Hello Joe

Joe Torre is out and Joe Girardi is in as the manager of the Yankees. The deal is reportedly worth $7.5 million a year- 50% more than what they offered the guy who took them to the playoffs 12 years in a row and won 4 World Series titles.

Somebody asked me today if I thought the Yankees would make the playoffs and at this point it's really hard to know because we don't know where free agents like Alex Rodriguez, Torii Hunter, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte, Barry Bonds, Mariano Rivera, Curt Schilling (or so it seems), and others will end up.

Pitching help, which the playoffs clearly showed us they desperately need, is just not there this offseason. So if they lose Pettitte and if Clemens retires for good, Wang will be about the only sure thing in their starting rotation. Phil Hughes certainly shows signs that he is ready to be a productive big leaguer, but it will still be his first full season, so counting on him for much more than 14 wins is a stretch. And let's not forget about how difficult it will be to replace A-Rod and (potentially) Jorge Posada.

So basically they're looking at question marks at catcher, first, third, starting pitchers 3, 4, and 5, plus they need to find a closer (is Joba Chamberlain ready now?), all with a brand new manager. And it's not like Boston, Cleveland, Detroit, LA, or Seattle will be getting significantly worse.

That's why my answer was no.

One Busy Day

For the first day of the offseason, there sure is a whole heck of a lot going on. We'll start with the Red Sox, who are scheduled to have their victory parade today and it's certainly well-deserved. Their 29-10 margin of victory in the World Series was the biggest ever for the fall classic.

Next, it seems (and rightly so) that Major League Baseball is not particularly thrilled with Alex Rodriguez or his agent, Scott Boras, for upstaging the Sox Sunday night with his "opt out" announcement. And yet he wonders why some people don't like him (this could apply to A-Rod or Boras, frankly).

A-Rod's former team, the New York Yankees, are said to be close to signing Joe Girardi to be his manager after making him an offer yesterday (and in doing so, losing bench coach Don Mattingly, who also interviewed for the job). It's so premature to speculate about whether Girardi will get the Yanks in the playoffs next year, it's silly. We don't know who is going to end up on this team, come opening day.

The man how used to manage the Yankees, Joe Torre, could be in line to succeed Grady Little as manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers. As if Game 7 of the '03 ALCS wasn't punishment enough for Little, now the man who clearly outmanaged him from the opposing dugout could be taking his job. Repeat after me..."WHO'S YOUR DADDY?!?! clap, clap, clap-clap-clap."

And oh, by the way, Torii Hunter and Barry Bonds are officially free agents, along with A-Rod. And the Braves dealt Edgar Renteria to the Detroit Tigers for a couple of minor league prospects.

All this, and the winter meetings are still weeks away!

My BWSC's Understudy On Game 2, Now That The Season Is Over

The story of Game 2 starts in Maryland at 8 in the morning when I picked up BWSC's dad (Mr. P for the sake of brevity throughout this post). From the time I picked him up, through the rest of the trip, one of the two of us would periodically comment how we couldn’t believe we were doing this. We stayed outside of Boston in Waltham in what was probably the last hotel room available in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. I’m not kidding… our room didn’t even have heat.

We took "The T." I believe it stands for “Transit.” Buses and commuter trains also go by “The T.” Why they chose to further abbreviate MBTA to "T" is beyond me. It’s sort of like referring to a strike out as a “K,” but I digress. We went to Fenway to meet Brian and (not Joe) Morgan for lunch and do some souvenir shopping. And for the record, they stayed at their friend, Monica's (not Geller) place. She went to high school with the Baseblogger and the BWSC.

Anyway, when we got there at 2, there were already fans milling around the streets and shops and the buzz only built from there. There was a line of fans waiting for the game-day release of tickets that stretched all the way down Lansdowne Street. We’re talking thousands of people taking part in what was probably a futile exercise unless you were in the first 100 feet of the line, if that. From this point on, my excitement started to skyrocket. BWSC did a pretty good job of describing the scene around Fenway so I’ll just jump to 6 pm, when we entered the stadium. Here are the highlights:

They opened the gates early enough for us to see the Sox take BP. It’s a rare treat to get to watch the home team hit and it leads me to my first real baseball observation of the post. As BWSC mentioned, the Rockies put on quite a show. The Sox, however, probably disappointed a few casual fans. Sure Big Papi put a couple in the seats, but I don’t remember anybody else hitting one out, even Manny. The hitters were working on going the other way and hitting solid line drives. Guess which approach translated to a World Series title (actually it was a 2-1 game with very little action so this will probably be my only real baseball observation)?

The media frenzy is outrageous. Pretty much every inch of foul territory was taken up by some sort of news set-up. I have never seen anything like it and I spent most of BP waiting for somebody to hit a frozen rope off of Leyritz’s stupid leather golf cap. He was far enough down the right field line that it was a distinct possibility. Nobody did. It also gave me a chance to see some of my favorite baseball personalities up close including Gammons, Kurkjian, and Harold Reynolds (who, despite my "moobs," did not hit on me). Also Mr. P walked headlong right into Buck Martinez in the concourse behind home plate (we found this funny, but we were pretty giddy by this point).

I grew up going to Fenway, but I haven’t been in a few years due to the fact that I moved halfway down the east coast. I sort of forgot what it was like to go to a game there. BWSC touched on the fans and how they live and die with every pitch, but I think it is worth repeating. When the Rockies scored first you could hear a pin drop, it was almost scary (as opposed to, say, Camden Yards, where unless the place is filled with Yanks or Sox fans you can always hear a pin drop...sorry, had to). On the flip side, if things are going the Sox way it can be deafening in there, without any prompting from the scoreboard. Maybe the Nation has become diluted by bandwagon jumpers, but for a guy like me it was refreshing to be part of the crowd in Game 2. There was one guy who, despite being obviously pumped to take in a World Series game, was not particularly interested in the outcome and was actually playing Tetris on his Blackberry while Papi was batting with 2 guys on in a tie ball game. Mr. P and I considered lobbing his BB over the back wall of the stadium. We refrained, but the more I think about how many people would kill for that seat and it was occupied by that effer… man, it fires me up.

Finally, late in the game I started to get a little tense because of the close score, but instead of dreading them blowing the game (which I would have been doing pre-2004) I was thinking of what they need to do to win it. As a Sox fan, realizing this change in thought was very liberating.

There is a lot more that I can write about (Okajima’s warm up song, how loud the bullpen band was, what it was like to have “Shipping up to Boston” playing while Paps warmed up, watching what was probably Schill’s last game with the Sox), but this thing is long enough (that's what she said). Combine that with the fact that I’m pretty sure words can’t accurately describe the experience I had on Thursday night or what it meant to me (literally, a lifelong dream come true) and I think I need to stop here. Congrats to the Sox and my fellow fans on another championship. Here’s to many more (preferably without A-Rod).

