CC Ya Next Year

Sabathia had many Yankee fans worried the top
of their rotation would be headed by someone
other than the 290-pounder in 2012.

Just hours before the deadline to opt-out of his current contract, CC Sabathia and the New York Yankees came to an agreement on a contract extension that keeps the husky left-handed in pinstripes through 2016 and possibly 2017.

With four years and $92 million remaining on Sabathia's seven-year $161 million deal he signed prior to the 2009 season, New York has added an extra year to the contract worth $25 million, including a vesting option worth the same mount in '17 with a $5 million buyout.

The extension now brings the 31-year-old's deal to five-years $122 million, still the highest paid pitcher in Major League Baseball.

Sabathia, who reportedly lost 25 pounds last offseason after cutting his beloved Cap' n Crunch out of his diet, is coming off another All-Star year in the Bronx, going 19-8 with a 3.00 earned run average in 237.1 innings. Although, the 2007 Cy Young Award winner struggled in the season's final two months with a 3-3 recorded, 4.30 ERA and opponents hit at a .314 clip against him. That continued in the postseason as Sabathia allowed 6 earned runs in his 8.2 innings, accumulating to a 6.30 ERA.

Despite that, the California native has enjoyed three fantastic seasons under the bright lights of Yankee Stadium that includes being named the '09 ALCS MVP and his first World Series title.

Last season Sabathia became a 20-game winner for the first time in his career, winning 21 games in an American League leading 34 starts. His 59 wins since becoming a Yankee are the second only the Detroit Justin Verlander's 61 in that three-year span.

Sabathia recently built a home in Alpine, New Jersey and has said numerous times he loves pitching in New York, a love that ultimately meant him dawning the pinstripes for the long haul.

It's a decision that the organization and fans alike have been waiting for all season long. With their already thin starting rotation, New York could ill afford to lose an ace and workhorse like Sabathia, who has tossed plus innings each of the last five seasons.

With this deal, left-hander C.J. Wilson is thought to be the best free-agent starting pitcher on the market this winter, along with Mark Buehrle, Roy Oswalt and Japanese import Yu Darvish.

All whom could slide right into the No. 2 slot in the rotation behind Sabathia.

The five-time All-Star will be 36 when his contract expires and has an outside chance of becoming one of the next or the final 300-game winner in baseball. Sabathia currently ranks fourth on the active wins list with 176, but is the youngest of the bunch as the top three are all 34 or older.

Now, with Sabathia looking to continue etching his name in Yankee lore, their unsigned general manager can look to get his ace some help

C'est La Russa

La Russa's gutsy decision making didn't always
pan out, but is the reason why he is one of the
greatest managers in history.

Just three days after capping in an improbable postseason run with his third World Series title, St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa has announced his retirement from the dugout.

It has been 33 years since La Russa took his first managerial position with the Chicago White Sox back in 1979 after a brief playing career for three different organizations in a six-year span. During that time he accumulated a .199 career average, an average that eventually lead to a career change and a wise one at that.

La Russa spent nine seasons on the South Side, where he won his first Manager of the Year Award in 1983, before being fired by the White Sox just 64 games into the 1986 season. He would not be unemployed for very long as the Oakland Athletics came calling just weeks after. La Russa managed Oakland's final 79 games that season, watching them go 45-34, far better than the 31-52 mark they posted prior to his arrival.

The following year La Russa saw his club finish the season at the.500 mark (81-81) with the help and emergence rookie Mark McGwire. With the guidance of La Russa, the eventual 1987 Rookie of the Year set a rookie record with a Major League leading 49 home runs and .618 slugging percentage.

La Russa followed up his first two campaigns in Oakland with three consecutive American League Pennants, 1988-'90. Despite winning only one World Series in those three appearances, a legend was born.

The Tampa native managed five more seasons by the bay before leaving for St. Louis. La Russa's departure from Oakland was mainly due to death of patriarch Walter A. Haas, Jr. and his team being under .500 each of the last three seasons.

La Russa would replace Joe Torre at the helm in St. Louis prior to the 1996 season, setting the stage for some of his best managerial work and a legacy that might never be matched.

With the Cardinals, La Russa was able to watch a historic and record-breaking 70 home run season, capture nine postseason appearances, including two wild card berths in 2001 and most recently this season, all seven of St. Louis' National League Central division titles, three NL Pennants and two World Series titles.

In 2004, La Russa lead the Cardinals to their first World Series appearance since '87, but they were swept by the curse-breaking Boston Red Sox. Two years later, La Russa and Co. would return to the Fall Classic, this time beating Detroit Tigers and their error-prone pitching staff in five games. That feat made him the only manager in history to win multiple pennants in both the AL and NL and the second manager in history, along with the late Sparky Anderson, to win the World Series in both, as well.

Then comes the story of his Cardinals impossible 2011 season.

Pronounced dead numerous times during the year, La Russa never let his team quit. They overcame a 10 1/2 wild card deficit and clinch a playoff spot the final day of the regular season. The Cardinals crashed the postseason party, defeating the heavily favored Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS, their division rival Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS and the defending AL champion Texas Rangers in a thrilling seven-game World Series, where they were down to their final strike, twice.

The announcement comes as a surprise to many, but not the Cardinals front office. It has been said La Russa informed general manager John Mozeliak and Co. of his decision as early as August and could be the reason why the 67-year-old manager was so relaxed during his latest postseason run.

There are so many words to describe La Russa throughout his career, genius, daring and fiery to name a few. He is the most second-guessed manager in the history of game, living by the phrase, "Trust your gut, don't cover your butt."

Being the innovator of the late-inning relievers and sometimes batting his pitchers eight instead of ninth, La Russa won six pennants and is one of nine managers in history to win at least three World Series titles during their career, ranking him sixth all-time. He retires third on the all-time list with 14 playoff appearances and career wins with 2,728, trailing only Hall of Famers Connie Mack and John McGraw.

In 33 years of managing, La Russa finds himself second on the all-time list in losses (2,365), postseason wins (70) and games managed (5,097), joining Mack as the only other manager in history to manage more than 5,000 games in a career.

La Russa won four Manager of the Year Awards during his career, his last coming in 2002, but another could be waiting in the wings after what could be his finest managerial job yet. A year after losing soon-to-be Hall of Fame managers Torre, Cito Gaston and Lou Pinella to retirement, baseball has lost another. Mixing and matching his way to World Series titles, La Russa is one of the greatest managers in history and one day will have his day in Cooperstown.

After 16 seasons a new face will be at the top step of the St. Louis dugout in 2012.

Vikings Invade Cam-elot

Paterno Furthers His Legacy

Stanford Gets A Little Bit Of Luck

Mr. Freese

Texas Draws The Wrong Cards

Frozen In The Cold October Night

Freese, the St. Louis native did his best to force a
Game 7 Friday night.

In one of the coldest nights in World Series history and the St. Louis Cardinals down to their final strike, twice, David Freese sent the fans he grew up rooting with home with goosebumps running down their spine.

After dropping a routine popup that allowed Josh Hamilton to reach to start the fifth inning and eventually score on a Michael Young double, the St. Louis native was determined to redeem himself and continue his remarkable postseason. With the Texas Rangers holding a two-run lead, threes outs away from capturing their first World Series title in franchise and their All-Star closer headed to the mound, Tony La Russa's club had their backs up against the wall like they have all season long.

With two on and two out, Freese walked to the plate against Neftali Feliz, someone he'd yet to face in his career. Feliz quickly got ahead 1-2, but on a 98 mph fastball, Freese launched a drive over right fielder Nelson Cruz's head for a game-tying two-run triple. Yaider Molina lined out to the right, sending Game 6 into extra innings.

No closer in history, not even the great Mariano Rivera, had converted their first eight save opportunities in the postseason, that's exactly what Feliz was trying to accomplish in Game 6. Instead St. Louis handed him the first blown save of brief postseason career.

But Texas would pick up their closer in the 10th. After a one-out single by Elvis Andrus, Hamilton followed with his first home run in the postseason and first since Sept. 23. The reigning American League Most Valuable Player had gone his last 65 postseason at-bats without a home run, but it couldn't have come at a better time, giving his team their fifth different lead of the night, 9-7.

