2006 World Series Game 5

And with the Cardinals 4-2 win over the Detroit Tigers tonight, the 200 baseball season comes to a close. I'd like to sit here and talk about the important plays of tonight's game, the clutch moments, the mistakes that cost the Tigers, but I really can't. Tonight was my bowling night, and while the game was on at Valley View Lanes, there was no sound, and it's a bit tough to keep up with a muted World Series game while getting a few glimpses in between tossing a ball down the alley. Though I did see Justin Verlander throw two wild pitches in the first inning, and Chris Duncan try to give the game away with two dropped fly balls in right field. But I worry not, as even if I had thousands of readers, I'm quite sure none of them would come here for a complete game recap. Besides, SI.com does a better job than I ever could.

As Adam Wainwright was on the mound in the top of the 9th, I snuck away from my ball-tossing duties to the bar, trying to catch the third out on the bigscreen with sound. And while silence sometimes seems preferable to listening to Joe Buck and Tim McCarver, there's no announcer in the world that's so horrible that I wouldn't want to hear the final out in the World Series. But alas, I got to the bar and the bigscreen was off and Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" was on the jukebox. So the roar of the crowd and wisdom for history from Buck or McCarver forever escaped my ears.

It wasn't until I got home tonight that I learned that David Eckstein was named the World Series MVP. This in itself made the whole postseason for me. After his performance in Game 3, Tom Verducci wrote a "David [Eckstein] vs. Goliath" article at SI.com. With that and tonight's MVP award, I'm thrilled that the whole world has now seen "The X-Factor" that we had of-so-briefly in Anaheim. Though it is bittersweet, as I have to remember that the Angels didn't even offer him a contract when he was a free agent in 2004. Yes, we signed Orlando Cabrera in the 2004 offseason, and yes OC is, in most ways, a better shortstop. But Eckstein is a real-life Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger; he's five-foot nuthin', weighs a hundred and nuthin', and ever inch and pound of that is heart. In the article linked above, Tony LaRussa says that Eckstein is the toughest player he's ever seen in uniform. That sparkplug type of player, that personality, is something that cannot be scouted, nor can it be taught, and it's been obvious that it's been missing in the Angels dugout the past two seasons.

But with that, the great sport of baseball will fall silent. A long winter's rest lies ahead, and other distractions and sports will occupy our time. But spring is right around the corner, and as the snow melts in higher latitudes and the days begin to grow longer, men will once again come together to play this greatest of children's games.

Spring is a ways off, but oh how glorious that renewal will be.