Well, this one is a lot harder because I know very little about the National League. Please do yourself a favor and don't use this post to make your NL picks...
Arizona Diamondbacks: Not quite the team from 2001, but young, and they know how to win. They have the best record in the National League, so Chicago has its hands full.
Strengths: Webb gems. Brandon Webb is my vote for NL Cy Young; three straight shut outs is beyond impressive. He can be the spark for this team, and propel them to a World Series.
Weaknesses: Inexperience. Arizona is a YOUNG team. Justin Upton is only nineteen! Like Cleveland, the playoffs are likely to be a growing experience as much as anything else.
Chicago Cubs: For a while it didn't seem like anyone wanted to win the NL Central, but eventually the Cubs decided to do it. Billy Goats better watch out.
Strengths: They're due. Oh, dear G-d are they due. Note: This is a cover for the fact that I can't really name any Cubs players aside from Soriano, Lee, Zambrano and Lilly...If Zambrano's on, the Cubs will be hard to beat.
Weaknesses: History. Billy goats, black cats, what have you, and a 105 year-long drought. As long as Steve Bartman stays clear of Wrigley, I guess they have a chance...
Colorado Rockies: Fourteen out of fifteen isn't just hot. Fourteen out of fifteen is you-don't-even-have-to-touch-home-plate-to-win hot. People better start taking them seriously now...
Strengths: Momentum, and geography. The Rockies need to ride their momentum for all it's worth, because it's capable of carrying them far. Also, playing at Coors Field at home means they're used to the altitude, which will likely provide a bonus.
Weaknesses: Inexperience. I'm not sure anyone on the current Rockies roster have playoff experience...maybe Kaz Matsui when he was with the Mets? I'm not sure about this so you guys have to help me out!
Philadelphia Phillies: Simply put, they shouldn't be here right now, but they are. It's what makes baseball the greatest sport, ever...
Strengths: Lady Luck. You don't survive injuries to your second basemen, your all-star slugger and G-d knows who else and no real pitching staff to speak of aside from Cole Hammels without some help from above.
Weaknesses: Lady Luck. Lady doesn't stay around forever...
Not going to try to make predictions here, because my gut tells me that every team's going to win and we all know that's not possible...
Anyway, enjoy tonight.
If what happened last night means anything, we're in for one of the best Octobers ever. Hold onto your hats folks, it's going to be one wild ride...
Showing posts with label Playoff Race. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Playoff Race. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Monday, October 1, 2007
Sizing Up the American League Final Four
The Padres/Rockies game has been pretty good so far, anything but a pitcher's duel, but some great hitting. The Rockies have great fans, which is awesome because you don't usually think of Colorado as a baseball hotbed...
Anyway, here's what you need to know about the 2007 AL Playoff Teams, keeping in mind that I don't know any team as well as the Yankees:
Anaheim Angels: This is a team that just gets to you. They don't do it with the long ball, they don't have the best pitching staff ever assembled...they just get it done. They do all the little things, on offense and defense. That Boston picked the longer series, meaning that the Angels only need three starters, plays decisively in the Angels favor.
Strengths: Speed and small ball. The Angels, with the exception of Vladimir Guerrero, don't have real home run hitters; instead they get it done with small ball. Chone Figgins and Gary Matthews, Jr. can probably out small ball every other team in the major leagues combined. If Chone Figgins is kept off base or Matthews comes up with the bases empty, other teams should be able to breathe a little easier...
Weaknesses: Lack of power and health. Small ball can kill you, yes, but sometimes--like in the bottom of the ninth, with two out, you need the big blow. The Angels lack the big home run bat, except for Guerrero, but this brings up another issue: the Angels are banged up. Of all the AL playoff teams, they have the most serious question marks in terms of who can play and who can't. I haven't heard of anyone on the Angels sporting TOUGH ALL DAY shirts, but maybe they'll surprise us all.
Boston Red Sox: I admit, it's hard to be objective about your most-despised rival, but here goes nothing...Boston's going to be hard to beat for anyone, but get them outside of Fenway and you stand a reasonable chance. Their line up simply doesn't produce as much if Manny Ramirez isn't hitting directly behind David Ortiz, and their pitching is questionable after Josh Beckett--Daisuke Matsuzaka and Curt Schilling have not looked like aces of late. Their bullpen can be unhittable or implosive, and you're never quite sure what you're going to get.
Strengths: Fenway Park and clutch hitting. Say what you will, but in the ninth inning, David Ortiz is downright scary. Any team playing in Fenway and leading by two runs or less in the ninth inning with David Ortiz due up second, third or fourth will have a tough time. The Red Sox need just to take one game on the road from the Angels, and come back to Fenway to have a favorable chance of making it to the ALCS.
Weaknesses: Pitching. It's presumptive, I know, but the fact is, outside of Josh Beckett, the Red Sox staff has been mediocre of late. With Clay Buchholz shut down, the Red Sox lose a clear 'X factor' pitcher, both as a starter and out of the bullpen. Okajima's arm has been tired; the Red Sox can only hope he's got a little gas left in the tank.
Cleveland Indians: Of all the AL playoff contenders, the Indians are probably the team that will be considered the least likely to advance to the World Series, and that itself makes them more dangerous. Who would have picked St. Louis to win the World Series last year?
