SERIES: 2-0 Boston
Denver, Colorado- 45 degrees F
Starting Lineups:
BOSTON:
Jacoby Ellsbury- CF
Dustin Pedroia- 2B
David Ortiz- 1B
Manny Ramirez- LF
Mike Lowell- 3B
J.D. Drew- RF
Jason Varitek- C
Julio Lugo- SS
Daisuke Matsuzaka- P
COLORADO:
Kaz Matsui- 2B
Troy Tulowitzki- SS
Matt Holliday- LF
Todd Helton- 1B
Garrett Atkins- 3B
Brad Hawpe- RF
Yorvit Torrealba- C
Corey Sullivan- CF
Josh Fogg- P
TOP 1:
With Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia opening up the game with infield singles, it appeared as if the Boston good fortune would carry over into Game 3. Fogg, the Rockies most reliable starter thus far, followed up by striking out David Ortiz looking, and then getting Manny Ramirez and Mike Lowell to fly out to end the inning. Fogg will not overpower any lineup by any means, but the righty relies on a good changeup and playable slider to fool hitters. The biggest asset of Lowell is his ability to get hitters to swing at his pitches, especially when he is behind in the count. That will be the key to his success tonight.
BOT 1:
The biggest story line coming into tonight's game, although not the most important-- that would be how the Rockies rebound from being down 2-0 in the series--, was how Daisuke Matsuzaka would pitch for the Red Sox. Would this be his true coming out party? Tonight offers an opportunity for Matsuzaka to finish his season on a high note, giving the fact that he had his share of struggles adjusting to life in America and the Major Leagues this year. So far so good. After Matsui led off the game with a single-- advancing to second on an error-- Matsuzaka found a way to escape the jam, partly due to Matsui's baserunning error and being caught up on a comebacker. Regardless, Dice-K is showing some good stuff thus far.
TOP 2:
Fogg has the Boston hitters at his disposal now as he is mixing in a curveball early in the count. He did this almost exclusively this inning, and that plants the seed for future at-bats. This probably will not be his go-to pitch later in the game-- that will most likely be his slider-- but this "strategy" could have a lasting effect on the Boston hitters as the game moves along. Throwing offspeed pitches for strikes and pounding the zone with the fastball. What a concept! Those two things relate to success, and Fogg has a real easy inning, with a Julio Lugo double being the only hiccup.
BOT 2:
Garrett Atkins was drilled to lead of the inning, but that was the extent of the Colorado threat. It is dead obvious that Matsuzaka is taking the same gameplan that Josh Beckett used in Game 2-- coming after the Rockies with fastballs. Dice-K is running his fastball up to 94 mph tonight, and it is dominating right now. Colorado must make an adjustment and take advantage of all these fastballs they are getting to put some runs on the board early. If they don't, it will be a long night and the breaking pitches will only be used as chase pitches, therefore becoming rather irrelevant. Typically, if a pitcher is going to throw breaking balls, you want to force him to throw them for strikes-- this will give you an opportunity to do something with them. The only way to do that is to hit the fastball.
TOP 3:
When lightning strikes, it strikes often. Baseball is a funny game in the fact that it can give momentum to a team so quickly with a handful of quality executed pitches, and then turn around and take it away so fast. The inning started off with Ellsbury slashing a double down the leftfield line, followd up by a bunt by Pedroia which just happened to fall in the perfect spot. The inevitable then happens when David Ortiz laces a pitch down the rightfield line. This inning continues to get worse and the game is quickly getting out of hand. Boston 6, Colorado 0.
PITCHING CHANGE-- FRANKLIN MORALES
Morales uses two pitches to get Pedroia to ground out to thirdbase and close out the inning. For a team who has scored two runs in 18 innings this World Series, a 6-run deficit is going to be awfuly tough to climb out of.
BOT 3:
With the pithing change with 2 outs in the third inning, the Rockies were stuck with pitcher Franklin Morales leading off the bottom half of the inning-- he struck out on a nasty gyroball. It appears that Matsuzaka is going to attack the order the second time through backwards, maeaning he is throwing more offspeed pitches for strikes early in the counts, and then coming back with his fastball to put hitters away. It was obvious he was coming after the Rockies with fastballs the first time through. He is now mixing in his slider and gyro and using his fastball as hit outpitch-- he was soft with Matsui in his second at-bat and then struck him out with a 3-2 fastball at the knees. With Tulowitzki, Matsuzaka came in with a curveball for strike one, blew a fastball by him for strike two, which set up the 0-2 slider leading in an easy 6-3 (shortstop to firstbase) punchout. Keep an eye on this pattern, and then see how Matsuzaka adjusts the third time through the order. This is what you call dealing.
TOP 4:
Quiet inning for the Red Sox, three up three down. At this point, Morales could use these innings to gain some confidence to build on for next season. He is not saving the bullpen-- in all likelyhood he will be pinch-hit for when his spot comes up-- as everybody is full go with a winter's worth of rest around the corner. One game around the corner if Colorado cannot get the offense going.
BOT 4:
We saw the first good swing on a Dice-K fastball tonight. That was by Todd Helton and it wasa foul ball. Dice-K is sticking to his plan that I mentioned earlier-- pitching backwards the second time through the order-- and it looks like the Rockies are unable to adjust yet again. It is much easier said than done to see a pattern and figure out what the opposing pitcher is trying to do. But tese guys are majore league hitters and do this sort of thing all the time. It is surprising that they can't get more quality swings on Dice-K then they are getting. He really hasn't been painting his fastballs-- the one he did paint on the outside corner was called a ball-- and his breaking balls are just flat out fooling the Rockies. Impressive performance thus far. Lets see if Francona sticks with him for more than five innings tonight if he is still going strong.
TOP 5:
Morales strands J.D. Drew at second ater a leadoff double.
BOT 5:
The Rockies had something brewing until Julio Lugo made a great play on a groundball in the hole to get the force out a third base. Tulowitzki had a 2-0 count with 2 outs and 2 runners on. Matsuzaka came up with a big pitch-- a 2-0 slider-- to get Tulowitzki to pop-up and end the threat. Matsuzaka, going through the order for the third time, looked as if he was sticking with his updated gameplan. Instead of going back to attacking hitters with the fastball, Dice-K threw the fastball early to plant the seed and then came back with mulitple offspeed pitches. This may be the common theme for the third time through the Colorado lineup. Even with a 2-0 count and two runners on base, Matsuzaka didn't go to his best pitch. Instead he kept throwing breaking balls and foling the Rockies' hitters. As the saying goes, good pitching beats good hitting, there is almost nothing Colorado can do against Dice-K if he continues to be this much on his game. The Rockies had an opportunity in the fifth, but allowed Matsuzaka to wiggle out of it.
TOP 6:
PITCHING CHANGE-- JEREMY AFFELDT
Affeldt came on a pitched a clean six, capping the inning off by striking out David Ortiz. 3-4-5 due up for Colorado in the bottom half, they must make noise now.
BOT 6:
After allowing back-to-back walks to Helton and Atkins, Matsuzaka's night comes to an end. Great outing by the "rookie". This performace should quiet some critics for the time being.
PITCHING CHANGE-- JAVIER LOPEZ
Brad Hawpe dumps the first offering from Lopez into centerfield for a basehit to score Helton. A possible resurgence of "Rocktober" magic looming? Torrealba follows up with a basehit, scoring Atkins and sending Lopez to the clubhouse. The Rox need to capitalize on this rally now before they enter Papelbon-territory.
PITCHING CHANGE-- MIKE TIMLIN
Colorado simply came out unlucky against Timlin as they smashed two balls that were caught for outs. Tough breaks, seems like none of the good ones are going their way this series.
TOP 7:
PITCHING CHANGE-- MATT HERGES
Herges looked about as good as he has all postseason, striking out Ramirez, Lowell, and Drew. All three of them were struckout on fastballs that had great movement to them.
BOT 7:
Rockies showing some life as Matsui lead off the inning with a bunt single, stole second, and Tulowizki followed with a single up the middle. Runners on the corners with nobody out and Timlin is gone. This is as much noise as the Rockies have made all series. Lets see if the meat of the order can make Boston pay.
PITCHING CHANGE-- HIDEKI OKAJIMA
Matt Holliday exploded on an Okajima fastball and sends it over the centerfield wall to make it a 6-5 game. Coors Field is absolutely rocking now, and you get the feeling Colorado isn't done yet this inning. Okajima is continuing to get a lot of the plate with his fastball and he is leaving it up. He is a guy who needs to keep the ball down and spot it up to have success because he is not overpowering. If this continues, the Rockies could pile on a few more before Francona can make his way out to the mound. Helton followed up with a single, but Okajima went to his changeup to shut down the rest of the inning. At least we have a ballgame now.
TOP 8:
PITCHING CHANGE-- BRIAN FUENTES
A walk, a knock, and a couple more dinks added 3 runs to the board for Boston. All of the momentum that was gained in the bottom fo the seventh is now gone and this game apparently seems out of hand again. Fuentes did not pitch horribly, but Boston continues to get timely hits, even though many of them could come off as breaks. I am not sure if Boston really is getting this lucky with the bats or I am not giving their hitters enough credit. Maybe both? Either way, the jury is still out on that one.
BOT 8:
With two on, Francona opted to bring in Jonathan Papelbon to create a dynamic matchup against Matt Holliday. Holliday, with the Rockies down by four runs, took the first fastball and flied out to the warning track in left. A lot of noise, but nothing to show for it. Still 9-5 Boston.
TOP 9:
PITCHING CHANGE-- LATROY HAWKINS
Mike Lowell provided the only hit of the inning, adding a stolen base as well. Lowell stealing third allowed Varitek to hit a fly ball to center and stretch the Boston lead to 5 runs. It is up to the Colorado offense to comeback against Papelbon in their last at-bats.
BOT 9:
A two out Brad Hawpe triple meant nothing as Papelbon left him there and sent the Rockies home staring a possible sweep in the face. Boston takes its 3-0 lead to Game 4 Sunday night, as Jon Lester is on the mound to try to clinch the World Series for the Red Sox.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Reboundin' Rocks
After taking a 13-1 Game 1 shellacking on Wednesday night, the Colorado Rockies will try to even it up in Game 2 Thursday night at Fenway Park. Ace Jeff Francis was not nearly as sharp as he has been so far this postseason, surrendering 6 earned runs and 3 walks in 4 long innings of work. Granted, the lefty has a lot of weight on his shoulders as he is expected to be the leader of the staff and set the tone for the ballclub. The guy is only 26 years old and has never been to the postseason. Nobody would of had to say that in order to figure it out if you watched him last night. Clearly rattled, clearly out of his comfort zone, and once again the Boston lineup feasted on it.
The most important thing for the Rockies to do is forget about it entirely and realize how good of a club they actually are. They could of lost 50-1 or 2-1, and regardless, they are in the same exact spot. The beauty of it is that it is only one game and doesn't mean terribly much. Ubaldo Jimenez will take the mound tonight and try to give Colorado the spark that they need on the hill. The rookie will have his hands full with the Fenway faithful, but he may just be up to the task.