Faced with their second two-run deficit in as many innings, the Redbirds would have to rally yet again to keep their Cinderella season alive.

Rangers skipper Ron Washington elected not to have Feliz return for his second inning of work after only 22 pitches, but instead send 18-year veteran Darren Oliver, who recorded his first World Series win in Game 5, to the mound to close out the biggest game of his career, something he has only done six times in his entire career.

After back-to-back singles, a sacrifice bunt and a RBI groundout, Washington called on right-hander Scott Feldman to get the games final out. The former 17-game winner intentionally walked Albert Pujols with the potential tying run at second base, setting the stage for the native Texan, Lance Berkman.

Down to their final strike again, Berkman lofted a single to shallow center field, bringing home John Jay for the game-tying run.

Berkman, who signed a one-year $8 million deal in the offseason, was rewarded with a one-year extension earlier this season after a fantastic 2011 season that saw him hit .301 with 31 home runs and 94 RBIs. That has carried into the postseason, especially in the Fall Classic, where he is batting .435 and an on-base percentage of .519.

Berkman watches his game-tying singel
in the 10th inning of Game 6.

It was the first time in World Series history a team came back from a two-run deficit, twice in the ninth inning or later.

After a scoreless top of the 11th by veteran Jake Westbrook, who was added to the World Series roster after being left off the NLCS against the Milwaukee Brewers, Freese took center stage.

Freese hammered his fifth home run of postseason and first of the Fall Classic to dead center field for a game-winning walk-off blast, reminding Cardinals fans of another Game 6 walk-off home run, Jim Edmonds in the 2004 NLCS, but this time in the World Series.

For Freese it was a moment frozen in time and one that will forever live in postseason lore.

The 28-year-old third baseman, who quit baseball after his senior season of high school, joins Bill Mazeroski (1966), Carlton Fisk (1975), Kirby Puckett (1991) and most recently Joe Carter (1993) as the only other player to hit a World Series walk-off home run in games six or seven.

Like just Fisk and Puckett did for their respective team, Freese is the third player in World Series history to accomplish that feat when his team was trailing 3-2 in the series.

Not to mention his 19 postseason RBIs are a new franchise record and becoming the first player in postseason history to tie the game in the ninth and have the game-winning RBI in extra innings.

With so many twists and turns, peaks and valleys, St. Louis is also the first team in World Series history to score in the 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th inning of a game, doing so while making numerous mistakes on the defensive side. The Cardinals committed 3 errors in Game 6, the most since 1943.

As the Rangers, they have yet to lose back-to-back games in this postseason and haven't lost consecutive games in over two months, Aug. 23.

Cruz added his eighth home run of the postseason, tying a postseason record for the most in a single postseason. It has been magical back-to-back postseason runs for Texas, but history is not on their side. The Rangers have never played in a Game 7 of the World Series in franchise history, while the Cardinals will be playing in their eleventh and their first since 1987. St. Louis has won 7 of those 10 Game 7s.

It's the first Game 7 in the World Series since 2002 and the last eight home teams have won those games. Also, teams that hold a 3-2 series advantage and go on to lose Game 6 have lost 8 of the 9 Game 7s. The 1997 Florida Marlins are the one exception.

History aside, two teams that traveled far different ways to get here, what sports fans dream of, the two greatest words in sports, Game Seven. So as Fox broadcaster Joe Buck paid homage to his late Hall of Fame father, Jack Buck, "We'll see you tomorrow night."

Manning Puts The M In M-V-P!

Lack Of Pitching

Lackey's often expression of frustration
on the mound sometimes were thought to
have shown up his teammates.

The downward spiral of the Boston Red Sox organization continued Tuesday with a major injury to their already thin pitching staff. Right-hander John Lackey will undergo Tommy John surgery and miss his 2012 season before it even got started.

Newly appointed general manager Ben Cherington broke the news in his promotion press conference just hours after his predecessor Theo Epstein was formally introduced as the new president of baseball operations of the Chicago Cubs.

Lackey is coming off the worse season of 10-year career, where he was 12-12 and posted a career-worst 6.41 ERA in 160 innings. He led the majors in earned runs surrendered with 114 and hit batsman, 19.

In his first two years in Boston, Lackey's record is barely above .500 at 26-23 and has a 5.26 in his 61 starts. Prior to the 2010 season, the Texan signed a similar five-year $82.5 contract that New York gave A.J. Burnett just an offseason before.

Next season will be the third year of that contract and with this recent news, it has been three years of disappointment.

Lackey is the third pitcher in the Red Sox organization to undergo reconstructive elbow surgery, joining Japanese import Daisuke Matsuzaka and left-hander Rich Hill to suffer the same fate. Fortunately for Cherington and the Red Sox, Matsuzaka, who will be in the final year of his current contract, should be pitching for the club midseason.

In the team's historic September collapse, where Boston went 7-20 in the season's final month to miss the postseason for the second straight, Lackey, along with fellow teammates Jon Lester and Josh Beckett, was accused of drinking beer and eating fried chicken in the clubhouse on days they were not pitching.

And when he was on the mound he didn't provide much help either. In his five September starts, opponents hit .353 against Lackey, going 0-2 and 9.13 ERA.

There had been speculation the San Diego Padres would be interested in acquiring the 33-year-old right-hander from Boston this offseason, but this injury has quieted any talk of that now. San Diego and Boston have a well working relationship thanks in large part to their now former GM Jed Hoyer.

Hoyer had been the assistant GM to Epstein in Boston until he took the GM job with the Padres in October of 2009. He will now join Epstein in Chicago as the GM of the Cubs.

A move back to the West Coast would have ensured Lackey a reunion with his former pitching coach in Anaheim, Bud Black. Those were the best years of Lackey's career, including winning Game 7 of the 2002 World Series as a rookie, winning a career-high 19 games in 2007 and leading the American League in ERA at 3.01 that same season.

The Red Sox are in the midst of some major personnel changes with the change at GM and the uncertainty who their next manager will be after Terry Francona decided it was time for a new voice at the helm after the season, but that won't stop owner John Henry and CEO Larry Lucchino from putting a contender on the field for the Fenway Faithful in 2012.

With their lack of pitching, Boston will be in the market for starting pitching this offseason with the availability of left-hander C.J. Wilson and possible open bidding for another Japanese import phenom, 25-year-old Yu Darvish.

As for Lackey, it has been a long two years for the 6-foot-6 righty in Beantown and it will be an even longer road back to a big league mound and his once All-Star form.

Double-Dipping

Napoli, much like his teammate Nelson Cruz did
in the ALCS, is carrying the Texas offense.

A night after the Texas Rangers evened the World Series at two games apiece thanks in large part to catcher Mike Napoli's three-run home run in the sixth inning, he continued to add to his postseason legend Monday night in Arlington.

In a 2-2 game with the St. Louis Cardinals' Albert Pujols at the plate and Alan Craig running at first, Texas reliever Alexi Ogando sailed a 0-1 fastball into Napoli's glove. The former Angels backstop promptly threw a dart down to second to nab the would-be base stealer for the second out of the inning.

Then in the ninth with the potential tying run at the plate in the person of Pujols, manager Tony La Russa sent Craig on the 3-2 count with nobody out only to have Pujols strike out and Napoli nail Craig for the second time in three innings for a strike-'em-out-throw-'em out double play.

Sandwiched in between Napoli's two magnificent defensive throws came his third extra-base hit of the Fall Classic.

With the bases loaded in the eight inning. Napoli drove in the eventual game-winning runs with a two-run double into the right-center field gap and showing his range of emotions when reaching second base like he has all postseason long.

The six-foot catcher is batting .308 in his first five World Series games with 2 home runs and 9 RBIs. Compare that to the 10 RBIs the rest of the Texas squad has combined for during that time. What makes his nine runs batted in even more impressive is, Napoli has yet to record a multi-hit game in those five games, but he has walked three times.

