Learning to Live With the Designated Hitter

In a poll on ESPN.com today, the question posed is about which change you would most like to see in sports.

The four options are:

BCS
Designated Hitter
NBA travel enforcement
NFL Overtime.

It's perhaps not surprising that the BCS is running away with the lead, with 79% of the very un-scientific vote, but the poll does bring up an interesting point--reminding us that the designated hitter was never embraced by everyone and still has its detractors.

I admit that until last season, I had never really given much thought to the rule.

The idea that one league had it and one league did not made enough sense to me--if I really cared that much, I could go and become a fan of the National League.

Then, on a hot day last June, I saw why the designated hitter could be a good thing. Had the Yankees been playing in an American League ballpark, Chien Ming Wang would have never had to run the bases and while no one can say for sure, it is certainly possible that Wang would have never injured his foot.

In the American League, I thought, this would never happen.

Never mind that my support for the DH rule, no matter how momentary, could cause me to lose all credibility as a baseball purist; a Yankee was hurt because there was no DH and this was a horror of horrors.

It even prompted this quote from Hank Steinbrenner:

"I've got my pitchers running the bases, and one of them gets hurt. He's going to be out. I don't like that, and it's about time they address it. That was a rule from the 1800s."

More than a few months removed from that event, however, it's easier to provide a clearer picture.

The designated hitter was introduced to the MLB in 1973, and it's now used in the majority of the world's professional leagues.

Surely, then, something so widespread couldn't be bad for the game, right?

I asked my friend, Steven Lord, a Mets fan, what he thought, and he offered this take:

I don't like it. I'm an NL person. I feel that if you play the field, you should have to hit. I feel that in the NL, pitchers have to think twice about going after a person because they know that they will have to stand in the box. I like the strategy involved with it: bunting, double switches...hell, even Tony LaRussa has added a new element to it with batting his pitcher 8th....it adds an extra element to the game.

From a sentimental point of view, that argument would hold a lot of weight.

It does make a manager have to think, it does mean that pitchers have to think before (intentionally) beaning someone, and it does mean that hitters need to be able to field, and fielders hit.

However, if you consider the years since the strike, you discover the following: Since 1994, NL teams have won the World Series in 95, 97, 01, 03, 06 and 08...six years out of fourteen, and in those years, they managed to win the World Series in less than six games just twice, in 06 and 08.

Meanwhile, the American League has won World Series in 96, 98, 99, 00, 02, 04, 05 and 07, and failed to do so in a sweep or five games only twice (96 and 02).

If we also consider the results of the All Star games since the strike and the composite results of interleague play (all time results are: 1387–1317, AL), it becomes fairly clear that the American League is the better league.

While the Designated Hitter itself can not be solely responsible for this, some of the consequences of its implementation are.

The most simple way of putting it is that theoretically the DH improves a team's offense, which means the team's opponent needs to adjust and improve its pitching, a backlash response, if you will.

Whether or not that is actually what happened is up for debate, but what is not is that the DH, when used, can alter the way a game is played. As the traditional narrative goes, if you like bunts, stolen bases and the running game, the National League (or the Anaheim Angels) are for you; if you like big home runs and lots of scoring, the American League is what you want to follow.

So is the DH a good thing?

It remains a question with no clear answer. From the perspective of safety for a pitcher, and for the caliber of hitting, it seems to be yes, but from the perspective of tradition and sentimentality-which, when referring to baseball cannot be understated-the answer is still no.


****

The Yankees have signed Nady to a one year deal which basically doubles his salary from last year.

John Smoltz looking Saux-y

In some non-Yankee news:


Legendary pitcher and likely Hall of Famer, John Smoltz is set to sign with the Boston Red Sox.

The move has a potential enormous payoff--when healthy, Smoltz is still an excellent pitcher--but Smoltz is entering his age 42 season and spent much of last year battling numerous arm problems.

If Smoltz stays healthy, it could get the Red Sox the same sort of marginal wins that the Yankees are looking for with Mark Teixiera; in a division as tough as the AL East, an extra three or four wins is the difference between a party in October and moping on the sofa.

Even so, if one remembers 1996 and 1999, it's not as though the Yankees have never beaten Smoltz...

The Sox have also recently signed former Dodger Brad Penny and are close to announcing a deal with former Rays' outfielder Rocco Baldelli, so it appears that Theo Epstein and Co. have been on a gimp-ish kick of late. (No offense to Baldelli or Penny, I wish them well).

