As I sat comfortably one evening watching a St.
Louis Cardinal game on TV, I noticed something kind of odd. The video crew was showing an angle of the field where you could see the pitcher as well as the runner on first.
Viewers usually observe the pitcher eyeing the runner on first right before he goes into his wind-up with the base-runners’ eyes normally fastened on the pitcher’s movements in anticipation of running for second. On this particular pitch, though, the base runner was Cardinal catcher Yadier Molina who was inexplicably looking towards second and seemed to be yelling something in that direction. Seconds later, the Cardinal batter lines a hit into center field with the fielder short hopping the drive before throwing a strike to home plate in hopes of catching the player trying to score from second. It came to light later that Molina was screaming for the Cardinal runner on second base to take a bigger lead “further out.” Molina has the reputation of having a near encyclopedic memory of opposing player’s strengths and he knew the opposing center fielder had a quite formidable arm.
Molina’s warning nudged the other runner a couple of steps further out just before the ball was hit, allowing that runner to slide safely into home plate.
The runner arrived just inches ahead of the throw from center, scoring what would prove to be the winning run. Without Molina’s prodding, the runner would have been out at home.
Having been a Cardinal fan for the great majority of my life, I was quite familiar with the popular Redbird catcher now in his 10th season in St. Louis.
Though he’s always been a good player, his play this year has been nothing short of phenomenal. His batting average has improved dramatically these past two years and has had the best batting average (currently .365) in the National League for some time. His play behind the plate has been at times spectacular and he calls the pitches rather than the manager, something not many players can handle. Not only has Molina handled it, he seems to relish it.
How did Molina get so much better? The answer to that question is not so much how, but why. For a long time until the 2012 season, the face of the Cardinals was first baseman and slugger Albert Pujols. Pujols had become a St. Louis icon and the Redbirds was his team with many publications lauding him as the most valuable player in all of baseball. He was the offensive leader and the vocal one as well.
Following the 2011 World Championship season, Pujols bolted St. Louis to earn a few more dollars playing for the Los Angeles Angels. For a time, the Cards were a bit leaderless until, in my opinion, Molina stepped up and took charge. He got a lot better simply because he had to. The challenge of losing what seemed to be an irreplaceable player brought out the best in the catcher from Puerto Rico and the current team is arguably superior to the one that claimed the title in 2011.
A similar situation is facing the local Blackhawk boys athletic program this fall. A solid sophomore class two years ago, the class of 2013 had a great year as juniors and a spectacular one as seniors.
However, they have graduated and have dispersed to places far and near.
The heavily senior-dominated football and basketball teams of last year has left the school having to rely on a lot of untested talent this year in the coming gridiron and hardwood campaigns. Magazines and news services can be expected to low ball the ’Hawks’ chances of success this year and should the locals qualify for the playoffs in ‘13, a lot of people will be downright shocked to say the least.
Though having no seeming connection to sports, there are facts concerning the last years of the life of Ludwig von Beethoven that can be quite instructive. One of my favorite musical pieces of all time is Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. Considered by the many the greatest musical composition of all time, Beethoven wrote this particular work after he had in fact, become deaf.
How can a deaf person write music? In Beethoven’s case, it was because he had to. He had something to say musically and he wrote the work by using every ounce of being that his remaining faculties had left to accomplish it. Contracting deafness would make 99 percent of composers call it a career but it only served to strengthen Beethoven’s resolve.
The season approaching could be one of apprehension or it could be one of opportunity. Somebody has to play varsity ball that hasn’t had to before. Some student or students will have to step up and embrace leadership roles so they can see challenges for what they are - chances to succeed.
No 4A school in history will have begun a football season with facilities that even begin to match what we now have here in Pea Ridge. Overcoming poor facilities and the like will no longer have anything to do with the success or failure of the season. How well we do or don’t do will boil down to getting enough athletes who are willing “go a little further.”
Going further by doing more than what is required. Going further by helping others do more than what is required. Going further by identifying weaknesses and making them strengths.
I was asked by another sportswriter late last fall if I was going to dread writing football this fall with his belief that Pea Ridge had little chance to win in ‘13. I replied “Nope, I don’t know what’s going to happen but with good facilities, good coaching, and a committed roster; 2013 will be what we make it.
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Editor’s note: John McGee is an award-winning columnist and sports writer. He is the art teacher at Pea Ridge elementary schools, coaches elementary track and writes a regular sports column for The Times. He can be contacted through The Times at [email protected].
Sports, Pages 9 on 06/26/2013