Happy birthday to Carlos Martinez! - A Hunt and Peck

SEPTEMBER 21 IS CARLOS MARTINEZ’S BIRTHDAY! THAT WAS WEDNESDAY, WHICH SEEING AS THIS IS WRITTEN ON THURSDAY, WAS YESTERDAY!

Unforunately, the Cardinals were not able to give El Gallo a win for his twenty-fifth, but they did give him this:

And Yadier Molina bought him this:

The man is good to his pitchers.

what else is going on in baseball...

.@RealJoshReddick's philosophy on bunting: pic.twitter.com/XSP36NnQqo

— ThinkBlueLA (@Think_BlueLA) September 21, 2016

• Another 1-run win has Texas' magic No. at 2 | MLB.com
• The Rangers have been lucky, and you shouldn’t care | SBNation.com
• The Astros Gave the Rangers a Quality Outfielder | FanGraphs Baseball
• Watch in awe as Nick Martinez makes a no-look, behind-the-back catch on a comebacker | MLB.com
• Trey Mancini made his first career hit a home run, and no one was more excited than his mom | MLB.com
• Cleveland Indians eliminate Royals from AL Central race with 4-3 victory | Let's Go Tribe
• The final World Baseball Classic qualifier begins Thursday | SBNation.com
• NERD Game Scores for September 22, 2016 | FanGraphs Baseball
• Terrance Gore Is Human After All | FanGraphs Baseball
• Let’s Watch Miguel Cabrera Make a Run Happen | FanGraphs Baseball

what the cardinals are up to...

• 3-team tie atop NL Wild Card | MLB.com
• If three teams tie for NL wild card, it's going to get crazy | Jayson Stark Blog | ESPN
• Alex Reyes Might Have Saved the Cardinals’ Season | FanGraphs Baseball
• Key personnel decisions loom as Cardinals hit crunch time | St Louis Cardinals | ESPN
• Hochman: Cardinals test fans' patience | Benjamin Hochman | stltoday.com
• Wild-Card Report: Anybody wanna win this thing? | Ben Frederickson | stltoday.com
• Hochman: 'The Gyorko Store' not running out of power | Benjamin Hochman | stltoday.com
• BenFred: Are we finally seeing the real Randal Grichuk? | Ben Frederickson | stltoday.com
• 9/21 Recap: Early blunders cost Cardinals in 11-1 loss, end four-game winning streak | Viva El Birdos

KNOW THINE ENEMY...

the new york metropolitans

• New York Mets, Yoenis Cespedes lose, Gary Sanchez Yasiel Puig star | SweetSpot | ESPN

the san fransicso giants

• A three-way tie? Pfffft. Here’s what happens in a four-way wild card tie | McCovey Chronicles
• Los Angeles Dodgers raise their spirits by pounding a left-hander | Los Angeles - Dodgers Report | ESPN

the nl central

• Cubs clinch home field in NLDS | cubs.com
• Will 2016 actually be the year of the Chicago Cubs? | Sports on Earth
• Chicago Cubs Kyle Schwarber ready for playoff role, travel, cheerleade | Chicago Cubs Blog | ESPN