I have a good feeling about this kid simply because of the electric arsenal he is capable of bringing to the mound. A high-90s fastball, solid slider, and good changeup are plenty to not only win the game, but make some hitters look foolish in the process. There is nothing that will silence the Fenway crowd more than Jimenez coming out early and dealing. He has the chance to really put himself on the map with a good outing, and he is more than capable of doing it. (See regular season game #162)
October baseball changes the way managers attack the game and how they address certain scenarios. There is less room for error on their part, and therefore they are much more apt to make a move sooner rather than later. Understandably, manager Clint Hurdle will have a close eye on his starter from early on.
There is no getting around that philosophy, because the season has come down to a race to four wins. With that said, it is important for Jimenez to pound the strike zone and get hitters out early in the count. This is a guy who rarely will finish the seventh inning, so it would be pretty unfair to ask of seven stellar innings from him in his World Series debut. But in all seriousness, he needs to give the Rockies a good six.
The word 'struggle' does not do the Rockies bullpen justice in terms of their performance last night. The bullpen gave up 5 walks and seven earned runs. Granted all seven runs came at the expense of rookie Franklin Morales, but the other guys did not look good either. Ryan Speier came on in relief for Morales and couldn't eve sniff the strike zone. Speier promptly walked three in a row with the bases loaded and was yanked out of the game.
It is unfair to deem the Rockies' bullpen susceptible after one game, but hey, that's the world we live in and baseball is a funny game. The bullpen has been outstanding up until this point, but if they have a terrible World Series, everybody will forget about all of the great outings the relievers had before now.
It appears these days that pitchers can't do much against this Boston offense because it is so red hot. Well, yes, if you let the entire lineup beat you then games will turn ugly pretty quick. The Colorado pitching staff must have a distinct plan of attack and execute it if they are going to win tonight.
Playoff baseball does not have to be pretty, because in the end, nothing matters at all if you win. So in order to have the best shot tonight, Colorado cannot look to make perfect pitches all of the time and dominate every hitter. It is not going to be that way, especially against a lineup this good. Their goal should not be to throw a shutout, because in all likelyhood, that will be down the drain within the first four innings.
What Colorado needs to do is manage the game, and minimize the damage. Here is how they do that.
Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz have been absolutely unconscious this postseason and that continued in Game 1 as they went a combine 6-for-9 with 5 RBI. Those guys are two of the greatest hitters in baseball and when they are locked in like they are right now, there is not much anybody can do about it. The focus of the Colorado gameplan should not be about Ramirez and Ortiz. They will get their hits, and they may even drive one out of the ballpark. The key is that they come up to the plate with nobody on base.
That all starts with controlling the two pests at the top of the Boston lineup-- Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis. Pedroia and Youkilis went a combined 3-for-10 in Game 1 including 2 walks, 4 runs, and 3 RBI. That is a combined OBP of .420.
Those two are the catalysts, and Jimenez and Co. need to focus their energy on keeping them off base. If they have a quiet night, the Boston lineup will become manageable from there on out. Ortiz and Ramirez will be forced to hit homeruns in order to beat the Rockies. If Pedroia and Youkilis run wild like they have been lately, it will be a long flight back to Colorado with a 2-0 series deficit to boot.
If Colorado can execute that plan-- controlling the two hitters at the top-- they will have a great chance to win. At the very least, they will be in a position to either hold of a late-inning Boston rally with closer Manny Corpas, or they will have a chance to let their offense bring them back from a couple runs down. But guaranteed, they won't be 12 runs down.
The most important thing for the Rockies to do is forget about it entirely and realize how good of a club they actually are. They could of lost 50-1 or 2-1, and regardless, they are in the same exact spot. The beauty of it is that it is only one game and doesn't mean terribly much. Ubaldo Jimenez will take the mound tonight and try to give Colorado the spark that they need on the hill. The rookie will have his hands full with the Fenway faithful, but he may just be up to the task.
I have a good feeling about this kid simply because of the electric arsenal he is capable of bringing to the mound. A high-90s fastball, solid slider, and good changeup are plenty to not only win the game, but make some hitters look foolish in the process. There is nothing that will silence the Fenway crowd more than Jimenez coming out early and dealing. He has the chance to really put himself on the map with a good outing, and he is more than capable of doing it. (See regular season game #162)
October baseball changes the way managers attack the game and how they address certain scenarios. There is less room for error on their part, and therefore they are much more apt to make a move sooner rather than later. Understandably, manager Clint Hurdle will have a close eye on his starter from early on.
There is no getting around that philosophy, because the season has come down to a race to four wins. With that said, it is important for Jimenez to pound the strike zone and get hitters out early in the count. This is a guy who rarely will finish the seventh inning, so it would be pretty unfair to ask of seven stellar innings from him in his World Series debut. But in all seriousness, he needs to give the Rockies a good six.
The word 'struggle' does not do the Rockies bullpen justice in terms of their performance last night. The bullpen gave up 5 walks and seven earned runs. Granted all seven runs came at the expense of rookie Franklin Morales, but the other guys did not look good either. Ryan Speier came on in relief for Morales and couldn't eve sniff the strike zone. Speier promptly walked three in a row with the bases loaded and was yanked out of the game.
It is unfair to deem the Rockies' bullpen susceptible after one game, but hey, that's the world we live in and baseball is a funny game. The bullpen has been outstanding up until this point, but if they have a terrible World Series, everybody will forget about all of the great outings the relievers had before now.
It appears these days that pitchers can't do much against this Boston offense because it is so red hot. Well, yes, if you let the entire lineup beat you then games will turn ugly pretty quick. The Colorado pitching staff must have a distinct plan of attack and execute it if they are going to win tonight.
Playoff baseball does not have to be pretty, because in the end, nothing matters at all if you win. So in order to have the best shot tonight, Colorado cannot look to make perfect pitches all of the time and dominate every hitter. It is not going to be that way, especially against a lineup this good. Their goal should not be to throw a shutout, because in all likelyhood, that will be down the drain within the first four innings.
What Colorado needs to do is manage the game, and minimize the damage. Here is how they do that.
Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz have been absolutely unconscious this postseason and that continued in Game 1 as they went a combine 6-for-9 with 5 RBI. Those guys are two of the greatest hitters in baseball and when they are locked in like they are right now, there is not much anybody can do about it. The focus of the Colorado gameplan should not be about Ramirez and Ortiz. They will get their hits, and they may even drive one out of the ballpark. The key is that they come up to the plate with nobody on base.
That all starts with controlling the two pests at the top of the Boston lineup-- Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis. Pedroia and Youkilis went a combined 3-for-10 in Game 1 including 2 walks, 4 runs, and 3 RBI. That is a combined OBP of .420.
Those two are the catalysts, and Jimenez and Co. need to focus their energy on keeping them off base. If they have a quiet night, the Boston lineup will become manageable from there on out. Ortiz and Ramirez will be forced to hit homeruns in order to beat the Rockies. If Pedroia and Youkilis run wild like they have been lately, it will be a long flight back to Colorado with a 2-0 series deficit to boot.
If Colorado can execute that plan-- controlling the two hitters at the top-- they will have a great chance to win. At the very least, they will be in a position to either hold of a late-inning Boston rally with closer Manny Corpas, or they will have a chance to let their offense bring them back from a couple runs down. But guaranteed, they won't be 12 runs down.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
The True New York Agenda, Pt. 1
It is a not a normal day, especially in New York, if there aren't questions or drama involving the New York Yankees buzzing through the baseball world. As soon as the final out of the Divison Series was recorded and the Yankees were officially eliminated from the playoffs, the speculation began about the future of manager Joe Torre and the extent of George Steinbrenner's recent ultimatum. The wrath was surely thought to be effective immediately.
As the remaining week of the postseason looms, the situation in the Bronx has become more clear. Sort of. The front office softened their words, and even offered a one-year contract to Joe Torre to keep him on board. The offer undermined all of the work Torre has put in during his tenure and the success he brought to the organization.
Fittingly, Torre rejected the offer and decided to walk away from the Yankees on his own terms. This was by far the best thing to do. Torre deserved much more respect than that from a ballclub that he has given so much.
The managerial search is now in progress with interviewing taking place. This is certainly an important situation that will be resolved, but it is not the most important thing for the Yankees this offseason. If they put an average manager in the dugout, they will still be the favorites to win the divison purely because of all the talent that is on the roster.
With that, here are the first five more important things for the Yankees than their managerial search (and in no particular order):
1) ALEX RODRIGUEZ
Scott Boras likes to play hardball with any organization he is negotiatiing with, and therefore is known for getting his clients the most possible money on the market. That scenario is in place again this winter as Alex Rodriguez has an opt out clause that could make him a free agent. Boras will undoubtedly encourage Rodriguez to exercise that clause, much like he did with J.D. Drew last year.
It is imperative for the Yankees to reach an agreement on a contract extension without A-Rod opting out. For one, their subsidy from the Texas Rangers will still be in place, allowing them to escape some of the total dollars that will be owed to Reodriguez over the length of his new contract.
The Yankees will also keep some validity in their word because General Manager Brian Cashman repeatedly announced that the Yankees would not pursue Rodriguez if he opted out of his current contract. The extension would save the Yankees from having to show their hand. But most importantly, without A-Rod in the lineup, the Yankees production will take a big hit. They still have many great hitters, but the power threat is slowly but surely dissipating once the arguement gets past the Yankee third baseman. Jason Giambi is not the power htiter he once was, and Hideki Matsui has battled injuries recently and can not be depended on to supply the bulk of the power.
2) JORGE POSADA
It is hard to say that Posada or the following player are any more important than Alex Rodriguez because, frankly, Rodriguez is the best player on the planet. But these next two guys certainly are not less important. The Yankees must step up and give the years and dollars that Posada wants in order to keep him in pinstripes. It will probably be more than they should have to pay for him on the market, but the Yankees have no leverage because they don't have any great young catchers waiting to take over the starting position.
Jose Molina is not capable of being a starter, nor can me even come close to matching Posada offensively or defensively. Not many guys can. Posada has shown strides on the offensive side in recent years that make him one of the best catchers in the game, even as he is approaching his late 30s. Posada had a great year hitting .338 with 20 homeruns and 90 RBI. That is 3 homers and 3 RBI less than 2006, but the batting average is 61 points higher compared to his 2006 mark. That gives us reason to believe that his emergence at the plate is no fluke, as he has put two productive seasons together in a row.
The most important part of the catching position, though, is the defense and handling a pitching staff. Posada is second to none in these categories. With the Yankees filtering in young arms from the farm system, Posada may never be more vital than now, considering his strengths of being able to manage a game. With Posada back in 2008, the pitching staff will flourish, and it will also help the new coaching staff get adjusted.
3) MARIANO RIVERA
Rivera rebounded from early season struggles to turn in 30 saves in 2007. The team's struggles did not help Rivera in his journey to regain his dominance, as there were not many save opportunities being thrown his way through the first 2 1/2 months of the year.
