Whitey Herzog managed both Cardinals and Rangers, will be watching World Series, Post-Dispatch

10/19/11, "Only one man has managed both the Cardinals and the Texas Rangers, tonight's World Series opponents. He finished his managing career with the former and he started his career with the latter. He is Hall of Famer Whitey Herzog, who will be watching tonight's first game of the World Series on television at his Sunset Hills home as he recovers from a nasty fall he suffered a month ago....

• "This is going to be a strange, strange World Series," he said.

"When you look at the four (championship series) teams, there's no doubt in my mind that the Cardinals had the best offense — the Cardinals had the best 12 players outside of the pitchers. They also had the best defensive players and the best pinch-hitters. The Cardinals had the second-best bullpen.

• I think Milwaukee had the best bullpen.

"I would say the Texas Rangers had a pretty good hitting ballclub. The left fielder (Josh Hamilton) so far has looked like a Punch and Judy, dropping everything into left center. Looks like Keith Hernandez. But if he gets hot, that could make a difference."

"I do like their hitters. They do take a rip. They're big, strong guys. They like the ball down and away. Most big guys do like the ball down and away and they go to right center with it.

"The thing about this whole Series is that the Cardinals should not be in the playoffs. And, if Atlanta hadn't collapsed, they wouldn't be in the playoffs. ...

"You don't know what's going to happen in a seven-game series. But I just think the Cardinals are a team of destiny. I don't like their starting pitching at all, but Tony La Russa's done a hell of a job of

• picking the right people in the bullpen.

"I think they're a team that's on a mission. I think they're going to win it.

• "And," said Herzog, "the funniest thing of all is that Prince Fielder (of Milwaukee) hit the home run in the All-Star Game to give the home-field advantage to the National League.""

10/19/11, "Whitey forecasts a "strange, strange Series"," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Rick Hummel

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