Or, perhaps, the Smoltz signing could turn into a Curt Schilling redux.

Time will tell.

The signings of Baldelli and Smoltz are set to be announced at tomorrow's Baseball Writers' dinner.

Hey Now, You're an All Star, Get Your Game On, Go Play!

When I woke up this morning, I actually wondered for a few minutes if it had all been a dream.

All Star games aren't supposed to be like that.

Exhibition games aren't supposed to be emotional; they're not supposed to run to the fifteenth inning and they're certainly not supposed to have drama more befitting an October night.

This one, though...

This one was different.

This one, if we pursue the Yankee Stadium :: Cathedral of Baseball metaphor, was supposed to be like the Easter Service at St. Patrick's, and it wasn't just that, but it was the Easter Service at St. Patrick's with the Pope himself leading the festivities.

The pregame ceremonies were emotional on their own; but from the point of view of a Yankees fan, there was nothing more chilling than watching the first pitch, and seeing Reggie Jackson pitch to Alex Rodriguez, Whitey Ford to Derek Jeter, Yogi Berra to Joe Girardi and Goose Gossage to Mariano Rivera.

I don't know how many of you caught it, but it was hitter to hitter, leader to leader, catcher to catcher and reliever to reliever, all of them, the past to the present.

I mean, it even made George Steinbrenner cry, and I'm under the impression that it takes some doing to accomplish that.


The game itself was perhaps one of the best All Star games to have ever been played. Had it ended in the ninth or tenth, and not gone on the extra six innings, we would probably be considering it THE best All Star game, ever.

It felt like a classic October game, with the National League taking a 2-0 lead into the seventh inning, before the ghosts came alive again. I guess it's something about the ghosts--they only come to call in the late innings--and it must have pained them somewhat that the man of the hour, J.D. Drew, wears a Red Sox uniform.

While many Yankees fans were able to cater to their sense of Schadenfreude* in the eighth inning, mocking Jonathan Papelbon with chants of "Mar-i-ano" and "over-rated", the beauty of the entire thing was that the American League was able to tie the game again in the bottom of the inning, rendering the run off of Papelbon irrelevant.

The best moment for Yankees fans, however, had to have been watching Mariano Rivera's entrance in the ninth, followed immediately by a strike out, throw-em-out double play. There's not much more Rivera can add to his resumè, but as 2007 was Alex Rodriguez's year, 2008 has got to be Mariano Rivera's.

Throughout the entire evening, Terry Francona was a model of class.

Say what you want about the Red Sox as a team, or anything you want about the Red Sox players, but Terry Francona should have earned everyone's respect last night. He pulled Jeter and Rodriguez in mid-inning situations so the crowd could applaud, and he let did a similar service by having Mariano Rivera come in the ninth for the last two outs. It's not his fault the AL wasn't leading at the time, and Rivera couldn't get the save.


The game last night was something special. It didn't end at the best possible moment (from a Yankee fan's point of view), but it did end just before it would have turned into a nightmare for Francona and Clint Hurdle.

This is one All Star Game we'll remember for a while, and it's only fitting it happened in Yankee Stadium.

Or maybe it's the other way around.



*Shadenfreude, n, ger. The joy one takes in another's misery.


********

A few weeks ago, a Red Sox fan with tickets to last night's game asked me if he could do a write up about his experience at the game. I'm not sure when it will be up, but look for it in the next few days.

Crystal Gazin'

Well, with 2007 wrapping up, I thought it's about time for some 2008 predictions...


Baltimore Orioles: Become the first team in history to lose a game by 35 runs. Finishes at about the same number games back of the Yankees and Red Sox.

Boston Red Sox: Someone hacks into http://www.38pitches.com and posts liberal rhetoric. Story is covered for three weeks with no interruptions by Fox News.

New York Yankees: Joba, Phil and Ian conspire to get Jeter to (finally) tie the not. The ceremony occurs at the Home Run Derby.

Tampa Bay Rays: Without the 'Devil' in their name, they go on a tear, finishing third in the division with at .500 record. (Also, the boldest prediction in the lot).

Toronto Blue Jays: Manages to keep their pitching staff healthy for the entire season, but it's not much use as the bats fail to do their bit.