The bullpen was the eyesore of the Yankees this year, mainly the middle relief. When there is a guy like Rivera out on the market, especially considering he has been a lifetime Yankee, it is key for New York to bring him back. He gives a steady presence for the young guys and is one of the most reliable safety nets a team can have for the 9th inning.
For a team that reaches the postseaons every year and is so adamant about winning the World Series every season, it would make zero sense to let the best postseason closer in baseball hsitroy walk away. Not only does Rivera bring elite closer performance back, but to lose him would be like New York losing the Statue Of Liberty, San Francisco losing the Golden Gate Bridge, or Washington D.C. losing the White House. A piece of history and tradition being allowed to walk away for free. You get the idea.
4) FUTURE OF JOBA CHAMBERLAIN
Joba Chamberlain stormed to the big leagues after ripping through the Yankees farm system and picked up his dominance right where he left it at Triple-A. The phenom serves as the Yankees set-up man and pitcher 24 innings, striking out 34 batters and yielding 1 earned run.
Orignially a starter, Chamberlain's stuff played out so well in the bullpen that there is speculation about whether or not he should even be moved back into the starting rotation. He would hold much more value as a starter since he has ace potential, but he could become more useful for the ballclub if he takes over the closer role assuming Rivera doesn't come back.
This situation is shaping up like a Jonathan Papelbon case more and more. The only hope that Chamberlain's switch back to the rotation will be accepted better is that the Yankees, unlike the Red Sox at the time, are not struggling to find a reliable 9th inning arm.
Regardless of the scenario, the Yankees need to make up their mind soon so that Joba can train accordingly in the offseason. Most importantly, the must stick with whatever decision they decide. With starting pitching being the obvious inconsistency in the postseason this year, Chamberlain should begin being groomed to take over the #1 starter role.
5) STARTING ROTATION
The starting rotation is an area that could be very susceptible to bad outings next year, or it could end up beign a strength. All of that depends on a few different issues. The first would be what was talked about above, regarding Joba Chamberlain. If he is thrust into the rotation, that will automatically give them a boost.
Andy Pettitte has a player option for 2008, but needs to decide if he wants to return to New York or retire. The lefthander would give the Yankees a stable veteran in the rotation, something that would be easily accepted behind ace Chien-Ming Wang. It was Pettitte, not Wang, who pitched like the ace in the postseason, still showing that he an dominate and come up big in critical games.
Phil Hughes took a step toward maturing as a pitcher when he turned in a solid relief appearance against Cleveland in Yankee Stadium. With a year of experience under his belt, the righthander should be able to win a spot in Spring Training and start building on the confidence he gained in the playoffs. Hughes has been tabbed the next ace for quite a while now, and the sooner he reaches that level, the better.
The fifth starter should be Ian Kennedy as the kid from Southern California was called up to replace the struggling Mike Mussina and turned in three great starts allowing only 4 earned runs in 19 innings of work. Kennedy could prove to be the key to the rotation as he should win quite a few games in pinstripes next year as Hughes and Chamberlain recieve the bulk of attention.
As the remaining week of the postseason looms, the situation in the Bronx has become more clear. Sort of. The front office softened their words, and even offered a one-year contract to Joe Torre to keep him on board. The offer undermined all of the work Torre has put in during his tenure and the success he brought to the organization.
Fittingly, Torre rejected the offer and decided to walk away from the Yankees on his own terms. This was by far the best thing to do. Torre deserved much more respect than that from a ballclub that he has given so much.
The managerial search is now in progress with interviewing taking place. This is certainly an important situation that will be resolved, but it is not the most important thing for the Yankees this offseason. If they put an average manager in the dugout, they will still be the favorites to win the divison purely because of all the talent that is on the roster.
With that, here are the first five more important things for the Yankees than their managerial search (and in no particular order):
1) ALEX RODRIGUEZ
Scott Boras likes to play hardball with any organization he is negotiatiing with, and therefore is known for getting his clients the most possible money on the market. That scenario is in place again this winter as Alex Rodriguez has an opt out clause that could make him a free agent. Boras will undoubtedly encourage Rodriguez to exercise that clause, much like he did with J.D. Drew last year.
It is imperative for the Yankees to reach an agreement on a contract extension without A-Rod opting out. For one, their subsidy from the Texas Rangers will still be in place, allowing them to escape some of the total dollars that will be owed to Reodriguez over the length of his new contract.
The Yankees will also keep some validity in their word because General Manager Brian Cashman repeatedly announced that the Yankees would not pursue Rodriguez if he opted out of his current contract. The extension would save the Yankees from having to show their hand. But most importantly, without A-Rod in the lineup, the Yankees production will take a big hit. They still have many great hitters, but the power threat is slowly but surely dissipating once the arguement gets past the Yankee third baseman. Jason Giambi is not the power htiter he once was, and Hideki Matsui has battled injuries recently and can not be depended on to supply the bulk of the power.
2) JORGE POSADA
It is hard to say that Posada or the following player are any more important than Alex Rodriguez because, frankly, Rodriguez is the best player on the planet. But these next two guys certainly are not less important. The Yankees must step up and give the years and dollars that Posada wants in order to keep him in pinstripes. It will probably be more than they should have to pay for him on the market, but the Yankees have no leverage because they don't have any great young catchers waiting to take over the starting position.
Jose Molina is not capable of being a starter, nor can me even come close to matching Posada offensively or defensively. Not many guys can. Posada has shown strides on the offensive side in recent years that make him one of the best catchers in the game, even as he is approaching his late 30s. Posada had a great year hitting .338 with 20 homeruns and 90 RBI. That is 3 homers and 3 RBI less than 2006, but the batting average is 61 points higher compared to his 2006 mark. That gives us reason to believe that his emergence at the plate is no fluke, as he has put two productive seasons together in a row.
The most important part of the catching position, though, is the defense and handling a pitching staff. Posada is second to none in these categories. With the Yankees filtering in young arms from the farm system, Posada may never be more vital than now, considering his strengths of being able to manage a game. With Posada back in 2008, the pitching staff will flourish, and it will also help the new coaching staff get adjusted.
3) MARIANO RIVERA
Rivera rebounded from early season struggles to turn in 30 saves in 2007. The team's struggles did not help Rivera in his journey to regain his dominance, as there were not many save opportunities being thrown his way through the first 2 1/2 months of the year.
The bullpen was the eyesore of the Yankees this year, mainly the middle relief. When there is a guy like Rivera out on the market, especially considering he has been a lifetime Yankee, it is key for New York to bring him back. He gives a steady presence for the young guys and is one of the most reliable safety nets a team can have for the 9th inning.
For a team that reaches the postseaons every year and is so adamant about winning the World Series every season, it would make zero sense to let the best postseason closer in baseball hsitroy walk away. Not only does Rivera bring elite closer performance back, but to lose him would be like New York losing the Statue Of Liberty, San Francisco losing the Golden Gate Bridge, or Washington D.C. losing the White House. A piece of history and tradition being allowed to walk away for free. You get the idea.
4) FUTURE OF JOBA CHAMBERLAIN
Joba Chamberlain stormed to the big leagues after ripping through the Yankees farm system and picked up his dominance right where he left it at Triple-A. The phenom serves as the Yankees set-up man and pitcher 24 innings, striking out 34 batters and yielding 1 earned run.
Orignially a starter, Chamberlain's stuff played out so well in the bullpen that there is speculation about whether or not he should even be moved back into the starting rotation. He would hold much more value as a starter since he has ace potential, but he could become more useful for the ballclub if he takes over the closer role assuming Rivera doesn't come back.
This situation is shaping up like a Jonathan Papelbon case more and more. The only hope that Chamberlain's switch back to the rotation will be accepted better is that the Yankees, unlike the Red Sox at the time, are not struggling to find a reliable 9th inning arm.
Regardless of the scenario, the Yankees need to make up their mind soon so that Joba can train accordingly in the offseason. Most importantly, the must stick with whatever decision they decide. With starting pitching being the obvious inconsistency in the postseason this year, Chamberlain should begin being groomed to take over the #1 starter role.
5) STARTING ROTATION
The starting rotation is an area that could be very susceptible to bad outings next year, or it could end up beign a strength. All of that depends on a few different issues. The first would be what was talked about above, regarding Joba Chamberlain. If he is thrust into the rotation, that will automatically give them a boost.
Andy Pettitte has a player option for 2008, but needs to decide if he wants to return to New York or retire. The lefthander would give the Yankees a stable veteran in the rotation, something that would be easily accepted behind ace Chien-Ming Wang. It was Pettitte, not Wang, who pitched like the ace in the postseason, still showing that he an dominate and come up big in critical games.
Phil Hughes took a step toward maturing as a pitcher when he turned in a solid relief appearance against Cleveland in Yankee Stadium. With a year of experience under his belt, the righthander should be able to win a spot in Spring Training and start building on the confidence he gained in the playoffs. Hughes has been tabbed the next ace for quite a while now, and the sooner he reaches that level, the better.
The fifth starter should be Ian Kennedy as the kid from Southern California was called up to replace the struggling Mike Mussina and turned in three great starts allowing only 4 earned runs in 19 innings of work. Kennedy could prove to be the key to the rotation as he should win quite a few games in pinstripes next year as Hughes and Chamberlain recieve the bulk of attention.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Boston Punches WS Ticket
The Fenway Faithful came out in masses Sunday night to root on the Boston Red sox and help them reach the World Series for the second time in the last four seasons. Fenway Park was rocking from the get-go, as the entire Red Sox Nation were on their feet when Daisuke Matsuzaka opened the game by getting Grady Sizemore to a 0-2 count.
That sums up baseball in Boston in a nutshell. It is history, culture, passion, and love, all wrapped into one. If there is one team that was not going to lose tonight in this environment, it is the Red Sox. Boston entered the series with the better team, on paper, only to promptly find themselves backed into a 3-1 series deficit. It was fair to assume that the series was over once it got to Game 7.
Game 7 was a two-sided monster, as both clubs endured the best and worst of moments. It just happened to be that Boston enjoyed a few more of the best, and that is why they will meet the Colorado Rockies Wednesday night at Fenway Park.
This was night that Daisuke Matsuzaka put the doubters to rest. This was the night he stamped his name in the recent Red Sox lore. All that money thrown his way in the offseason? This was the game that he would pay it all back to the fans, the organization, and his teammates.
Once all those story lines were out of the way, it was time for baseball. And Matsuzaka came out firing. The righthander was dominant through the first three innings, looking like a newborn ace.
As Matsuzaka was cruising, Jake Westbrook was finding himself in early trouble. As each Red Sox hitter reached base, the questions of how early the Cleveland bullpen would be up mounted. The only thing that saved Westbrook as a bases loaded double-play in the first inning to limit the damage to one run.
After struggling for the first three innings, Westbrook settled down and dominated through the sixth inning. The righty ended up turning in a very good performance-- 6 innings, 3 runs, 5 strikeouts-- in a game where the offense was going to have to step up or the Indians season would come to an end.
