The playoffs are here, so we're starting a new feature on the Scenic City Sportblog for the next month+ to discuss baseball's post-season. Here are my thoughts - please share your own in the comments section:
Rockies 4 Phillies 2
The Phillies hit their way to the playoffs, but got nothing from Rollins, Utley and Howard yesterday afternoon. I have not seen Jeff Francis throw a ball since he led the Vols to a Peach Bowl victory over Indiana. The guy has aged well.
Seriously, Francis looked great yesterday and really only gave up the one homerun to Roward. Pat Burrell's homerun was a fly ball in most parks. The Rockies are going to be tough to beat because they don't beat themselves. I don't know if they have the pitching to win it all, but their bullpen is solid and their defense helps the pitching. Matt Holliday is a stud, Todd Helton is a leader and Clint Hurdle looks like a great skipper. I voted for the Phillies as my National League representative, but I am not feeling so good about the pick right now.
Boston Red Sox 4 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 0
My other pick for the World Series was the Angels. Yikes. Josh Beckett looked like the 2003 stud that carried the Marlins over the Yankees. I have carried a grudge against Beckett for three years since he killed my fantasy team with his inconsistent starts. Last night, I forgave him. He looked fantastic against the Angels. I watched the beginning and end of this game, but there isn't much more to write about it other than Beckett's dominance.
Arizona Diamondbacks 3 Chicago Cubs 1
The talk of the morning is whether or not Lou Pinella should have pulled Carlos Zambrano after the 6th inning and only 85 pitches. The answer, of course, is no. It is not because the bullpen blew the game - that bullpen has been good this year. The answer is because Pinella should not have been looking ahead in the short 5 game series. Pinella had a chance to ride his stud to a road win (though, the game was tied when Zambrano was pulled) against the unhittable Brandon Webb. He should not have even considered saving Zambrano for a game on Sunday THAT MIGHT NOT EVEN HAPPEN! If the Cubs cannot win one of the next two games, Pinella saved Zambrano for nothing. The thought should not have crossed his mind.
Quick aside - the prospect of a Cubs/Phillies championship series looks great, but are we heading for a Rockies/Diamondbacks series?
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4 comments:
After the epic season clincher in Denver the other night, last night was pretty uneventful. I didn't realize that Gary Matthews was not on the post-season roster for California (they'll always be the California Angels to me)-- That could be the difference in this series. I'm suddenly liking our chances to advance. I just hope Cleveland can take care of the Yankee$ because the Red $ox just don't match up well against them.
In the NL, I don't know who to root for. I like the youth movement in Zona and Colorado, but how can I root against the hard luck Cubbies and Phills?
I'm with you on the Gary Matthews thing - that is huge for the Angels (and I'm with you on the name - it is bugging that crap out of me to type Los Angeles of Anaheim - how is that even possible?). I think he can play in the next series, but I think the Red Sox match up well against the Angels so he might not get a chance.
We'll see if the Indians' arms can shutdown the Yankees' bats. The Indians seem pretty similar to the Detroit team that beat New York last year - young studs on the mound & a solid line-up. Like most, however, I worry about Joe Borowski coming out of the pen.
The youth movement is fun, but I'm a sucker for star power. I want to see Howard, Utley, Soriano, Lee, Zambrano, et al. over Byrnes, Webb, Holliday and Helton. In my mind, a Cubs/Yankees World Series would be fun. So would a Phillies/Red Sox. Indians/Diamondbacks? Hard to get excited about it. Sorry, Latimer.
i was at the game last night, and it rivaled florida games at neyland--yes i just said that. don't apologize--i would feel the same way if i were in east tennessee. it wouldn't surprise me if the dbacks take down the cubs, but i can't see them making the series--i'm sad to say. i think the rox are coming out of the nl. they have the 2nd scariest lineup in baseball (behind the yanks) and good pitching. this year that should be enough to get them to the dance and then they should lose in 5 to any of the al teams. of course, i thought the same thing last year. the dbacks are the best story in baseball this year and bob melvin is an absolute shoe-in for manager of the year.
I got to see playoff baseball live twice in Houston, both times against my beloved Braves (including the 18 inning marathon...Brad F'N Ausmus). It was incredible. Every pitch felt like a down in a big football game. When they closed the roof in Minute Maid Park, it was easily the loudest crowd I have ever been a part of live, including games at Neyland Stadium.
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