Chicago White Sox: After losing 17-2 in Detroit, Ozzie Guillen attempts to go on one of his trade mark rants, but a nasty case of laryngitis prevents him from saying anything. Network execs at ESPN are baffled.

Cleveland Indians: In the ultimate karmic revenge, the October Midges prevent Kenny Lofton (still playing), from getting a two-out hit in game five of the 08 ALDS.

Detroit Tigers: Start out as the best team in the league, before Willis goes down with an injury and Miggy's fielding causes some game-costing errors, and then fail to win a game after the All Star Break, once again completing the collapse of the century.

Kansas City Royals: Out-perform the St. Louis Cardinals to become the best team in Missouri.

Minnesota Twins: End up starting the season with Johan Santana, who pitches to a .500 record at the break, and the team is thus unable to trade hime. Twins finish last in the division, inciting riots in the Twin Cities.


Anaheim Angels (I don't call 'em otherwise): No longer the best team in Southern California, they enter a deal with Disney to produce Angels in the Outfield: Roid Rage.

Oakland Athletics: Having fleeced Arizona, Billy Beane wins executive of the year, even as his team misses the postseason for the second year running after (again) injuries decimate the team.

Seattle Mariners: Ichiro becomes the first player in major league history to have eight hits in a nine-inning game, but the Mariners still lose.

Texas Rangers: As the team strives to repeat its 30-run performance, they forget that bit about pitching, so when 30 runs are scored in a game they play, it's the other team that scores them.



Atlanta Braves: Still trying to reclaim the glory of the 1990s.

Florida Marlins: With all the young guys from Detroit, the Marlins, right on their five-year schedule, re-appear in the World Series.

New York Mets: Still reeling from the worst-ever September collapse, the Mets go until June before winning back-to-back games. No discernible roster changes to the pitching staff, though Minaya does manage to sign a few +35 sluggers who spend most of their time on the bench.

Philadelphia Phillies: The defending NL East champions cannot beat the youth of the Marlins, but end up taking the Wild Card anyway.

Washington Nationals: In his first start with his new team, Tyler Clippard pitches a no-hitter.


Chicago Cubs: 100 years since 1908, they'll reach the NLCS, game seven against the Marlins, in Florida, where there's a guy with tickets on the 1st base line by the name of Steve Bartman...

Cincinnati Reds: Griffey's team continues to remain irrelevant, that is, until Bud Selig resigns and the new commish decides to maybe reinstate Pete Rose...

Houston Astros: Rocket announces his return and for the first time in history, pitches in same game as his son.

Milwaukee Brewers: They go back to being the Brewers of old.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Regret non-tendering Josh Phelps as he gets the hit that puts Pittsburgh out of division contention.

St. Louis Cardinals: The combined efforts of Albert Pujols and Rick Ankiel are not quite enough to carry the team past the all-star break.


Arizona Diamondbacks: Dan Haren goes down early with an injury, but the Diamondbacks, having spent their farm system to get him, are unable to cope.

Colorado Rockies: Last year's miracle team attempts to repeat the feat, but, sadly, is unable to win 21 of 22 games.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Scott Proctor is in hiding by June.

San Diego Padres: The Padres turn out to have completed the Off-Season move of the decade when Mark Prior pitches to a 23 game win mark.

San Francisco Giants: With no Barry Bonds, nearly everyone outside of the Bay Area simply forgets that this team does, in fact, exist.

What with the Shenanigans and the Going Ons...

First things first, since enough of you are asking:

I had two finals yesterday. I thought the first one would be easy and the second would be hard, so, of course, the first one was hard and the second one was easy. I know a lot more about Aerica and World War Two than I realized I did, and it came in very, very handy.

Anyway.

There is (for once, and maybe the only time this winter) not a whole heaping of news concerning the Yankees, but that does not mean there isn't news elsewhere. So, in case you haven't been paying too much attention, here are some of the bigger stories around the league:

Kosuke Fukudome to come Stateside. Fukudome is regarded as one of the best Japanese outfielders; interested teams include the Padres, White Sox and Chicago Cubs.

I'm not sure, but I believe the correct pronunciation of his surname would be something like 'Foo-koo-doh-may'. However, I've never studied Japanese, so I might not to be the one whose advice you take.


Paul Lo Duca agrees to one-year deal with Nationals. This now means that the Nats have taken Milledge, Lo Duca and Clippard, all from New York. It will...uh...be interesting to see how these moves pan out, especially the Milledge one, considering the Nats got him for almost nothing.


