The Cardinal Way

Yes, this is the Cardinals celebrating their 10th World Series Championship, and their first since 1982.  I woke up this morning early with an SMS message from a friend in Nairobi that the Cards were ahead 4-2 in the eighth inning.  30 minutes later, my dad called to let me know that they had indeed clinched the World Series.  So much for my plans to sleep in this morning!!  But what a fun way to start the weekend!

I have spent the morning reading about how this was the "worst team to ever win a World Series Championship history."  What a compliment!  What better way to underline the way the Cardinals play baseball - they never give up.  They go out, play hard ball, and by showing up day in and day out, doing the little things right when it is most important, they prove the Baseball World wrong. 

They weren't supposed to make it to the playoffs - they had two 8 game losing streaks this season.  They had a seven game losing streak the last two weeks of the season.  They almost blew an 7 game lead in the standings in September.  Even though they lost their last game of the regular season, they made the playoffs because the second place Astros lost also.  They had the worst record of the 8 playoff teams.  5 teams who didn't make the playoffs had better records than the Cardinals.  And so, with the 13th best record in baseball, they made the playoffs in spite of themselves.

And then they went to work.  They played better ball than the Padres.  And then the Mets.  And now, the Tigers.  They supposedly only had one good pitcher.  The bullpen was just a bunch of rookies who blew game after game in the regular season.  And they could barely get the important hit. 

But this is why I love baseball.  When the playoffs start, it is a new season.  It is a time of redemption.  The records are 0 wins and 0 losses.  And the team that plays the best in October gets to put the Championship ring on their fingers.  It doesn't matter how you started, it matters how you finish.

And so, in yet another way, I see how baseball, and particularly the Cardinal Way, points to lessons about life and faith.  It is the little things that matter.  It doesn't matter how bad you have been in the immediate past, there is an opportunity for redemption.  If you focus on the future and not the past, you can finish well. 

Way to Go Cardinals!!  You are the 2006 World Series Champions!

Comments

[Rob T]

Tim,

I gotta give the Cards credit.....from the outhouse to the penthouse. Congrats!

RT

[Jim]

I have to admit, when the Cardinals won you were the first person I thought of, brother! Congrats to you and them too. ;-)

[Jon]

Like Jim I thought of you first, the biggest Cardinals fan I know. Go Cardinals!!! Congratulations!