As the momentum looked to be switching over to the visitors dugout, Dice-K ran into trouble in the fourth inning. It has been the fourth that has plagued him in the postseason. As Travis Hafner doubled with one out, and Ryan Garko followed up with a 2-out double to drive Hafner in, Fenway Park grew quiet as if the crowd were waiting for the inevitable implosion.
As it turned out, Dice-K responded with a little magic of his own and minimized the damage, turning in his best start of the postseason-- 5 innings, 2 runs, 3 strikeouts. It is a pedestrian box score line, but it was plenty for the Red Sox as they had a ready bullpen to hand the ball over to.
Not too many ballclubs can match the fight that the Red Sox have as a whole. It is their uncanny knack of responding to big, pressure-packed, moments that make them the gutsy team that they are. The beautiful thing about it all is that the hero can come from anywhere. David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez are good choices if you are putting money on it, but the largest impact came from the smallest many on the field Sunday night.
Dustin Pedroia stepped up in the biggest game of his career thus far and delivered like he has been here for sometime. The little pest at the top of the order went 3-for-5 with 3 runs and 5 RBI to lead the offense. Pedroia became The Man on the night where an unexpected pitchers duel was falling into place.
Often times we get caught up in flashy parts of the game because we are lucky enough to watch the most talented players in the world on any given night. We get accustomed to monster homeruns and unbelievably athletic plays that leave us speechless. Those are the moments that are glorified over the course of an enitre season.
But we must not forget the game that we love and how it is truly played. The postseason exposes the roots of baseball, because all energies are focused on winning. Unexpected teams and players come up big and we sit and ponder-- how could this possibly happen? Well, it isn't as much of a mystery as you might think.
Baseball rewards those who have a plan and stick to it to execute the game. That is how the game was meant to be played, and no matter how advanced athletes become, the winning formula will always come out in those who play the game the right way.
That is exactly what Pedroia exemplifies-- a tough player who knows the game and is going to attack it based on his strengths and what the situation calls for. That is a grinder, and those are the ones who deliver in the postseason. Postseason pressure is stifling, therefore the players who do not enjoy the moment and aren't there to simply play baseball and win will not succeed as often as they are capable of.
What does this style entail? Baseball, and all parts of it. It is as easy as that, and it is as hard as that. It is easier said then done to play the game like you are a kid all the time and simply react to what the situation calls for. That is why players like Dustin Pedroia are so entertaining. They get it. They get baseball, and they get what needs to be done to win baseball games.
Pedroia will often be seen diving all over the infield to knock balls down and to record those precious outs. He will be witnessed bunting a ball to advance a runner, or slamming a ball on the ground on a hit-and-run. And when the situation calls to drive the ball like it did Sunday night in the 7th inning with Jacoby Ellsbury on third base, he can take a man-sized hack at that as well. Underestimated because of his size, Pedroia plants his back foot in the box, gives a couple of tugs to the pants, and digs in to go to work. As a result, he produces one of the largest swings from the smallest guy that you will ever see.
And yet, the homerun is what will be remembered. It is remarkable, yes, and it is the catchy part of the game. But even that was by design because that is what the situation called for. Score the runner. When the belt-high fastball came, Pedroia connected like he meant to drive it over the Monster. The casual fan will not notice the little things, but challenge yourself to look deeper into what these players accomplish or try to accomplish. Analyze the status of the game-- inning, score, outs, etc.-- and then ponder what needs to be executed. Baseball gives us a certain allotted amount of time inbetween pitches to think about these things, and that is what makes the game great.
Get caught up in the unfathomable. Let your eyes, soul, and mind be set ablaze by the awe. This game gives us special moments, and the ones who come out ontop don't typically do it by mistake. The energy and tenacity on this Boston lineup is what gave them the advantage in Game 7 and is why they will be playing for a World Series title. Big man, little man-- either one can be The Man. October glory has no requirements.
That sums up baseball in Boston in a nutshell. It is history, culture, passion, and love, all wrapped into one. If there is one team that was not going to lose tonight in this environment, it is the Red Sox. Boston entered the series with the better team, on paper, only to promptly find themselves backed into a 3-1 series deficit. It was fair to assume that the series was over once it got to Game 7.
Game 7 was a two-sided monster, as both clubs endured the best and worst of moments. It just happened to be that Boston enjoyed a few more of the best, and that is why they will meet the Colorado Rockies Wednesday night at Fenway Park.
This was night that Daisuke Matsuzaka put the doubters to rest. This was the night he stamped his name in the recent Red Sox lore. All that money thrown his way in the offseason? This was the game that he would pay it all back to the fans, the organization, and his teammates.
Once all those story lines were out of the way, it was time for baseball. And Matsuzaka came out firing. The righthander was dominant through the first three innings, looking like a newborn ace.
As Matsuzaka was cruising, Jake Westbrook was finding himself in early trouble. As each Red Sox hitter reached base, the questions of how early the Cleveland bullpen would be up mounted. The only thing that saved Westbrook as a bases loaded double-play in the first inning to limit the damage to one run.
After struggling for the first three innings, Westbrook settled down and dominated through the sixth inning. The righty ended up turning in a very good performance-- 6 innings, 3 runs, 5 strikeouts-- in a game where the offense was going to have to step up or the Indians season would come to an end.
As the momentum looked to be switching over to the visitors dugout, Dice-K ran into trouble in the fourth inning. It has been the fourth that has plagued him in the postseason. As Travis Hafner doubled with one out, and Ryan Garko followed up with a 2-out double to drive Hafner in, Fenway Park grew quiet as if the crowd were waiting for the inevitable implosion.
As it turned out, Dice-K responded with a little magic of his own and minimized the damage, turning in his best start of the postseason-- 5 innings, 2 runs, 3 strikeouts. It is a pedestrian box score line, but it was plenty for the Red Sox as they had a ready bullpen to hand the ball over to.
Not too many ballclubs can match the fight that the Red Sox have as a whole. It is their uncanny knack of responding to big, pressure-packed, moments that make them the gutsy team that they are. The beautiful thing about it all is that the hero can come from anywhere. David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez are good choices if you are putting money on it, but the largest impact came from the smallest many on the field Sunday night.
Dustin Pedroia stepped up in the biggest game of his career thus far and delivered like he has been here for sometime. The little pest at the top of the order went 3-for-5 with 3 runs and 5 RBI to lead the offense. Pedroia became The Man on the night where an unexpected pitchers duel was falling into place.
Often times we get caught up in flashy parts of the game because we are lucky enough to watch the most talented players in the world on any given night. We get accustomed to monster homeruns and unbelievably athletic plays that leave us speechless. Those are the moments that are glorified over the course of an enitre season.
But we must not forget the game that we love and how it is truly played. The postseason exposes the roots of baseball, because all energies are focused on winning. Unexpected teams and players come up big and we sit and ponder-- how could this possibly happen? Well, it isn't as much of a mystery as you might think.
Baseball rewards those who have a plan and stick to it to execute the game. That is how the game was meant to be played, and no matter how advanced athletes become, the winning formula will always come out in those who play the game the right way.
That is exactly what Pedroia exemplifies-- a tough player who knows the game and is going to attack it based on his strengths and what the situation calls for. That is a grinder, and those are the ones who deliver in the postseason. Postseason pressure is stifling, therefore the players who do not enjoy the moment and aren't there to simply play baseball and win will not succeed as often as they are capable of.
What does this style entail? Baseball, and all parts of it. It is as easy as that, and it is as hard as that. It is easier said then done to play the game like you are a kid all the time and simply react to what the situation calls for. That is why players like Dustin Pedroia are so entertaining. They get it. They get baseball, and they get what needs to be done to win baseball games.
Pedroia will often be seen diving all over the infield to knock balls down and to record those precious outs. He will be witnessed bunting a ball to advance a runner, or slamming a ball on the ground on a hit-and-run. And when the situation calls to drive the ball like it did Sunday night in the 7th inning with Jacoby Ellsbury on third base, he can take a man-sized hack at that as well. Underestimated because of his size, Pedroia plants his back foot in the box, gives a couple of tugs to the pants, and digs in to go to work. As a result, he produces one of the largest swings from the smallest guy that you will ever see.
And yet, the homerun is what will be remembered. It is remarkable, yes, and it is the catchy part of the game. But even that was by design because that is what the situation called for. Score the runner. When the belt-high fastball came, Pedroia connected like he meant to drive it over the Monster. The casual fan will not notice the little things, but challenge yourself to look deeper into what these players accomplish or try to accomplish. Analyze the status of the game-- inning, score, outs, etc.-- and then ponder what needs to be executed. Baseball gives us a certain allotted amount of time inbetween pitches to think about these things, and that is what makes the game great.
Get caught up in the unfathomable. Let your eyes, soul, and mind be set ablaze by the awe. This game gives us special moments, and the ones who come out ontop don't typically do it by mistake. The energy and tenacity on this Boston lineup is what gave them the advantage in Game 7 and is why they will be playing for a World Series title. Big man, little man-- either one can be The Man. October glory has no requirements.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Vacationing In Denver
After the Colorado Rockies completed their brilliant sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks to gain their first World Series birth in franchise history, talk shifted to what in the heck are the Rockies going to do for the next eight days that they have off?
Indeed, that is a ton of time to be out of the arena of competition, but I am sure that the players will gladly accept those days of rest rather than have to fight for their lives for an extra couple of days. The body doesn't feel good, no matter what players say, at this point in the year. It is beyond fatigue for most guys. These days off will be very valuable to the position players who will be able to recharge.
It really is not that much of an advantage for the pitchers, besides the fact that they can map out their pitching plan and control their workload to guarantee freshness for the start of the Fall Classic. Pitchers generally only need one day off to rest up, possibly two if they have been used a lot. With more than a week of rest, they will actually have to throw at least a few bullpen sessions to keep themselves sharp and ready to compete in the most critical innings of the most critical game of their lives.
It is always a mystery when it comes to predicting how a team will come out of the gate after a long layoff. Will they be better due to the time off, or will they show signs of rust? Who knows. Matter of fact, anybody's guess is validated until we actually get to the World Series and see what sort of impact the time off actually had on the Rockies.
Because any and all suggestions about how to spend the eight days off are good ones, here are five suggestions for manager Clint Hurdle and his team to use up the time waiting for the World Series.
1) PLAY A LOT OF GOLF-
With all the time off, allow the fellas to let loose and hit the links five or six times. Pitchers do this anyway, and it is a vital part to their pre-game preparation. You think Tulowitzki or Hawpe will be affected by swinging a golf club? Not a chance, the way those guys have been playing in the last month. Maybe the fresh air and beautiful scenery will remind them of what Denver used to be most commonly known for. If that is not enough motivation to get back on the field and make the city a "Rockie" city, tell me what is.
2) PLAN A CAMPING EXCURSION IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS-
We think this team has been tested in every possible way thus far, fighting back elimination multiple times. They have won 20 out of their last 21 games at a time when they NEEDED to win those games in order to give themselves a shot at even making the postseason. That obviously wasn't much of a challenge for this group. Three days staring death in the face and having to survive on their own wil lbe just perfect for the Rox. Dragon Slayer Josh Fogg will be the team's hunter and gatherer, and by looking at his recent outings, there is no way the guys will go hungry. Yorvit Torrealba and Matt holliday will serve as the bodygaurds, and not one bear will get through that duo. After wrestling around with grizzlies for a few days, what kind of threat does a C.C. Sabathia fastball or a Fausto Carmona sinker come off as?