Gagné and Brewers finalize one-year $10 million contract. Well, if you honestly thought Gagné would stay in Boston after the disaster of last August and September...

At least, in the National League, Gagné will only see his old team either during interleague play or the World Series. It'll probably do him some good to be away from Boston.

Rangers set to add Bradley to line-up. Bradley, if you forgot, was the dude whose season came to an end last year after a rather interesting confrontation with an umpire...



The big news we are a-waiting is, of course, the release of the Mitchell Report, possibly Thursday. I am singularly amazed it hasn't already been linked.

Rox N' Sox (2007 World Series Preview)

Presenting Rebecca's 2007 World Series preview, written in verse to celebrate the rhyming of Sox and Rox.

Ahem:

They’re bonkers in Boston for the Sox,
Crazed in Colorado for the Rox.
To the World Series they will go,
Whether through wind, rain, sleet or snow.

The Rockies have been on an amazing run,
Of the past twenty-two, they won twenty-one.
Against the wall, Boston made an attack
Three games to one, they came all the way back.

Boston has pitchers like Beckett and Schilling,
But the Rockies’ offense can make a killing,
With hitters like Holliday and Tulowitzki
To come up against Paplebon and Hideki.

Boston has Manny, Ortiz and Youkilis,
But the Rockies have pitchers like Jeff Francis.
Josh Fogg might be the Dragon-slayer,
But Pedroia is quite the player.

The Rockies play a mile high,
Where balls sail far into the sky,
But Boston has their home at Fenway,
Where since 1912 they come to play.

So who is it going to be in the end?
On certain factors it will all depend.
Colorado has had nine days to rest
While Boston has had to play at their best.

If the Rockies can stay hot,
Beating them Boston will not.
But if the contest comes down to the bullpen,
It will be Boston in five, six or seven.



(I would love a Colorado sweep, but if Beckett and Schilling can deliver, then Boston, who has home field advantage, will probably pull out. Let's hope the Rockies remain hot.)

OMG, Kenny Killed Them! (ALCS Game 7 postgame notes)

Boston winning the ALCS is about as bad as it gets for Yankees' fans, and at least, this year, we can place the blame (on the Indians' side, anyway) squarely on the shoulders of one man: Kenny Lofton.

Had he not tried to stretch that single into a double, he probably would have scored the tying run.

Had he actually run from second to home on that odd single instead of stopping at third, he would have scored the tying run.

However, those things did not happen, and the Indians, who fell behind early and then imploded late, will be like twelve other American League teams brooding over the long, dark winter.

You knew Cleveland was destined for trouble when they couldn't close it out at Jacob's Field, but out of respect for the Yankees' fans reading this blog (which, I think, will be the majority) I won't mention that thing, that nightmare we are all thinking.

Ah, well, Boston hasn't won it all yet.

These may be dark days for Yankees fans, but we are a strong bunch, and we will get through this.


Let's Go Rockies!

Cleveland not Rocking Tonight (ALCS Game 5 Postgame Notes)

In my defense, I did call this series going six games.

Three games now, in the Postseason, that CC Sabathia has started and come up short. It's getting harder and harder to say that it's just a fluke; he seems more like he's rattled by the nerves.

Beckett was good; he didn't have to be great to win tonight.

Manny's long RBI single reminds me a bit of the Subway Series in 2000 when some dude on the Mets hit a ball that looked like it was going to be out, so he didn't run, but it wasn't a home run, and he was thrown out at first. I forget who was involved in the play; I keep thinking Jose Reyes, but he might have still been in grade school at the time.

Anyway, Manny's earlier comment, about not caring if Boston wins the World Series or not, and his home-run-but-not-home-run tonight once again confirms a simple fact: I do not want Manny in pinstripes. Ever. I'd take David Ortiz over him, and that's saying quite a bit.

That said, Cleveland really did miss a golden opportunity tonight, seeing as now they have to go to Boston.

I can't manage for dung, but I would have given serious thought to starting Carmona tonight; he's been brilliant in both of his postseason starts, and there was that off day, so he would have been going on...four days' rest, not counting today.

Obviously it's not really something you want to do, as Sabathia's supposed to be your number one starter, but October is October for a reason.

