Speaker 1: no no doubt.
• 41:50
  Speaker 2: And they were the whole team collectively just put on
• 41:53
  Speaker 2: a great show in those three games. They never trailed.
• 41:56
  Speaker 2: I mean, they were tied for a few winnings. I
• 41:58
  Speaker 2: think it was like four innings maybe they were tied.
• 42:00
  Speaker 2: The whole series never trailed, I mean, and even when
• 42:03
  Speaker 2: they were tied, it's like there was no panic, no
• 42:05
  Speaker 2: freak out. They just kept, you know, maintaining that focus
• 42:08
  Speaker 2: that we both addressed, and it was just good stuff.
• 42:12
  Speaker 2: It was just really really good stuff, and it leaves
• 42:14
  Speaker 2: you wanting more, and that's a positive thing, you know.
• 42:17
  Speaker 1: Luckily for us, we have one hundred and fifty nine
• 42:20
  Speaker 1: more to go, and including tomorrow for a three game set.
• 42:23
  Speaker 1: Against the Los Angeles Angels. Bernie any closing thoughts before
• 42:26
  Speaker 1: we call it a night.
• 42:28
  Speaker 2: No, No, I'm good. I mean I think we covered
• 42:30
  Speaker 2: it all. I just think I would just listen. Man,
• 42:34
  Speaker 2: it's what I think. Doesn't matter. But for I can
• 42:38
  Speaker 2: relate to people that were sort of predicting, you know,
• 42:42
  Speaker 2: gloom and doom for the Cardinals. Okay, there was every
• 42:46
  Speaker 2: reason in the world to think it was not going
• 42:48
  Speaker 2: to be much of a season. And by the way,
• 42:50
  Speaker 2: maybe it'll turn out that it won't be. But I'm
• 42:53
  Speaker 2: challenging people, or maybe I'm encouraging people that if you
• 42:57
  Speaker 2: were really down on this team, you were down on
• 42:59
  Speaker 2: all these players, well, this guy will never stay healthy,
• 43:01
  Speaker 2: this guy's not going to hit, this guy's not going
• 43:04
  Speaker 2: to do that. It's okay to have those opinions. I've
• 43:06
  Speaker 2: had a lot of them myself. But it's like, if
• 43:09
  Speaker 2: they come out and they're different than you thought they were,
• 43:11
  Speaker 2: and that's individual players the team as a whole, and
• 43:14
  Speaker 2: embrace it, enjoy it, have fun with it. This is
• 43:17
  Speaker 2: why we all love sports, right, this is why we
• 43:19
  Speaker 2: all have a favorite team. So don't do what like
• 43:23
  Speaker 2: sports writers do. Some sports writers do when they make
• 43:26
  Speaker 2: a prediction and the like the a team's going to
• 43:29
  Speaker 2: be bad or whatever, and then the team's a lot
• 43:31
  Speaker 2: better than the predictions. It's almost like the writers take
• 43:35
  Speaker 2: it personally, you know, they're like, yeah, they're like nasty
• 43:38
  Speaker 2: about it. You know, there is like doing the yeah
• 43:40
  Speaker 2: butt thing. You know, all its now, embrace it, enjoy it.
• 43:45
  Speaker 2: The players don't own the team. The players aren't John Mozilak.
• 43:48
  Speaker 2: The players are trying to do their best for the fans.
• 43:53
  Speaker 2: So when they're giving you a great show, embrace it,
• 43:56
  Speaker 2: enjoy it, be happy. If they don't, then you can fuss,
• 44:00
  Speaker 2: then you can raise Hell, that's fine too, right. But
• 44:03
  Speaker 2: when there's good times, because it's been a tough couple
• 44:06
  Speaker 2: of years, when there's good times, just roll with it
• 44:09
  Speaker 2: and laugh and enjoy it, you know. Otherwise I don't
• 44:14
  Speaker 2: know what the point is exactly.
• 44:16
  Speaker 1: It's a long summer. Might as well enjoy it. I
• 44:19
  Speaker 1: know I enjoyed this last weekend. I'm hoping that we
• 44:21
  Speaker 1: have a lot more fun over the course of the
• 44:24
  Speaker 1: next six months. But that's the beauty of baseball. You
• 44:27
  Speaker 1: just never know. Yeah. Sant Louis Cardinals back in action
• 44:30
  Speaker 1: against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. I just wish
• 44:33
  Speaker 1: it to go buy Anaheim, but maybe that's the California
• 44:35
  Speaker 1: and me. I could see my trout play in person,
• 44:38
  Speaker 1: which is something I've only seen one time, and I
• 44:40
  Speaker 1: may or may not have been over served at an
• 44:41
  Speaker 1: Oakland A's game, so I totally remember it.
• 44:44
  Speaker 3: I'm really excited for this.
• 44:45
  Speaker 1: And on that note, well we're about to well, let's
• 44:48
  Speaker 1: wrap it up. Bernie to say it was Cardinals three
• 44:51
  Speaker 1: and oh.
• 44:52
  Speaker 3: Who would have thought?
• 44:53
  Speaker 1: Back in action at Bush Stadium tomorrow night for Bernie Micheless,
• 44:56
  Speaker 1: I'm katiebu this is Cardinal territory. We will talk to
• 44:58
  Speaker 1: you next week.