Say it Ain't So, Jason!?

I can be really good at holding a grudge. 

This weekend brought news we all knew was coming, but refused to accept.  Cardinal catcher Jason La Rue’s baseball career is done.  Kaput. Over. Finito. The End.

Hearing those words …that finality? Well, it just seemed so….. rude.

I still blame Johnny Cueto. This weekend renewed my anger and frustration that justice was not served in the aftermath of that basebrawl with the Reds.  In fact, I am hereby refusing to give Cueto any more name recognition.  Bad press is good press, right?  From here on out, he gets nothing, nada, zilch!  

Treated to my random rants about baseball injustices?  

Further proof that my husband must be a saint.  ;)

Honestly, I believe I am working through this anger management experiment fairly well.  I have my moments, but the breakables have been brought back into the open and the cat has come out from under the bed.

In fact, I am actually smiling a little, thinking about Jason La Rue today and the memories I will have of him for years to come.

In the beginning,  Jason La Rue was just the grungy backup guy who filled in for Yadi behind the plate whenever I traveled across the country to catch a Cardinals game.  (Yes, I started out loving the Cards because of Yadier Molina, and as it seemed luck always conspired against my watching him in person.)

Nevertheless, Jason La Rue never really let me down. At both a Nationals game in D.C and a Spring Training venue in Florida, LaRue came through with clutch hits.  I remember his long hair flying as he tore past 1st and slid into second.  He has always been surprisingly fun for me to watch.  

And if I were in need of a body guard to accompany me down some dark Cincinnati alley, I would certainly pick Mr. La Rue. He is one. tough. hombre!

 In fact, this season La Rue has been a surprisingly welcome sight.  Move over Biker Dude, welcome to the Cardinal Cuties club!  All of a sudden during the summer, a new clean-cut Mr. LaRue emerged, almost unrecognizable.  We here at the CDD may have even commented approvingly on the new-and-improved Jason a few times.  (Take my word for it, Christine and I most assuredly registered thumbs up.  Angela was a hold out, perhaps too busy watching Wainwright?)

Anyway…..

Today Baseball Digest let me pen a send-off to Jason La Rue and get all my frustrations out one more time about that Will-Not-Be-Named Reds player.

You can read it here:  “A Salute to La Rue”

And because the mood hit me, I had to get in a girly post here - a fitting place to give Jason LaRue one last chick-comment tribute, a Cardinal farewell salute from the female fans.

My ultimate memory of Jason is from his pregame appearance on FSMW the day following the now infamous Cincinnai Reds basebrawl.  If you were lucky enough to catch it live (before the censors got hold of it), Jason was flexing his vocabulary muscle (oblivious to the fact that the camera was on and the show was live) to adequately express his impatience over having to sit so long in the hot sun waiting for the interview to start.  All the while, grinning his boyish grin despite the stitches in his upper lip.  That laughing, tough-as-nails, mouth-like-a-sailor-image will forever be my favorite memory of Jason La Rue, my atypical Cardinal.  And I still laugh out loud when I think of it. 

We will miss you, Jason La Rue!!!  ;)