Cleveland will not have to deal with Beckett on Saturday, but they will have to deal with Fenway and it's not going to be fun. You know 2004 is on the mind of every single Boston fan right now.

It's up to Cleveland, then, to teach Boston that it does no good to live in the past.


(Says the medieval history student).



I'm off to Maryland tomorrow, for family and sword-waving, I'll try to have some good pictures when I come back.

In the meantime, play nice. If you see a troll or whatnot, just remember they're a bit like skunks. Cute in that kiddie sort of way, but you really don't want their spray all over you. It's nasty.

And if you live in South Carolina, do your part to get Colbert on the ballot!

Cleveland to Boston: Put a Sox in It! (ALCS Game Four Postgame Notes)

Okay, so when I made my ALCS predictions, I was apparently wrong...just, not about the offenses.

I thought that this series would go seven, and, you never know, it still might, but for now Cleveland's got Boston in a chokehold.

Considering his recent injury, Wakefield was impressive through the first four, but he fell apart in the fifth. I'm not sure, superstitious wise, if Wakefield's really the guy that should have been on the mound for Boston tonight, but as a Yankee fan I can't really complain.

Youkilis, Ortiz and Ramirez all went yard, but like the Yanks last round, they did it without men on base. Manny admiring his shot? Not cool. At all.

Anyway, again, Cleveland simply outplayed Boston, except for those three pitches. Paul Byrd's start against the Yanks apparently wasn't a fluke, and neither is Cleveland's bullpen.

If Boston's going to win any other game in the series, it's likely to be Game Five, with Beckett going against Sabathia. If anything, we'll know whether or not Sabathia's last two postseason starts were just flukes, or if he really isn't a big game pitcher. We all know Beckett is, so Cleveland needs to bring their A game.

It does not bode well for Cleveland (or Yankee) fans if the series goes back to Boston.

Bang that Drum a Little Bit Faster Now (ALCS Game 3 Postgame Notes)

So I'll be honest, I missed nearly the entire second half of the Red Sox/Indians game because of my failed caramel experiment (see my post below), but I did catch a lot of the game.

Jake Westbrook was entirely on form tonight, looking like a completely different pitcher than the one that faced the Yankees in Game Three of the ALDS. To be fair, Jacob's Field is a bit different than Yankee Stadium, but Westbrook was excellent, the Rafael that came in was great (again, I was busy burning caramel so I can't tell you which Rafael it was) and would you believe it, but Joe Borowski, yes, THAT one, had a one-two-three inning.

If both teams keep playing like this, Kenny Lofton might be the ALCS MVP.


I know. I don't get it, either, but as a Yankee fan, I'd take him over David Ortiz or Manny Ramirez as the MVP...

Cleveland's line up produced tonight. Boston's did not. So right now my theory of Cleveland having the better line up seem to be holding, but I'll reserve final judgment till after the Series, because, as everyone know, two games to one lead really doesn't mean anything.

I had two friends who are both big Red Sox fans tell me that Dice-K is officially not worth it.

I am now going to watch the Rockies/D-Backs, but probably won't stay up for the entire thing, so expect notes sometime tomorrow. I can't believe we're this close to a Cleveland-Rockies World Series...and the puns almost write themselves. Almost.

Extra Special (ALCS Game 2 Postgame Notes)

Sorry for this being so late; I wasn't feeling well last night and missed the end of the game and I've only just woken up.

Anyway.

Both offenses last night looked pretty balanced...but the pitching, however, did not. Neither Schilling nor Carmona could go long, and both bullpens were stretched.

That it was Eric Gagne that ended up blowing it for Boston is a cruel, hard fact for Boston fans, but not really a surprise. Gagne hasn't been trusted with a lead the entire second half; now, he's probably pitched himself out of ever reappearing in this season.

Part of you feels bad for him--it's not like he didn't try--part of your Yankee fan is going, 'oh sweet sweet schadenfreud'...

Anyway, this was the Cleveland offense that we are supposed to be seeing: not top-heavy but capable of doing damage 1-9.

This is going to be some series, and a heartbreaker for one of these two teams.

Beatdown in Beantown (ALCS Game 1 Postgame Notes)

So, apparently, I was wrong about the whole Cleveland-has-a-better-offense thing...well, at least for tonight.


To be fair, Josh Beckett was on his game tonight, and CC Sabathia...wasn't. Boston took advantage of every mistake Sabathia made, and when he was knocked out in the fifth, it wasn't pretty. At least, not for those of us rooting against Boston!

