Why focus on the negative?

When you have such a surprising positive to celebrate. I was going to write about the Cardinals implosion against an obviously superior ball club, the Chicago White Sox, in interleague play. Surrendering 33 runs in two games was a gut check I sure wasn't ready for, even knowing that our four-fifths of our starting rotation was suspect at best. Since 1957 -- which is just a random date that happens to be the extent of Retrosheet's searchable database for box scores -- no Cardinal duo of starting pitchers has surrendered more runs in back-to-back games than the 22 given up by Mulder and Marquis.

But instead of focusing on a sky-is-falling attitude, I spent yesterday channeling all the positive energy I had to last night's starting pitcher, 24 year-old Anthony Reyes. I begged M to stay home (she had plans) and watch the game with me, and even convinced my fellow Cardinal coworker to think positive thoughts all day long. Now, I'm not saying that I had anything to do with the kid throwing a one-hitter against the Sox (and still losing -- damn Jim Thome!), but I will say this:

St. Louis, meet this season's savior.


We aren't going to get a better player via trade (we don't have the resources, and best not be thinking about surrendering our newfound savior in a trade), so we better all just jump on the Anthony Reyes bandwagon and enjoy the ride. This means YOU, Tony La Russa.

(P.S. Some guy named Pujols returned to the lineup last night after sitting out just 15 games. He's a bum, though. He went 0-for-4.)