The Front Row with JASON ELLIOTT Oct. 26, 2011

For as often as I've used my phone for work, texting scores, email, you name it - it has never cost me a chance at a world championship.

But for the St. Louis Cardinals, that time could be now.

WHAT COULD be the strangest thing of the baseball season came on Monday during the World Series in Texas.

With the game tied at 2, St. Louis attempted to get its closer on the mound, but had the wrong pitcher warming up in the bullpen. The closer eventually got in, but with his team down 4-2 in the game - and now down 3-2 in the series.

Following the game, Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa said that with all the noise in Arlington, the bullpen coach couldn't hear who he wanted throwing in that situation.

When the series resumes tonight, this won't be forgotten either.

Albert Pujols hit three home runs on Saturday night for St. Louis in one of the best single-game performances in World Series history.

But by Monday night, his manager couldn't even make a phone call on the road.

The good thing is that the series returns to St. Louis tonight and hopefully LaRussa has figured out his phone by now.

If not, it could be another ugly end to the season.

AS SOON as I woke up, panic set in as I had to adjust my fantasy roster with players sitting out the weekend due to bye weeks and injuries.

Or so I thought.

Figuring that Marshawn Lynch might be a safe bet, I opted to start him when the Seattle Seahawks took on the Cleveland Browns.

Lynch never saw the field as he was injured during pregame warmups and it seemed like the rest of his teammates on the offensive side of the ball decided they'd take the day off also.

For as ugly as the Seahawks offense played, the defense kept them close, almost winning them the game.

That didn’t happen.

Seattle had a late defensive stop, but gave the game away on a personal foul penalty to fall further back in the NFC West standings.

The only bright spot that came from Sunday, was the rest of the division also lost with St. Louis and Arizona also coming up on the losing end.

San Francisco had a bye — but isn’t looking anything like those other teams from the West.

The 49ers are actually winning games against good teams — something that hasn’t been done in at least two years.

WHILE MOST fantasy football leagues may have trophies and big cash prizes, the only thing that is up for grabs in our league is bragging rights.

Last weekend was nothing to brag about for my squad.

Granted Drew Brees put up some points with five touchdowns and Adrian Peterson had enough yards to get me a win, but no points from Lynch and my kicker Sebastian Janikowski should have put me on the wrong side of this decision.

Thankfully, it didn’t and the only static I had in my phone was from other disgruntled fantasy football owners.

With those calls, the message is usually loud and clear.

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for the Coeur d’Alene Press. He can be reached by telephone at 664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via email at [email protected].