In the 1997 postseason, Cleveland Indians backstop Sandy Alomar Jr. drove in 17 runs en route to their Game 7 World Series loss to the Florida Marlins, setting the single postseason record for a catcher, Napoli has driven in 12 thus far.

Once considered a defensive liability and traded twice in a five-day span, Napoli turned into the best hitter in baseball since this year's All-Star break, batting .378 since Independence Day and becoming a postseason hero this October.

On the mound, it was a battle of aces and a rematch of Game 1. Both C.J. Wilson and Chris Carpenter were brilliant, but reach receiving a no decision.

While Wilson has yet to record a win in this year's postseason, 18-year veteran Darren Oliver recorded his first career World Series win.

As for Wilson, he allowed only one earned run in this 5 and 1/3 innings of work, the fewest since his first postseason start in 2010 against the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALDS. Although, Wilson was another Texas player to draw comparisons to a member of the '97 Indians team. The left-handed matched Jaret Wright's record for the most walks in a single postseason with 19 and both coming in five starts.

Wilson handed out five of nine walks the Cardinals received in Game 5, but only saw two of those cross the plate.

La Russa, right, struggled to get his bullpen
through the eighth inning Monday.

St. Louis were 1 for 12 with runners in scoring position and left 12 men on bases, squandering numerous opportunities to break the game wide open. La Russa and Co. find themselves facing a 3-2 series deficit, but head home for the potential final two games of the series.

41 for the 61 teams that have held a 3-2 series lead go on to win the series. However, this will be the fifth time the Cardinals have faced this deficit in the World Series and the four previous times they have comeback to win games six and seven to win the series.

The Redbirds call on left-hander Jaime Garica in Game 6 to fin off elimination as he will be opposed by Colby Lewis, who is 4-1 in his seven career postseason starts with a 2.22.

Pujols Pulls Through

A Rangers Rally

World Series Showdown: Texas Draw Cards

Two franchises from completely different backgrounds, one rich in tradition and winning while the other still looking to find their place among baseball history. Two teams that took far different roads to get back here, one taking an improbable up the wild card standings, the other winning their second straight division title, convincingly.

The St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers are set to square off in the 2011 Fall Classic in a series that should be one for the ages.

Texas Rangers at St. Louis Cardinals:
After feeling the bitter pain of losing in their first World Series appearance a year ago to the San Francisco Giants, the Rangers have come back with vengeance and find themselves in their second straight Fall Classic. With thirteen returning players from last year's World Series roster, Texas is determined to not let this one slip away.

Wilson has struggled this postseason, going
0-2 with a 8.04 ERA in his three starts

The Ranger's offense has been stagnant for most of the postseason, but came to life in the series-clinching Game 6 against the Detroit Tigers in the ALCS. They scored 15 runs on 17 hits that included a nine-run third inning. Nelson Cruz has six playoff home runs for the second straight postseason and was honored as the ALCS MVP. He along with Josh Hamilton, who has yet to hit a home run this postseason mainly due to his recent groin injury, will need to be the two that protect the middle of the order.

Many questioned manager Ron Washington's decision to keep Michael Young in the cleanup spot, but he silenced the critics after Young's big Game 6, tallying 5 RBIs. Offseason acquisitions Adrian Beltre and Mike Napoli are both playing in their first World Series and will need to swing the bat like they have all season if Texas is overcome a unbelievably hot St. Louis team.

Texas' starting rotation hasn't fared well in this postseason and could be tested mightily by the best offense in the National League this season. It's the bullpen that holds the key to success in this series for Washington and Co. In their 42 and 2/3 innings this postseason they have accumulated a 2.34 ERA.

The Rangers have added starters Alexi Ogando and Scott Feldman, who won 17 games for Texas in 2009, to their 'pen to go along with 2010 Rookie of the Year, Neftali Feliz.

General manager Jon Daniels also traded for relievers Mike Gonzalez, Koji Uehara and Mike Adams during this season, giving Washington the ability to mix and match late in the game, something Cardinals manager Tony La Russa is famous for doing and could loom large with four potential games in the NL style of play.

In a baseball city that rivals all others, St. Louis will be roaring for Game 1 of the World Series. The Cardinals offense was not only among the best in the NL, but throughout the majors. They were in the top ten in runs (762), batting average (.273), on-base percentage (.341) and slugging percentage (.425), but have taken their game to new heights in the postseason.

Third baseman David Frees, who is fresh on his NLCS MVP honors, is leading the team with a .425 average, 4 home runs and 14 RBIs. Free-agent-to be, Albert Pujols, is second in all three categories, but it will be the bats of Matt Holliday and Lance Berkman that need to come alive. Berkman and Holliday are two of six Cardinals that have at least one home run this postseason, but will need to provide more pop to contend with the high octane offense in Texas.

Schumaker adds a toughness and different
dimension to La Russa's lineup.

While Holliday has batted .375 in his ten games this postseason, Berkman has struggled to find his stride, batting .237 in his 38 at-bats.

Skip Schumaker missed the entire NLCS due to an oblique tweak, but batted .600 in the NLDS, including driving in the only run of the decisive Game 5 against the Phillies. He has been added to the World Series roster and could prove to be a huge addition to this Cardinal team.

Much like Texas, St. Louis has seen their rotation scuffle, becoming the first team in postseason history to have win a playoff series without having a starter go past five innings.

Jake Westbrook has been added to the roster in favor of reliever-turned-starter-turned-reliever Kyle McClellan to help mend a struggling starting staff. On the other hand, the 'pen for La Russa has been unbelievable, posting a 2.55 ERA in their 42 and 2/3 innings of work and it could be better if it weren't for some rough outings in the Cardinals' 11-6 loss in Game 1 of the NLDS to Philadelphia.

Berkman and Texas' Game 1 starter C.J. Wilson were involved in some preseason controversy and now find themselves fighting for the right to call themselves the best in baseball. Who would have thought? This series could be a battle of the bullpens and with some inclement weather in the forecast this should make for an intriguing World Series.

TEX X-Factor: C.J. Wilson

STL X-Factor: Skip Schumaker

St. Louis in Seven.

New Raider In Town

Somber Day In U.S. Motorsports

Cards Soar Into Fall Classic

Jason Motte, left, and Yadier Molina celebrate
the Cardinals' 18th NL pennant.

When TBS broadcaster Brian Anderson enthusiastically called Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Yuniesky Betnacourt's fine defensive play to retire his counterpart, Rafael Furcal, for the first out of Game 6 of the National League Championship Series, saying "This one starts with a bang, tonight," he had not idea what was to occur next in a wild 12-6 St. Louis victory.

Like they have all series long, the St. Louis Cardinals struck first with a four-run first inning, capped off by a three-run home run off the bat of sizzling David Freese. It was the first time in postseason history a team had scored first in the first six games of a LCS.

The Cardinals and Brewers would go back and forth, having a home run derby through the first three innings, hitting six home runs combined. It was the first time in major league history that two teams had hit six home runs combined through a games first three innings. To top it off, 9 of the first 10 runs scored were tallied via the long ball.

The first run of the game was scored when John Jay crossed the plate on a RBI single Lance Berkman in the first, giving way to home run mania.

After Cards starter Edwin Jackson only was able to complete two innings, manager Tony La Russa called on five different relievers to get the game's final 21 outs and secure their second World Series appearance in the last six years and third in the last eight.

With La Russa's five pitching changes Sunday, that gave him 28 total for the LCS, the most ever in a postseason series. His starters failed to go more than five innings in all six games of the series, becoming the first team in postseason history to win a playoff series without having a starter pitch into the sixth inning.

Chris Carpenter, who was coming off a three-hit shutout of the Philadelphia Phillies, recorded the only win of the series, that coming in Game 3 after being a spotted a 4-0 lead in the first inning.

But even Carpenter couldn't get past the fifth inning.

It's ironic that the achilles heel of this St. Louis team at the beginning of the season has become a strength, here in the postseason. After suffering the loss of ace Adam Wainwright in February and having to release closer Ryan Franklin, who was an All-Star for the club in 2009, in June, the Cards pitching staff was in shambles.