One Bad Night For The Yankees

I hereby proclaim Monday, October 29th, 2007 "Hug a Yankee Fan" Day.

Let's face it, it's the right thing to do.

Not only did the Bronx bombers and their faithful have to watch their arch rivals sweep the Colorado Rockies in the World Series, but then they learned their best player, Alex Rodriguez (in the minds of some, another arch-rival) is leaving.

I think most people saw these things coming, but c'mon- both on the same night?! That's just mean!

First, to the Red Sox. Back of another strong showing by rookies Jacoby Ellsbury and Jon Lester, they held off the Rockies last night, 4-3. Mike Lowell was named World Series MVP after hitting .400 with a homerun (in the 7th inning of Game 4, no less), and 6 runs scored. Personally, I think Jonathan Papelbon should have earned the honor for his 3 saves, 0.00 ERA over 4 1/3 critical innings pitched, 3 K's and just 2 baserunners allowed. If it had gone to a 5th game and Josh Beckett dominated again, it would have been his honor. Either way, the Sox played some of their best baseball this October and look locked and loaded for 2008. For the record, Colorado hit just .218 in the World Series as a team, and scored a meager 10 runs in the 4 games.

Now to the whole Alex Rodriguez thing. Much to the delight of the Texas Rangers who no longer have to pay him, agent Scott Boras says A-Rod is going "A-Way Rod" (clever nickname copyright 2007, Baseblogger) because he's not sure how good the Yankees are going to be next year. We already know Joe Torre's not coming back. Now, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte, and Jorge Posada may leave as well. It's funny to think A-Rod's leaving because of them, and now they may leave because of him.

I'm proud to say I saw this coming back in February, and I'm still inclined to think the Chicago Cubs are the front-runners to sign him. A-Rod would be the man, the Cubs offense would be the best in the league, and he and Lou Piniella are boys. I don't see how he'd fit in as a New York Met because they already have David Wright and Jose Reyes on the left side of the infield. The LA Angels would be interesting though- they could certainly use the offensive help and protection for Vlad. And what about A-Rod to the Red Sox?

Theo Epstein: "Thanks for winning the World Series MVP, Mike Lowell, but we're going to go in another direction at third next year."

Mike Lowell: "Isn't A-Rod hitless in his last 18 October at-bats with men on base?"

Theo: "..........."

Mike: "Theo, you there? Theo?"

I suppose they could flip him back to shortstop and part with Julio Lugo's .295 on base percentage, but I just don't see Red Sox nation welcoming this guy with open arms- something A-Rod clearly wants and needs.

The worst news of all for Yankee fans is, most bad things happen in threes, meaning (a) A-Rod is going to sign with Boston (b) Derek Jeter is about to be indicted on federal catfighting charges, or (c) New York is set to introduce John Rocker as their new manager.

So if you see a Yankee fan, give them a hug or a heartfelt clap on the shoulder because it's shaping up to be a long winter.

Will Baseball Season End Tonight?

It's sure looking that way.

The Boston Red Sox have found just about every way to win so far in the 2007 World Series. They've had great pitching, great hitting, and even great hitting pitchers. Their superstars have played well, and their role players have played well. Their veterans have come through in the clutch, and so have their rookies. They've handed the Colorado Rockies more losses in the last 4 days than they'd had in the previous 39. And in case you're keeping track, the Sox haven't lost a World Series game in 21 years.

If the Rockies have any saving grace at this point, it's that rookie Jon Lester is trying to close out the series for the Sox against veteran Aaron Cook, at Coors Field. But if the World Series play of rookies Dustin Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Daisuke Matsuzaka is any indicator, it won't matter that Lester is still a freshman.

Let me be, not the first, to say this Boston team is going to be awfully good for an awfully long time.

Take Your Pick

About the only thing that might be able to slow down the Boston Red Sox at this point is something the Cleveland Indians weren't able to force in any of the final 3 games of the ALCS- a lineup change.

Game 3 tonight will be played in Colorado. That means no DH. And that means no Kevin Youkilis for Boston, as David Ortiz will get the start at first base. It seems like a no-brainer of a move, but is it? Well, take a look at this.

During the Sox current 5-game winning streak, Kevin Youkilis has hit .476 with 9 runs scored, 7 RBI, and an OBP of .577. David Ortiz? .263, 5, 4, and .364. And during the entire '07 postseason, Youkilis has more hits, extra base hits, homeruns, runs, RBI, and a slightly higher batting average than Big Papi (although his numbers are fantastic as well).

I admit, I'd probably do the same thing right now if I was Terry Francona, but it will be interesting to see how Boston's offense changes (if at all) without one of their key table-setters. After all, the Rockies are used to playing with 8 hitters and a pitcher and at this point, need all the help they can get.

BWSC On Game 1

We arrived at the ballpark around 5:00 and there was a noticeable feeling of excitement all around. I had been to Fenway a bunch of times before but this occasion was unique. Getting off "The T" (that's what they call the subway...does it stand for "train?" I felt like if I asked, it would be insulting if the answer was "yes") a guy joked how jealous he was that we were going to the game. He told me he seriously considered buying tickets but that they were more than his rent. To compensate, he said he would have moved out and lived with a friend for a few months.

Why is this important you may ask?

Because he wasn't lying.

He certainly wasn't joking or seeking laughter in response to his comment. It's also funny how your average Boston guy a) loves sports and b) talks exactly like Ben Affleck (I thought I saw him 3 times on our way to Fenway.)

Anyway, as we walked around the stadium there were all kind of handouts from local media stations- signs, posters, fliers, etc. and almost an equal amount of guys trying to buy tickets. There certainly were a lot of guys asking for tickets, but I didn't see one person selling tickets. I wondered if these guys who were trying to buy tickets were holding tons of cash. On Stubhub the cheapest seats I saw were close to $1000. Did that mean those guys had nearly that much in their pocket, possibly more if they want to buy mulitple seats? Also if I were going to sell my tickets, I would have performed the transaction online, to avoid confronting possibly a shady guy and having to exchange thousands of dollars in cash. Maybe I am crazy for thinking this, but this could explain why there were no sellers.

Oh, also another reason for the lack of sellers could be because it was a freaking World Series game at Fenway Park...

It was during this time that we met Joe Morgan. He was just walking around outside the stadium and seemed to be a pretty nice guy. If he was playing, America would have gotten a free taco, because he could have easliy stolen a base off Francis. He told us this in "past, future tense." I dont know if that exists, but he was telling us what he could, and pretty much did do, in a situation that hadn't happened yet. So anyway, despite the fact that previously I wasn't a huge fan, overall Mr. Morgan seemed like a pretty good guy. Even though he initially declined, he couldn't resist my smile and agreed to snap a quick picture with me, which in hindsight (too bad I didn't tell him in "past, future tense" that he was setting a dangerous precedent) forced him to take pics with other fans.