3) PLAY THE WORLD SERIES IN A VIDEO GAME-
Need to get all the swings in for the hitters and the throwing in for the pitchers? Get the team together at any one of the players' luxurious pads, or even the clubhouse at Coors Field, and play out the World Series in a video game simulation. Players can vote on the game of choice and the console of choice and go head-to-head with the Rockies against Cleveland/Boston until we burn these eight days and finally reach first-pitch time of Game 1 next week. If Hurdle really wants to make this time well spent, shoot, even play the game on EASY. What can be better positive reinforcement to see the hitters themselves absolutely raking every offering that even comes close to the plate, and the pitchers hitting the perfect spot with every one of their pitches? Not once, not twice, but for EIGHT STRAIGHT DAYS. Talk about visualization of the 21st century.
4) TAKE THE TEAM ON A TRIP TO THE BAHAMAS-
If none of the previous ideas suit your fancy, this one is one hundred percent guarantted to work. Get the players out of the country and laying around in the sun on a nice beach for a week. Do everything that has absolutely nothing to do with baseball. If there is really a need to keep the bodies moving, the work on their swings by paddling on a surfboard, and the pitchers cna work on their legs and shoulders by treading water. With their minds completely at ease, the Rockies will return just in time for Game 1 and will come out and play like they are in Little League again.
5) COMPLETELY AVOID EVERYTHING MENTIONED ABOVE-
This is certainly the most practical choice out of all these scenarios. In all seriousness, the Rockies will spend the next week doing everything they did in Spring Training to get ready for the season. In reality, what else is there to do? Nothing. There are only so many swings you can take and only so many groundballs you can field. A player simply hopes that he does enough in the time span that when they return to game action in a week, their feel and timing of the game will not be off.
But, really, the workouts and pastimes for the next week are very cliche. Pitchers will throw their side sessions, hitters will probably endulge in some "game-like" scenarios during BP, fielders will take plenty of grounballs, and some guys may also choose to do some maintenance work in the weightroom. Either way they choose, the most likely outcome is that their plan of action really won't affect them at all. This team is so beyond what we refer to as "hot", that is really doesn't matter how they spend their time off as long as they are doing SOMETHING baseball-related. They will come out in the World Series and pick up right where they left off. As the players have a long while to wait to play again, it will only be a little bit longer that the fans of Denver must wait to celebrate a World Series Championship.
Indeed, that is a ton of time to be out of the arena of competition, but I am sure that the players will gladly accept those days of rest rather than have to fight for their lives for an extra couple of days. The body doesn't feel good, no matter what players say, at this point in the year. It is beyond fatigue for most guys. These days off will be very valuable to the position players who will be able to recharge.
It really is not that much of an advantage for the pitchers, besides the fact that they can map out their pitching plan and control their workload to guarantee freshness for the start of the Fall Classic. Pitchers generally only need one day off to rest up, possibly two if they have been used a lot. With more than a week of rest, they will actually have to throw at least a few bullpen sessions to keep themselves sharp and ready to compete in the most critical innings of the most critical game of their lives.
It is always a mystery when it comes to predicting how a team will come out of the gate after a long layoff. Will they be better due to the time off, or will they show signs of rust? Who knows. Matter of fact, anybody's guess is validated until we actually get to the World Series and see what sort of impact the time off actually had on the Rockies.
Because any and all suggestions about how to spend the eight days off are good ones, here are five suggestions for manager Clint Hurdle and his team to use up the time waiting for the World Series.
1) PLAY A LOT OF GOLF-
With all the time off, allow the fellas to let loose and hit the links five or six times. Pitchers do this anyway, and it is a vital part to their pre-game preparation. You think Tulowitzki or Hawpe will be affected by swinging a golf club? Not a chance, the way those guys have been playing in the last month. Maybe the fresh air and beautiful scenery will remind them of what Denver used to be most commonly known for. If that is not enough motivation to get back on the field and make the city a "Rockie" city, tell me what is.
2) PLAN A CAMPING EXCURSION IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS-
We think this team has been tested in every possible way thus far, fighting back elimination multiple times. They have won 20 out of their last 21 games at a time when they NEEDED to win those games in order to give themselves a shot at even making the postseason. That obviously wasn't much of a challenge for this group. Three days staring death in the face and having to survive on their own wil lbe just perfect for the Rox. Dragon Slayer Josh Fogg will be the team's hunter and gatherer, and by looking at his recent outings, there is no way the guys will go hungry. Yorvit Torrealba and Matt holliday will serve as the bodygaurds, and not one bear will get through that duo. After wrestling around with grizzlies for a few days, what kind of threat does a C.C. Sabathia fastball or a Fausto Carmona sinker come off as?
3) PLAY THE WORLD SERIES IN A VIDEO GAME-
Need to get all the swings in for the hitters and the throwing in for the pitchers? Get the team together at any one of the players' luxurious pads, or even the clubhouse at Coors Field, and play out the World Series in a video game simulation. Players can vote on the game of choice and the console of choice and go head-to-head with the Rockies against Cleveland/Boston until we burn these eight days and finally reach first-pitch time of Game 1 next week. If Hurdle really wants to make this time well spent, shoot, even play the game on EASY. What can be better positive reinforcement to see the hitters themselves absolutely raking every offering that even comes close to the plate, and the pitchers hitting the perfect spot with every one of their pitches? Not once, not twice, but for EIGHT STRAIGHT DAYS. Talk about visualization of the 21st century.
4) TAKE THE TEAM ON A TRIP TO THE BAHAMAS-
If none of the previous ideas suit your fancy, this one is one hundred percent guarantted to work. Get the players out of the country and laying around in the sun on a nice beach for a week. Do everything that has absolutely nothing to do with baseball. If there is really a need to keep the bodies moving, the work on their swings by paddling on a surfboard, and the pitchers cna work on their legs and shoulders by treading water. With their minds completely at ease, the Rockies will return just in time for Game 1 and will come out and play like they are in Little League again.
5) COMPLETELY AVOID EVERYTHING MENTIONED ABOVE-
This is certainly the most practical choice out of all these scenarios. In all seriousness, the Rockies will spend the next week doing everything they did in Spring Training to get ready for the season. In reality, what else is there to do? Nothing. There are only so many swings you can take and only so many groundballs you can field. A player simply hopes that he does enough in the time span that when they return to game action in a week, their feel and timing of the game will not be off.
But, really, the workouts and pastimes for the next week are very cliche. Pitchers will throw their side sessions, hitters will probably endulge in some "game-like" scenarios during BP, fielders will take plenty of grounballs, and some guys may also choose to do some maintenance work in the weightroom. Either way they choose, the most likely outcome is that their plan of action really won't affect them at all. This team is so beyond what we refer to as "hot", that is really doesn't matter how they spend their time off as long as they are doing SOMETHING baseball-related. They will come out in the World Series and pick up right where they left off. As the players have a long while to wait to play again, it will only be a little bit longer that the fans of Denver must wait to celebrate a World Series Championship.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Byrd Flying High
This is most definitely the perfect October for the unpredictable faces. In what was thought to be a high-octane ballgame turned out to be a pitchers duel-- well at least for the first five innings. Cleveland has been able to do what Boston has not, so far-- completely protect their homefield. As a result, the Indians stormed to a 3-1 series lead Tuesday night at Jacobs Field in Cleveland.
Tim Wakefield was cruising before having everythign implode on him in the bottom the fifth. That was plenty for Paul Byrd and Co. as the righthander turned in five innings of 2-run ball and improved to 2-0 throughout the postseason. The offensive explosion was even enough to endure back-to-back-to-back homeruns by Kevin Youkilis, David Ortiz, and Manny Ramirez in the top of the sixth inning. The first two homeruns chased Byrd from the game.
Byrd has quietly gone about his postseason while it seems much of the country continues to second guess manager Eric Wedge for not starting C.C. Sabathia. Wedge has continually stated that their plan from the beginning was a four-man rotation. To his credit it has worked out, and now the Indians have their big ace on the mound with a World Series date with Colorado on the line.
Byrd is never domintating at this point in his career, but as a savvy veteran, he still has plenty in the tank to be effective. With Cleveland's bullpen, it does not take eigt innings of one-run ball to give the team a boost. Instead, Byrd relies on two different types of fastballs-- the four seam and two seam-- a slider, curveball, and a changeup to keep the opposing lineup off balance. He will even throw in a a cutter for good measure.
All arms and all stops will be available for Thursday's night game given the off day on Wednesday. Jensen Lewis and Rafael Betancourt were both used for two innings apiece, so they will welcome the day of rest. But guaranteed they will be ready to go in Game 5 with an extra-rested Rafael Perez and Joe Borowski at the back end. If you are a Cleveland fan, you have to feel optomistic about how the arms are stacking up.
When there is thunder there is lighting and that came in the bottom of the fifth for the Tribe. Casey Blake opened up the scoring with a homerun to deep left, later followed up by an Asdrubal Cabrera run-scoring single. The nail in the coffin came courtesy of a 3-run bomb by Jhonny Peralta.
There are many times during the regular season where two teams will engage in an epic battle and a winner will be awarded at the end, but they were not a clear-cut favorite. This happens less and less in October, possibly because the teams are playing seven game series' against eachother. But regardless of the reasoning, there comes a time in each series-- usually-- where it clearly seems like one team has run out of gas. The breaks are not falling their way and their rebuttals quietly slide in despair.
It appears like it has come to that point for the Boston Red Sox. Their best pitcher, Josh Beckett, is suppossedly battling some fatigue issues and was not even available to pitch in Game 4-- even though that was not admitted and was kept under wraps by Terry Francona. their offense is still carrying its load for the most part, but if their starters cannot get out of the fifth or sixth inning, they are not going to be in the ballgames at the end due to the superiority of Cleveland's pitching.
What does that mean? Well besides the fact that is difficult in itself to come from behind late in games, Jonathan Papelbon has suddenly become irrelevant in this series. From here on out, Papelbon may need to find a way to come through with two-inning saves. If that is the case, so be it. He is a professional and will be more than happy to do so. It is not time to worry about pitchers wearing down or their arms fatiguing because, honestly, the only reason all of that is talked about is to get in this position the Red Sox are in now. If Beckett and Schilling in Game 6-- if the series even makes its way back to Boston-- cannot find a way to get the ball to Papelbon in the eigth inning with a lead, they have no chance in coming back in this series.
October is as much about mystique and destiny and all those gushy, feel-good punchlines we throw out there each year as it is about the overall balance of a lineup. Boston looks better on paper, on the offensive side, but it is their pitching that is taking the explosive offense out of the equation. When things are meant to be, they are meant to be. And Paul Byrd is going to continue to take the ball in Game 4 of each series the Indians play in and quietly slip under the radar-- unnoticed until the final box score is printed in the morning newspaper.
