Technically, didn’t the Phillies ruin it before the Eagles game even started?
Bit of a difference between the Eagles losing with five starters injured (kind of expected), and the Phillies getting to the playoffs on the very last game of the season, and for the first time since 1993. I can see how one would be more newsworthy than the other…
Oh, I fully understand why they were doing it, and given a choice of the two topics, it’s really a no-brainer. Still cheeses me off, though.
Oh, come on, Hal, admit it! Your real, underlying unhappiness has to do with the Rams being 0 - 4… 
It’s spelled “Beckett”, but it’s pronounced “stud”.
Wow, was he ridiculous tonight.
Agreed on both counts.
That’s 15 out of 16, actually.
They’re winning so many, we’re losing count.
Well, we saw in 2006 how well September form predicts October success.
St. Louis Cardinals, September 1 - October 1, 2006*
12-17 (0.414)
132 R
234 H
.240 AVG
.313 OBP
.419 SLG
Postseason: 11-5, won World Series.
Of course, that’s just one team and one season. I actually started a thread last week about how well (or not) September performances predict playoff performances.
Actually, MLB does keep OPS. If you go to Lamar Mundane’s link, and then click the link at the top-right that says Next Stats, the following page shows you OPS.
The Phillies were 5th in the NL in OPS in September.
I originally didn’t think the Rockies would have a chance, but they got very hot at exactly the right time. I think they’ll go a lot further than most here are predicting. They’re an immensely talented but very young team, so I don’t see them winning it all. But, I see them giving the Diamondbacks one hell of an NLCS with Arizona getting to the WS. Philadelphia strikes me as being very weak offensively if streaky hitters like Utley and Howard go into a slump, and if yesterday’s an indication, they’re heading into a bad one. I think Philly’s going to get swept by the Rockies. The Cubs limped into the playoffs and they won’t handle the Diamondbacks, and the Diamondbacks won’t beat the Rockies.
For the AL, I see Cleveland surprising New York. They’re also hot at the right time and New York seemed lukewarm heading into the playoffs, and let’s face it, the only pitcher who’s been somewhat consistent all year is Wang. With Mussina, Pettitte, and Clemens, unlike times past, it’s really hit or miss with them. This year, they’ve each been shelled more often than ever in their careers and frankly, had very marginal seasons. I see Boston vs. Cleveland in a great ALCS. Boston advancing and winning the WS. They’ve got it all this year.
Boston vs. Rockies; Boston in 6.
About Fox…
I hate, hate, hate watching games on Fox. There are so many stupid distractions: the excessive graphics, Scooter, the Jeter-smooching, the Torre-blowing, the insatiable need to throw in a commercial when they can (“The manager’s coming out to check on the pitcher, we’ll be right back!”) and invariably missing the next pitch… I could go on and on. Fox is also so blatantly in your face about selling baseball to non-baseball fans and maximizing the profits of their advertisers.*
And god are Buck and McCarver painful to listen to:
McCarver: “You know what makes Torre a great manager? It’s that great nose. Heh, I remember a time when I was getting a lesson from my mentor, the great Casey Stengel, and he said, ‘It’s all in the nose, Tim’. Boy, what a great guy. A true ambassador to the game of baseball, just like the captain, Derek Jeter. Let’s take a look at Jeter’s career highlights. NO ONE is more passionate about baseball. A true craftsman.” Cue to Jeter standing at first base in the bottom of the 7th when his team was down 10-2 in game 7 of the 2004 ALCS clapping his hands and yelling “Come on!” in the direction of the Yankees dugout. “What a great leader. He’s got the eyebrows of a true field general, Joe. Look at them things. No one has eyebrows like Derek Jeter.” **
Buck, excited: “Agreed. And here’s Alex Rodriguez, who, some say, is the best player in major league history. DEEP DRIVE TO LEFT FIELD. THAT IS, ARGUABLY, THE LONGEST HOME RUN I’VE EVER SEEN. One could see it as 1-0 YANKEES.” Yeah, I over-did the non-committal, but clearly suggestive, broadcasting style, but you get the picture.
Conversely…
Buck, monotone, depressed: “A home run by David Ortiz. The Red Sox win the ALCS and they’re advancing to the World Series.” [SIZE=2]Sigh. “Maybe next year Yankees.”
[/SIZE]
McCarver: <asleep>
That said, I think TBS has done a great job so far. They provide pertinent information with limited flash.
** Not saying that isn’t the entire purpose of the production that is professional sports, but Fox just seems so, I don’t know, direct about it.
I haven’t followed baseball in around a decade. I understand the mechanics/rules of baseball, but I don’t know anything about the current teams.
However, as a Browns fan, and a former Clevelander, I am part of the whole tortured Cleveland sports fans collective. As such, I try to keep up with Cleveland teams in another sport when they have a shot at breaking the title draught.