Strengths: 1-2 Punch, power. C.C. Sabathia and Fausto Carmona are dangerous. Even if Westbrook/Byrd/et. al can't get it done, Sabathia and Carmona are good enough for three wins, four wins and four wins. Most of their bullpen's not half-bad, either. Oh, and this team can hit a bit, as well.
Weaknesses: Borowski and youth. Cleveland's got a closer that sports an ERA over 5.00. Not exactly the guy you want up there in the ninth inning in a close game. Cleveland's youth could also work against them--not many on the team have playoff experience, and this is likely to be a growing experience as much as a playoff one.
New York Yankees: I won't pretend to be unbiased, because we all know I'm not, but again, here goes! The Yankees are scary in the playoffs. This isn't the team of 02-06, this is a team that seems to enjoy playing baseball, that put together a comeback of a historical scale that almost rivals the collapse of the cross-town Mets, and that seems to have just that right mix of rookie, veteran and odd ball.
Strengths: History and, well, history. Don't give me that look, it's not as grasping as you think it is. The Yankees are 26 time World Champions, we all know that, and they've got nearly 40 AL pennants. The Yankees KNOW the playoffs, they've been there. They know clutch pitching and clutch hitting, how it's the little things--like leaving Pedro in--that win games just as much as Boone's home run.
Weaknesses: Bullpen outside of Joba Chamberlain and Mo Rivera. You guys are all Yankees fans, right? Do I really have to explain this?
Anyway, my predictions, which should at best be taken with a grain of salt:
Boston defeats LAA in five
NYY defeats Cleveland in four
I'll do the NL tomorrow, I have a feeling that this Rockies/Padres game might not be over for a while...
Anyway, here's what you need to know about the 2007 AL Playoff Teams, keeping in mind that I don't know any team as well as the Yankees:
Anaheim Angels: This is a team that just gets to you. They don't do it with the long ball, they don't have the best pitching staff ever assembled...they just get it done. They do all the little things, on offense and defense. That Boston picked the longer series, meaning that the Angels only need three starters, plays decisively in the Angels favor.
Strengths: Speed and small ball. The Angels, with the exception of Vladimir Guerrero, don't have real home run hitters; instead they get it done with small ball. Chone Figgins and Gary Matthews, Jr. can probably out small ball every other team in the major leagues combined. If Chone Figgins is kept off base or Matthews comes up with the bases empty, other teams should be able to breathe a little easier...
Weaknesses: Lack of power and health. Small ball can kill you, yes, but sometimes--like in the bottom of the ninth, with two out, you need the big blow. The Angels lack the big home run bat, except for Guerrero, but this brings up another issue: the Angels are banged up. Of all the AL playoff teams, they have the most serious question marks in terms of who can play and who can't. I haven't heard of anyone on the Angels sporting TOUGH ALL DAY shirts, but maybe they'll surprise us all.
Boston Red Sox: I admit, it's hard to be objective about your most-despised rival, but here goes nothing...Boston's going to be hard to beat for anyone, but get them outside of Fenway and you stand a reasonable chance. Their line up simply doesn't produce as much if Manny Ramirez isn't hitting directly behind David Ortiz, and their pitching is questionable after Josh Beckett--Daisuke Matsuzaka and Curt Schilling have not looked like aces of late. Their bullpen can be unhittable or implosive, and you're never quite sure what you're going to get.
Strengths: Fenway Park and clutch hitting. Say what you will, but in the ninth inning, David Ortiz is downright scary. Any team playing in Fenway and leading by two runs or less in the ninth inning with David Ortiz due up second, third or fourth will have a tough time. The Red Sox need just to take one game on the road from the Angels, and come back to Fenway to have a favorable chance of making it to the ALCS.
Weaknesses: Pitching. It's presumptive, I know, but the fact is, outside of Josh Beckett, the Red Sox staff has been mediocre of late. With Clay Buchholz shut down, the Red Sox lose a clear 'X factor' pitcher, both as a starter and out of the bullpen. Okajima's arm has been tired; the Red Sox can only hope he's got a little gas left in the tank.
Cleveland Indians: Of all the AL playoff contenders, the Indians are probably the team that will be considered the least likely to advance to the World Series, and that itself makes them more dangerous. Who would have picked St. Louis to win the World Series last year?
Strengths: 1-2 Punch, power. C.C. Sabathia and Fausto Carmona are dangerous. Even if Westbrook/Byrd/et. al can't get it done, Sabathia and Carmona are good enough for three wins, four wins and four wins. Most of their bullpen's not half-bad, either. Oh, and this team can hit a bit, as well.
Weaknesses: Borowski and youth. Cleveland's got a closer that sports an ERA over 5.00. Not exactly the guy you want up there in the ninth inning in a close game. Cleveland's youth could also work against them--not many on the team have playoff experience, and this is likely to be a growing experience as much as a playoff one.
New York Yankees: I won't pretend to be unbiased, because we all know I'm not, but again, here goes! The Yankees are scary in the playoffs. This isn't the team of 02-06, this is a team that seems to enjoy playing baseball, that put together a comeback of a historical scale that almost rivals the collapse of the cross-town Mets, and that seems to have just that right mix of rookie, veteran and odd ball.
Strengths: History and, well, history. Don't give me that look, it's not as grasping as you think it is. The Yankees are 26 time World Champions, we all know that, and they've got nearly 40 AL pennants. The Yankees KNOW the playoffs, they've been there. They know clutch pitching and clutch hitting, how it's the little things--like leaving Pedro in--that win games just as much as Boone's home run.