A trade at this year's July 31st Trading Dealine by general manager John Mozeliak changed the fate of the Cardinal team.

Mozeliak dealt his controversial, but talented center fielder, Colby Rasmus, to the Toronto Blue Jays in a three-team deal that allowed St. Louis to acquire Edwin Jackson, Octavio Dotel and Marc Rzepczynski, all whom have been key components to the Redbirds reaching the Fall Classic this season.

That trade might have sparked their improbable run to get to this point. On Aug. 24, St. Louis was 10 1/2 games behind the NL wild card leading Atlanta Braves and started the month of September 8 1/2 back. St. Louis went 23-9 in their final 32 regular season games, obviously catching the Braves and securing their second wild card berth in franchise history.

The Cardinals are no stranger when it comes to historical September comebacks. In 1964, St. Louis also overcame an 8 1/2 game deficit in the season's final month when this time it was the Phillies that collapsed. Both are tied for the greatest September comebacks in NL history.

Oddly enough that '64 Cardinals team went on to beat the New York Yankees in a thrilling seven game World Series. History has a tendency to repeat itself.

This is St. Louis' 18th NL pennant in franchise history and their third under La Russa's watch. Since La Russa took the reigns in 1996, the Cardinals' 45 postseason wins are second only to the Yankees' 94. It is La Russa's sixth career trip to the World Series, which is good enough sixth on the all-time list. He is now 15-7 in series-clinching games, but hasn't faired in the World Series as much as he would like.

The 67-year-old manager has a 10-12 record in the World Series, including being swept twice. Once in 1990 when at the helm in Oakland and again in 2004 when the Boston Red Sox exercised the demon of Babe Ruth at the expense of his Redbirds.

This time around, La Russa is pushing all the right buttons and hopes to bring home his third career World Series title as he already personifies a managerial genius.

Here We Go Again

Cruz enjoyed a record-setting ALCS, that saw
him hit six home runs.

It's hard to believe at one point the Detroit Tigers held a 2-0 lead against the Texas Rangers Saturday in Game 6 of the ALCS. After Detroit shut out the Rangers high octane offense for the first two innings, Texas bombarded the Tigers' pitching staff for 15 runs on 17 hits, closing out the ALCS, 15-5.

In a 38 minute bottom of the third inning, the Ranger sent 14 hitters to the plate, recording six hits in a nine-run outburst, setting the franchise record for most runs scored in a single postseason half inning.

Two of those six hits came off the suddenly red-hot bat of All-Star Michael Young. Young hit two, two-run doubles in the inning, driving in four of the nine runs scored. The 12-year veteran added a solo home run in the seventh, giving him a 5 RBI game and totaling 7 for the series.

His teammate, Nelson Cruz, who was honored as this year's ALCS MVP, got out his boomstick once again and continued this unbelievable postseason run. Cruz popped a two-run shot for his sixth home run of the series, driving in his 12th and 13th runs of the series, both are single series postseason records.

With his six home runs, Cruz is now the only player in postseason history to have hit six home runs in two different postseasons. In his first postseason appearance a year ago, the Monte Cristi native also hit six home runs, but that came throughout the playoffs, not one series. If that weren't enough, Cruz hit the first walk-off grand slam in postseason history and had two extra innings home runs in the ALCS, the first time that has ever been done as well.

All eight of hits during the LCS went for extra-bases, that's a lot of production for a guy that bats seventh in the lineup. But it wasn't just Cruz's bat that did the talking.

In the eighth inning of Game 4, Cruz fired a perfect game-saving dart to nail the not so fleet of foot, Miguel Cabrera, at the plate, keeping the game tied.

While Cruz continues to exemplify an October legend, the Rangers are headed to their second straight World Series. After losing to the San Francisco Giants in last year's Fall Classic in five games, they have come back with vengeance and fire in their eyes. After capturing both their two straight division title and American League Pennant, Texas is the first AL West team to accomplish that feat since the Oakland Athletics did so from 1988-'90. They did in three years in-a-row.

Those Oakland teams were led by future Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa, and with his Cardinals one win away from their eighteenth trip to the World Series, Texas could oddly enough face the last manager to do what they have achieved in 2011.

Texas accomplished all this without the power of last year's ALCS MVP, Josh Hamiltion, who didn't hit a home run in this series and has yet to hit one this postseason after hitting four in last year's LCS against the New York Yankees.

Showered in Ginger Ale for the second straight year, the Rangers hope to have one last celebration in them.

And the Award Goes To: National League Predictions

The 2011 Major League Baseball season saw so many great players elevate their game to the next level, making handing out this year's major awards all the more difficult.

National League Most Valuable Player: Matt Kemp, LAD
Just like the American League Most Valuable Player voting, the National League should be a close one as well. With so many deserving candidates, Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Matt Kemp not only developed in the games most dynamic outfielder, but one of baseball's best players, making him this year's NL MVP.

Kemp's 2011 campaign is one of the best by a
center fielder in recent memory.

Kemp rebounded after a miserable and disappointing 2010 campaign, becoming a legitimate Triple Crown threat this season. Boston's Carl Yastrzemski was the last player to achieve that feat in 1967, but that was in the AL. The last NL player to win the Triple Crown was Joe Medwick in 1937 while playing left field for the St. Louis Cardinals. Kemp ranked third in the NL with a .324 average, but led in home runs with 39. His 126 RBIs not only led the NL, but the entire major leagues.

With the help of first base coach Davey Lopes, Kemp improved his baserunning drastically, swiping a career-high 40 stolen bases. Combine that with his 39 home runs, Kemp just missed becoming the fifth player in major league history to join the exclusive 40-40 club.

Back to playing his Gold Glove defense, Kemp was tied for third among major league center fielders with 11 outfield assists.

Milwaukee's Ryan Braun seems to be the favorite due in large part to his team finishing first in the NL Central and making the postseason. Braun's case is a good one, but his protection with slugger Prince Fielder hitting behind him has helped his offensive numbers. The 2007 NL Rookie of the Year, Braun was out hit by the Mets Jose Reyes, who hit .337 this season, for the batting title, hitting .332. The 27-year-old left fielder didn't even lead his team in home runs, but added 33 and 115 to the Brewer lineup.

However, Braun did manage to lead the NL in slugging percentage (.597), on-base plus slugging and extra-base hits (77), narrowly edging out Kemp, who had 76.

Fielder also put up a monster season in his walk year, hitting 38 home runs and driving in 120, but is also a beneficiary of having his smooth swinging left fielder hit in front of him. Kemp on the other had little to no protection all season long.

Many of Kemp's teammates spent time on the disabled list, never being able to count on a consist lineup. Infielders Casey Blake and Juan Uribe missed most of the regular season to various injuries while All-Star Andre Ethier played in less than 140 games for the second straight year. It didn't help that first baseman Jame Loney, who is a career .288 hitter, batted only .255 the first four months of the season with all of 4 home runs and 33 RBIs.

This could just be the beginning for an emerging 26-year-old superstar.

National League Cy Young: Clayton Kershaw, LAD
Much like Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander did in the AL, Dodgers ace, Clayton Kershaw, nailed down the NL pitching Triple Crown. Kershaw finished the season 21-5 with a major league best 2.28 ERA to go along with 248 punch-outs. The 23-year-old left-hander has now throw 200 innings each of the last two seasons and has developed into one of the games best starting pitchers.

Kershaw has a 2.88 career ERA, but only has 47 career wins in 116 starts, mainly due to his lack of run support and inability to throw strikes. That all changed for Kershaw in '11, walking only 54 hitters compared to his 81 in '10 and 91 in 2009. He also posted a career-low 0.98 WHIP.

Once labeled just a thrower, Kershaw has
become of the games best pitchers.

The lefty almost single-handedly kept the defending World Series champion San Francisco Giants out of the postseason. Kershaw was 5-0 in his 6 starts against the Giants this season, including 4-0 with a 0.30 ERA in his head-to-head matchups with two-time Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum. Don Newcombe was the last Dodger pitcher to beat the Giants five times in a single season, coming in 1951 when they were crosstown rivals on the East Coast.

