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Whitey Herzog said, “Defense and pitching wins ball games.” Yet there are some games you are better off not to even attempt to explain why one team won and the other one lost. Last night at Shea Stadium was that kind of a game.
With the Cardinals and the Metz embroiled in the one of the tightest seven games series ever it went down to the last out. You might say the Cardinals had good pitching, but so did the Metz. You might say the Cardinals had good defense so did the Metz. The Cardinals had timely hitting, so did the Metz. The Cardinals had a great manager in Tony Larussa; the Metz also had a good manager. I’ve often said in a seven game series anything could happen and up until the final out last night that was still the case. The Cardinals having broken a one to one tie in the top of the ninth have a young Adam Wainwright on the mound. He is the closer because Jason Isringhausen is hurt. There’s two out the sacks are jammed and Carlos Beltran the Cardinal Killer comes to the plate. I’m thinking if Wainwright is as nervous as I am he’ll never find the plate. He strikes out Beltran to win the pennant. What a great game its one of those I’ll never forget. It was great because we won. If I was a Metz fan (and I almost converted when another young player Endy Chavez made a remarkable play in left field) it would be a game I wouldn’t care to think about.
Now as always, at the end of a championship series the commentators explain why the Cardinals won and the Metz lost. I know that’s their job, but their wasting their breath. They should have said, “Well, that’s the way the old ball bounces.” “Or, is it?”
I believe the Apostle Paul would have said this. “Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and mercy of God how unreachable are his judgments and his ways past finding out.”
Some say God doesn’t care about baseball, I believe he cares about everything; having said that I can hardly see Jesus sitting in the box seats on the first base line eating popcorn and rooting for the Cardinals (even though without a doubt they are his favorite team). It would be a boring game he already knows going to win. Theologians call that predestination.
Predestination seems unfair to most of us but it is a solid Biblical doctrine. I am from the party that believes that God predestines us according to foreknowledge. Let’s say God does not predestine us according to foreknowledge he does what he wants to do and who am I to question it? I can’t argue with that. But since he is all knowing how could foreknowledge not enter into the picture.
So what about human effort, freedom to choose, competition and the things that make our capitalistic society flourish?
A Swahili War Song
Life has meaning only in the struggle
Triumph or defeat is in the hands of the Gods
So let us celebrate the struggle
I would replace the hands of the Gods with the hands of God but you get the picture.
Our decisions and efforts do make a difference. I am to a certain extent the master of my own fate. But we must play the hand we are dealt. Paul said I have fought a good fight. Both teams fought hard both teams wanted it badly but it seems that time and chance happen to all men. The truth is God is in control we cannot fathom the depths of his ways if we can understand a small part of it we are truly blessed.
Compared to eternity who wins a baseball game doesn’t mean much. Only God can evaluate events and happenings. The best we can do is to do the best we can for who we are at the time. Another way of putting it is it’s not whether you win or lose its how you play the game.
I bought a set of DVDs entitled The St. Louis Cardinals Greatest Games of Busch Stadium 1966-2005. No one enjoys nostalgia more than I do but watching those videos was much different than watching the game last night. There was no hand wringing, gut wrenching excitement. The reason is obvious; I knew what was going to happen. If you know what is going to happen there’s neither thrill of victory nor agony of defeat. It’s the same way with life, life has meaning only in the struggle, victory or defeat is in the hands of God, so celebrate the struggle.
Celebrate the Struggle. Dynamics! |