Weaknesses: Bullpen outside of Joba Chamberlain and Mo Rivera. You guys are all Yankees fans, right? Do I really have to explain this?
Anyway, my predictions, which should at best be taken with a grain of salt:
Boston defeats LAA in five
NYY defeats Cleveland in four
I'll do the NL tomorrow, I have a feeling that this Rockies/Padres game might not be over for a while...
Sunday, September 30, 2007
It Ain't Over Til It's Over, but Dude, it just ended...(Notes 30 Sept 2007)
It's over, but it's just beginning.
That's the best way to put it.
Nice that it is to go out on top...
Everything the Yankees did from April until today gets put on a back burner. It doesn't matter now that the Yankees came back from ten games out of a playoff spot, or that Alex Rodriguez hit 54 home runs, or that Posada had the best year for a 36-year-old catcher, ever.
What matters is what the Yankees do between now and November 1st. At the very least, unlike that other New York team, we'll have a chance to play...
I'll do some playoff preview mumbo jumbo later, but I am exhausted; I didn't sleep at all last night, and spent most of today in the sun.
So, I'd like to say thank you to everyone that looked at my video from before, and here are some pictures from what I did today:
The Jets made it exciting at the end, but the offensive coordinator doesn't seem to grasp the concept that Chad Pennington can't throw downfield...
They actually updated the Mets/Phillies score at the game, I enjoyed that...and how the hell did Arizona beat Pittsburgh? On the 'what-the-hell-did-they-drink' list, that's on the top, even over Colorado/Oklahoma and Florida/Auburn.
Catch you all tomorrow...
That's the best way to put it.
Nice that it is to go out on top...
Everything the Yankees did from April until today gets put on a back burner. It doesn't matter now that the Yankees came back from ten games out of a playoff spot, or that Alex Rodriguez hit 54 home runs, or that Posada had the best year for a 36-year-old catcher, ever.
What matters is what the Yankees do between now and November 1st. At the very least, unlike that other New York team, we'll have a chance to play...
I'll do some playoff preview mumbo jumbo later, but I am exhausted; I didn't sleep at all last night, and spent most of today in the sun.
So, I'd like to say thank you to everyone that looked at my video from before, and here are some pictures from what I did today:
The Jets made it exciting at the end, but the offensive coordinator doesn't seem to grasp the concept that Chad Pennington can't throw downfield...
They actually updated the Mets/Phillies score at the game, I enjoyed that...and how the hell did Arizona beat Pittsburgh? On the 'what-the-hell-did-they-drink' list, that's on the top, even over Colorado/Oklahoma and Florida/Auburn.
Catch you all tomorrow...
Friday, September 28, 2007
O Blow (Postgame Notes 28 Sept 2007)
Oh Mo!
The game doesn't matter much; it's not like the Yankees will be going home on September 30, but when it's Mo, you ache.
When you've got a signed picture of Mo hanging in your home bedroom above your computer, you ache.
When you know he's going to the Hall of Fame, first ballot, you ache.
When you decided way back in April 1999 that Mo was your favorite on the Yankees, you ache.
Well, might as well start from the beginning.
It started well enough, the Yankees had a 7-2 lead at one point, but Mussina hit a wall in the fifth, allowing four consecutive hits and allowing the Orioles to close within 7-6.
Johnny Damon hit a MAMMOTH Home Run (and the one A-Rod hit wasn't half bad, either), but, simply put, Mo was off tonight.
Ohlendorf, Farnsworth and Vizcaino all got the job done, but Mo had problems with location, and, well, hitting a guy usually doesn't help, either.
Yanks had a big chance to come back in the top of the tenth, but when Molina fouled out with the bases loaded and one out, well, the game kind of swung in Baltimore's favor--Jason Giambi has not played well of late.
Still, Johnny Damon, Bobby Abreu and Alex Rodriguez had great games, Robbie Cano had a great play, and some of the question marks in the bullpen did their job, and you really do have to give Baltimore credit for going with the bunt in the 10th.
They were saying on TV that the Yankees dropped back in the infield, as they needed just one out, and wouldn't you know it, but the announcer jinx strikes again!
However, the biggest baseball news of the day has nothing to do with what happened in the Yankees game, but elsewhere.
The Phillies won and the Mets lost, so the NL East now looks something like:
Phillies
Mets
Atlanta
yadda
yadda.
The Mets had been in first place since May, and, umm, now they can't even get to the postseason without some help from the Washington Nationals.
Sure, the Yankees choked in 2004, but any team can win three and then lose four--Yanks just picked a really bad time to do it. However, blowing a seven game lead with 17 to play? That's just flat out bad.
The Brewers eliminated themselves tonight. I am aghast that they started Chris Capuano--is not baseball the most superstitious sport? Don't you, like, not start a guy that's 0-17 in his last 21 starts (or something like that)? Especially against a team like the Padres?
As much as I love Ryan Braun, the Brew Crew did themselves in...
...With that, congratulations need to go to the Chicago Cubs, winning the NL Central. Well done! The Cubs in the World Series would be a purist's dream, but a Cubs/Yankees World Series would involve a lot of guilt. How do you not root for the Cubs? How do you not root for the Yankees when you're a die-hard Yankee fan? See the dilemma?
Arizona also clinched a playoff spot. Oh, how I'd love to see them get swept in the World Series by the Yankees...