Philadelphia's Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee both put together marvelous seasons and were two the preseason favorites to land the honor. Halladay, who is one of the few pitchers in history to win the award in both leagues, is the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner and has put together quite a case to repeat. The former Toronto Blue Jay went 19-6, led the NL in complete games with 8, recorded a 2.35 ERA and struck out 208 batters.

Lee finished with a 17-6 record and averaged more than a strikeout per inning, having 238 batters whiff in 232.2 innings. The 2008 AL Cy Young Award winner posted a 2.40 ERA and a major league best 6 shutouts in all six of his complete games.

Right-hander Ian Kennedy looks to be another pitcher in contention out West after anchoring an Arizona pitching staff that saw their team go from worst to first in the NL West. Kennedy throw 200 innings for the first time in his career and was tied for the NL lead in wins. His 21-4 record accumulated to a major league best .840 winning percentage. Kennedy also narrowly missed his first 200 strikeout season with 198 with a 2.88 ERA.

With so many deserving candidates the vote should be awfully close, but it's hard to deny a left-hander that wins the pitching Triple Crown.

National League Rookie of the Year: Craig Kimbrel, ATL
A year after Texas Rangers closer Neftali Feliz was named the '10 Rookie of the Year and set a rookie record 40 saves in a single season, along come Craig Kimbrel. The 23-year-old flamethrower assumed the closer role for manager Fredi Gonzalez and his Atlanta Braves this season and flourished. He set a new rookie record in a season with 46 and had Atlanta on the cusp of their second straight postseason berth.

Kimbrel was a pleasant surprise for
Atlanta and should be for years to
come.

Kimbrel became a first-time All-Star and averaged 14.8 strikeouts per nine innings with 127 punch-outs in 77.1 innings. His teammate Freddie Freeman also had a great first year in the big leagues, batting .282 with 21 home runs and drove in 76. Freeman played in 157 games and had 32 doubles.

The last six seasons their have been three closers win the AL Rookie of the Year. The last time a closer received the honor in the National League was Scott Williamson in 1999 while pitching for the Cincinnati Reds. That season Williamson recorded 19 saves in his 62 relief appearances. The last Brave to win the award, shortstop Rafael Furcal, who is currently playing for the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS, in 2000

There is no question that this year's NL Rookie of the Year will be a Brave, which one is the question?

National League Manager of the Year: Kirk Gibson, ARZ
In a division that contained the defending World Series champion San Francisco Giants, the Arizona Diamondbacks were predicted by many to finish in last-place for the second straight year. A year after finishing with the third worst record in the majors at 65-97 and 27 game back of the NL West champion Giants, Arizona came slithering back.

First-year manager Kirk Gibson kept the Snakes in contention and believing all season long. The D-backs were 45-25 at the All-Star Break, 3 games back of first-place San Francisco. They continued their amazing season, seizing first-place in July and really never surrendered it. Along with Gibson's gutsy and gritty managing, a young, but brilliant starting rotation and a much improved bullpen, Arizona was able to make a improve their record by 29 games from a year ago and finished 94-68, first-place in the NL West.

Gibson brought the fire he played with to
the Arizona dugout this season.

It was their first division title since 2007, taking on the personality of their 54-year-old manager.

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Don Mattingly was also a first-year manager, but also kept his team believing. Los Angeles was 36-46 at the All-Star Break, but finished the second-half strong with a 46-34, 12 games over .500. Much like Gibson's D-backs, Mattingly's team exceeded expectations and finished third-place in the division at 82-80.

That being said, nobody did a better job than Gibson did with his team this season. Arizona was ousted from the postseason by the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLDS. After rallying in the ninth inning of their decisive Game 5, the Brewers ended Gibson's magical first year in Phoenix with a walk-off single, a season that should end with NL Manager of the Year award.

And the Award Goes To: American League Predictions

The 2011 Major League Baseball season saw so many great players elevate their game to the next level, making handing out this year's major awards all the more difficult.

American League Most Valuable Player: Jacoby Ellsbury, BOS
In what should be one of the closest votes in the Award's eighty-year history, Boston Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury should be this year's AL MVP. After missing most of the 2010 season due to an injury and playing only in 18 games, Ellsbury came back with vengeance. The 28-year-old outfielder not only became the most productive and best all around player in the Boston lineup, but one of the best in majors.

Ellsbury turned into a superstar center fielder
 in 2011.

Playing his usual Gold Glove caliber defense, Ellsbury's bat swung to new heights. The speedy leadoff hitter turned into a prolific power threat, hitting a career-high 32 home runs, nearly quadrupling his previous career high. Prior to the '11 season, Ellsbury had only totaled as many as 9 home runs in a single-season, that coming back in 2008.

In only 349 career games before '11, Ellsbury had only hit 20 career home runs, a number he nearly doubled this season.

To go along with his power, the center fielder lead the majors in total bases (364) and extra-base hits (83). He also was in the top five in hits (212), doubles (46) and runs (119). Not to mention the fact Ellsbury climbed into the top ten in RBIs (105), steals (39), average (.321), slugging percentage (.552) and on-base plus slugging (.928).

Ellsbury looked to be the clear cut favorite for this year's honor after it was a toss up most of the season, that was until his team took a nose dive in the season's final month. The Red Sox completed the worst September collapse in baseball history, blowing a nine-game wild card lead over the Tampa Bay Rays, missing the postseason for the second straight season. Despite his Sox finishing 7-20 record in September and completely floundering, Ellsbury flourished in the season's final weeks.

He hit .358 in September with 8 home runs and 21 RBIs, three of those home runs coming in a doubleheader against the New York Yankees, Sept. 26. He also recorded 43 hits that month, the most he had recorded of any month during the season.

There has been much speculation that Detroit's Justin Verlander, who is the favorite to win his first Cy Young Award, might become the 11th pitcher in major league history to win both the MVP and Cy Young in the same season. No pitcher has accomplished that feat since Oakland Athletics' closer, Dennis Eckersley, took home both honors in 1992 and don't expect it too happen again anytime soon.

Verlander started 34 game for the Tigers this season, which means he only had a hand in 34 of the 162 games Detroit played in during the regular season. There's no question if you take away Verlander's 24 wins from the Tigers' 95, they are not a playoff team. However, how can a pitcher be more valuable to a team than an everyday player, such as Miguel Cabrera, who won the AL batting title at a .344 clip, or Victor Martinez, who led the majors with a .394 average with RISP.

How can a player be deemed the most valuable player in the AL, if he might not be the most valuable to his team?

Toronto's Jose Bautista put together a case of his own after leading the majors in home runs (43) for the second straight year, also leading in slugging percentage (.608), on-base plus slugging (1.056) and base-on-balls (138). New York's Curtis Granderson and Boston's Adrian Gonzalez also put up fantastic campaigns, but don't edge out Ellsbury. Despite Granderson hitting a career-high 41 home runs, driving in an AL best 119 runs and leading the majors in runs scored with 136, his .262 average and opportunity to hit in arguably the best lineup in baseball hurts his chances.

With his 32 home runs and 39 stolen bases, Ellsbury joined the 30-30 club this season and was honored with the AL Comeback Player of the Year Award Thursday. He could add another trophy to his rapidly growing cabinet when the AL MVP is announced Monday, Nov. 21.

American League Cy Young: Justin Verlander, DET
There have been a total of 21 unanimous Cy Young Award winners since the award's inception in 1956, 13 from the National League and 8 from the American League. The last pitcher to win the award unanimously in either league came as recent as last year when Philadelphia Phillies ace Roy Halladay won in his first year in the National League. He also become the fifth pitcher in major league history to win the award both in the AL and NL.

Detroit's Justin Verlander should become the 22nd pitcher in baseball history to be named the Cy Young Award winner unanimously. The four-time All-Star went 24-5 for Jim Leyland's Tigers and tossed his second career no-hitter in '11. Verlander is the first pitcher to win 24 games in a single-season since five-time Cy Young Award winner, Randy Johnson, won 24 back in 2002 while pitching for the then-defending World Series champion Arizona Diamondbacks and went on to win what would be his final Cy Young.

