4-0. 12-3. 10-5. 8-4.
Those are some of the scores from a less than scintillating first two days of the baseball playoffs. Sadly for me, the 4-0 score is from the Red Sox beating the Angels and Ace John Lackey on Wednesday. As I told my friend who I go to Anaheim Stadium with "The Angels are gonna get pasted by the Sox again, just like 2005". Why oh why didn't the Halos play better the last three weeks of the season so that they could have the home field advantage. *sigh*
The Phillies and Cubs are actually in worse situations than the Angels. The 10-5 score was the Rockies v. Phillies score from Thursday which, added to the 4-2 Rockies win on Wednesday, means the Phillies are in a world of trouble. It might simply be the case that they burned themselves out just making the playoffs. Nah, the Rockies were in almost the same situation, maybe the Phillies just aren't as good? Don't hate me, Joe.
If I hear about Steve Bartman and his interference on that ball in the 2003 playoffs one more time, I'll scream. Of course, the media needs something to natter about since their sentimental favorites, the Cubs, are getting schooled by a bunch of no-namers on the team formerly known as the Diamondbacks (it's now the awful D-backs, on the uniforms at least). The Cubs look old, tired and jaded –also: not very good– while the Diamondbacks have that "Team Of Destiny" look about them. Of course, the Rockies are also a "Team Of Destiny" in their quest to Win One For Longsuffering Todd Helton so I'd love a matchup of two TOD in the next round>
Hahahaha, Indians 12, Yankees 3 in their Game 1 matchup Thursday. Now, let the record reflect that I am *not* a Yankees hater; in fact, I'd have loved for the Angels to have played them instead, they'd have swept them out of the playoffs like they have the other two times they've met in the postseason. It's just the arrogance of the New York media and some of their fans. To read some of the blathering, you'd have thought that the Indians, instead of being a solid baseball team, were just a diversion before the Yankees met the Red Sox in the ALCS.
As usual, when I'm at home watching the games, I turn the sound off and listen to CD's (not a problem following online at work). The idea of Dick Stockton doing baseball is ludicrous enough, but in any case, not having the constant chatter of the announcers makes me focus on the visuals even more. How I hate how baseball is directed on TV! The directors of the telecasts absolutely do not trust the game itself to hold interest.
Thus, between every pitch are at least five or 6 shots, usually: batter, pitcher, manager, fans, batter, pitcher and back to the game. Fine, we live in a post-MTV world, but despite the occasional hottie –hello tall drink of water in the Cubs jersey with the chest hair peaking out of the top– it's the directorial version of ADD. It's especially annoying when they cut back to the pitcher as he starts his windup. Grrrr.
Much more baseball to come over the next few days. Or maybe not! The Rockies head home up 2-0 and can close out the Phils on Saturday, the same day that the Diamondbacks head to Wrigley Field with a sweep in mind. Sad to say, but I think come Monday, the only sport the Angels players will be playing is golf, while I suspect the Yankees and Indians series might go the full five games. –Jim Allen
4-0. 12-3. 10-5. 8-4.
Those are some of the scores from a less than scintillating first two days of the baseball playoffs. Sadly for me, the 4-0 score is from the Red Sox beating the Angels and Ace John Lackey on Wednesday. As I told my friend who I go to Anaheim Stadium with "The Angels are gonna get pasted by the Sox again, just like 2005". Why oh why didn't the Halos play better the last three weeks of the season so that they could have the home field advantage. *sigh*
The Phillies and Cubs are actually in worse situations than the Angels. The 10-5 score was the Rockies v. Phillies score from Thursday which, added to the 4-2 Rockies win on Wednesday, means the Phillies are in a world of trouble. It might simply be the case that they burned themselves out just making the playoffs. Nah, the Rockies were in almost the same situation, maybe the Phillies just aren't as good? Don't hate me, Joe.
If I hear about Steve Bartman and his interference on that ball in the 2003 playoffs one more time, I'll scream. Of course, the media needs something to natter about since their sentimental favorites, the Cubs, are getting schooled by a bunch of no-namers on the team formerly known as the Diamondbacks (it's now the awful D-backs, on the uniforms at least). The Cubs look old, tired and jaded –also: not very good– while the Diamondbacks have that "Team Of Destiny" look about them. Of course, the Rockies are also a "Team Of Destiny" in their quest to Win One For Longsuffering Todd Helton so I'd love a matchup of two TOD in the next round>
Hahahaha, Indians 12, Yankees 3 in their Game 1 matchup Thursday. Now, let the record reflect that I am *not* a Yankees hater; in fact, I'd have loved for the Angels to have played them instead, they'd have swept them out of the playoffs like they have the other two times they've met in the postseason. It's just the arrogance of the New York media and some of their fans. To read some of the blathering, you'd have thought that the Indians, instead of being a solid baseball team, were just a diversion before the Yankees met the Red Sox in the ALCS.
As usual, when I'm at home watching the games, I turn the sound off and listen to CD's (not a problem following online at work). The idea of Dick Stockton doing baseball is ludicrous enough, but in any case, not having the constant chatter of the announcers makes me focus on the visuals even more. How I hate how baseball is directed on TV! The directors of the telecasts absolutely do not trust the game itself to hold interest.
Thus, between every pitch are at least five or 6 shots, usually: batter, pitcher, manager, fans, batter, pitcher and back to the game. Fine, we live in a post-MTV world, but despite the occasional hottie –hello tall drink of water in the Cubs jersey with the chest hair peaking out of the top– it's the directorial version of ADD. It's especially annoying when they cut back to the pitcher as he starts his windup. Grrrr.
Much more baseball to come over the next few days. Or maybe not! The Rockies head home up 2-0 and can close out the Phils on Saturday, the same day that the Diamondbacks head to Wrigley Field with a sweep in mind. Sad to say, but I think come Monday, the only sport the Angels players will be playing is golf, while I suspect the Yankees and Indians series might go the full five games. –Jim Allen
