This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Oct. 17, 2012 - It took 33 minutes of action to bring Game 3 of the National League Championship Series between the Cardinals and San Francisco Giants to a conclusion.
The final score was 3-1 in favor of the Redbirds -- the same as it had been three hours and 28 minutes earlier when the game was paused with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning because of the rain and strong storms that moved through the St. Louis area earlier tonight.
As fans rest and prepare for Game 4 tomorrow night, they aren't forgetting that the feisty Redbirds -- now up 2-1 in the NLCS -- and Giants both beat the Texas Rangers in the World Series -- in back-to-back years.
The Giants did it in five games in 2010; the Wild Cards, as is their nature, did it in more dramatic fashion in seven games in 2011.
Our previous story:
The Cards made history again Friday, coming back from the largest run deficit (six) in a do-or-die postseason game to defeat the Washington Nationals and win their division series. But the Giants left a mark in their division series, as well, knocking out the Cincinnati Reds to become the first National League team to overcome a 2-0 deficit in a division series.
A few other St. Louis-San Francisco connections: Cards Manager Mike Matheny was catching for the Giants when concussion symptoms ended his playing career in 2006. He credits Giants management for helping him find proper treatment.
Right fielder Carlos Beltran played a season with the Giants before signing as a free agent with the Cards this year, and former Redbird (and Cubbie) Ryan Theriot was an infielder on last year’s world championship team.
Game 3 starts at 3 p.m.: Can pitcher Kyle Lohse slow the Giants' momentum? Which Giant will pay back Matt Holliday for taking out second baseman Maro Scutaro in that ugly double play in Game 2?
In the meantime, here is a sampling of some Cardinals -- and Giants -- numbers that you might find interesting:
$56 million: The economic impact on the St. Louis region should all possible postseason home games be played at Busch (including the World Series), according to calculations by Ruth Sergenian, chief economist of the St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association. Using a formula more complicated than Tony La Russa’s bullpen strategy (Remember him?), she put the economic impact of each game of the National League Division playoffs at about $5.2 million. Historically, visitors to the city account for about 40 percent of attendance at Cardinals games. The stadium employs 3,000 day-of-game workers.
3.26 million: Attendance during the 2012 regular season at Busch. The Giants drew 3.37 million. The seating capacity at Busch, opened in 2006, is 46,000. Seating capacity at AT&T Park, the Giants stadium, opened in 2000 and seats 41,503.
1958: Year the East Coast New York Giants moved to the West Coast to become the San Francisco Giants.
88: Cards wins in the regular season (74 losses); the Giants were 94-68.
50 percent: Average hike in the price of parking observed at some lots around Busch Stadium, which probably accounts for a share of that projected economic impact noted above. On the other hand, a gold star to St. Louis Treasurer Larry Williams who has announced that overtime meter parking will not be enforced at designated downtown spaces from 10 a.m. until 30 minutes after today’s game ends. These meters are in an area bounded by Tucker, Chouteau, Locust and the Mississippi River. All other regulations, including yellow curbs, bus stops, posted signs, and disability parking, will be enforced.
18: Number of World Series appearances by both teams. The Giants have won six championships. Cards fans who helped will the team to 11 in '11 are now pushing for 12 in '12.
14: Number of home runs hit by Cardinals right fielder Carlos Beltran so far in his three postseasons. The switch-hitter has smacked three this year, including two in Game 2 of the NLDS at Busch. Beltran, who is this year’s Lance Berkman, has yet to win a World Series ring. The two played in the 2004 postseason with the Houston Astros.
5: Much has been made of the loss of The-Man-Who-Used-To-Be-No. 5, but the infield duo of second baseman Daniel Descalso and shortstop Pete Kozma has put up stunningly timely numbers this postseason. Consider this formula: If you subtract Descalso’s uniform No. 33 from Kozma’s No. 38, what do you get? Or, add the digits in David Freese’s number 23 (2 plus 3). Or, try this one: Start with Allen Craig’s No. 21, subtract Jon Jay's No. 19 and then add Carlos Beltran’s No. 3. Think about that for a while.
1: Number of years Mike Matheny has been a manager in the bigs. This fact is easy to remember because every time Matheny’s name is uttered on a national sports broadcast it is attached to this phrase: "the rookie manager whose only previous management experience was in Little League.” As in: "Matheny, the rookie manager whose only previous management experience was in Little League, is the first rookie manager to lead the Cards to the postseason since Eddie Dyer did it in 1946.'' (No pressure Mike, but Dyer’s team did win the title.) By contrast, Bruce Bochy, also a former catcher, has managed the Giants for six seasons, leading them to the world championship in 2010. He also managed the San Diego Padres for 12 years, getting them to the World Series in 1998, where they lost to the Yankees.
0: Number of confirmed Rally Squirrel sightings onfield at Busch during 2012 postseason play. And, sadly, no Big Pumas, either.