Verlander drenched by his teammates after
his no-hitter May 3 in Toronto.

Verlander started the off rather slow, going 2-3 in his first 7 starts, but after throwing his no-hitter on May 7 against the Blue Jays, the right-hander went 22-2 in his final 27 starts of the season and almost inevitably ensuring his first career Cy Young.

Along with his major league best 24 wins, the Tiger's ace lead the AL in strikeouts (250) and ERA (2.40), winning the AL pitching Triple Crown. All that being said many believe Verlander is the front-runner to also come away with the AL MVP honors as well, but that simply should not be the case.

Not even the spectacular season of that Verlander put together deserves that honor. Johnson's '02 season couldn't even capture him both honors and believe it or not his numbers were even better than Verlander's. That season to go along with his 24-5 record, Johnson threw 260 innings, the second most of his career, and posted a career-low 2.32 ERA. He led the majors in strikeouts with 334 and tossed 8 complete games, four of those were shutouts.

Not to mention the fact Johnson pitched in the midst of the steroid era while playing in the same league as slugger Barry Bonds, who was fresh off his record-breaking 73 home run season.

Compare those to Verlander's '11 numbers, that also consisted of 251 innings with 4 complete games and 2 shutouts. Johnson would not finish the top five in the NL MVP voting, finishing seventh, that season.

There is no question Verlander should this year's unanimous selection for the AL Cy Young, but as for  the MVP, not so much.

American League Rookie of the Year: Jeremy Hellickson, TB
In another tough decision, the Rays Jeremy Hellickson seemed to stand out the most of any other first-year AL player. Hellickson helped orchestrate Tampa Bay's improbable September comeback, going 13-10 with a 2.95 ERA in his 29 starts this season. The rookie right-hander got his first taste of the big leagues last season, tossing 36.1 innings in 4 starts and 10 total appearances.

Still eligible for the award, Hellickson could be the second Rays player to win the honor in the last four years. All-Star Evan Longoria was the first, being named the AL ROY in 2008.

Hellickson was among not only one of the best
rookie pitchers, but best in the majors
in '11.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim first baseman Mark Trumbo was a close second. The 25-year-old slugger batted .254, but his pop and overwhelming offensive contributions are what drove this Angels offense most of the regular season.

Trumbo's 29 home runs and 87 RBIs led the team, becoming the first rookie in franchise history to lead in both those categories.

The Anaheim native also came two home runs shy of tying Tim Salmon's rookie franchise record of 31 set back in 1993. Trumbo also added two crucial walk-off home runs during the season to keep Los Angeles in contention. Without the welcoming surprise of his bat, the Angels could have been playing meaningless games as early as July.

New York's Ivan Nova also gave a later surge, winning 16 games and posting a 3.70 ERA. If not for being sent down in early July to make room for Phil Hughes in the rotation, Nova might have won a lot more games. That being said, his ERA was a bit high and benefited from some of the best run support in the majors.

Another one of Joe Maddon's rookies burst onto the scene and played a pivotal part to their late season surge. Desmond Jennings played in only 63 games this season, but filled in nicely for the departed Carl Crawford. Jennings hit .259 with 10 home runs and stole 20 bases for the Rays and if he would have been called up sooner, we might be talking about him instead of his fellow teammate.

Despite Hellickson having a record hovering around .500, the right-hander saw his offense average only 6.43 runs per game in his starts. That's nothing compared to Nova's 8.82 per game which was second in the majors.

American League Manager of the Year: Joe Maddon, TB
Three months ago if you would have said the Tampa Bay Rays were headed to the postseason, you would have been called crazy. Manager Joe Maddon didn't think so, with his unorthodox methods and never say die attitude, he lead his team to their second straight playoff appearance and third in four years.

Nine games back of the wild card as late as Sept. 3, the Rays came all the way back and capped off their magical run with an unbelievable walk-off win in the final game of the regular season that launched them into the postseason. Maddon was the architect of this club and with the departures Crawford, Carlos Pena, Rafael Soriano, and Joaquin Benoit, he saw his team win 91 games, good enough for second in the AL East, after they were pronounced dead before the season even started.

Maddon never let his team quit and the
end result was a wild card berth.

Cleveland's Manny Acta had the Indians in first-place most of the first half, but the Tribe trailed off after the All-Star break and settled for second in the division at 80-82, 15 games behind the AL Central champion Tigers.

Mike Scioscia kept the Angels in contention most of the season and may be the best manager he baseball when it comes to getting the most out of his players.

Maddon, who at one time was Scioscia's bench coach, is a close second in that regard, but should be this year's AL Manager of the Year.

On Their Way Back

Cycling Back To Arlington

Young, right, celebrates after his second home
run of the game that completed a team inning
cycle.

Just when it looked like the Detroit Tigers' season was on the brink of ending with their ace on the mound, a 99 mph fastball saved their season.

Justin Verlander pumped his fist after inducing a groundball double-play off the broken bat of Texas Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler, escaping a one out base loaded jam in the sixth.

With the game still tied at two and inspired by Verlander's work in the top of the inning, Detroit's potent offense roared to life in the home half, that is with a little bit of luck.

Utility man Ryan Raburn, who has been filling in for the injured Magglio Ordonez, greeted Texas Rangers starter C.J. Wilson with a hard led off single to left followed by what would have normally been a routine 5-4-3 double-play, but for the first time in the series, the Tigers got the ball to bounce their way. Miguel Cabrera's ground ball hit the third base bag, shooting up and out of the reach of the Rangers' Adrian Beltre and down the left field line.

Cabrera cruised into second with an RBI double, seizing the lead back for the Tigers, 3-2.

Victor Martinez, much like he has all season for Detroit, delivered again with a triple into the right corner, scoring Cabrera. Following Martinez, Delmon Young answered the bell, blasting his second home run of the game and fifth of the postseason.

The Tigers had hit of the cycle in the inning, making that the first time it had been done in postseason history. If that weren't impressive enough, Detroit did it with with four consecutive hitters while hitting for the cycle the "natural" way.

Wilson escaped the inning alive, but the damage had already been done.

On the other side, Verlander trotted back out for his seventh inning of work, having a shut down inning, producing his first perfect 1-2-3 inning since the second and emphatically yelling, "It's about f-ing time".

Raburn added an insurance run in the bottom of the inning with a home run off Koji Uehara, increasing the lead to 7-2. Boy did they never need it. Nelson Cruz continued his unbelievable ALCS, hitting his fifth home run of the series and his second home run off Verlander in the series. This time a two-run shot, cutting into the Tigers' lead, 7-4.

Cruz is only the fifth player in major league history to have five homes in a postseason series, and the first to do so in a LCS. Surprisingly, Cruz had never hit five home runs over a a five game game span in his career, until now.

Manager Jim Leyland called upon left-hander Phil Coke to finish the game with the unavailability of set-up man Joaquin Benoit and closer Jose Valverde. Leyland made it clear prior to Game 5 that both Benoit and Valverde were not made available to pitch after extended work the last couple of games. The 66-year-old manager said he'd hope to get through the game using just Verlander and Coke and that's exactly what he did.

Despite the game becoming dicey with two outs in the ninth, Coke got the game's final five outs, sending the series back to Arlington for a Game 6 Saturday.

Bur the Rangers find themselves in a familiar spot. Last season Texas held a 3-1 series lead against the then-defending World Series champion New York Yankees. New York also won Game 5, only to have the Rangers close out the series at home in Game 6.

Verlander hasn't been sharp this postseason,
 but fought his way through Game 5.

Only 10 teams in major league history have overcome a 3-1 series deficit to win a best-of-seven series, most recently the Boston Red Sox, who did it in the 2004 and 2007 ALCS against the New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians respectively.

With their backs against the wall, Detroit will need to defy the odds once again like they have all season long.

Epstein Headed To The Windy City

Was it time for Theo to go in Boston?