After checking out all the gear at the shops around the stadium, we wanted to get something to eat. Because all the bars immediately outside the stadium were jammed with waiting lines of easily more than 50 people, we walked a block and a half and found a bar that was only sort-of crowded. This had to be the most prepared bar I had ever been in, as our burgers arrived in seriously less than 4 minutes (this may have bothered me if I got something other than a burger.)

We watched some pregame coverage and probably 45 minutes later we left. The walk out was at least 5 times more difficult than the walk in, because at this point, the place was packed- something we didn't realize from our table in the very back. The same had happened outside the bar. It was crowded earlier, but now it was jam-packed. It was like your favorite college bar at 2:30 in the morning, when you can't move without squeezing through the crowd, but this was a city street. Morgan (my wife, not Joe) picked up a free Red Bull from the Red Bull truck and we walked around the stadium to our entrance at Gate C.

We waited in line for about 10 minutes and then we were in. I couldn't resist the temptation and we immediately went out to watch the Rockies hit batting practice. We were in the row behind the Red Sox bullpen while the first group of Colorado hitters took some swings. I was mostly distracted by the staduim (even though I have been there many times) and felt like a tourist as I snapped pictures of everything.

After settling in, we moved around to the right field corner to get even closer to the field. It was at this time that Matt Holliday starting hitting. What a treat. This guy was UN-believable. I am fairly certain (it was hard to keep track exactly) that on 2 separate occasions he hit 5 balls out in a row. And these weren't just home runs. They easily cleared the Green Monster, peppering the Coke bottles and Volvo sign...and those were the ones that didn't leave the stadium all together.

At this point we gravitated even further around the field, ending up behind the Red Sox bullpen. We were a few rows from the FOX pregame cast, and snapped some good pictures of Chris Myers and Harold Reynolds. Iam not scared to judge guys, and Chris Myers looks much better on TV than he does in person. The opposite might be true for HR. Both seemed to be enjoying themselves. A few minutes later, some other TV guys, headlined by Chris Berman, stopped by.

At this time I noticed the guy who was hitting...one Troy Tulowitzki. His performance was very much like Holliday in that he was hitting bombs. It was borderline absurd. Maybe it was because other Rockies hitters are easy to overlook, but when both of these guys hit (side note they probably got like 3 or 4 full rounds, which seemed much more than a normal game) it was really obvious how locked-in they were.

As BP was winding down we made our way back to our seats, located in deep right center field- row 29 to be exact (the same secion as those guys with the B-E-C-K-K-K-E-T-T guys, just a few rows in front of them and towards right field a little bit...maybe 10 or so seats). As we found our seats and met our neighbors, my eyes were mostly on the Jumbotron. It played a video about the Red Sox postseason history and included the good and the bad, and helped remind me how lucky I was to be at Fenway Park for a World Series game. There is so much history and you could just feel how much it meant to all the fans.

As the game got closer, they played another video and this one was even better. This went through all the Red Sox post season success. It was sort of Pulp Fiction style in that the chronology was a bit out of order and it was cut up into a lot of snippets. Of course the main theme (or baseline if you will) was the '04 postseason and it was all played to music, apparently with music composed or written by the guy from the Boston Pops. Iguess he has written some memorable scores, all of which were used during this video. I was pretty sure my eyes were a tiny, tiny bit watery when they showed Dave Roberts stealing second and then scoring to keep the Red Sox alive in Game 5. Anyway, there's no sense in retelling the '04 playoffs, but the point is I thought the video was very well made and had the desired affect on the crowd of 36,000 plus, all of whom were now in their seats and ready for the game.

After a giant American flag fell over the Monster and the national anthem was played, some jets did a fly-by. Unlike other pregame fly-bys I had witnessed, it was very, very loud and easily seen by all. After this, a lucky 10-year-old got on the mic and said the two words that everyone had been waiting for, "play ball!"

Beckett took the mound and made short work of the Rockies. I guess hitting the Rockies coach in BP was nothing like hitting Beckett in the playoffs. Everyone in the stadium was excited to see that Beckett had his electric and nearly unhittable stuff working. The only question was if the Red Sox hitters would bring their bats.

That question was quickly answered as Pedroia went deep on the second pitch from the Rockies' "ace" Francis. That started an historic evening at the plate for the Sox, who I think, scored every other run with two outs. I won't get too into the details of what all happened, but there is one other thing worth noting that may not have been covered by FOX, and that was the intensity of the crowd.

Every time there was two strikes, everyone stood....no exceptions. And it wasn't because everyone else was doing it, or because anyone said to do it. I honestly felt like everyone in the stands was rooting, pulling, actually needing, a third strike. Luckily for them, on this night, more often than not, they got it. Any time a Bo Sox batter had 3 balls, the same thing happened. This is not to say they weren't enthusiastic the entire time, because they were. I am just saying it was different than most other baseball games.

I remember the first hit the Rockies got off Beckett. After pretty much whiffing everyone he faced, he gave up a double to Troy T (not surprising based on his round in the batting cage before the game). After the double, Morgan (again, my wife, not Joe) turned to me and asked what happened. I told her he doubled and she said she asked because she didn't know why everyone got really quiet, as if something else had happened. That was it, just a double, and this same thing happened any time the Rockies did anything. It was almost an uncomfortable silence. There were 36K+ fans screaming their heads off a majority of the time, but any time the Rockies did something, it was alsoutely slient. It was a pleasant treat to be at a sporting event where everyone was actually watching the game.

The other thing I noticed fans doing that showed that they 'get it' was the respect for others. Any time a person left to get refreshments, treats, or to use the bathroom, they were courteous to their neighbors. Many fans waited at the bottom of the section (at the tunnel to the concourse) for the end of the inning. And those who made their way back to their seats sat in the aisle. They would sit on the dirty wet concrete steps and wait for the inning to end before disrupting the fans in their row I can't say that every single person followed this rule, but it was certainly the case for the majority of fans.

The only real evidence suggesting otherwise was the guy who was sitting next to me. It seemed like he was ripping a beer every time there was an extra base hit. He told me in the first inning he didn't know many Rockies players, but he wished he did. The only thing he did that was actually annoying was call Kaz Matsui "Kenny Lofton." His justification was a fairly fast left handed hitter who wore number 7. I assume that Lofton wears number 7 for the indians, but I am not even certain. In any case it was 5% comical that he stuck to it the entire game. And i guess the only reason it was semi-funny was because he wasn't doing it to be funny. He, himself didn't think it was funny, and wouldn't have even understood why it might be funny if I told him.