So, right now, the playoff picture looks like this:
AL East: Boston
AL Central: Indians
AL West: Angels
AL Wildcard: Yankees (Is it me or is it fitting that the one non-division winner is the one whose team colors do not involve red?)
NL East: TBD
NL Central: Cubs
NL West: Either Arizona or San Diego
NL Wild Card: Either Arizona, San Diego, Phillies or Rockies
Crazy weekend, no? Oh, and USF is beating #5 West Virginia....
The game doesn't matter much; it's not like the Yankees will be going home on September 30, but when it's Mo, you ache.
When you've got a signed picture of Mo hanging in your home bedroom above your computer, you ache.
When you know he's going to the Hall of Fame, first ballot, you ache.
When you decided way back in April 1999 that Mo was your favorite on the Yankees, you ache.
Well, might as well start from the beginning.
It started well enough, the Yankees had a 7-2 lead at one point, but Mussina hit a wall in the fifth, allowing four consecutive hits and allowing the Orioles to close within 7-6.
Johnny Damon hit a MAMMOTH Home Run (and the one A-Rod hit wasn't half bad, either), but, simply put, Mo was off tonight.
Ohlendorf, Farnsworth and Vizcaino all got the job done, but Mo had problems with location, and, well, hitting a guy usually doesn't help, either.
Yanks had a big chance to come back in the top of the tenth, but when Molina fouled out with the bases loaded and one out, well, the game kind of swung in Baltimore's favor--Jason Giambi has not played well of late.
Still, Johnny Damon, Bobby Abreu and Alex Rodriguez had great games, Robbie Cano had a great play, and some of the question marks in the bullpen did their job, and you really do have to give Baltimore credit for going with the bunt in the 10th.
They were saying on TV that the Yankees dropped back in the infield, as they needed just one out, and wouldn't you know it, but the announcer jinx strikes again!
However, the biggest baseball news of the day has nothing to do with what happened in the Yankees game, but elsewhere.
The Phillies won and the Mets lost, so the NL East now looks something like:
Phillies
Mets
Atlanta
yadda
yadda.
The Mets had been in first place since May, and, umm, now they can't even get to the postseason without some help from the Washington Nationals.
Sure, the Yankees choked in 2004, but any team can win three and then lose four--Yanks just picked a really bad time to do it. However, blowing a seven game lead with 17 to play? That's just flat out bad.
The Brewers eliminated themselves tonight. I am aghast that they started Chris Capuano--is not baseball the most superstitious sport? Don't you, like, not start a guy that's 0-17 in his last 21 starts (or something like that)? Especially against a team like the Padres?
As much as I love Ryan Braun, the Brew Crew did themselves in...
...With that, congratulations need to go to the Chicago Cubs, winning the NL Central. Well done! The Cubs in the World Series would be a purist's dream, but a Cubs/Yankees World Series would involve a lot of guilt. How do you not root for the Cubs? How do you not root for the Yankees when you're a die-hard Yankee fan? See the dilemma?
Arizona also clinched a playoff spot. Oh, how I'd love to see them get swept in the World Series by the Yankees...
So, right now, the playoff picture looks like this:
AL East: Boston
AL Central: Indians
AL West: Angels
AL Wildcard: Yankees (Is it me or is it fitting that the one non-division winner is the one whose team colors do not involve red?)
NL East: TBD
NL Central: Cubs
NL West: Either Arizona or San Diego
NL Wild Card: Either Arizona, San Diego, Phillies or Rockies
Crazy weekend, no? Oh, and USF is beating #5 West Virginia....
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Wild N' Crazy Kids (Postgame Notes 26 Sept 2007)
We're in.
I know, you're not supposed to end sentences with a preposition, but on a night like this, grammar be damned!
As he caught the final out, the smile on Robinson Cano's face said all that needs being said.
Given up for dead back in May, the Yankees are headed to their thirteenth straight October, and they certainly deserve that champagne sitting in the clubhouse!
The young players especially will probably enjoy this most, so it's fitting that it was a young player--Robinson Cano--who had an amazing game, with five RBIs, including a three-run home run.
Chien Ming Wang did not have his best game, but given that he usually struggles on turf, the fact that he gave up just one run in six innings is impressive, and a good sign for the postseason (where he won't have to pitch on turf). Oh, and in case you missed it, he now has 19 wins. He's probably not going to get the Cy Young, but 19 wins is pretty freaking awesome.
Joba was Joba--even when he makes a bad pitch, he gets great help from defense, such as the catch Melky made against the wall. The catch, coincidentally, instantly redeemed Melky from the two outs he made in the same inning back in the fifth.
Vizcaino had a very shaky inning; I expect that tomorrow, after the Yankees are done celebrating, they'll be doing some serious work trying to get him ready for October.
Oh, did anyone catch that clip of Mo working to help out K-Ram? When he retires (which, hopefully, is no time in the near future), he'll make a great pitching close. If you're going to learn, might as well be from the Greatest That Ever Lived.
Oh, and he pitched pretty well tonight, too!
The Yankees' offense seems to have put a trademark on the 'big 6+ run inning' this year, so of course they had one of those tonight. Everyone but A-Rod and Melky had hits, and after the fifth, you knew that the Yankees weren't going to blow this one.
I could go into detail about Robbie's great night or Jeter being a triple from the cycle or Damon having a three-hit night, or the Mient man going 3-4 and whatnot...but celebrating is just that much more fun.
