Now The Race Is On...

Just like our old buddy George said "here comes pride in the back stretch". September is here and it is down to the last few series of the regular season. Losing on the Pirates opener isn't going to help at all, but as of this writing, we are winning the second game of the series. Winning the Arizona and Cincinnati series will keep up is contention with the Cubs makeup game on the 10th and the Cubs series starting on the 14th. That leaves us with Philly, Milwaukee, Houston, makeup Mets game, and the Pirates to finish the season. Hey, anything can happen!

I heard "Vote for Pedro" Martinez is back. Whoopty Doo!!!! We can still manhandle the Mets just like last year.

Update!!! Mulder and Maroth back in rotation. Rolen and Encarnacion out for season.

Stop right there, did anyone see the foul that hit Encarnacion? Holy crap! That dinger bolted right for him. The club released a statement on Saturday regarding his condition, and it expressed little optimism. According to the release, Encarnacion sustained "multiple fractures of his left eye socket and a serious eye injury." He is unavailable for the remainder of the season, and per the release, "his long-term prognosis is undetermined." Encarnacion remains in a local hospital for treatment and evaluation.

Paletta referred to the fractures in Encarnacion's eye socket as being somewhat analogous to a cracked eggshell. But he said that the eye itself remains intact. The optic nerve has been damaged but not fully ruptured. Encarnacion is also still dealing with the effects of a concussion.

"The extent of trauma has really traumatized the whole nerve," Paletta said. "But the eyeball itself is intact. It's not as if the eyeball -- the globe -- ruptured or anything like that. If the nerve was severed, he wouldn't have any light perception or vision at all."

Sometime in the coming days or weeks, Encarnacion will undergo surgery to help repair the fractures in his eye socket. A plate will be inserted to help the healing process.

Tony La Russa passed Hall of Famer Red Schoendienst on the Cardinals' all-time managerial wins list.

All is well in the Cardinal Fan's house. The wife is smoking hot, the baby is walking and being extra cute, the dogs are missing their uncle LMF, and the grill is fired up three times a week for man food. Life could only be better if I got a better job, and the Cards take the Division.

Until next time America....