BORN A CARDINAL FAN

Earlier last week the Arizona Diamondbacks clinched a playoff berth by winning the NL West.  I was glad for my hometown team, but hardly in a celebratory mood.  "Maybe if they get to the World Series, then I'll be excited,"  I thought to myself.  Keep in mind that I had been a partial season ticket holder for nine years.

But for the past, ok, for the whole season, like every other baseball season since I've been about 8 years old, I've rooted for the St. Louis Cardinals and followed them closely.  At no time have I been unable to tell you every starter including the 5 pitchers who make up the rotation.

When the DBax won the World Series in 2001, they had to play and defeat the Cardinals in playoff games in Phoenix.  Naturally, I wore my Cardinal attire and cheered for them.  When they lost, I was crushed, but I did rebound enough to root for Az in the series against the Yankees.

Last night, the Cardinals did what no other team had done and that is make up an 8 game deficit with three weeks remaining.  The Cardinals secured the Wild Card and will open the 2011 playoffs against the team they were rooting for last night, the Phillies.  Who eliminated the choking Atlanta Braves who coughed up the lead in September over the Cardinals.  It was great theatre; it's was the comeback kids.  Almost as impressive was the Tampa Bay Rays claim to the AL Wild Card over a Boston team, like Atlanta, strong but historically chokers in their own right.

What a night of seam ball.  Let's hope the playoffs are as exciting and the Cardinals get to meet the Diamondbacks for the NL crown.  If so, look for me in the stands wearing Cardinal red.