David Freese is an Animal, St. Louis Cardinals are World Series Champions

World Series MVP David Freese gave credit to just about everyone but himself Friday night after his Cardinals came away with a 6-2 win over the Texas Rangers to bring their 11th Championship title back to St. Louis.

The 28-year-old thanked Albert Pujols for being a great teammate who helped put him on the right path back to success. He thanked Tony La Russa for being an over-managing mess excellent manager, and Mark McGwire for little hitting tips that came up big.

That Was the Most Ridiculous Game 6 in the History of the World Series

Honestly. Five errors, 11 walks, utter confusion all over the field, and eventual bat brutality completed the Cardinals' 10-9 walkoff win over the Texas Rangers Thursday night in St. Louis to force Game 7 of the 2011 World Series.

Josh Hamilton, who was told by the Lord himself that he would hit a homer in the 10th inning, and his hernia were feeling pretty darn good about that extra-inning longball (about time) until things really started to heat up. This game was a complete shitshow until about the seventh inning. I literally could not stop laughing throughout the early to middle innings, but then things got real serious real quick and shut me the hell up. The game went from a total joke to one of the best games I've ever seen in my life.

Rangers Meet Lance Berkman and Allen Craig, Drop World Series Game 1 to Cardinals

Chris Carpenter came up big over six solid innings Wednesday night -- including a nice diving defensive play in the first for which Elvis Adrus deserves a thank you gift for not crushing the pitcher's right hand -- to help his St. Louis Cardinals earn a 3-2 victory over the Texas Rangers in Game 1 of the World Series.

After three scoreless innings pitched by both Carpenter and C.J. Wilson, it was looking like quite the pitcher's duel. But with Matt Holliday on second after a double that moved Albert Pujols to third after being hit by a pitch to lead off the fourth, Lance Berkman nailed an RBI single to give the Cardinals an early 2-0 lead.

The Rangers are Headed to St. Louis to take on the Cardinals in the World Series

At last, the Rally Claw meets the Rally Squirrel. Wonder who would win in a bench-clearing brawl...

The Texas Rangers didn't have to wait very long to see who they'd end up facing in the 2011 World Series. Just a day after they beat the Detroit Tigers to punch their ticket to the Fall Classic, the St. Louis Cardinals emerged victorious in Game 6 to send the Milwaukee Brewers packing for the offseason.

This matchup is going to be pretty awesome, pitting All-Star sluggers Josh Hamilton against Albert Pujols, while guys like Nelson Cruz and David Freese have become household names as Championship Series MVP's. Then there's the relief corps, which can clearly handle just about any task put in their paths as the starters from both sides have been less than reliable recently.

Mark Kotsay Face-Plants, Cardinals Beat Brewers in NLCS Game 3

Chris Carpenter was far from his best Wednesday night, lasting just five innings in his St. Louis Cardinals 4-3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 3 of their National League Division Series at Busch Stadium.

While Carpenter surrendered all three Milwaukee runs on six hits and three walks, the relief corps came up big. Fernando Salas, Game 2-winning rookie Lance Lynn, Marc Rzepczynski and closer Jason Motte, who struck out three of the four batters he faced for the save, combined to bail out the Cardinals and retire the final 12 Brewers in order. Sadly, none of their jerseys were torn off and shredded to pieces by Nick Punto.

David Freese Drives in Four Runs, Cardinals Force NLDS Game 5

It was the David Freese Show Wednesday night in St. Louis, with the third baseman hitting a home run and a double for a total of four RBI to lead the St. Louis Cardinals over the Phillies 5-3 and force a deciding Game 5 back in Philadelphia at Citizens Bank Park.

After going 2-for-12 with just one RBI over the first three games of the series, Freese nailed a two-run double in the fourth inning before his two-run bomb to deep center in the sixth. Also, the hot corner had the the most awesome quote of the postseason so far:

"We're going to come to the yard and give it a hard nine."

Hell yeah buddy.

Lance Berkman, who's looking more and more like Fat Elvis these days -- especially when he runs, smoked a double in the first to score a run as well, before being allowed third base on a Shane Victorino throwing error.

Edwin Jackson was sucking it up early, but he recovered to win his very first playoff start ever. It was a momentous occasion for him. After serving up two longballs on his first five pitches, it was not looking good for the Cardinals starter, but he ended up tossing six solid innings, giving up just those two runs on five hits with four strikeouts.

Then, in true Tony La Russa fashion, five relievers finished the game, with closer Jason Motte being the only one to pitch an entire inning all by himself.

Game 5 is Friday night at 8:37pm ET on TBS, featuring a rematch of Cy Young-winning aces Roy Halladay and Chris Carpenter. This is going to be a great contest, and it's literally anyone's game. So don't miss it.

[Usa Today]

Ben Francisco's Pinch Hit Homer Lifts Phillies over Cardinals in NLDS Game 3

Ben Francisco, pinch-hitting for starter Cole Hamels, came up big with a three-run shot off Jaime Garcia in the seventh inning to give the Philadelphia Phillies a 3-2 win Tuesday night over the St. Louis Cardinals for a 2-1 lead in their National League Division Series.

That was all the offense the Phillies needed behind Hamels, who earned his seventh postseason victory. He's no amateur. Reliever Ryan Madson entered in the eighth to get five outs and (barely) save Hamels' performance after going no more than one inning during his 32 regular season saves. He was pretty pumped about his outing:

"That was a lot of fun. I wish I was a lot better but I guess I was goof enough and that's all that matters."

Hamels was on fire after a rough September, striking out eight over six scoreless innings, with the only extra-base hits coming by way of two Albert Pujols doubles. You'll have that.

The NL Wild Card-winning Cardinals stranded 14 runners on base in front of a sell-out home crowd of 46,914, which is pretty disappointing considering how hard they worked to get to the playoffs in the first place. They attempted a comeback in the bottom of the seventh when David Freese nailed an RBI single off Hamels to put his team on the board before Yadier Molina added another run in the ninth off Madson with a base hit to center that scored Pujols, but it was too little-too late.

Heavily favored to win it all after a franchise-record 102-win season, the Phillies will attempt to finish off the Cardinals in Game 4 Wednesday night at 6:05pm ET on TBS. Roy Oswalt will get the ball again for Philadelphia against righty Edwin Jackson, who has faced the Phils just once in real life: a loss in which he gave up five runs on eight hits with two walks over five innings.

[Philadelphia Inquirer]

Edmonds Returns to SoCal

The San Diego Padres, unable to score Mike Cameron, traded cash and minor league third baseman David Freese to the St. Louis Cardinals for veteran centerfielder Jim Edmonds.

Growing up in the Los Angeles area, the 37-year-old Edmonds was drafted by the Angels in 1988 and played there from 1993 until he was traded to the Cards just before the 2000 season.

The eight-time Gold Glover, who had a tough season last year due to injury, hit .252 with 12 homers and 53 RBIs -- his worst performance since 1999 with the Halos.

Last weekend, the Padres lost left fielder Milton Bradley to the Texas Rangers when he wound up not digging their $4 million offer, but have their eye on free agent outfielder Geoff Jenkins, with right fielder Brian Giles coming off microfracture surgery on his right knee.

Freese, 24, batted .302 with 17 homers and 96 RBIs with the Single-A Lake Elsinore Storm last season.

[ESPN]