The St. Louis Cardinals have no intention of letting their Nationally League Central Division title go easily. Tuesday nights brawl in Cincinnati is a perfect indication of that and served notice that the pennant chase is firmly underway.
If the Reds thought they were going to take a firm grasp of the division lead this week, they didn’t come into the series with the intensity and professionalism necessary. Brandon Phillips poor choice of words on Monday about his hate for the Cards did nothing more than fuel the fire of a Cards team that knows how to play when the pressure is on.
There’s an old song by the late Jim Croce that says you don’t tug on Superman’s cape. The Cards may not be Superman, but St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina was more like a bear that Phillips chose to poke while hibernating when he tapped him with his bat and set off a pregame brawl. Not a good idea.
The Reds are a team that hasn’t visited the playoffs since ’99 when they lost a one game playoff to the Mets for the wild card berth. Manager Dusty Baker is a guy who understands what the months of August and September are like when you’re playing under the focus of a pennant chase. He also understands when to pick your battles. I don’t think he’s happy with the choice Phillips made against the Cards.
If the Reds are going to win the Central, they need to prove they can beat St. Louis. There’s still a lot of time left in the season, but Cincinnati has stubbed their toe this week.
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