After being an instrumental part of breaking the Curse of the Bambino in 2004, Boston Red Sox executive vice-president and general manager Theo Epstein has decided to take on another hex, this time on the North Side of Chicago.

It has been reported by multiple sources, Epstein has agreed to a five-year $15 million contract to become the new GM of the Chicago Cubs, a position vacated by Jim Hendry, who was fired back on Aug. 19 and hired by the Cubs in 2002, the same year Epstein was hired in Boston.

The decision comes nearly three weeks after Boston finished their epic September collapse and "mutual" parting with manager Terry Francona.

It's not the first time he decided to resign from his post. In October of 2005, Epstein left his position as GM after a contract dispute with team CEO Larry Lucchino. San Diego Padres GM Jed Hoyer and Epstein's current assistant GM Ben Cherington shared the duties until he returned two months later.

The deal has not been announced officially with some minor details needing to be hammered out, including what the Red Sox will receive in compensation for this GM's services.

Boston brass is also insisting Chicago pick up Epstein's $3.5 million bonus he is due, bringing his contract total to nearly $20 million. The deal would already have him the highest-paid GM in baseball history.

If this is in fact the end of Epstein's nine year run as Red Sox GM, what a marathon it was.

Prior to the 2003 Major League Baseball season, Red Sox owner John Henry offered Oakland Athletics' GM Billy Beane a job, as it has been portrayed in the recently released feature film "Moneyball". Beane initially accepted the offer, but later decided to finish what he started in Oakland, where he still resides today.

Beane's change of heart opened the door for a 28-year-old Yale graduate to accept his dream job.

Epstein had previously worked for the San Diego Padres and was an intern for the Baltimore Orioles, but his first job with Boston made him the youngest GM in baseball history.

In his first year as Red Sox GM, Epstein put together a team that went all the way to Game 7 of the ALCS before the ghosts of Yankee Stadium were awoken in the eight inning and their arch rivals, the New York Yankees, were able to erase a three-run deficit and force extra innings, where knuckleballer Tim Wakefield surrendered the infamous Aaron Boone walk-off home run in the 11th inning.

Epstein would have his revenge the following season.

Sparked by a midseason walk-off home run by Bill Mueller off Yankee closer Mariano Rivera, the '04 Red Sox rolled into the postseason with abundance of confidence, setting up a highly anticipated ALCS rematch with New York.

But the Yankees got out of the gate quickly and put a stranglehold on the series, wining the first three games convincingly. It looked like New York would get Epstein and Co. once again after '03's dramatic Game 7 loss and missing out on trading for superstar slugger Alex Rodriguez in the offseason, who would eventually be dealt to their hated rivals.

Instead for the first time since 1918, the Red Sox got the last laugh.

Epstein's club became the first team in baseball history to overcome a 3-0 deficit in a postseason series and went on to sweep the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series, sending liberation throughout New England and exercising an 86-year curse.

In only his second year as GM, Epstein enjoyed
his first World Series title.

The Red Sox would add another World Series title in 2007 and come within one game of winning the 2008 AL Pennant before losing to the division rival Tampa Bay Rays in Game 7 of the ALCS.

Along with being the architect of two World Series teams, Epstein accumulated 839 wins during his tenure in Boston, second only to who else, the Yankees.

The soon to be 38-year-old GM's goal was to come to Boston with the focus of strengthening the scouting and player-development in the organization and did he ever. In the past decade the Red Sox farm system has produced players like Jonathan Papelbon, Dustin Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jon Lester, and Clay Buchholz.

That's exactly what Cubs owner Tom Ricketts and team president Crane Kenney were looking for and now apparently have.

Epstein also made key acquisitions that were a pivotal part of both the Red Sox World Series teams, including the signings of David Ortiz, Mike Timlin, Bill Mueller, and trading for All-Stars Curt Schilling.

He also traded for Jason Bay and most recently Adrian Gonzalez, both whom worked out great.

But along with striking gold there came a batch of fool's good. This included a three-ring circus and revolving door at shortstop. Since trading Nomar Garciaparra in '04, Epstein has seen names like Orlando Cabrera, Edgar Renteria, Alex Gonzalez, who played for the Sox in two different stints, Alex Cora, Julio Lugo, Jed Lowrie, Marco Scutaro, and highly touted prospect Jose Iglesias command one of, if not the most crucial position on the diamond.

The Sox believe Iglesias is the shortstop of the future, but they may have had that covered years ago if it wasn't for a certain trade.

In November of 2005, the Red Sox made a deal that sent Hanley

The trade went on to benefit both teams as Beckett and Lowell, who would be named the '07 World Series MVP, were key contributors in getting Boston back to the Fall Classic, while Ramirez has developed into one of the games brightest young stars, winning the National League batting title in 2009. Sanchez has seen become a quality major league pitcher and threw a no-hitter in only his 14th big-league start.

Moves that didn't quite work out in Epstein's tenure consist of signing Lugo, J.D. Drew, John Lackey, Carl Crawford, and trading for Eric Gagne.

Although the signing of Crawford could prove to be a good one with six years still remaining on the seven-year $142 million contract he signed this past winter, maybe needing a season to get acclimated to the pressure cooker that Boston is after playing all those years in Tampa Bay.

Epstein leaves behind an almost unfillable legacy with a daunting task in front of him.

The Curse of the Billy Goat has haunted
the Cubs for 103 years and counting.

The Cubs continue to be haunted by the Curse of the Billy Goat and have yet to win a World Series since 1908. That is 103 years, by far the longest drought in professional sports. Their last World Series appearance came in 1945 when Chicago lost to the Detroit Tigers in seven games.

Chicago made the playoffs three times in the last decade, '03, '07, and '08, all coming under the watch of Hendry.

If Epstein can bring a World Series title to the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field, it would not be inappropriate to call him the greatest GM in the history of baseball, breaking two of the most terrorizing spells in professional sports.

Cherington looks to be the heir apparent in Boston, but it's not strange to hear the name of Yankee GM Brian Cashman, whose current contract expires at the end of the month, surface.

Coincidence or not, it's interesting to think both teams Epstein has agreed to GM for have suffered from two of the longest championship droughts in history while their arch rivals, the Cardinals and Yankees, have won double-digit World Series during that time.

He must be a man looking for a challenge.

Garcia Dismissed From His Duties With Gamecocks

Garcia's colligate career will be remembered
for the all the wrong reasons.

It took five different suspensions and numerous off the field issues, but the South Carolina Gamecocks finally decided to dismiss quarterback Stephen Garcia Tuesday, putting an end to quite an era.


Reportedly failing a drug and alcohol test, was the last straw for the fifth-year senior and now will no longer take another snap for the No. 15 ranked Gamecocks.

After suffering his fifth suspension last spring, Garcia agreed to frequently undergo those tests, but has failed to meet the guidelines the team put into place for him, which they believed was the best opportunity for he and the program to succeed.

Garcia was recently benched in favor of sophomore signal caller Connor Shaw, who is coming off a spectacular game in the team's 54-2 thrashing of the Kentucky Wildcats. Shaw threw for 311 yards and 4 touchdowns with no interceptions.

Steve Spurrier's Gamecocks, who are currently leading the SEC East with a 5-1 record, will need their young sophomore to continue to shine with some quality opponents still on their schedule.

South Carolina's next game is at Mississippi State with a trip to the No. 10 ranked Arkansas Razorbacks two weeks after. They will then be visited by the newly unranked, but speedy Florida Gators and will host No. 8 Clemson the final week of the season.

As for Garcia, his legacy at South Carolina unfortunately will always be a kid with a big arm, who was given every opportunity to succeed by the "old ball coach", but could never quite shake his off the field demons.

Garcia's on the field career for the Gamecocks was much different.

His best season came in 2010, when he threw for 3,059 yards, 20 TD, 14 INT and completed 64.2 percent of his passes.

In 34 career games at South Carolina, Garcia threw for 7,597 yards, 47 TD and 41 INT, but his inability to perform under pressure will overshadow his success under Spurrier.