Anyway, that was my experience at Game 1. I hope to get my pictures onto the Baseblogg soon.

-BWSC

Okay, Maybe The Rockies Won't Win 2 Games

If you're like me, you're watching last night's game on TV and you're not too surprised that Josh Beckett struck out the side in the top of the first. But then after a Dustin Pedroia homerun just over the monster, a Kevin Youkilis double, and a Manny Ramirez single made it 2-0 in the bottom of the first, you started to get the feeling it was going to be a long night for the boys in black.

And was it ever.

13 runs, 17 hits, 9 of which went for extra bases, and another ho-hum performance by Beckett (7 IP, 1 earned, 9 K's) and Colorado's 10-game win streak and 21 out of 22 streak were history. They even went a combined 0-6 against Timlin in the 8th and Gagne in the 9th.

For the record, Beckett now owns the third lowest ERA is postseason history (1.73) among pitchers who've tossed at least 70 innings. Mariano Rivera is number one, Chrisy Mathewson is number two.

For me, Colorado's miserable Game 1 loss makes Game 2 tonight (Ubaldo Jiminez vs. Curt Schilling) exceptionally important. If they allow another 10+ runs to the Sox (Boston's already the first team ever to score 10+ in 3 straight October games) and fall behind 2-0, I wouldn't be surprised if this series ends in the mountains. But if the Rockies, like the Indians, can overcome a Game 1 Joshing and even the series at a game apiece heading home, they'll instantly regain momentum.

Hopefully, BWSC will share his thoughts later today.

It's Already Started

I just received this text message from my Boston World Series correspondent, who shall be known from here on out as BWSC.

"Listen to see if Joe Morgan mentions us since we just met him."

This is going to be nothing short of a treat.

P.S. I have nothing upon which to base this, however I'd be willing to bet Morgan managed to mention he could probably hit .260 and be an above second baseman if he was still playing today.

P.P.S My BWSC is there with his new wife, Morgan. I wonder if introductions went something like this:

Morgan...Joe Morgan. Joe Morgan...Morgan.

P.P.P.S This blog is funny. Appropriately enough, it's about Joe Morgan.

He's Bringing Blogging Back (Yeah!)

No, I'm not talking about Justin Timberlake.

Let's just put it this way, though. It's not wrong, is about to be right again as the Baseblogg's official, exclusive World Series correspondent (at least our Boston correspondent). The man behind such humorous posts as the Mustache Day chronicles, and the later-revealed-to-have-been-staged bride wigging out video has managed to finagle tickets to all the games at Fenway and has promised to do a morning-after recap for us, complete with pictures.

For the record, these will be his first posts since late May and I have a sneaking suspicion he's been saving up some (in a Larry David voice) pretty good...prettaaaay, prettaaaay good material for us.

Stay tuned

The World Series

I've decided not to let an 0 for 2 in the LCS round stop me from predicting the World Series, so there. After all, this is somewhat of a compelling series since you have (no longer arguably) the hottest team in postseason history going up against a team which was the favorite to win it all, but on life-support just a week ago.

First, a note about the Colorado Rockies lengthy layoff. Contrary to what some people believe, I don't think this will shake them up much at all. Remember, they had a lot of time off between the NLDS and NLCS. I thought it would cause them problems, but 4 games later, we all learned better. So my thinking is, 5 days off...9 days off...the Rockies will have the same swagger and focus. That said, here's why I think Boston wins this thing, but not easily.

The Rockies, while on a run for the ages, haven't played a team like the Red Sox yet. They just haven't. The Arizona Diamondbacks don't compare, and the Philadelphia Phillies most certainly don't. With all due respect to Brandon Webb, they haven't faced a pitcher like Josh Beckett, yet (or even a veteran like Curt Schilling). With all due respect to Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, and Ryan Howard, the Rockies pitchers haven't had to contend with the likes of Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis, followed by Papi and Manny. And with much appreciation towards the fans in Arizona and Philly, there's something about playing in Fenway Park.

I don't think the Rockies will be pushovers- far from it. Their lineup in formidable, their defense is top-notch, and their pitching- much-improved. But my thinking is it's only going to take one loss for Colorado's confidence to wane a little bit, and for this team to come back down to Earth. That's why I'm taking the Sox in 6.

He's Already Boston Ped-royalty

Dustin Pedroia's 7th inning homerun gave the Red Sox some breathing room and then his 8th inning bases-clearing double blew Game 7 of the ALCS wide open, propelling Boston into the World Series.

This guy is already a crowd favorite thanks to his hustle and excellent defensive play, but if he and Kevin Youkilis (who went 3-5 with a dinger himself) continue to get on base, this Boston team will be very difficult to beat, even by a team like the Colorado Rockies, which isn't to familiar with losing.

Game 1 of the 2007 World Series gets underway Wednesday in Boston.

The Boston Massacre

Wow. It's as if the Cleveland Indians forgot how to pitch, hit, and play defense all in one night. Now because of that, it all comes down to one night.

The Boston Red Sox, back of an ageless Curt Schilling and 13 hits, thumped the Tribe in Game 6, 12-2, setting up an ALCS showdown tonight at Fenway Park. It was a career night for J.D. Drew as he went 3-5 with a grand slam and 5 RBI, and it was officially an ALCS to forget for Fausto Carmona as he, once again, pitched miserably, getting ranked after just 2 innings. Heck, it was so lopsided, Terry Francona let Eric Gagne pitch the 9th!

If the Indians do, in fact go "New York Mets" and capsize just before the finish line, they'll need look no further than their two regular season aces. In this series, C.C. Sabathia and Carmona have combined to go 0-3 with a 12.67 ERA, 2.63 WHIP, 16 BB and 16 K in 16 1/3 IP. They were both 19 game winners.

And they're not the only struggling Indians. Grady Sizemore is hitting just .208. Travis Hafner, just .130. And Kenny Lofton, who seemed to come alive against the Yankees in the Divisional round, is back down to Earth, at .217.

On the flip side, as has been the case for this entire ALCS, when Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis play well, the Red Sox win. Last night, the #1 and 2 hitters combined to reach base 7 times in 10 plate appearances, 5 times with hits. They also scored 4 times.

Now, a quick note about Schilling. So much has been made (and rightly so) about Josh Beckett's postseason dominance. But if you look at them, Schilling's numbers in October are just as remarkable. In 18 starts for the Phillies, Diamondbacks, and Sox, he's 10-2 with a 2.25 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 116 K and 23 BB in 128 IP. Compare that to 5-2, 1.78 ERA, 0.72 WHIP, 73 K, and 13 BB in 65 2/3 IP (8 starts and 1 relief appearance). Sure, Beckett's numbers are a little better now, but let's see what he has left when he's 40!