As I do plan to watch the series, if anyone would be interested in sharing their expertise, I’d like to know more about the Indians and the Yankees. What each pitcher does well and badly, who the power hitters are, and who the reliable hitters are, etc. Any info about the teams and players really, whatever you want to share. Thanks.
Hmm. Well, I watched probably 140 of Cleveland’s games this year, for what that’s worth.
Game 1 will start CC Sabathia, the big lefthander. He won only 19 games this year and lost 7. I think I saw that in 6 of his 7 losses, the Indians scored 2 runs or less.
He has a huge strikeout to walk ratio, though it’s usually only when he’s not as sharp that he strikes people out.
Watch his hat. He wears it at an angle and when he gets either flustered or mad his hat tends to go more and more off-center.
Batting-wise, the Indians’ most consistent hitter is Victor Martinez, the switch-hitting catcher. Victor likes to chase on 3-0 pitches and doesn’t walk as often as he should.
The Indians have a pretty balanced offense, but it would help if one of their least consistent hitters stays hot. The 3-hitting Travis Hafner. Left handed power, sort’ve in the Jim Thome mold with high OBP and strikeouts though without Jimmy’s uppercut swing.
Game 2 will start Fausto Carmona who has the best name in baseball and some of the wickedest pitches you will ever see. Fausto seems happy all the time. He has a delivery that makes you wonder how he can control where the ball goes. When he’s on, expect the hitters to pound the ball into the dirt and break a lot of bats.
The Indians usually play the outfield with three centerfielders: Sizemore, Lofton, and Gutierrez. The only bad defender on the bench is Trot Nixon.
Infield is Casey Blake who is workmanlike, Jhonny (not a typo) Peralta who is more of a hitting ss, Asdrubal Cabrera (another ss playing at 2nd) who should be worn out by wearing that massive string of pearls, and Ryan Garko who looks like a thug and who acts like he’s having the most fun of his life.
The bullpen is essentially the Raffies and JoeBo. Righty Raffy is Betancourt who is devastating and will drive you insane with the way he delays the game. Lefty Raffy looks like Gilligan and is nearly the equal of Righty Raffy.
And Joe Borowski is not a very good pitcher, though I’ll admit he seems to have the elastic personality of a closer.
Phillies and Rockies… yeah, THAT’LL happen.
I meant Red Sox, Yankee, Rockies and Diamondbacks. (I still may be wrong, but at least now there’s a CHANCE I’ll be right.)
A-Rod bats his usual 0.116 in the postseason but Yanks take Cleveland anyway.
Red Sox over Angels
Rockies over Phillies
Cubs over Dbacks
Yanks over Red Sox
Rockies over Cubs
Yanks over Rockies
Probably not. But wouldn’t it be fun if they did?
No, that would be Yorvit (Your-veet) Torrealba, the Rockies catcher.
I think it’d be great… just like 2002 Angels.
I prefer Yunieski Betancourt myself.
And saying Pujols always makes me laugh. Poo holes. Heh heh.
Nope. Phils are going to take them, if only because if they don’t, if they pull that '93 crap again, if they maintain the proud Philly tradition of choking, they know they’re going to get lynched. They’ve got at least 14 years of fan’s frustrations to overcome now, and they’re going to do it. (And if you say otherwise I’m gonna stick my fingers in my ears and make loud silly noises until you go away - I’ve been waiting for this since I was seven years old.)
I don’t follow baseball enough to really know the ups and downs of both teams, but I’m hoping for a Phillies/Indians WS. That way I can lord it over my Cleveland-based relatives. I would hope for it to be the Yankees instead, but the potential for pain there is just too great (I’m a loyal Phillies fan, but I’m not crazy enough to say that they could beat the Yankees.)
Except 1997, 2000 & 2004. He’s really only had 2 poor postseasons (out of 5).
Don’t forget his 0-1 ALCS performance as a teenage infielder for the 1995 Mariners.
This is one reason i find myself unable to root for the Phillies, despite the fact that i like a lot of their players. The idea of Phillies fans winning something is just too horrible to contemplate.
Under most circumstances, i’d have some sympathy for a group of fans who’ve suffered so many disappointments. But, in the last six or seven of watching Philadelphia sports teams (mainly the Phillies and the Eagles, but also the Flyers) play on TV, it seems to me that Philly fans are ready to boo their own team at the drop of a hat. It doesn’t matter if it’s early in the game, or early in the season; the boo-birds seem to come out earlier and more vocally in Philly than anywhere else.
Fans like that don’t deserve a championship.
Now it may be that i’ve judged Philly fans too harshly based on limited experience, and i’m willing to have my mind changed, but that’s my current take on Philly fans.