I'm sure Byrd doesn't mind either way. Afterall, champagne showers and dreams of championship rings feel the same all the way from the heraldest of heralds to the stealthest of stealths.
Tim Wakefield was cruising before having everythign implode on him in the bottom the fifth. That was plenty for Paul Byrd and Co. as the righthander turned in five innings of 2-run ball and improved to 2-0 throughout the postseason. The offensive explosion was even enough to endure back-to-back-to-back homeruns by Kevin Youkilis, David Ortiz, and Manny Ramirez in the top of the sixth inning. The first two homeruns chased Byrd from the game.
Byrd has quietly gone about his postseason while it seems much of the country continues to second guess manager Eric Wedge for not starting C.C. Sabathia. Wedge has continually stated that their plan from the beginning was a four-man rotation. To his credit it has worked out, and now the Indians have their big ace on the mound with a World Series date with Colorado on the line.
Byrd is never domintating at this point in his career, but as a savvy veteran, he still has plenty in the tank to be effective. With Cleveland's bullpen, it does not take eigt innings of one-run ball to give the team a boost. Instead, Byrd relies on two different types of fastballs-- the four seam and two seam-- a slider, curveball, and a changeup to keep the opposing lineup off balance. He will even throw in a a cutter for good measure.
All arms and all stops will be available for Thursday's night game given the off day on Wednesday. Jensen Lewis and Rafael Betancourt were both used for two innings apiece, so they will welcome the day of rest. But guaranteed they will be ready to go in Game 5 with an extra-rested Rafael Perez and Joe Borowski at the back end. If you are a Cleveland fan, you have to feel optomistic about how the arms are stacking up.
When there is thunder there is lighting and that came in the bottom of the fifth for the Tribe. Casey Blake opened up the scoring with a homerun to deep left, later followed up by an Asdrubal Cabrera run-scoring single. The nail in the coffin came courtesy of a 3-run bomb by Jhonny Peralta.
There are many times during the regular season where two teams will engage in an epic battle and a winner will be awarded at the end, but they were not a clear-cut favorite. This happens less and less in October, possibly because the teams are playing seven game series' against eachother. But regardless of the reasoning, there comes a time in each series-- usually-- where it clearly seems like one team has run out of gas. The breaks are not falling their way and their rebuttals quietly slide in despair.
It appears like it has come to that point for the Boston Red Sox. Their best pitcher, Josh Beckett, is suppossedly battling some fatigue issues and was not even available to pitch in Game 4-- even though that was not admitted and was kept under wraps by Terry Francona. their offense is still carrying its load for the most part, but if their starters cannot get out of the fifth or sixth inning, they are not going to be in the ballgames at the end due to the superiority of Cleveland's pitching.
What does that mean? Well besides the fact that is difficult in itself to come from behind late in games, Jonathan Papelbon has suddenly become irrelevant in this series. From here on out, Papelbon may need to find a way to come through with two-inning saves. If that is the case, so be it. He is a professional and will be more than happy to do so. It is not time to worry about pitchers wearing down or their arms fatiguing because, honestly, the only reason all of that is talked about is to get in this position the Red Sox are in now. If Beckett and Schilling in Game 6-- if the series even makes its way back to Boston-- cannot find a way to get the ball to Papelbon in the eigth inning with a lead, they have no chance in coming back in this series.
October is as much about mystique and destiny and all those gushy, feel-good punchlines we throw out there each year as it is about the overall balance of a lineup. Boston looks better on paper, on the offensive side, but it is their pitching that is taking the explosive offense out of the equation. When things are meant to be, they are meant to be. And Paul Byrd is going to continue to take the ball in Game 4 of each series the Indians play in and quietly slip under the radar-- unnoticed until the final box score is printed in the morning newspaper.
I'm sure Byrd doesn't mind either way. Afterall, champagne showers and dreams of championship rings feel the same all the way from the heraldest of heralds to the stealthest of stealths.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Opportunity Of A Lifetime
As the rain began to fall hard in Denver, it was only appropraite to see the Diambondbacks season get dampened even more. The Colorado Rockies came out to play baseball in football weather and took a controlling 3-0 lead of the best-of-seven series with a 4-1 vicotry over the Arizona Diamondbacks Sunday night at Coors Field.
With a constant rain-- fought with endless bags of Diamond Dry-- throughout the ballgame, the wind chill carried the temperature down into the low 30s. There is officially nothing in this hemisphere than can cool down the play of the Colorado Rockies. With the win, the Rockies improve to 20-1 in their last 21 games, and incredible feat especially when done at the end of the season and into the playoffs.
The Rockies seem to get a different hero every night who shows the team the way to a win. Josh Fogg turned in 6 very solid innings before handing the ball over to the Rockie bullpen which has been nothing short of outstanding. Fogg, who is the epitome of a number 5 starter, keeps running his avergae fastball and decent changeup over the plate and making this postseason pressure thing look like a walk in the park.
Matt Holliday got the offense rolling like many tims this year, but he was not the one to deliver the hardest blow. That came with Yorvit Torrealba's 3-run homerun, knocking the wind out of the D'backs.
With their season on the line, Arizona will most likely turn the ball back over to Game 1 starter Brandon Webb. Micah Owings was the scheduled Game 4 starter, but manager Bob Melvin probably did not expect to be in a win-or-go-home scenario.
So who do the Rockies look to to carry their team to the World Series for the first time in franchise history?
How about rookie southpaw Franklin Morales. The kid has not made even 10 starts in the big leagues, yet manager Clint Hurdle continues to show confidence in his young players by handing the kid the ball in undoubtedly the biggest game of his life.
Many kids go through chilidhood dreaming about these moments. Pitching in the major leagues would be dream number one, let alone pitching with the chance of going to the World Series.
In what has truly become a Cinderella story with this Colorado ballclub, the idea of Morales delivering a World Series birth to the city of Denver is completely fitting.
Baseball buffs paint these portraits, pen these novels, and turn these scripts over to film producers. How lucky are we to have the opportunity to possibly watch one of the great stories of the season, and possibly of recent memory, unfold right infront of us in October?
Of course, October is suppossed to bring us these moments, one would say. If that is as far as you allow yourself to delve into this game, then you are cheating yourself of the baseball experience and the passion that underlies each time nine men in uniform line the field.
It is absolutely necessary to take a step back when we have great stories proposed to us like this one, and ponder what may happen, or what has happened in similar games in the past. Yankee Stadium isn't the only arena of mystique. Baseball itself brings its hallowed past to October ballparks, new and old.
Franklin Morales will live a boyhood dream of many tomorrow night. This was certainly meant for fans of all ages to enjoy.
With a constant rain-- fought with endless bags of Diamond Dry-- throughout the ballgame, the wind chill carried the temperature down into the low 30s. There is officially nothing in this hemisphere than can cool down the play of the Colorado Rockies. With the win, the Rockies improve to 20-1 in their last 21 games, and incredible feat especially when done at the end of the season and into the playoffs.
The Rockies seem to get a different hero every night who shows the team the way to a win. Josh Fogg turned in 6 very solid innings before handing the ball over to the Rockie bullpen which has been nothing short of outstanding. Fogg, who is the epitome of a number 5 starter, keeps running his avergae fastball and decent changeup over the plate and making this postseason pressure thing look like a walk in the park.
Matt Holliday got the offense rolling like many tims this year, but he was not the one to deliver the hardest blow. That came with Yorvit Torrealba's 3-run homerun, knocking the wind out of the D'backs.
With their season on the line, Arizona will most likely turn the ball back over to Game 1 starter Brandon Webb. Micah Owings was the scheduled Game 4 starter, but manager Bob Melvin probably did not expect to be in a win-or-go-home scenario.
So who do the Rockies look to to carry their team to the World Series for the first time in franchise history?
How about rookie southpaw Franklin Morales. The kid has not made even 10 starts in the big leagues, yet manager Clint Hurdle continues to show confidence in his young players by handing the kid the ball in undoubtedly the biggest game of his life.
Many kids go through chilidhood dreaming about these moments. Pitching in the major leagues would be dream number one, let alone pitching with the chance of going to the World Series.
In what has truly become a Cinderella story with this Colorado ballclub, the idea of Morales delivering a World Series birth to the city of Denver is completely fitting.
Baseball buffs paint these portraits, pen these novels, and turn these scripts over to film producers. How lucky are we to have the opportunity to possibly watch one of the great stories of the season, and possibly of recent memory, unfold right infront of us in October?
Of course, October is suppossed to bring us these moments, one would say. If that is as far as you allow yourself to delve into this game, then you are cheating yourself of the baseball experience and the passion that underlies each time nine men in uniform line the field.
It is absolutely necessary to take a step back when we have great stories proposed to us like this one, and ponder what may happen, or what has happened in similar games in the past. Yankee Stadium isn't the only arena of mystique. Baseball itself brings its hallowed past to October ballparks, new and old.
Franklin Morales will live a boyhood dream of many tomorrow night. This was certainly meant for fans of all ages to enjoy.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Championship Series' Predictions
With one more day to burn until we get to focus our attention back on playoff baseball, the Joe Torre/A-Rod saga continues in New York. With the disappointing ending it was for the Yankees, lets begin to direct our words and thoughts on the teams that are still left in the playoffs. Afterall, the baseball world doesn't end immediately following the Yankees' elimination.
NLCS:
Who would of thought, in March, that here we would be with the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamonbacks fighting for the chance to represent the National League in the World Series? Probably nobody. If you did predict this, you probably ought to make a trip to Vegas in the near future.
There could of been a compelling arguement made for Arizona being much improved and possibly contending for the National League West. But I, for one, did not expec this club to be this good so quick, considering the amount of prospects they have graduated to the major leagues in the last year.
That being said, the Rockies have also plugged in a monster-rookie in Troy Tulowitski, and have added power to their rotation with newcomers Franklin Morales and Ubaldo Jimenez. With the emergence of Matt Holliday as one of the game's elite hitters, Todd Helton and Co. have something to build around, making the an exciting club for this season and beyond.
With Colorado having the clear advantage in starting pitching, and probably the better lineup as long as the Arizona rookies aren't going off like they did against the Cubs, the Rockies will take this series in five games and advance to the World Series for the first time in franchise history.
Jeff Francis is going to turn in another solid performance in game one, building off of his outstanding outing in Philadelphia. As long as the Rockies aren't overly aggressive, they should be able to get to Brandon Webb's sinker. The key is to get the sinker up so they can take aggressive swings. If they keep chasing the one down below the thighs, they will pound it into the ground the entire night and it will be vintage Webb.
I do believe Webb will rebound to beat the Rockies in Game 4. Assuming he loses in Game 1, it would be hard to imagine a guy of his caliber not taking from the experience and making some adjustments for his next outing. That being said, if comes down to a battle of the bullpens, the Rockies have the advantage as well. As electric as closer Jose Valverde is for the D'backs, Manny Corpas is just as good for Colorado. The middle relief advantage goes to the Rockies, no question.