I'm watching the postgame show now, and seeing Joe Torre tear gets to me--he's almost always so stoical, you know he's enjoying this. You know this one means a LOT to him. If the Yankees do manage to win the World Series, it wouldn't surprise me if he thought it was the best one...
I also have to say that watching Mo and Torre getting doused in champagne was hysterical.
If they're this excited now, imagine what it will be like --if-- when they win the World Series?
On May 29th there weren't many of us (if any at all) that thought the Yankees would be doing this tonight.
2007 will be a baseball season you'll tell your kids and your grandkids about, so enjoy it.
SCORES AND STUFFS
Boston beat Oakland 11-4, but strangely enough you get the feeling that no one really cares anymore.
Toronto beat Baltimore 8-5, scoring all of their runs in the first. No, that's not a typo.
Detroit beat Minnesota 9-4, but again, it doesn't matter.
The Indians beat Seattle 12-4 in the first game of a double-header; the Indians are not going to be the pushover in October that they were during the season.
White Sox beat the Royals 3-0. They actually discovered a new baseball concept today: pitching. Too bad they didn't discover it back in, I don't know, April?
Texas ripped on the Angels, 16-2. The Rangers were all disappointed they couldn't score 30.
Cleveland is up 1-0 on Seattle in the second game of the double header.
Philadelphia beat Atlanta and the Mets lost to Washington, so the Mets lead in the NL East is down to ONE game. This means there is a distinct possibility that only one NY team makes the postseason, and that that team is the Yankees...
Florida beat the Cubs, and Milwaukee is losing to St. Louis, so there probably won't be too much change to the NL Central standings.
Houston beat Cincinnati, and Pittsburgh beat Arizona. Arizona finishes up against San Diego, pay attention to that one, it could be interesting.
Rounding out, San Diego and Colorado are both currently winning.
I know, you're not supposed to end sentences with a preposition, but on a night like this, grammar be damned!
As he caught the final out, the smile on Robinson Cano's face said all that needs being said.
Given up for dead back in May, the Yankees are headed to their thirteenth straight October, and they certainly deserve that champagne sitting in the clubhouse!
The young players especially will probably enjoy this most, so it's fitting that it was a young player--Robinson Cano--who had an amazing game, with five RBIs, including a three-run home run.
Chien Ming Wang did not have his best game, but given that he usually struggles on turf, the fact that he gave up just one run in six innings is impressive, and a good sign for the postseason (where he won't have to pitch on turf). Oh, and in case you missed it, he now has 19 wins. He's probably not going to get the Cy Young, but 19 wins is pretty freaking awesome.
Joba was Joba--even when he makes a bad pitch, he gets great help from defense, such as the catch Melky made against the wall. The catch, coincidentally, instantly redeemed Melky from the two outs he made in the same inning back in the fifth.
Vizcaino had a very shaky inning; I expect that tomorrow, after the Yankees are done celebrating, they'll be doing some serious work trying to get him ready for October.
Oh, did anyone catch that clip of Mo working to help out K-Ram? When he retires (which, hopefully, is no time in the near future), he'll make a great pitching close. If you're going to learn, might as well be from the Greatest That Ever Lived.
Oh, and he pitched pretty well tonight, too!
The Yankees' offense seems to have put a trademark on the 'big 6+ run inning' this year, so of course they had one of those tonight. Everyone but A-Rod and Melky had hits, and after the fifth, you knew that the Yankees weren't going to blow this one.
I could go into detail about Robbie's great night or Jeter being a triple from the cycle or Damon having a three-hit night, or the Mient man going 3-4 and whatnot...but celebrating is just that much more fun.
I'm watching the postgame show now, and seeing Joe Torre tear gets to me--he's almost always so stoical, you know he's enjoying this. You know this one means a LOT to him. If the Yankees do manage to win the World Series, it wouldn't surprise me if he thought it was the best one...
I also have to say that watching Mo and Torre getting doused in champagne was hysterical.
If they're this excited now, imagine what it will be like --if-- when they win the World Series?
On May 29th there weren't many of us (if any at all) that thought the Yankees would be doing this tonight.
2007 will be a baseball season you'll tell your kids and your grandkids about, so enjoy it.
SCORES AND STUFFS
Boston beat Oakland 11-4, but strangely enough you get the feeling that no one really cares anymore.
Toronto beat Baltimore 8-5, scoring all of their runs in the first. No, that's not a typo.
Detroit beat Minnesota 9-4, but again, it doesn't matter.
The Indians beat Seattle 12-4 in the first game of a double-header; the Indians are not going to be the pushover in October that they were during the season.
White Sox beat the Royals 3-0. They actually discovered a new baseball concept today: pitching. Too bad they didn't discover it back in, I don't know, April?
Texas ripped on the Angels, 16-2. The Rangers were all disappointed they couldn't score 30.
Cleveland is up 1-0 on Seattle in the second game of the double header.
Philadelphia beat Atlanta and the Mets lost to Washington, so the Mets lead in the NL East is down to ONE game. This means there is a distinct possibility that only one NY team makes the postseason, and that that team is the Yankees...
Florida beat the Cubs, and Milwaukee is losing to St. Louis, so there probably won't be too much change to the NL Central standings.
Houston beat Cincinnati, and Pittsburgh beat Arizona. Arizona finishes up against San Diego, pay attention to that one, it could be interesting.
