MCGEE: Cardinals start year hot

the SEC an astounding five of the eight teams that make up the College World Series finalists.

Though the Hogs have had a shaky pitching staff the past few weeks, they keep finding ways to win and have had just enough offense to keep things going.

The Cardinals keep rolling

Teams that start the year hot usually cool off by late May or June but the smoking hot St. Louis Cardinals keep going. Winning their games at a two-thirds clip since the year began has given them the best record in the majors.

I had the pleasure of attending the Cardinals 7-4 win over the Milwaukee Brewers last Wednesday. The Redbirds started hot, with their first four batters getting on base and racing out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning.

Busch Stadium has to be one of the best in the county if not the planet. Even though 43,000 folks were there Wednesday, leaving the stadium wasn’t all that difficult has the stadium design allows folks to leave rather simply. Big and spacious, attending games make you want to go back soon, which I hope to do.

The parking garage is covered, located just east of the stadium. My son (Wes) and I arrived a couple hours early, went next door to the Gateway Arch and National Park and made the rounds at the Cardinal Village, a collection of eateries, shops, and other venues adjacent to the stadium.

Anyone who gets a seat at the park won’t get a bad one. The seats are rather like the ones at Bud Walton Arena, situated so almost everyone feels near to the field.

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Editor’s note: John McGee is an award-winning columnist and sports writer. He can be contacted through The Times at prtnews@nwaonline.com.