But when it is all said and done, the Colorado pitching staff will find a way to exploit the anxiety of the D'backss heavy-rookie lineup, and Todd Helton will lead the charge for the Rocks.
ALCS:
This could be one of the best playoff series' we have witnessed in some time. Both clubs have a very reliable 1-2 punch, although Cleveland gets the advantage because I see Fausto Carmona as far superior to Curt Schilling. Schilling turned in a masterful performance to clinch the Division Series, and he is certianly proven he is a big game pitcher. I can see Schilling turning in a 7 inning, 3 run performance. The problem for the Red Sox is that Fausto Carmona is going to be better than that.
The Cleveland Indians have a slight edge in terms of the bullpen, as long as the game does not come down to the closers. Jonathan Papelbon is in on a whole different planet when compared to Joe Borowski. As well as Hideki Okajima has pitcher, a Lewis, Betancourt, Perez combination is way too much to handle.
The bright side for the Red Sox is that they have a pretty favorable advantage on the offensive side. David Ortiz was simply unconscious against the Angels, and Manny Ramirez punished mistakes. If they continue to do that, then Boston will win the series. The problem is that it almosr seems impossible to repeat those types of performances. Plus, the Indians starting pitching offers a great challenge than the Angels, especially with Carmona pounding the bottom of the zone with a 95-mph sinker.
Josh Beckett is going to come up big and beat C.C. Sabathia in Game 1. Beckett will be forced to pitch Game 4 on short rest and return on short rest again for Game 7, if necessary. At this point I am saying Game 7 will be necessary and the short rest will catch up to Beckett after having to pitchg under those circumstances twice in a row. I'm going with Cleveland in seven.
NLCS:
Who would of thought, in March, that here we would be with the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamonbacks fighting for the chance to represent the National League in the World Series? Probably nobody. If you did predict this, you probably ought to make a trip to Vegas in the near future.
There could of been a compelling arguement made for Arizona being much improved and possibly contending for the National League West. But I, for one, did not expec this club to be this good so quick, considering the amount of prospects they have graduated to the major leagues in the last year.
That being said, the Rockies have also plugged in a monster-rookie in Troy Tulowitski, and have added power to their rotation with newcomers Franklin Morales and Ubaldo Jimenez. With the emergence of Matt Holliday as one of the game's elite hitters, Todd Helton and Co. have something to build around, making the an exciting club for this season and beyond.
With Colorado having the clear advantage in starting pitching, and probably the better lineup as long as the Arizona rookies aren't going off like they did against the Cubs, the Rockies will take this series in five games and advance to the World Series for the first time in franchise history.
Jeff Francis is going to turn in another solid performance in game one, building off of his outstanding outing in Philadelphia. As long as the Rockies aren't overly aggressive, they should be able to get to Brandon Webb's sinker. The key is to get the sinker up so they can take aggressive swings. If they keep chasing the one down below the thighs, they will pound it into the ground the entire night and it will be vintage Webb.
I do believe Webb will rebound to beat the Rockies in Game 4. Assuming he loses in Game 1, it would be hard to imagine a guy of his caliber not taking from the experience and making some adjustments for his next outing. That being said, if comes down to a battle of the bullpens, the Rockies have the advantage as well. As electric as closer Jose Valverde is for the D'backs, Manny Corpas is just as good for Colorado. The middle relief advantage goes to the Rockies, no question.
But when it is all said and done, the Colorado pitching staff will find a way to exploit the anxiety of the D'backss heavy-rookie lineup, and Todd Helton will lead the charge for the Rocks.
ALCS:
This could be one of the best playoff series' we have witnessed in some time. Both clubs have a very reliable 1-2 punch, although Cleveland gets the advantage because I see Fausto Carmona as far superior to Curt Schilling. Schilling turned in a masterful performance to clinch the Division Series, and he is certianly proven he is a big game pitcher. I can see Schilling turning in a 7 inning, 3 run performance. The problem for the Red Sox is that Fausto Carmona is going to be better than that.
The Cleveland Indians have a slight edge in terms of the bullpen, as long as the game does not come down to the closers. Jonathan Papelbon is in on a whole different planet when compared to Joe Borowski. As well as Hideki Okajima has pitcher, a Lewis, Betancourt, Perez combination is way too much to handle.
The bright side for the Red Sox is that they have a pretty favorable advantage on the offensive side. David Ortiz was simply unconscious against the Angels, and Manny Ramirez punished mistakes. If they continue to do that, then Boston will win the series. The problem is that it almosr seems impossible to repeat those types of performances. Plus, the Indians starting pitching offers a great challenge than the Angels, especially with Carmona pounding the bottom of the zone with a 95-mph sinker.
Josh Beckett is going to come up big and beat C.C. Sabathia in Game 1. Beckett will be forced to pitch Game 4 on short rest and return on short rest again for Game 7, if necessary. At this point I am saying Game 7 will be necessary and the short rest will catch up to Beckett after having to pitchg under those circumstances twice in a row. I'm going with Cleveland in seven.
Friday, October 5, 2007
The Power Of Two
Heading into the postseason this fall, we could have speculated and said that there would be some great series' in both the American League and the National League. The National League was not predictable because the teams were deemed inferior to those in the American League. The weaker competition made it very possible for just about any team to take control and represent the NL in the World Series.
On the complete other side of the baseball spectrum is the American League where all four teams looked so good that nobody knew who had the advantage, but we all knew that it would, or should, be one hell of a battle. The one thing that we should have taken from the regular season is the fact that we really know nothing at all. The ending of the regular season was so unpredictable, even more so this season for some reason, that we could of given each of our own guesses and they all would of had equal validity.
After three days of postseason play, I for one, never saw this scenario coming into play. All four Division Series' stand 2-0 heading into the weekend. So much for the dramatic Game 5's and the seesaw battles. It looks unlikely that any of these series' will go even to the fourth game at this rate, but then again, they could all go the full five. There is no counting out anybody when it comes to postseason play.
Lets start with the National League.
The Colorado Rockies came out of nowhere to win the NL Wild Card, and then promptly won two games in a hostile Philadelphia ballpark against the NL East champs. This series was suppossed to put an end to the notion of momentum being a big advantage going into the playoffs, simply because both teams had claimed it going into postseason play. The youthful, energized Rockies have looked just as good as they have for the last month. That is, they hardly ever lose.
There is no other team in baseball that looks like they are on more of a mission than the Rockies. The Phillies were suppossed to be the loose team who just made an improbably comeback and gotten the city's support behind them, using that to roar into the Divison Series. That hasn't quite been te case. The Phillies have looked flat, and their susceptible pitching is being exposed.
It is going to be very difficult to get this series to Game 4, let alone back to Philadelphia. In order to do that, the Rockies have to lose two straight games at home. The Rockies don't lose at home, period. But that really is irrelevant because it doesn't matter if they are playing in a beatup sandlot at this time of year. They are having plenty of fun and playing the game with passion. That equates to success in the postseason. Sorry Jimmy Rollins, but MVP rival Matt Holliday is going to lead Colorado to a sweep.
In arguably the most surpising series of them all, the Arizona Diamondbacks have jumped out to a 2-0 lead on the Cubs. Chicago was suppossed to have a huge advatage in starting pitching depth, but Ted Lilly got lit and Carlos Zambrano was saved for Game 4, and here you are, Chicago, staring elimination in the face heading back home.
The only benefit the Cubs have is the fact that they are going back to Wrigley Field, where the crowd will be going crazy to root on southpaw Rich Hill who takes the mound. Assuming, which is quite dangerous these days, the Cubs win Game 3, Zambrano should come up big Sunday night in his home city to force this series back to Arizona. If the young kids for Arizona continue to play like they did in the first 2 games, these D'Backs wrap up the series at home in five games.
Heading to the American League, the Cleveland Indians took care of business at The Jake and put the New York Yankees in a 2-0 hole heading back to New York for the next two games. Cleveland got a lackluster performance from staff ace C.C. Sabathia in Game 1, but luckily Chien-Ming Wang pitched a little bit worse for the Yankees. Even though Game 1 was a blowout on the scoreboard, the game was much closer than the 11-3 final.
Fausto Carmona took a huge step towards becoming one of the elite pitchers when he shoved it down the Yankees' throats for nine innings Friday night. Travis Hafner came up in the 11th inning to pick up the game-winning single and send the Cleveland faithful, LeBron James excluded, into a frenzy. The problem with the Yankees is that they knew they would have to heavily depend on that lineup in order to win since their starting pitching is not as deep as it needs to be to win in the postseason.
That being said, winning becomes exceptionally tought when your offense is hitting .121 in the first two games. The Yankees are in a hole, absolutely, but I have a weird feeling about this ballclub heading back to New York. Every true baseball fan knows about the mystique of Yankee Stadium, and with Roger Clemens taking the ball in Game 3, the Indians better get ready to play a little extra baseball. I don't see the Yankees losing at home, therefore this game will be decided in a hostile environment in Cleveland for Game 5.
The last series has Boston taking a 2-0 advantage over the Angels back to California for Sunday's Game 3. Game 1 does not need any explanation at all besides these two words: JOSH BECKETT. The righthander was downright filthy in his complete game shutout.
Friday night was a great game as Kelvim Escobar hung in there to give the Angels 5 innings, even though he probably could of given a little bit mroe than that. With Daisuke Matsuzaka not making it through 5 and only giving up 3 runs, it is apparent that most managers all of a sudden get obtain quick hooks when the postseason starts. With Vlad Guerrero getting drilled in the back with a fastball and leaving the game a couple of innings later, the Angels look like they are in pretty deep.
Without Vlad at his best, they have no shot because this club is already offensively-challenged. The Angels will send Jered Weaver to the mound in Game 3 which is a roll of the dice. We have seen Weaver on his game before, and those outings are pretty darn good. But we have also seen Weaver implode, and that is enough to scare me for this one. Add to the fact that Curt Schilling is going for Boston who is a proven big-game pitcher even with the fact that he is 3 years older than his bloody-sock days, and I don't know if the Angels can make it out alive. As much as I want to see a Beckett-Lackey rematch in Game 4, I am not convinced at all that the Angels have what it takes to avoid the sweep.
Sit back and enjoy the great weekend of basebal as four teams look to move on. There is a good chance though that we will have more baseball on our hands than it looks. The postseason ratchets up the insanity level a few, and the teams who are trailing today are plenty good to make a run. Let the elimination games begin.
On the complete other side of the baseball spectrum is the American League where all four teams looked so good that nobody knew who had the advantage, but we all knew that it would, or should, be one hell of a battle. The one thing that we should have taken from the regular season is the fact that we really know nothing at all. The ending of the regular season was so unpredictable, even more so this season for some reason, that we could of given each of our own guesses and they all would of had equal validity.
After three days of postseason play, I for one, never saw this scenario coming into play. All four Division Series' stand 2-0 heading into the weekend. So much for the dramatic Game 5's and the seesaw battles. It looks unlikely that any of these series' will go even to the fourth game at this rate, but then again, they could all go the full five. There is no counting out anybody when it comes to postseason play.