Rounding out, San Diego and Colorado are both currently winning.
Pregame Notes 26 September 2007
This seems more fitting: Yankees' pitcher leading in wins, Chien Ming Wang, is on the mound tonight in an attempt to clinch a 12th consecutive postseason berth, dating all the way back from 1995.
Wang has been the Yankees' best starter; sure, he's had a couple of poor outings, but everyone does, and no one else even comes close to his 18 wins. Just imagine if he had pitched in April!
The good news for Yankees' fans? It's not likely Torre will hold postseason bullpen try outs two nights in a row.
At least, this is what we hope!
It's not likely the Yankees want to wait another day to clinch. They want to get this done tonight. Anyway, you can't keep champagne on ice forever...
Yankees' bats had an okay night last night; hopefully they'll do the whole scoring-with-runners-in-scoring position today, and hopefully Torre will not take Wang out of the game in the fifth inning if the Yanks have a 5-0 lead!
Oh, and if you all take a look over at the poll (Wow, over fifty votes! I am impressed!), I'm sure most of you will be happy to know that we are likely going to play the Indians in the postseason, barring the Yanks going 5-0 and Boston 0-5. Before you pop the champagne corks, though, remember, the Yanks haven't faced Sabathia this year...though, at most, Sabathia can only start two games, so in the end, it should be all right.
Let's clinch this thing tonight!
Wang has been the Yankees' best starter; sure, he's had a couple of poor outings, but everyone does, and no one else even comes close to his 18 wins. Just imagine if he had pitched in April!
The good news for Yankees' fans? It's not likely Torre will hold postseason bullpen try outs two nights in a row.
At least, this is what we hope!
It's not likely the Yankees want to wait another day to clinch. They want to get this done tonight. Anyway, you can't keep champagne on ice forever...
Yankees' bats had an okay night last night; hopefully they'll do the whole scoring-with-runners-in-scoring position today, and hopefully Torre will not take Wang out of the game in the fifth inning if the Yanks have a 5-0 lead!
Oh, and if you all take a look over at the poll (Wow, over fifty votes! I am impressed!), I'm sure most of you will be happy to know that we are likely going to play the Indians in the postseason, barring the Yanks going 5-0 and Boston 0-5. Before you pop the champagne corks, though, remember, the Yanks haven't faced Sabathia this year...though, at most, Sabathia can only start two games, so in the end, it should be all right.
Let's clinch this thing tonight!
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Blow-pen (Postgame notes 25 Sept 07)
The score is one that would seem fitting for an Igawa game, but the cruel irony is that it wasn't Igawa that gave up any of those runs.
In fact, Igawa pitched...what's the word for it...all right. Sure, he walked a few too many for comfort, but his five innings were shut out innings and at the beginning of the sixth, the Yankees had a very comfortable 5-0 lead.
I had to go do an interview for a class assignment, so I missed part of the game. When I left my apartment, the Yankees lead 5-0, and I was in a great mood. Sure, I'd had an absolutely horrible morning, and it's 90 degrees outside in Syracuse in the end of September...but the Yankees clinching would make it all better...
...When I came back an hour later, I fast forwarded my DVR, and, as the horror that was the Yankees' bullpen tonight unfolded before my eyes, I tried so hard to press the rewind.
Maybe I was fast asleep. Maybe it was the hookah in that house I visited--me inhaling without knowing it and this is all a bad dream...but I pinch myself, and no, it's not.
Lost in all of this, a game which makes me want to break something really, really horribly, is the grand slam by Alex Rodriguez and Johnny Damon's 5-for-5 night.
I'm trying to be the optimist, and there certainly are good things to consider:
Igawa had five shut out innings (again, irony is the spice of life)
Farnsworth had 1-2-3 and actually pitched on back-to-back days
A-Rod finally hit another home run, and there were three men on base.
Damon went 5-5
However, there is no excuse for the bullpen tonight--and it's not all the 'pen's fault, either. The second Bruney walked in a run, someone else should have been brought in, but hindsight is 20/20...
Now, barring a miracle, we will not win the AL East. Stranger things, of course, have happened, but it's not something I want to contemplate, not when we were yesterday morning 1.5 back...
Anyway.
It's 81 outside and about 20 degrees warmer inside my air-conditioning-less apartment. I've got my fan on, but it's not doing much good.
There are thunderstorms coming my way, will probably be here in the 3 AM-5 AM part of the morning. I have a phobia of even mild thunderstorms and these look kind of bad.
I still have much of my geography paper to write.
You'll forgive me for not posting scores tonight--I'm sure you all know the important ones, anyway. If you're curious, Boston and Detroit won, Seattle's losing, Atlanta beat Philadelphia and the Mets almost staged an improbable comeback, losing 10-9 to Washington.
Here's to 26 September. I won't say tomorrow, because tomorrow never comes, so here's to 26 September and the Yankees clinching this the fun way, with a win.
Preferably in nine innings, by a margin of three or four runs.
In fact, Igawa pitched...what's the word for it...all right. Sure, he walked a few too many for comfort, but his five innings were shut out innings and at the beginning of the sixth, the Yankees had a very comfortable 5-0 lead.
I had to go do an interview for a class assignment, so I missed part of the game. When I left my apartment, the Yankees lead 5-0, and I was in a great mood. Sure, I'd had an absolutely horrible morning, and it's 90 degrees outside in Syracuse in the end of September...but the Yankees clinching would make it all better...