Tonight however, it's a rematch of Game 3, Jake Westbrook vs. Daisuke Matsuzaka. Westbrook and the Tribe won their previous meeting 4-2 in what was easily the lowest-scoring game in the entire series. He silenced the Boston bats by getting 14 groundballs and 3 double plays over 6 2/3. He doesn't pretend to be overpowering and will need to establish his sinker early to avoid an early exit. Dice-K on the other hand has yet to complete the 5th inning in either of his postseason starts, and has now pitched 214 innings this season. If he retires at least 4 hitters tonight, it will be the most innings he's thrown in a season since 2001. No matter who wins tonight, I think most baseball fans would agree this has been one heck of an entertaining series.

And in the "your timing couldn't have been worse" category, the San Francisco Chronicle is reporting Indians' hurler Paul Byrd received shipments of HGH between August of 2002 and January of 2005. The story is written by the same two guys who wrote Game of Shadows- the book that outed Barry Bonds, Jason Giambi, and Marion Jones, among others. If the Indians lose this series, this story will likely go away. But if they win, you'd better believe all eyes will be on Byrd in his next start.

Does The House Of Cards Crumble Now?

Joe Torre turned down the New York Yankees' 1-year, $5 million dollar offer yesterday, meaning for the first time since 1995, somebody else will be their skipper on Opening Day. Torre still would have been the highest-paid manager in baseball, but it also would have been a $2.5 million dollar pay cut.

We don't yet know what impact, if any, this will have on the Yanks keeping guys like Alex Rodriguez, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada, and Andy Pettitte. But it's not going to help, that's for sure.

As for Torre's future managerial aspirations, his wife, Ali, left the press with this.

"It's always difficult to say goodbye, but there's always hello."

Hmmm.

Just Joshin' Ya

With the weight of his team's season on his shoulders, Boston Red Sox ace Josh Beckett delivered again Thursday night, allowing just one run over 8, striking out 11, and out-dueling C.C. Sabathia (again) to send the ALCS back to Boston.

Having watched much of the game myself, I am convinced Beckett has the most devastating combination of fastball/curveball in all of baseball. He was in the mid-to-high 90's all night and got so many swings and misses with his hammer (and a few called strikes as well) I just don't see how people make consistent, solid contact against this guy. Even when he fell behind hitters (2-0, 3-1) they still took very awkward, unsure hacks and ended up punching out or putting the ball in play weakly.

So that's the good news for Sox fans- you're headed home for games 6 and 7.

The bad news is you have Curt Schilling and Daisuke Matsuzaka starting must-win games, and you have a bullpen that, let's face it, Terry Francona simply doesn't trust beyond Jonathan Papelbon. This postseason, Boston's relievers have a 4.63 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, zero saves or holds, and 14 walks in 23 1/3 IP.

Now for a real-life example of Francona's lack of trust. Last night, going into the bottom of the 8th inning, the Sox were already up 7-1 but Francona sent Beckett out to get 3 more outs. Now, I know he hadn't hit 100 pitches yet and was dominating, but if I'm a manager staring down two more elimination games Saturday and Sunday and can possibly have JB work relief in Game 7, why not yank him after 7 with a comfy lead and let your trusty pen get the last 6 outs? Ah, I know- because you don't have a trusty pen.

I also know this. After their extra innings extravaganza Saturday night (into Sunday morning) Cleveland no longer fears Fenway. And if Schilling and Dicey don't go deep into the game, the Sox could be thrown in the hamper.

With most of the focus this post about Boston's pitching, I want to make a quick note about their offense. It's remarkable how they go as Pedroia and Youkilis go. In the two games they've won, their 1-2 hitters are 7-16 with a .526 OBP, 7 runs scored, and 3 RBI. But in the 3 games they've lost, Pedroia and Youkilis are 6-23 with a .346 OBP, 2 runs scored, and 1 RBI. They're hitting in front of two of the best in the game. But if they don't get on, Manny and Papi's homeruns and solo shots, and their singles don't drive anybody in. Funny how that works.

Oh, Man(ny)

"Why should we panic? We've got a great team. It doesn't happen, so who cares? There's always next year. It's not like it's the end of the world."

I know Red Sox fans, down 3-1 in the ALCS, aren't thrilled to hear Manny Ramirez talking about what will happen if the Sox get eliminated...before it actually happens.

But you know what? He's right! This is not a New York Yankees kind of situation where, if they don't advance to the World Series, they could lose their manager, closer, best player, catcher, and a few key members of their pitching staff.

Sure Schilling's best years are behind him (even though he's still a very solid number 3), but Beckett's aren't. Plus, it stands to reason that Dice-K will improve a little bit in '08. Add Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, and Jonathan Papelbon to the mix and their pitching staff will be fine. And as long as they have decent table-setters in front of Papi and Manny you know they'll hit.

Are the Red Sox done in 2007? No way. Their 2004 ALCS comeback has given new meaning to the phrase, "it ain't over 'til it's over." If they do lose Game 5, 6, or 7, Beantowners will be mad but there's no reason to blame Manny. All he's done this postseason is hit .429 with 4 homeruns, 11 RBI, 10 walks, and a 1.613 OPS. There's no reason to think they won't be right back in the mix 10 months from now.

Who Needs A Couple Of 19-Game Winners?

Forget C.C. Sabathia and Fausto Carmona. The Cleveland Indians have Jake Westbrook and Paul Byrd! These two underwhelming righties have kept the Boston offense off-balance and have given the Tribe pitching staff the boost it so desperately needed in Games 3 and 4. Now, Cleveland is just a win away from a World Series date with the, still white-hot Colorado Rockies. More on the boys in purple in a minute.

Meantime, Beckett vs. Sabathia: Round 2 is tomorrow night in Cleveland at 8, on FOX. Let's hope Tim McCarver's mic is broken or he has whooping cough because his color commentary ruins a baseball game faster than a pug puppy ruins a white carpet. At least the little guy with a tail is cuter, and easier to forgive.

Simply put, Sabathia has looked like crud in his 2 postseason starts. He has yet to see the 6th inning and has yet to walk fewer than 5 hitters. Beckett on the other hand has given up 2 earned in 15 innings this year, running his career postseason mark to 4-2 with a 1.87 ERA, 3 CGs and 62 Ks in 57 2/3 IP. Oh, by the way, he's never lost a postseason series.

So what does this tell us?

Well, Tribe fans would say Beckett is due to get ripped and that Sabathia is too good a pitcher to have a third lousy outing. Sox fans would argue there's no way Beckett doesn't dominate with his team facing elimination, and that the Sox have Sabathia's number.

My guess is these two cancel each other out (say, 1 earned apiece over 7) and the bullpens decide this one. In other words, advantage Indians.