My Red Sox fan friend thoroughly enjoyed the beat down...that is, until the game got out of hand, in which he did then tell me that he was bored.

Bored.

Yea, I know.


Anyway, given Sabathia's performance in game one of the ALDS, you have to wonder if Sabathia's just having a bad postseason this year, or if he's simply not a big game pitcher, in which case Cleveland's got to think about his place as their number one. If Carmona pitches well tomorrow, there are some rotation questions that they might need to address--and fast.

Beckett pitched a great game; Cleveland's offense was never really given much of a chance, as is what happens with good pitching. Still, they did manage to load the bases against Eric Gagne, which shows that they aren't dead in the water...though, if a team can't load the bases against Gagne circa Second Half 2007, you might want to check for a pulse.


Game Two should be a more interesting affair...and one I think Cleveland has a much better chance of winning.



NLCS game 2 has a late start, so I'll post some notes tomorrow, as I'm taking the rest of the day to be vaguely productive.

The Lesser of Two Evils? (ALCS preview)

This is one of those series where you'd rather not be a Yankee fan. You don't want Boston to win, plain and simple, but do don't really want Cleveland to be the ones to beat Boston...

Anyway.

If Boston wants to win this series, they're going to have to find a way to beat CC Sabathia or Fausto Carmona. Am I the only one that thinks of 'Faustian tragedy' when I see that guy's name?

Right then. If Cleveland wants to win, they need to beat Beckett or Schilling in Fenway.

If the series just came down to that, I'd give Cleveland the edge in a heartbeat, but the problem is, it's not a best-of-three series.

Boston's got the scarier guys in the lineup, but Cleveland's offense is much more balanced. Grady Sizemore and Asdrubel Cabrera have some serious; Travis Hafner can hit it out in a snap.

[EDIT}: According to some I've been talking to, such as Brent of the MVN network, I've got this wrong, and Boston has the more balanced line up. I've been going on my general impression--Boston's line up seems top-heavy to me, while Cleveland does not--but I've been wrong before.

We'll see what happens here.

Bullpen-wise, Boston's got the better closer, but Cleveland can get by on set up men alone.


So, players to watch: CC Sabathia, Fausto Carmona, Rafaels (2), Travis Hafner, Grady Sizemore, David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, Josh Beckett, Hideki Okajima, Daisuke Matsuzaka, and, hate it or not, Curt Schilling.

As for the prediction...

This is going to be a good series. Boston's probably going to win at least one at Fenway and lose at least one at the Jake, so that's six games right there.

On the whole, I think Cleveland's got the edge, unless Schilling and Dice-K have some serious game. It's not just the pitching though; Cleveland's offense is better balanced, and they are still the more underrated team.

Cleveland in seven.


(Watch it be Boston in four...)

Postseason Scores and Stuffs, 3 October 2007

The Rockies beat the Phillies 4-2, in Philadelphia. The Rockies are more or less the one team no one wants to play right now; and Jeff Francis had a great game, making only two mistakes.

Chase Utley had four strikeouts, more or less the opposite of 'clutch'.

Cole Hammels did not pitch that poorly for Philadelphia, but one bad inning in the second cost them dearly. Philadelphia allowed just two hits outside of that inning, a home run and a base hit in the ninth.


Boston beat the Angels, 4-0. The Angels played like they're hurting, and Beckett was...well, let's just say he brought back some very unpleasant memories of 2003.

However, the unpleasant memories of Beckett are not nearly as unpleasant as the memories of Ortiz...and that he went 2-3 makes me very, very unhappy.


One more game to go, but I probably won't stay up for the entire thing. I'll either edit that into this post or put something up tomorrow morning.

[EDIT]: The Cubs/Diamondbacks game is the most exciting game of the day. A one-one tie into the seventh, Arizona pulled two ahead with a home run and a RBI.

Now, it's top of the ninth, Chicago up at bat, one on and two out, Soriano up...might as well stay awake to see how this one ends!


Side note: I know there are some that disagree with me, but I'm actually enjoying the TBS coverage. It's no-nonsense, and the announcers aren't afraid to be critical of the teams. I didn't so much enjoy the rehashing of 2004, but what else would you expect in a Boston game?

Also, the game breaks mid-innings are much more enjoyable than commercials.

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...

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...

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...