...When I came back an hour later, I fast forwarded my DVR, and, as the horror that was the Yankees' bullpen tonight unfolded before my eyes, I tried so hard to press the rewind.
Maybe I was fast asleep. Maybe it was the hookah in that house I visited--me inhaling without knowing it and this is all a bad dream...but I pinch myself, and no, it's not.
Lost in all of this, a game which makes me want to break something really, really horribly, is the grand slam by Alex Rodriguez and Johnny Damon's 5-for-5 night.
I'm trying to be the optimist, and there certainly are good things to consider:
Igawa had five shut out innings (again, irony is the spice of life)
Farnsworth had 1-2-3 and actually pitched on back-to-back days
A-Rod finally hit another home run, and there were three men on base.
Damon went 5-5
However, there is no excuse for the bullpen tonight--and it's not all the 'pen's fault, either. The second Bruney walked in a run, someone else should have been brought in, but hindsight is 20/20...
Now, barring a miracle, we will not win the AL East. Stranger things, of course, have happened, but it's not something I want to contemplate, not when we were yesterday morning 1.5 back...
Anyway.
It's 81 outside and about 20 degrees warmer inside my air-conditioning-less apartment. I've got my fan on, but it's not doing much good.
There are thunderstorms coming my way, will probably be here in the 3 AM-5 AM part of the morning. I have a phobia of even mild thunderstorms and these look kind of bad.
I still have much of my geography paper to write.
You'll forgive me for not posting scores tonight--I'm sure you all know the important ones, anyway. If you're curious, Boston and Detroit won, Seattle's losing, Atlanta beat Philadelphia and the Mets almost staged an improbable comeback, losing 10-9 to Washington.
Here's to 26 September. I won't say tomorrow, because tomorrow never comes, so here's to 26 September and the Yankees clinching this the fun way, with a win.
Preferably in nine innings, by a margin of three or four runs.
Monday, September 24, 2007
And One for the Road...
Simply put,
Detroit's 2-0 loss to Minnesota tonight means that the Yankees' magic number is down to ONE.
Unless the Yankees fail to win another game and Detroit fails to lose another game, the Yankees are in the playoffs.
Who would have thought it?
Even a month ago, it seemed like it'd be a challenge at best, and here we are, with a chance to clinch before any National League team even wins a division.
The Yankees also had their rookie hazing today; you've probably seen the pictures of Phil, Joba, Shelley, Ian and company dressed up in Wizard of Oz gear. If nothing else, we can now know the Yankees to be cohesive, creative and well versed in classic movies!
It's been an amazing ride, so far, this season...
The Yankees, like the Spartans, never gave up, never surrendered. There's one small difference though; the Yankees have one thing the Spartans at Thermopylae never did:
Hope.
Here's to clinching a playoff spot in the next 24 hours.
Detroit's 2-0 loss to Minnesota tonight means that the Yankees' magic number is down to ONE.
Unless the Yankees fail to win another game and Detroit fails to lose another game, the Yankees are in the playoffs.
Who would have thought it?
Even a month ago, it seemed like it'd be a challenge at best, and here we are, with a chance to clinch before any National League team even wins a division.
The Yankees also had their rookie hazing today; you've probably seen the pictures of Phil, Joba, Shelley, Ian and company dressed up in Wizard of Oz gear. If nothing else, we can now know the Yankees to be cohesive, creative and well versed in classic movies!
It's been an amazing ride, so far, this season...
The Yankees, like the Spartans, never gave up, never surrendered. There's one small difference though; the Yankees have one thing the Spartans at Thermopylae never did:
Hope.
Here's to clinching a playoff spot in the next 24 hours.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
One Hell of a Finish
Sometime back in late July or early August, I said it was going to be one hell of a finish.
Looks like I was right.
We got to four games back a couple of times back in August, but couldn't break through that barrier, so when going into last weekend's series at Boston, it felt like we'd have to sweep to have a chance at winning the division.
Apparently, this isn't the case. The AL East has gone from the most 'over' division now to one of the closest.
It has the feeling of one of those seasons where everything will be decided on September 30.
Coincidentally, that's the football game my friend and I got tickets for...go timing!
Anyway.
It's kind of funny--everyone considered the AL East was out of reach. Even Brian Cashman had said "we just need to get in"...but you can't help but feel that people in Boston are getting very anxious.
However, when I said 'one hell of a finish', I wasn't just talking about the Yankees...
At the time, Seattle and Detroit were in the division mixes, and while this is no longer the case, they certainly made things very interesting for a while.
In the National League, well, this is where it's just as good:
The Mets, who have been in first place since May, have seen their division lead whittled away to 1.5 games. Yeah. 1.5. Should the Phillies make the playoffs--and if the Mets and Phillies keep playing the same way, they will--Charlie Manuel deserves votes for manager of the year. You would have thought that with the injury to Chase Utley, they'd be done, but then they go and sweep the Mets...
The NL Central, otherwise known as The Division No One Wants To Win, is a virtual deadlock between the Cubs and the Brewers, and, for a while, the Cardinals as well. It's horrible that the Brewers and Cubs don't have any more games together, but at the beginning of the season, did anyone have them finishing 1-2 in the division? Thought not.
The NL West as well is going to come down to the wire between San Diego and Arizona. Personally, I'm rooting for Arizona.