Whoever emerges from this series, they'll eventually have to take on the Colorado Rockies, winners of a simply unimaginable 21 of 22, including 10 in a row (7 of which are playoff games). Prior to their current 10 game winning streak, they were on an 11-game winning streak.

Here's a fun fact. The last team to have an undefeated postseason (i.e. sweep all their opponents) was the 1976 Cincinnati Reds, led by the likes of Bench, Rose, Morgan, and Foster. But in those days, there were only 2 rounds, not 3 like today, and the league championship series was a best of 5, not best of 7, so they only had to win 7 games (still an impressive feat though).

Can you imagine if the Colorado Rockies sweep the Indians or Red Sox and close out the season having won 25 of 26, including 14 in a row and all 11 of their playoff games? If they do, it will have to rank among the most improbable and unrepeatable team achievements in sports history.

This Is Just Silly

Can anybody beat the Colorado Rockies?

Seriously.

It's getting borderline absurd.

They win every game they play.

They have lost one time...one time since September 16.

Once! And it was a close game.

Jayson Stark is calling them the hottest team of all time and he's right. They are 19-1 in their last 20 games. Only top-5 college basketball teams do that. They haven't lost in the 2007 postseason, and they've played 4 of their 5 games on the road. Teams that do that come out of nowhere to win the Super Bowl.

I thought a 4-day layoff between games would cool them off, and their hitters unquestionably have. Their team OPS in the NLCS is a Jason Kendall-esque .539. They have twice as many strikeouts (22) as walks (11) and ah extra base hit in 2 games (a Willy Tavares 3rd inning double off Doug Davis last night that meant absolutely nothing).

But it hasn't mattered, largely because the rest has made their pitchers unhittable. They've allowed 3 earned (and only 24 base-runners) in 20 innings, to go along with 18 strikeouts.

Now, they're headed home (they hit .298 there this year, compared to .261 on the road) where they can lose a game and still be World Series-bound without having to return to the desert.

It's just silly.

Can He Still C.C. The Strike Zone?

C.C. Sabathia walked 36 hitters unintentionally in 241 innings pitched in his 34 regular season starts this year. In other words, he recorded an average of 19.5 outs between every walk.

In his 2 playoff starts, he has walked 9 hitters unintentionally in 9 1/3 innings pitched. In other words, he is recording an average of 3.1 outs between every postseason walk.

Sabathia says he wasn't himself last night in Cleveland's 10-3 Game 1 ALCS loss. He walked 5 (1 intentionally) and gave up 8 earned in 4 1/3.

"I was shaking off pitches and not doing things and not being aggressive and not challenging guys and trying to be too much of a finesse pitcher," said the 6'7'' 290 pound lefty who throws in the high-90s.

Right now, his next chance to be aggressive will be 5 days from now, in Game 5. But if the Indians can't figure out how to retire David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez (they combined to reach base all 10 times they were up, including a double, 3 singles, 5 walks, and a hit-by-pitch in Game 1), the Tribe might not be around that long.

Round Two

Speaking with the newfound credibility of someone who correctly called 3 of the 4 LDS matchups, it's time to peer into my crystal ball uno mas ves and pick the ALCS and NLCS champs- a task I will concede at the outset is significantly harder than doing so in the first round.

American League, Boston vs. Cleveland

I don't think there's any doubt the eventual World Series winner will emerge from this series. The question is, will it be the Sawks or the Tribe?

Both teams are coming off impressive ALDS showings. Boston swept an LA team I would argue, didn't put up much of a fight, while Cleveland needed 4 games to dispatch with a Yankee team that got zippy starting pitching and left a small village on base. Advantage: Sox.

Both teams should have strong bullpens. Perez and Betancourt are what the Sox thought they would have with Okajima and Gagne. However, I'd take Papelbon over Joe Blowsaverowski any day of the week. But honestly how many playoff games this year and in years past have been decided in the 6th, 7th, and 8th innings as compared to the 9th? I would almost argue the "set-up innings" are slightly more crucial than the last one this time of year. Advantage: Tribe.

Both teams have tough lineups. If Dustin Pedroia is truly Boston's lead-off hitter, (he got all 13 ABs there in the ALDS), and a healthy Kevin Youkilis is hitting in the 2-hole in front of Papi, Manny, and Lowell they could have the Kansas City Royals 6-9 hitters and still be really dangerous. Cleveland has more potential base-stealing threats (Sizemore, Cabrera, Lofton) and was absolutely unconscious when it counted (.444, 13 RBI with men in scoring position and 2 outs). But they don't have the thumpers the Sox have. Advantage: Sox.

Both teams also have strong starting pitching. The result of Beckett versus Sabathia in Game 1 won't influence the Cy Young voting because the ballots have already been cast, but it will make for interesting post-game discussion about who should get it. And obviously Beckett dominated in his lone ALDS start while Sabathia was very wild (albeit a winner) in his. Carmona/Schilling in Game 2 could go either way, although I could see the Tribe pick apart Curt, who's been forced to become somewhat of a nibbler. In the Dice-K vs. Westbrook game, it's anybody's guess, but I think Dicey is due for a Wild Thing kind of outing. And Tim Wakefield is either way on or way off, whereas Paul Byrd will probably keep the ball down, pitch fewer than 6 and give up 2-4 runs. Advantage: Tribe.

So where does that leave us? It leaves us with a series that I suspect will go all 7, and will make the World Series very anticlimactic. But I'm going to stick with the Wahoos, based on the strength of their pitching. For the record, Tim Kurkjian likes the Red Sox in 7.

National League, Arizona vs. Colorado

As I've said before, I think this lengthy layoff will hurt the Rockies. That doesn't mean they'll be pushovers, especially with thumpers like Tulowitzki, Holliday, Hawpe, and Helton. But you know what? The Cubs had some pretty good hitters too (Soriano, Lee, Ramirez, etc.) and Webb, Livan, and that bullpen made pretty short work of them.

The D-Backs' offense needs to come up big though, because unlike Colorado, they don't have that one guy who can hit a game-changing bomb at a moment's notice. No, they have guys like Steve Drew, Eric Byrnes, Mary Reynolds, and Chris Young. Guys who can hit, hit for occasional power, and run, but also wiff a lot. I'll say this right now, if the Arizona "O" doesn't show up, it will be the improbable Rockies running away with the NL pennant.

With that caveat in place, I don't think that will happen. I don't see Jeff Francis out-pitching Brandon Webb. Rookie Ubaldo Jiminez is much-heralded, but he's also a rookie. And after that, the Rockies' starters are, well, rocky. Both bullpens match-up well, but if the D-Backs hit just enough, they should be able to escape in 5 games. For the record, TK likes the D-Backs in 7.

