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The 2016 season was a weird one if you are a Cardinals fan. It was a season of extreme highs followed soon after by extreme lows, a season of blowouts followed by close losses followed by other blowouts, a season that reaffirmed your love for the game, captured its beauty, and so perfectly embodied its essence, and also made you want to rip your hair out. Sprinkled within were some wonderful moments. Here are my top three.
3. Adam Wainwright shuts out the Diamondbacks
In an up-and-down season for Waino on the mound, this game is definitely the highlight. Not only did he pitch a beaut, but it happened to be on the night the Cardinals celebrated the 2006 World Championship team - a team that contained two active Birdos: Wainwright and Yadier Molina
2. The weekend of Matt Holliday
After being injured in early August and trying so hard to come back, Matt Holliday was activated from the DL. The catch: it was to say goodbye. The Cardinals made it known that they would not be picking up his option. In his first plate appearance back, Holliday hit an 0-2 offering to right field for his first ever pinch-hit RBI. In his second, he knock a single to right to tie the must-win game for the Birdos for his second and third ever pinch-hit RBI. In his last game, with the crowd chanting his name, Holliday took left field at Busch Stadium for possibly the last time wearing the Birds on the Bat. It was perfect.
1. Aledmys Díaz hits his first grand slam
Baseball is just a thing. It is a thing we play and watch for fun, to distract us for just a few hours from whatever ails us in our lives. While we love it, it is ultimately meaningless. The world could go on without it and though we may deep down in our hearts know something is missing, we would eventually forget until it drifts off into nothingness. Baseball does not change our reality; it just makes us forget it for a while. So when the two collide, it is always impactful. That is why Aledmys Diaz hitting a grand slam his first game back after the death of his childhood friend, José Fernández is the most memorable moment for me. It hurts. It heals.
Honorable mention:
This was just awesome.
What was your favorite moment?
UPDATE: apparently great minds think alike!
what else is going on in baseball...
- Don't underestimate the drama of the Championship Series. | Sports on Earth
- MLB Network Playoff Gamble Pays Off, Aids Viewers | FanGraphs Baseball
- The MLB Playoffs Just Played to Their Base | FanGraphs Baseball
- Baseball Is Just The Best | FanGraphs Baseball
- Which Playoff Teams Will Miss Out Next Year? | FanGraphs Baseball
- Prime Ball-in-Play Traits of the 10 Playoff Teams, Part 1 | FanGraphs Baseball
- Indians manager Terry Francona hasn't lost his touch. | Sports on Earth
- Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona is making the right moves | ESPN
- Toronto Blue Jays rotation exceeded expectations | ESPN
- The Underdog Indians Advance: The Quotes | FanGraphs Baseball
- Blue Jays, Indians enter ALCS hot to trot | MLB.com
- Jayson Werth thrown out at home by Dodgers | dodgers.com
- Don’t Blame This on Dusty Baker | FanGraphs Baseball
- Dusty Baker thought he saw the last of Clayton Kershaw after Game 4. He was wrong. | SBNation.com
- The Nationals lost in the NLDS. Again. | SBNation.com
- Dodgers' Julio Urias gets win over Nationals | dodgers.com
- Dodgers' Kenley Jansen Clayton Kershaw team up | dodgers.com
- The Simplicity of Kenley Jansen and October Bullpens | FanGraphs Baseball
- Clayton Kershaw was the Dodgers' save-ior. | Sports on Earth
- Clayton Kershaw's save sends Los Angeles Dodgers to NLCS | Los Angeles Dodgers Report | ESPN
- The Dodgers used their best players, and it worked | SBNation.com
what the cardinals are up to...
- Cards drop reliever Harris, two catchers from 40-man roster | Cardinal Beat | stltoday.com
- Offseason Question: The Cardinals Will Extend Mike Matheny's Contract. Is This Smart? | 101Sports.com
KNOW THINE ENEMY...
the nl central
- Cubs phenom Javier Baez is growing up right before our very eyes. | Sports on Earth
- Dodgers, Cubs to face off in 2016 NLCS | dodgers.com
- NLCS questions -- Cubs, Dodgers set for epic chess match | ESPN
- Chicago Cubs not the only ones with a World Series drought | Stats & Info | ESPN
viva el stuff...
- FANPOSTS:
Who's been to spring training? | Viva El Birdos
Mozeliak's Lukewarm Seat | Viva El Birdos
How well do you remember your 2016 Cardinals? -- a silly little quiz | Viva El Birdos
Kevin Kiermaier: The Center Field Solution | Viva El Birdos
other things...
- 60 bold predictions for the NHL season. | Sports on Earth
- The Florida Panthers honored Jose Fernandez during their NHL opener with jerseys and decals | MLB.com
- Florida Panthers debut new uniforms with special Jose Fernandez warmup jersey | SBNation.com
- Game #1 Recap - Vladi Strikes Twice | St. Louis Game Time
- Wild Vs. Blues Recap: Nail'd It | St. Louis Game Time
- Chief calls fallen St. Louis County officer 'our newest American hero' at funeral | Law and order | stltoday.com
- Red sweater guy Kenneth Bone is internet sensation after second presidential debate | Political Fix | stltoday.com