First win for Mike Matheny

Since MLB.tv would not let me watch the game last night, I'm not going to do the Daily@Bats sections but will instead look at the last four Cardinals managers to get their first win.  I was going to do all of them but it turns out this is a lot of work and the games for today are about to start. 

• 4/1/1996 – Tony LaRussa loses to Dallas Green of the Mets at Shea Stadium in his first game as manager of the Cardinals.  Tony Fossas blows a save on a (3-0) single by B. Gilkey.  This was followed by what I can only assume was an insane play (RF-1B-SS-1B-SS).  Sacrifice fly which turned into a double play.  L (0-1) 
• 6/16/1995 – Interim manager Mike Jorgensen bested Dusty Baker’s Giants at Bush Busch Stadium II.  And to prove we are not picking on Tony Fossas, he came got a hold and ended a Giants rally by getting a backwards K on a little known hitter named Barry Bonds.  W (6-5)
•  8/2/1990 – Joe Torrie gets a win against Nick Leyva of the Phillies.  We can also call this the game whch lead me to further search and wonder what the 11 games looked like where John Kruk played center field during the 1991 season.   W (4-3)
•  6/9/1980 – Whitey Herzog gets his first Cardinal win over Bobby Cox’s Atlanta Braves at Atlanta Fulton County Stadium.  Looks like it was a pretty good game decided in the top of the 10^th on a George Hendrick three run home run off of Gene Garber. W (8-5)

Ozzie Guillen lost his first game as manager of the Miami Marlins and I may take a look at the history of Managers records in franchises first games.  Which, obviously, is just useless information but it's hard to break out of the off-season funk. 


Speaking of useless, media tried to make a big deal over the "botched" groundball/slap bunt that got through the left side of the infield.  Obviously Jose Reyes and Hanley Ramirez are the worst infield ever and will most certainly die of embarrassment.  My question: If Hanley would have made a diving play on that ball on with Furcal rounding 2nd, would Furcal been able to make 3rd (which he did anyway).  No win situation for Hanley.


Josh Johnson's fantasy owners may be disappointed in the loss and WHIP but it has to be a sight for sore eyes to see him on the hill and exit a game pain free.  6IP, 4K, 3R, 10H, 2BB


God is good.  Baseball is back.