There's some payback from 2001 that needs doing.
The most satisfying scenario for the Yankees here on out?
Beating the Angels, ALDS.
Beating the Sox (preferably less than 7) in the ALCS.
Beating Arizona ALCS.
That's payback for 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, all wrapped up in one October...
Looks like I was right.
We got to four games back a couple of times back in August, but couldn't break through that barrier, so when going into last weekend's series at Boston, it felt like we'd have to sweep to have a chance at winning the division.
Apparently, this isn't the case. The AL East has gone from the most 'over' division now to one of the closest.
It has the feeling of one of those seasons where everything will be decided on September 30.
Coincidentally, that's the football game my friend and I got tickets for...go timing!
Anyway.
It's kind of funny--everyone considered the AL East was out of reach. Even Brian Cashman had said "we just need to get in"...but you can't help but feel that people in Boston are getting very anxious.
However, when I said 'one hell of a finish', I wasn't just talking about the Yankees...
At the time, Seattle and Detroit were in the division mixes, and while this is no longer the case, they certainly made things very interesting for a while.
In the National League, well, this is where it's just as good:
The Mets, who have been in first place since May, have seen their division lead whittled away to 1.5 games. Yeah. 1.5. Should the Phillies make the playoffs--and if the Mets and Phillies keep playing the same way, they will--Charlie Manuel deserves votes for manager of the year. You would have thought that with the injury to Chase Utley, they'd be done, but then they go and sweep the Mets...
The NL Central, otherwise known as The Division No One Wants To Win, is a virtual deadlock between the Cubs and the Brewers, and, for a while, the Cardinals as well. It's horrible that the Brewers and Cubs don't have any more games together, but at the beginning of the season, did anyone have them finishing 1-2 in the division? Thought not.
The NL West as well is going to come down to the wire between San Diego and Arizona. Personally, I'm rooting for Arizona.
There's some payback from 2001 that needs doing.
The most satisfying scenario for the Yankees here on out?
Beating the Angels, ALDS.
Beating the Sox (preferably less than 7) in the ALCS.
Beating Arizona ALCS.
That's payback for 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, all wrapped up in one October...
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Best of Times, Worst of Times?
Wow, I am 1-0 on my football picks already!
Okay.
This week? Crucial. Critical. Essential. This week will decide the playoffs in the American league.
Consider:
The Angels play the Indians, and they're going for second-best record in the American League.
The Tigers play the Mariners. Unless one sweeps the other, all the Yankees have to do is win their series with KC to run away with the Wild Card. However, there's no reason the Yankees shouldn't play to sweep the Royals...won't be easy, especially on the road, but there is urgency here.
The Yankees play the Red Sox. Do I really have to explain this one?
While it's far from certain to know for sure who will make the playoffs, you can make some pretty good guesses (in the AL, anyway). The only surprise team is probably the Indians, but even then, they're not that surprising.
It'll take a collapse for the Yankees to either get the division or, at this point, not get the Wild Card.
Not getting the division? Wouldn't be a lot of fun, but that the Yankees make the playoffs at all after April and May should be accomplishment enough.
Remember, you just have to get in.
If the Yankees pick one week to show up this month, it better be this one.
****
On another note: The Yankees went 6-3 on their homestand, but I'm guessing it sure as hell didn't feel like it.
It's one of those things.
The Yankees bookend the stand--winning their series with Boston and Seattle, but because they lost in the middle, to a team they should have swept, it's hard to be positive about that.
Six and three is more than respectable, however, especially when a sweep of Boston is thrown into the mix. Remember, at the start of that series we were eight back, and now we're 6.5 back, which, while not fun, means we did not completely negate the sweep.
If we can go 6-3 over every nine games, we'll be in some great shape.
Dunno about you, but I can't wait to see what Kennedy can do on the road...
Okay.
This week? Crucial. Critical. Essential. This week will decide the playoffs in the American league.
Consider:
The Angels play the Indians, and they're going for second-best record in the American League.
The Tigers play the Mariners. Unless one sweeps the other, all the Yankees have to do is win their series with KC to run away with the Wild Card. However, there's no reason the Yankees shouldn't play to sweep the Royals...won't be easy, especially on the road, but there is urgency here.
The Yankees play the Red Sox. Do I really have to explain this one?
While it's far from certain to know for sure who will make the playoffs, you can make some pretty good guesses (in the AL, anyway). The only surprise team is probably the Indians, but even then, they're not that surprising.
It'll take a collapse for the Yankees to either get the division or, at this point, not get the Wild Card.
Not getting the division? Wouldn't be a lot of fun, but that the Yankees make the playoffs at all after April and May should be accomplishment enough.
Remember, you just have to get in.
If the Yankees pick one week to show up this month, it better be this one.
****
On another note: The Yankees went 6-3 on their homestand, but I'm guessing it sure as hell didn't feel like it.
It's one of those things.
The Yankees bookend the stand--winning their series with Boston and Seattle, but because they lost in the middle, to a team they should have swept, it's hard to be positive about that.
Six and three is more than respectable, however, especially when a sweep of Boston is thrown into the mix. Remember, at the start of that series we were eight back, and now we're 6.5 back, which, while not fun, means we did not completely negate the sweep.
If we can go 6-3 over every nine games, we'll be in some great shape.
Dunno about you, but I can't wait to see what Kennedy can do on the road...
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