Tough to Watch Spring Training Games

When Freezing Outside

By Randy Gardner

I am sitting here writing my column on a day that most parents consider a Spring Break for their kids. Spring Break, my rear end, it’s more like Fall break. Can you believe the temperatures this week? No wonder everybody is sick, 75 one day then 25 the next.

For me, it’s difficult to watch St. Louis Cardinals Spring Training baseball from Florida and see the warm sunny temperatures and then look out the window at the snow falling; it just doesn’t add up.

It doesn’t even really feel like baseball season yet. Maybe a few sunny days like in late February will change that feeling.

As far as the Cardinals go, they are winning more than most years in Spring Training when they used to

win one and then lose one. Inconsistency is what many fans fear in the regular season. I know it is early but winning is a habit. Looking at the pitching rotation, I am really excited about Carlos  Martinez and Adam Wainwright as the anchors and then Michael Wacha and Lance Lynn.

As far as regulars, you look at the durability of Matt Adams and Matt Carpenter as they get older, will they stay healthy? These are the questions as we move closer to opening day that will unfold.

The biggest question of all will be with Yadi Molina. Can he play a whole regular season as he gets older? He has been a force behind the plate for years, but what will happen if he becomes an on and off again player? But Carson Kelly looks like a capable catcher for the future. Basically, in a nutshell, are we looking at a whole new spark to this lineup over the next few years with youngsters coming in and veterans slowly being phased out.

Blues Still Will Make the Playoffs

How about those Blues? They are looking really good right now and peaking at the right time here with just over 10 games to go. They are sitting pretty  for that wild card spot. They won the first six under new head coach Mike Yeo but then lost 5 in a row but now are getting it back together. What is  really cool is to watch the national NHL shows and hear them talking about the Blues and how Tarasenko might be the best offensive player in the league. Could this be the year they advance further?

What excites me is that good things happen when not much is expected, so coming into the playoffs as a wildcard and maybe knocking someone off in the first round is exactly what this team needs. They have had a struggling season but have held on right here to the end.

Can’t Miss This is Us

This is just a bit off topic but something I truly believe in: we all need to experience emotions, both happy and sad. They teach us to enjoy life, as well as cherish life. There are few things that truly catch my attention and can deliver me through both emotional cycles.

One thing is of course coaching soccer, also enjoying my job and my family, but the TV show “This is Us” has caused me to become riveted to the TV on Tuesday nights. If you haven’t seen it, watch it on video on demand. Experience the emotions of real people leading real lives with real problems, you won’t be sorry. It makes me cry and cherish the ones I love in life.

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