We'll see what happens starting tomorrow night!

The Yankees' Playoff Exit...Surprisingly Not Surprising

Let's see here...Chien Ming-Wang (about whom the number one starter debate should end for good) retired 3 batters and gave up 4 runs, Mike Mussina came in for 4 2/3 innings of gutty-but-unspectacular relief, and the Yankees came up 2 runs short against the Cleveland Indians in, what was a do-or-die Game 4 of the ALDS. I know many Yankee fans will be completely shocked at this, their third straight first-round playoff exit, but when you can't pitch, you can't win, especially when you don't hit either.

Consider this. New York pitchers in this series averaged less than 3 2/3 innings pitched per start, or not even 11 batters retired per game. They also posted an 0-2 record, 9.42 ERA, and 2.30 WHIP. Their relievers were much better, but clearly overworked, as any group would be that has to work an average of 17 hitters per night. In their 22 1/3 innings pitched this series, the Yankee "bullpen" (which included Mike Mussina and Phil Hughes) went 0-1 with a blown save, 3.63 ERA, and 1.43 WHIP. Had their starters been even remotely serviceable (say an average of 5 innings a start and 3 earned) this series may have gone to a deciding game.

But the Yankee offense, which was so prolific in the regular season (.290 team average, almost 6 runs a game, 1.24 homeruns per game), was also extraordinarily disappointing. They hit just .216 in the 4 games, and that includes their 13 hits in Game 4. They also left 66 men on base, or an average of 1.78 per inning. Not surprisingly, they averaged a meager 4 runs per game.

But just as the Padres' and Mets' late season collapses are also due to the fantastic play of the Rockies and Phillies respectively, you can't pin this whole thing on New York. The Indians had a hell of a series too. Their relievers gave up just 2 earned over 13 innings. Their starters, while not dominant, averaged a quality start per start (6 IP, 3 earned), and the Tribe hit .315 with a slew of 2 out RBIs. Simply put, the Yanks got outplayed.

While you can't pin this on A-Rod (.267, 1, 1, .389 OBP, 5K, 7 LOB), or Joe Torre, I wouldn't be surprised if they're both calling different cities home next year and they're sure not to be the only ones. ESPN's Howard Bryant went as far as to say the Yankee dynasty is officially over. I'm not sure if I agree 100%, but if they lose A-Rod, Posada, Pettitte, and Rivera to free agency, Clemens to retirement, and are stuck with Jason Giambi and Mussina's salaries, it might not matter if Derek Jeter, Robinson Cano, Melky Cabrera, Hughes, and Joba Chamberlain remain in pinstripes.

The NLCS and ALCS open up Thursday and Friday respectively and I don't think there's any question the 4 best teams are still alive.

On A Wang And A Prayer

Yes, the New York Yankees finally looked like the New York Yankees last night at home in their 8-4 win in Game 3 of the ALDS. Or I should say, they looked like the Yankees in the second half of last night's game, because going into the bottom of the 5th, they were down 3-1 and had grounded into 3 double plays. A Johnny Damon 3-run blast and 3 2/3 innings of solid relief pitching from Phil Hughes later, they had the game well in hand. But they're not out of the woods, yet.

Now Joe Torre, whose job is officially on the line, is going with Chien Ming-Wang on 3 days rest (rather than Mike Mussina) in hopes of forcing Game 5 back in Cleveland. The Tribe will counter with Paul Byrd (rather than C.C. Sabathia on 3 days rest).

Let's not forget, Wang was roughed up in Game 1, although some have speculated it was because he had "too much rest" and so his sinker wasn't sinking the was it usually does. Either way, they need him to come up big tonight because if he if unable to go at least 7 innings, New York could be in a very precarious situation.

Phil Hughes clearly won't be available. Joba Chamberlain threw 38 pitches last night over 2 innings, so he might not be available. Torre not starting Mussina sends a clear message about the team's confidence level in him, so why would you want him relieving? That really only leaves Luis Vizciano (who took the loss in Game 2), Ross Ohlendorf (who's retired 22 big league hitters in his career, and was lit up in Game 1), Jose Veras (who has less than 21 career innings under his belt) and Kyle Farnsworth (who's thrown 8 innings since August 29 and none in the ALDS). Plus, Mariano Rivera did throw an inning last night (albeit just 10 pitches), so the odds of him throwing the 7th, 8th, and 9th seem unlikely.

On a sort-of related note, I wouldn't be surprised if we saw Roger Clemens throw his last big league pitch last night and I'm definitely not alone. His hamstring is clearly bothering him. Rest clearly didn't help. So starting him again makes little sense, and getting him hot quickly to relieve makes even less. With all due respect to Clemens, who is without question one of the greatest pitchers in the history of baseball, his 2007 signing with New York has to rank among the worst moves in pro sports history. $28 million dollars pro-rated for 18-starts, a 6-6 record, 4.18 ERA, and 99 IP in the regular season, plus 7 hitters retired in the postseason is not much of a return on the Boss' investment.

So at 7:37 tonight, we'll see what Wang is made of in Game 4. If the answer is "not much" there probably won't be a Game 5.

Does The Rockies' Run End Now?

The Rockies and D-Backs both swept their respective first round opponents yesterday, and the Red Sox and Indians could follow suit this afternoon. But because the AL matchups could also last a few more days, the NLCS won't start until Thursday in Arizona. And Rockies' fans shouldn't be too happy about that.

This team has played 27 games in the last 30 days. Of those 27 games, they've won 21 times, including 17 of the last 18. In my mind, the last thing I would want right now if I'm on the Rockies is 4 days off in-between games. Sure it'll give Matt Holliday's chin some time to heal but it will also give this team some time to cool off, and get out of its groove.

The Padres and Phillies weren't able to stop the Rockies' run. But in my opinion, the Scheduling Gods will.

The Difference Between Red Sox And Cubs Fans

Red Sox fans, like Danny Vinik, reach for foul pops when it benefits their own team, like Danny Vinik did last night in Game 2. He kept Jeff Mathis away from a Manny Ramirez foul ball in the 5th inning. Manny later walked, and Mike Lowell hit a sac fly to tie the game up.

"That was big. Glad he was paying attention," said Sox captain Jason Varitek.

Paying attention.

Perhaps if Steve Bartman had been paying attention in 2003, the Cubs...well, you know how that one ends.

For the record, Vinik is now being called "The Anti-Bartman" in New England.

Who knows? If the Sox end up winning the ALDS, ALCS, and World Series, they just might want to vote a playoff share for this suddenly-famous 17-year-old.

Backs Against The Wall

Right now there are 4 teams (Boston, Cleveland, Arizona, Colorado) with 2-0 advantages in their best-of-5 Divisional Championship Series matchups while the other 4 teams (LA, New York, Chicago, Philadelphia) are one loss away from elimination.

