As the gaggle gathers at home plate before Friday’s game, I foresee Mike Matheny strutting over slowly like he does, unforgivingly serious, like Judge Smails in “Caddyshack” … while Joe Maddon saunters over, unforgivingly delirious, like Al Czervik infiltrating Bushwood Country Club, when he told the judge’s wife: “You must’ve been something before electricity!”
The managers of the Cardinals and Cubs have different mannerisms, managerial styles, coaching backgrounds and, you know what, they’re two of the best in the bigs. The new Tony-Dusty is Smails-Czervik. They face each other this weekend for three at Wrigley, in what very well could be an NLDS preview — a once-preposterous premonition now a little over a fortnight from foresight.