Lets start with the National League.
The Colorado Rockies came out of nowhere to win the NL Wild Card, and then promptly won two games in a hostile Philadelphia ballpark against the NL East champs. This series was suppossed to put an end to the notion of momentum being a big advantage going into the playoffs, simply because both teams had claimed it going into postseason play. The youthful, energized Rockies have looked just as good as they have for the last month. That is, they hardly ever lose.
There is no other team in baseball that looks like they are on more of a mission than the Rockies. The Phillies were suppossed to be the loose team who just made an improbably comeback and gotten the city's support behind them, using that to roar into the Divison Series. That hasn't quite been te case. The Phillies have looked flat, and their susceptible pitching is being exposed.
It is going to be very difficult to get this series to Game 4, let alone back to Philadelphia. In order to do that, the Rockies have to lose two straight games at home. The Rockies don't lose at home, period. But that really is irrelevant because it doesn't matter if they are playing in a beatup sandlot at this time of year. They are having plenty of fun and playing the game with passion. That equates to success in the postseason. Sorry Jimmy Rollins, but MVP rival Matt Holliday is going to lead Colorado to a sweep.
In arguably the most surpising series of them all, the Arizona Diamondbacks have jumped out to a 2-0 lead on the Cubs. Chicago was suppossed to have a huge advatage in starting pitching depth, but Ted Lilly got lit and Carlos Zambrano was saved for Game 4, and here you are, Chicago, staring elimination in the face heading back home.
The only benefit the Cubs have is the fact that they are going back to Wrigley Field, where the crowd will be going crazy to root on southpaw Rich Hill who takes the mound. Assuming, which is quite dangerous these days, the Cubs win Game 3, Zambrano should come up big Sunday night in his home city to force this series back to Arizona. If the young kids for Arizona continue to play like they did in the first 2 games, these D'Backs wrap up the series at home in five games.
Heading to the American League, the Cleveland Indians took care of business at The Jake and put the New York Yankees in a 2-0 hole heading back to New York for the next two games. Cleveland got a lackluster performance from staff ace C.C. Sabathia in Game 1, but luckily Chien-Ming Wang pitched a little bit worse for the Yankees. Even though Game 1 was a blowout on the scoreboard, the game was much closer than the 11-3 final.
Fausto Carmona took a huge step towards becoming one of the elite pitchers when he shoved it down the Yankees' throats for nine innings Friday night. Travis Hafner came up in the 11th inning to pick up the game-winning single and send the Cleveland faithful, LeBron James excluded, into a frenzy. The problem with the Yankees is that they knew they would have to heavily depend on that lineup in order to win since their starting pitching is not as deep as it needs to be to win in the postseason.
That being said, winning becomes exceptionally tought when your offense is hitting .121 in the first two games. The Yankees are in a hole, absolutely, but I have a weird feeling about this ballclub heading back to New York. Every true baseball fan knows about the mystique of Yankee Stadium, and with Roger Clemens taking the ball in Game 3, the Indians better get ready to play a little extra baseball. I don't see the Yankees losing at home, therefore this game will be decided in a hostile environment in Cleveland for Game 5.
The last series has Boston taking a 2-0 advantage over the Angels back to California for Sunday's Game 3. Game 1 does not need any explanation at all besides these two words: JOSH BECKETT. The righthander was downright filthy in his complete game shutout.
Friday night was a great game as Kelvim Escobar hung in there to give the Angels 5 innings, even though he probably could of given a little bit mroe than that. With Daisuke Matsuzaka not making it through 5 and only giving up 3 runs, it is apparent that most managers all of a sudden get obtain quick hooks when the postseason starts. With Vlad Guerrero getting drilled in the back with a fastball and leaving the game a couple of innings later, the Angels look like they are in pretty deep.
Without Vlad at his best, they have no shot because this club is already offensively-challenged. The Angels will send Jered Weaver to the mound in Game 3 which is a roll of the dice. We have seen Weaver on his game before, and those outings are pretty darn good. But we have also seen Weaver implode, and that is enough to scare me for this one. Add to the fact that Curt Schilling is going for Boston who is a proven big-game pitcher even with the fact that he is 3 years older than his bloody-sock days, and I don't know if the Angels can make it out alive. As much as I want to see a Beckett-Lackey rematch in Game 4, I am not convinced at all that the Angels have what it takes to avoid the sweep.
Sit back and enjoy the great weekend of basebal as four teams look to move on. There is a good chance though that we will have more baseball on our hands than it looks. The postseason ratchets up the insanity level a few, and the teams who are trailing today are plenty good to make a run. Let the elimination games begin.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Black Brings Class To Moment Of Defeat
What took place in Denver, Colorado Monday night was nothing short of epic. It was one of the greatest games of the season, and probably the greatest game in Rockies history thus far. The 13-inning thriller symbolizes the type of ballclub that these Rockies have grown to become. There is absolutely no quit, even after having the wind knocked out of their sails and all-time saves leader Trevor Hoffman jogging in to close out a 2-run lead.
I don't think we can fathom the excitement, joy, exhaustion, euphoria that the players on the Colorado side are feeling at this point in time. After looking like they were moving on, to almost certainly going home tonight, to pulling off a wild win, will undoubtedly leave them breathless for a few hours. They must find a way to regroup before they head to Philidelphia to open up the NLDS on Wednesday.
We would not do this game, or this team of hungry ballplayers, justice if we tried to summarize this truly team-performance and place it in the context of great baseball games. I don't think that is possible, even as fans, writers, or merely bystanders, after the rollercoaster that has lifted us up, flipped us upside down, and left us free-falling from 5,000 feet until our stomach couldn't stand it anymore.
We must relish the fantastic baseball that we have just witnessed, and let those emotions marinate before we recap this game. The great thing about baseball is that it allows us to experience each moment to the fullest. There is time to get excited when Yorvit Torrealba blasts a homerun, and there is time to feel punched in the gut when Adrian Gonzalez hits a grand slame to give Jake Peavy and Co. the lead.
As the pressure mounts and the inning turns one later, we are no longer in a light-weight fight. Baseball brings out the heavy-weight class for late game rallys, led by Scott Haristons homerun. I thought Denevr was already short on oxygen, but boy it didn't seem like anyone was breathing in the ballpark after that.
After all that happened in this game, I stepped back and observed, and came up with the fact that Bud Black may be one of the classiest people around.
After a controversial call at the plate on whether or not Matt Holliday touched homeplate with his hand after his headfirst slide, you could sense that the story lines tomorrow morning will be about that play rather than the game itself. Replays were played over and over and it looked as if Holliday's hand may have been blocked off, but it was so close, that there is real no telling because he might of slipped a finger in there on his way by.
The important thing is that the homeplate umpire called him safe and the Rockies were moving on. Plenty of people were already questioning the call, leaving the umpire in a position to defend himself for the rest of the winter because it was his call that officially sent one team packing.
It would of been easy for Black to go to the postgame news conference and give some story about how his team got stubbed on that last play and how the wrong call was made. And you know what? It was so close that you probably couldn't make an argument against him. Plenty, if not most, managers would of made a comment somewhere along those lines and there would of been endless speculation about the game-winning play.
Black chose a different route. When asked whether Holliday touched the plate Black responded, "It looked to me like he did get it."
That was all that needed to be said to end the discussion. If Black hadn't of made the comment, you can guarantee this game would not live on without that infamous shadow lurking right behind it. That would of been completely ludicrous and would of taken away from the actual ballgame at hand. There is nothing worse than a team, who fought its butt off to get into the postseason, have some sort of controversy looming about how they got in. That does nothing but take away from their accomplishment as a team, almost to the point of saying that they needed help to get it.
But kudos to Bud Black to realize that his team got beat by a team that has just been on fire for the last month. He understands the game of baseball and its crazy ways. This was not about one call. It's all about the Colorado Rockies and how great of a team they have become. That is exactly the way it should be. Bud Black deserves more credit than he deserves for this extremely classy gesture. He is a baseball man who respects the game and respects the purity of competition.
I don't think we can fathom the excitement, joy, exhaustion, euphoria that the players on the Colorado side are feeling at this point in time. After looking like they were moving on, to almost certainly going home tonight, to pulling off a wild win, will undoubtedly leave them breathless for a few hours. They must find a way to regroup before they head to Philidelphia to open up the NLDS on Wednesday.
We would not do this game, or this team of hungry ballplayers, justice if we tried to summarize this truly team-performance and place it in the context of great baseball games. I don't think that is possible, even as fans, writers, or merely bystanders, after the rollercoaster that has lifted us up, flipped us upside down, and left us free-falling from 5,000 feet until our stomach couldn't stand it anymore.
We must relish the fantastic baseball that we have just witnessed, and let those emotions marinate before we recap this game. The great thing about baseball is that it allows us to experience each moment to the fullest. There is time to get excited when Yorvit Torrealba blasts a homerun, and there is time to feel punched in the gut when Adrian Gonzalez hits a grand slame to give Jake Peavy and Co. the lead.
As the pressure mounts and the inning turns one later, we are no longer in a light-weight fight. Baseball brings out the heavy-weight class for late game rallys, led by Scott Haristons homerun. I thought Denevr was already short on oxygen, but boy it didn't seem like anyone was breathing in the ballpark after that.
After all that happened in this game, I stepped back and observed, and came up with the fact that Bud Black may be one of the classiest people around.
After a controversial call at the plate on whether or not Matt Holliday touched homeplate with his hand after his headfirst slide, you could sense that the story lines tomorrow morning will be about that play rather than the game itself. Replays were played over and over and it looked as if Holliday's hand may have been blocked off, but it was so close, that there is real no telling because he might of slipped a finger in there on his way by.
The important thing is that the homeplate umpire called him safe and the Rockies were moving on. Plenty of people were already questioning the call, leaving the umpire in a position to defend himself for the rest of the winter because it was his call that officially sent one team packing.
It would of been easy for Black to go to the postgame news conference and give some story about how his team got stubbed on that last play and how the wrong call was made. And you know what? It was so close that you probably couldn't make an argument against him. Plenty, if not most, managers would of made a comment somewhere along those lines and there would of been endless speculation about the game-winning play.
Black chose a different route. When asked whether Holliday touched the plate Black responded, "It looked to me like he did get it."
That was all that needed to be said to end the discussion. If Black hadn't of made the comment, you can guarantee this game would not live on without that infamous shadow lurking right behind it. That would of been completely ludicrous and would of taken away from the actual ballgame at hand. There is nothing worse than a team, who fought its butt off to get into the postseason, have some sort of controversy looming about how they got in. That does nothing but take away from their accomplishment as a team, almost to the point of saying that they needed help to get it.
But kudos to Bud Black to realize that his team got beat by a team that has just been on fire for the last month. He understands the game of baseball and its crazy ways. This was not about one call. It's all about the Colorado Rockies and how great of a team they have become. That is exactly the way it should be. Bud Black deserves more credit than he deserves for this extremely classy gesture. He is a baseball man who respects the game and respects the purity of competition.
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