-So who here had Yadier Molina in their Game 7 NLCS pool? We didn’t think so. I still can’t get over how the 24 year-old catcher’s clutch two-run ninth inning home run off reliever Aaron Heilman wound up being the difference in the Cards’ 3-1 win over the Mets to advance to the World Series against Detroit. Molina had been St. Louis’ best hitter in this series. Not Albert Pujols. So was it a stroke of genius or just luck that much maligned skipper Tony LaRussa moved Molina up a spot to seventh and that he’d deliver the crushing blow? We’ll let you decide.

-Even more stunning was how the Mets lost. As they had all year, they battled back and loaded the bases with two out for NL MVP candidate Carlos Beltran. So it came down to the Cardinal killer against a nervous 25 year-old rookie closer Adam Wainwright. The first-year fireballer showed nerves of steel by throwing three straight strikes, including a gutsy curve which froze Beltran to clinch the pennant and leave the bases packed. If you’re an Amazin’s fan, you probably are thinking what other way can your team lose? Especially on your own home field. History was on their side. Before Thursday night, the last 11 home teams who won Game 6 in the postseason went on to take Game 7. The last to fail were those 1975 Red Sox after Carlton Fisk’s dramatic walkoff extra inning dinger wasn’t enough to prevent them from falling at Fenway to the Big Red Machine. I’ll bet a lot of Mets fans are on another drink by now. Hopefully, they’ll get home safe.

-So where was this game lost? Was it after Chavez made that unbelievable catch to rob Scott Rolen of a two-run dinger and double up Edmonds and then they somehow stranded the bases loaded with one out in the home sixth? Btw…that catch by Chavez is one of the greatest I’ve ever seen. He went full extended with the glove to the wall and brought it back. Amazing. At that point, you had to be thinking this was not only the Mets’ night but that maybe the baseball Gods were aligning for them to deliver that third championship 20 years after winning number two in as dramatic an October as ever seen. A half inning later, after Rolen committed a two-base error to put Mets on second and third, brilliant starter Jeff Suppan was forced to intentionally walk Shawn Green. With the series hanging in the balance, the eventual NLCS MVP delivered by striking out Jose Valentin swinging on a nasty bender and flying Chavez out to center to end the threat.

-Or was it lost when the Mets got a two out RBI single by David Wright in the first but failed to score more runs and wouldn’t get another hit until that fatal ninth? You decide. Either way, the better team lost. But the more determined one who nobody gave a chance setup a 1968 World Series rematch.

-I know some Mets fans will probably point the finger at manager Willie Randolph for leaving in Heilman to pitch his second inning in the ninth. But if you’re Randolph there and your closer Billy Wagner had already imploded twice in this series, you got to go with your best reliever. Heilman was his best and throwing well before Rolen singled and Molina exited stage left. And Randolph also probably wanted to preserve the closer for extra innings because this game had a similar feel to the ALCS Game 7 between Boston and the Yankees from three years ago. I really can’t fault the second-year skipper here. Unfortunately, Heilman picked a tough time to hang a pitch.

-Credit must go out to the Cards for overcoming a 1 HR, 1 RBI performance from Pujols. If I’m a Met fan and I know that and then see this stat, I might be thinking about a vacation:

The Cardinals lost their previous two Game 7s on the road by a combined score of 26-0 (the 1996 NLCS in Atlanta and the 1985 World Series at Kansas City).

As a classic Weezer song would say, “Say It Ain’t So.”

Closing thought on this game: When you leave 11 runners on base and only score once and go eight innings without a hit, it’s kind of hard to win. Kind of reminds me of the Yankees.

On the series, good pitching will always beat good hitting. A lot of Mets fans will point to having no Pedro or El Duque but could they really say their starters didn’t do the job here? Oliver Perez was brilliant and will prove to be a steal for Mets GM Omar Minaya down the road. This guy once was electric. He’s only 25 and should rediscover what made him a potential frontline starter. Tom Glavine was equally as effective and if Minaya’s smart, he’ll pickup his option. And what John Maine did last night to force Game 7 was unreal. Who would you rather have? A 25 year-old Maine and El Duque (if he’s back) or Kris Benson plus his annoying wife Anna. Easy choice. Mets fans can take solace knowing that they have a couple of young starters who should be part of their staff. Toss in Mike Pelfrey and they’ll be fine. Maybe even former 2004 third overall selection Philip Humber makes the roster.
The best news for the Mets is that they have a solid core in place and should be back in October next year. Would you rather be a Yankee fan with all the overpaid corporate stars with little chemistry, aging staff and A-Rod circus? We think not.

-Random Devils thought. Is there any other NHL team who could pull a magic rabit out of the hat and squeeze out a point in a game they trailed by two goals with 2:15 left? They also play in perhaps the weakest division. The Flyers flat out suck after losing yet again to Tampa to fall to 1-5-1. Yes, they have the worst record in the NHL. The Rangers look very mediocre so far. The Penguins are young and show potential but are probably a year away. And the Islanders are the Islanders. Enough said. You may as well just hand the Devils their seventh Atlantic crown because none of those four teams are better.

-Speaking of the Devils, do you think the Islanders and Rangers regret passing on Zach Parise in that 2003 first round?

-Watching these west coast games, it becomes apparent how much better the Sharks, Ducks and Stars are than most of their conference. And the scary part is they all play in the same division. Somehow, I don’t think it’s fair to Phoenix and Los Angeles that they have to play those teams eight times. Good luck!

-Speaking of the Ducks, that move rookie Ryan Shannon tried unsuccessfully against Marty Turco in a shootout loss last Sunday night is one of the sickest I’ve ever seen. I’m still not sure how Turco had the presence of mind to lay his stick in the right place and get it. If you haven’t seen it, please check it out:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=jlKkt5HVcuE

-Break up the Blackhawks! Did I just say that? It is early.