D-Fence! D-Fence!

OK, that didn't go so well. Cards win Game One 7-2. All along in the playoffs, I've been wondering when the Tigers subpar defense was going to make an appearance. This was actually a phenomenon all season--the Tigers can give up runs in a defensive meltdown inning, but play pretty well the rest of the game. So, overall, this loss isn't that big a deal, except it means the Cards are three wins away.

But the Tigers could still pull this out in five. So I'm still in the game. Remember, the Tigers lost Game One in the ALDS to the Yankees, not looking so good, and then rallied to win seven straight.

Btw, the AL swept the NL the last two years--BoSox in 2004, ChiSox in 2005--so the last game that the NL won in the World Series was when the Marlins won it all in Game Six in 2003. So the NL was due to win a game (or two).

Finally, a comment on the obstruction call on Inge in the blowup inning, when Rolen ran into him rounding third. Now, clearly, that is how the call is supposed to go, and Rolen did run into Inge. But, watching the replay, is there any question at all that Rolen ran straight at Inge, who was well outside the basepath, and deliberately collided with him, in order to get the call? No question in my mind that that is what the replay shows.