In maybe the biggest game of his career, the 6-foot-2 quarterback saw him team get obliterated in last years SEC Championship game against the eventual National Champion Auburn Tigers, 56-17. In the game, Garcia was outplayed in every facet of game by the Tigers former QB, Cam Newton.

Newton accumulated 408 yards of total offense alone and accounted for 6 TD, 4 passing and 2 rushing, without surrendering a turnover. On the other hand, Garcia only totaled 188 yards with 2 TD and 2 INT.

Following the loss, the Gamecocks would still punch a ticket to a the Chick-fil-A Bowl, setting up a matchup with the underdog Florida State Seminoles. Despite sustaining an injury to their former starting quarterback, Christian Ponder, the Seminoles were able to hold off the turnover-prone Gamecocks, 26-17 and stunned Garcia.

In the game, Garcia with three interceptions and no touchdowns, proving once again he would never be a big time QB.

It is interesting though after Garcia was longer No. 1 on the depth chart to have him cut now, in his senior season, after so many chances. You have to wonder if he was still their starting quarterback, would this move have been made?

South Carolina, whose only lose of the season came Oct. 1 against Auburn, 16-13, will now look to the future and hope Shaw can lead them to where they are capable of going.

Cruz-ing Into Detroit

Cruz's power bodes well in the Texas lineup
and ballpark.

There have already been so many of firsts this baseball season and Monday's Game 2 of the ALCS proved to be no different.

Texas Rangers outfielder Nelson Cruz continued to find his stroke this postseason after struggling mightily in Texas' first-round matchup against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Cruz, who homered in Game 1 against the Detroit Tigers, hit a pair of home runs, both coming in most crucial moments of the game.

With the Rangers trailing 3-2 after six and a half innings, Tigers manager Jim Leyland elected to have his starting pitcher, Max Scherzer, to return for the bottom of the seventh and pitch to Cruz. With left-hander Phil Coke warming in the Detroit bullpen and lefties David Murphy and Mitch Moreland to follow, it looked as if that would be the only batter Scherzer would face, no matter the result.

If all went according to plan, Leyland could have Coke finish the seventh and then summon set-up man Joaquin Benoit and closer Jose Valverde from the 'pen, for the eighth and ninth, to seal the win. It didn't.

On Scherzer's 91st pitch of the night, Cruz hammered a 1-2 fastball up in the zone and deposited it into the left field seats for a game-tying home run.

But it would be Cruz's second home of the night that would make postseason history.

After three scoreless innings from both the Detroit and Texas bullpen, innings that included both closers walking a tightrope and escaping ninth inning bases-loaded jams, Game 2 headed to the eleventh, setting the stage for a postseason first.

Texas set-up man Mike Adams struck out the first two batters of the inning, but surrendered a two-out single to the versatile only to have 2011 AL batting champion, Miguel Cabrera, fly out to center field to end the inning.

The Rangers quickly jumped on Tigers reliever Ryan Perry with three consecutive singles to start the home half of the inning, loading the bases with nobody out for the second time in the game. The first time Detroit was fortunate enough to allude any damage, this time would be much different.

Cruz, who had been dropped all the way to seventh in the order due to his recent struggles, came to the plate with a chance to be a hero. Someone who relishes in the moment, the 31-year-old slugger blasted his second home run of the game for a walk-off grand slam, giving the Rangers a 7-3 win and a 2-0 LCS series lead.

There have been 42 walk-off home runs in postseason history, but Cruz's walk-off grand slam was the first of it's variety, adding another accomplishment to his impressive postseason resume.

Technically it should have been the second in postseason history after newly hired Chicago White Sox manager Robin Ventura hit a walk-off home run with the bases-loaded in Game 5 of the 1999 NLCS as a member of the New York Mets to beat the Atlanta Braves, but was mobbed by teammates before he could reach home plate turning a grand slam into what we know today as a "grand slam single".

In last years postseason, Cruz hit .317 with 6 home runs, 11 RBIs and 13 extra-base hits. That is why his struggles in the ALDS, where he batted .067, came as such a shock.

An All-Star in 2009, Cruz is rapidly turning into one of the best big game performers in the majors, but injuries have halted him from becoming one of the games brightest young stars. The Monte Cristi native has taken five trips to the disabled list over the last two seasons, mainly due to hamstring issues. He has averaged only 120 games over the last three seasons with the Rangers, playing only 108 in 2010.

Texas will need to find a way to keep him healthy and his bat hot if they are repeat as American League Champions and return to the World Series.

Super Mario Loses Some Fire Power

Williams won't be needing his helmet the rest
of the 2011 campaign. 

Just when many thought the injury to Indianapolis' Peyton Manning, who led the Colts to a division title seven out of the last eight years, would open the door for the Houston Texans to take hold of the AFC South, the injury bug is back.

The Texans have lost outside linebacker Mario Williams for the rest of the season after he suffered a torn pectoral muscle in their 25-20 loss to the emotionally driven Oakland Raiders Sunday.

Williams was injured after sacking Oakland quarterback Jason Campbell late in the first quarter. The injury couldn't have come at a worse time after their superstar wide receiver Andre Johnson was injured just a week prior.

Johnson sustained a right hamstring injury in their Week 4 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, but has yet to play since, having to undergo a minor procedure to help repair his hamstring, putting his status for their Week 6 game in Baltimore in doubt.

As for Williams, who changed positions this spring from defensive end to outside linebacker to accommodate newly hired defensive coordinator Wade Phillip's 3-4 defensive scheme, was just starting to flourish in the new system. The 26-year-old linebacker had recorded 5 sacks through the team's first five games and had forced a fumble.

Williams has been placed on injured reserve and is said to be undergoing surgery sometime next week.

The injury to Williams leaves a gapping hole at the linebacker position for head coach Gary Kubiak with him now having to rely of his eight-year defensive end out of Oklahoma State, Antonio Smith, and linebacker Brian Cushing, to carry much of the defensive load.

Williams played his college ball at North Carolina State and was selected with the first overall pick by Houston in the 2006 NFL Draft, surprising many when they elected not to take collegiate star Reggie Bush out of the University of Southern California.

It looked like a terrible move out of the gate when Williams struggled mightily in his first year in the NFL. In the 16 games Williams played in '06, he only recorded 4.5 sacks with 47 tackles, 35 were solo.

In 2007 that all changed. Williams became a defensive force and had monster season recording a career-high 14 sacks with 59 tackles, forcing two fumbles and recovering one of them and returning it for a touchdown. His 14 sacks ranked third in the NFL that season, but he was snubbed of his first career Pro Bowl when he obviously deserved to play in Hawaii.

2008 might have been his best season overall when he forced a career-high four fumbles and totaled 12 sacks. Those numbers were good enough to have himself selected for his first career Pro Bowl and then again in 2009.

His 2010 season was hampered by a sports hernia, causing him to miss three games during the regular season, but his numbers were still impressive. Williams recorded 8.5 sacks in his limited action, giving him his fourth-straight season of nine sacks or more.

Johnson hasn't played since Week 4 & probably
will not play Sunday against the Ravens.

Despite Bush winning a Super Bowl with the New Orleans Saints two years ago, he was traded to the Miami Dolphins this offseason after the Saints didn't think his productivity matched his pay. On the other hand Williams has turned into one of the games best defensive players and has played all six seasons with Houston, but that might no longer be the case come this offseason.

Williams is a free agent at seasons end, putting himself and the Texans organization in a tough situation. You can bet they most certainly want him back, but at the right price.

For now Houston must continue on with what they have and set their sights on their first division title in the franchise's brief history.

They are currently tied for first-place in the AFC South with the 3-2 Tennessee Titans while the Jacksonville Jaguars (1-4) and Indianapolis Colts (0-5) are starting to plan for next season. They will need their Pro Bowled filled offense of quarterback Matt Schaub, running back Arian Foster, who is currently dealing with a hip issue and was injured to start the season, and Johnson to stay healthy and lead the way if this is the year they are to make the postseason.

Williams will have to sit watch, wondering if he has played his last game as a member of the Houston Texans.