This is the 13th season Major League Baseball has used the Wild Card format. The LDS round has never had 3 teams swept in the same year, let alone all 4, so we could see some history before it's all over. Interestingly, the Rockies are the only team of the 4 that are up 2-0 that haven't played a home game yet.

Today, the Cubs and Rich Hill will try to stay alive against Livan Hernandez and the Diamondbacks, while the Phillies and Jamie Moyer will hope to make it to game 4 against Ubaldo Jiminez and the Rockies. Then tomorrow, Curt Schilling and the Sox will try to spoil Jered Weaver's homecoming in LA, and Jake Westbrook and the Indians will aim to end the Yankees season and possibly Roger Clemens' career.

Of by the way, if the Yankees lose one more ALDS game, they'll be bounced in the first round for the third straight time. I bet George is getting frustrated.

That's Just Manny Being "A Bad Man"

Don't let his .296, 20, 88 season (his worst full year in the bigs) fool you. Manny Ramirez is still pretty good. Just as him.

"I am one of the best players in the game," he said after cranking a 3-run walk-off in Game 2 against LA. "I have confidence in myself, and I know my train doesn't stop here."

He went on to say about LA closer, and gopher-ball server-upper Francisco Rodriguez, "He's one of the greatest closers in the game and I'm one of the best hitters in the game."

Manny also went on to explain his career low numbers.

"I haven't been right all year. When you don't feel good and you still get hits, that's how you know you're a bad man."

Can you imagine if he gave more than one interview a year?

Why The Yankees Are In Trouble, Already

They missed their chance.

They missed their chance worse than Kramer did on that episode of Seinfeld when he's running around New York City trying to find a place to poop, but gets mugged instead, and ends up constipated.

5 innings, 6 walks, 2 homeruns. That was ace C.C. Sabathia's line last night in Game 1 and yet all the juggernaut Yankee offense could turn that into was 3 runs...the whole game. A-Rod went hitless (although he did walk twice), Posada and Matsui combined to leave 10 guys on base, and Wang gave up 8 earned en route to a 12-3 Tribal dance.

They missed their chance.

Now, it's Carmona/Pettitte in Game 2 (where Cleveland definitely has the starting pitching advantage), followed by Westbrook/Clemens in Game 3 (where Cleveland may also have the advantage as well, depending on whether Good Roger or Bad Roger shows up).

Also on Cleveland's side- the fact that Kenny Lofton still thinks it's 1995 and that he's setting the table for Carlos Baerga, Jim Thome, Albert Belle, and Manny Ramirez. Sure he's hitting in the 7 hole now but he's still driving in guys like Jhonny Peralta and Victor Martinez, while playing catalyst for Grady Sizemore, Asdrubal Cabrera, and Travis Hafner.

Yes, just one game into the ALDS, the Yankees are in trouble. And unlike Kramer, there's no "wet and wild" solution for the Bronx Bombers.

Maybe I'm The Only Person, But...

I'm already getting really sick of the Dane Cook commercials for Major League Baseball's postseason.

I get it. You're a big fan (allegedly). Guess what? So am I. You don't have to remind me about all the fantastic moments that have occurred in baseball playoff history. I've watched many of those moments live on TV and will continue to watch the playoffs this year...despite your commercials.

I do like his shirt here, though.

Why I'm Pretty Sure I Now Hate Ryan Howard

I don't know if you were watching Game 2 of the NLDS this afternoon, but I was when Ryan Howard hit a solo shot in the 6th against Colorado. This is a picture of him launching it right here. But what you don't see in the photo is how Howard absolutely pimped it after he hit it.

Congratulations Ryan, now you're only losing ten to four. Way to show us how awesome you are with a meaningless Han Solo shot. How about doing it with a couple of guys on when it friggin' matters? Maybe then you can stand at home plate and stare at it and not look like a complete fool.

I thought the Rockies might throw at him in his next at-bat. But then I realized winning the series is much better revenge.

Who's Havin' Glavine?

Agent Gregg Clifton says Tom Glavine is likely going to decline his 2008 option with the New York Mets and explore his options. If I'm the New York Mets, I'm pretty excited I won't have to pay him between $9 and $13 million dollars next year, especially given his one-out, 7-run performance the final game of the season against the Florida Marlins; an exclamation point at the end of a down season that included his 300th win, and little else.

The Mets should have Pedro, John Maine, Oliver Perez, and Mike Pelfrey among others in their rotation next year, so they'll be fine.

The question is, will Glavine retire knowing his last career start helped seal the worst regular-season collapse in baseball history, or will he try to catch on with another team? And if so, who's going to want a 41-year-old lefty coming off one of the worst seasons of his career?

Excuse me, Mr. Angelos, there's a Mr. Clifton on line one.

About Last Night

Just a few observations about the first three playoff games...

First, in the Rockies/Phillies game, I was definitely shocked at a couple of things, most notably the fact that it was a pitchers' duel. These are two of the most offense-heavy, pitching-light clubs still playing, yet the final was 4-2. Equally shocking was Chase Utley's forgettable October debut...0-4 with 4 K's. I was also surprised to learn CY had another 0-4, 4 K game June 8th of this year at Kansas City. Weird. And I was just as "unshocked" to see Tom Gordon give up a big hit in a big spot (an 8th inning Matt Holliday homerun). The Rockies' bullpen is superior to Philly's and it may cost them this series.

Next, in the Red Sox/LA game, I think lots of people expected Beckett to be on, so that's not a huge surprise to me. After all, this guy was World Series MVP in '03 for the Marlins. That's not to say that everyone was expecting a 4-hit shutout by any means, but Beckett acted like he's been there before, because he has. No, what came as the biggest surprise to me, and what should be of huge comfort to Red Sox fans, was how good Kevin Youkilis looked at the plate last night. Remember, this is a guy who took a Wang fastball off his forearm in mid-September and played sparingly down the stretch. Plus, he had a simply miserable second half, going .238/7/39 with more strikeouts than walks after the break. But in Game 1, Youk went 2-4 with a bomb and 2 runs scored. If he is back to his old self hitting in front of Papi and Manny, the Sox, not the Yankees, may have the best offense in the postseason.

And finally in the D-Backs/Cubs game, Brandon Webb dominated Cubs' hitters, as expected. But what I did find a bit odd was how badly the top of the Chicago order struggled. Soriano, Jones, Lee, Ramirez, and Floyd combined to go 1-20 with a run scored, a walk, and 8 K's. Eeh.

Tonight, it's Game 2 of Rocks/Phils, and D-Backs/Cubs, while the Indians/Yankees series gets underway. Should be another good night!