Dan Gould

Actually, this issue is about to be eclipsed by the November issue, soon to appear. A certain long-awaited interview is making its belated appearance. So stay tuned for info!

Mark, I think I got this for my birthday. Let me check at home. If that's the one I got, its from the British series of Atlantic reissues, if that makes a difference (its just the original album, not the reissue Mike Weil used in his blindfold test).

Congrats!

Having heard good things about Fox's performance, I had great interest in the film. Now that I hear how it is a typical Hollywood bio-pic, that interest has been tarnished significantly. But I'll probably see it anyway.

Well this certainly gets the former GHF's notice. But I have to ask, Tony, is this because the Lucky-Tommy version is similarly soulful or because its just similarly breath-taking? BTW, I love each pic of your son more than the last!

Folks, First of all, thanks for all the support through this amazing run into the history books. After the ALCS was over, I decided that I needed to memorialize this remarkable triumph, and ultimately, and without a lot of knowledge of the program, I was able to create not one but two "music videos" from certain "songs of triumph" (think Freddie Mercury) and an assortment of photos from the web. Everyone who's seen them thinks they're awesome, and I would love to share them with you folks. The way I see it, the obvious and perfectly acceptable way to do this is to send me your mailing address and I will mail a burn out to you. The alternative would be if anyone is willing to host these two large files (6 MB each) so that people can simply download them. However, whoever might want to do that should bear in mind that since I didn't have any clearances for using these images/tunes, there are definite © issues involved. Please note the following system requirements before emailing your address to me: You must have Flash Player installed on your computer. Go to http://www.macromedia.com to download. The movie plays correctly in Windows XP. It definitely does NOT play correctly in ME. Other operating systems have not been tested, but XP is the one operating system I can say definitely works correctly. Otherwise, you may find that the pictures run too big on the screen and get chopped. Anyone wanting to see these two awesome video presentations, please email dangould@hotmail.com

Sorry to hear it was such a downer of a day, Brownie, but happy birthday nonetheless!

Any questions? (OK, 4 runs and 3 runs in the last two games respectively might not constitute "killing" but the difference in starting pitching tells the entire story, IMO. Sorry, Cards fans, but I gotta tell it like it is, and that was your fatal flaw.) Without a doubt, the greatest post-season run in major sports history. What a way to "Reverse the Curse"!!!

Happy Birthday, Chris!

.....as well the Sox did (get gifts); 8 walks and a hit batsmen. How many of those scored? Errors are just a part of the Sox arsenal (4 more and counting, tonight) But it does appear that they will be going to stl with a 2-0 lead. What does a team that preaches patience at the plate and high OBP do to average starting pitching? Generate walks, and then hitters counts, and then hits. So, the walks were not "gifts"-they're the inevitable result of average starting pitchers. And that adjective-"average"-is not mine. Its how one scout was quoted in the Boston Globe last week. The complete quote? "The Red Sox kill average pitching." ************************ This has gone precisely as I expected (except for the errors). Better pitching (especially staff ace and closer) throttles a fearsome lineup, particularly when it counts, while our own fearsome lineup feasts on less than stellar pitching. ************************** Clearly the errors have to stop, because a good team won't continue to fail to capitalize on extra outs. The good thing: Mueller is a well above average third baseman. Three errors in a game for him are a fluke and you won't see it again. Bellhorn is also usually sure-handed (I think he reduced the errors at second base from 19 last year (Todd Walker) to 10 or so this year). Unfortunately, Manny is Manny, so there's always a risk with him on the field. But as far as fielding goes, in the late innings, when the game is on the line, the Sox have three Gold Gloves in the infield with Cabrera, Pokey and Mantkiewicz. We'll be fine. **************************** The question is, will the Cards be fine? I have to like our chances with Pedro going on six days rest, against a lineup that, almost to a man, has never seen him before (Edmunds certainly has had a swing or two, and maybe Renteria a few years back(?) but that's it). I know Suppan has pitched well, but he needs, above all, to throw strikes and miss bats. If he isn't around the strike zone, we'll do the same thing to him that we did to Williams and Morris. Guaranteed. And another factor in Pedro's advantage: The forecast calls for pretty mild weather with a chance for showers. Game time temperature in the mid-60s, I'm figuring, and that means no cold for Pedro to battle in order to get loose. He should come out firing from the get go. And, those lovely midwesterners are too darn polite to chant "Who's Your Daddy?"

Does this mean that eventually she'll complete the Milli Vanilli connection and off herself? I know that's harsh, but ...

Someone help him, please-he's confusing a CHRISTening with Islam. I'd offer help but the only christening I've been too was my niece. My wife was asked to be one of the Godparents, and part of the deal was affirming to the priest that she's "living in Christ" or some such thing. Unfortunately, she'd already turned away from her Catholic upbringing, but that didn't stop her from lying to the priest's face. So, as far as cards go, I didn't have anything to do with it, didn't see it, didn't sign it.

Well. If that's the way its going to be ... I don't know if I can handle this series! Certainly Cards fans have to know that they got an awful lot of gifts tonite. Without Wakefield's walks and those ridiculous errors, this game is maybe 9-4. Certainly, if you're a Cards fan, you have to be concerned about stopping the Red Sox offense. They just keep coming, and I'd be very worried about Morris vs Schilling tomorrow night. Morris had the worst stats of all the starters, gave up a truckload of home runs (most in the majors). If Schill's tendon "surgery" does the job again and he pitches as he's capable, I do expect to go up 2-0. Good signs for the Sox: Bellhorn and Damon's bats coming alive, continuing their upswing from Game 7. Manny getting clutch hits and driving in runs for the first time since the ALDS. Ortiz being Ortiz (that home run was huge, but smacking that ball in the 7th inning off the situational lefty was really big. Hope the second baseman doesn't miss any time.)

Its been announced that Mirabelli will catch Wakefield tonite, and it should be noted that this is not the major offensive reduction some people commented on during the ALCS. From today's Boston Globe:

Tiny Grimes: Profoundly Blue Big Time Guitar Gigi Gryce: Sayin' Somethin' The Hap'nin's Charlie Haden: Haunted Heart Frank Hailey Passing it Around Jim Hall: Good Friday Blues (Modest Jazz Trio) Dave Hamilton: Blue Vibrations Jeff Hamilton: Its Hamilton Time Live Explosive (Clayton-Hamilton Orchestra with Milt Jackson) Scott Hamilton: Organic Duke Live at Brecon Jazz Festival After Hours Radio City The Right Time Tenorshoes Tour De Force With Strings Major League Blues, Bop & Ballads The Grand Appearance Soft Lights and Sweet Music Race Point East of the Sun My Romance The Red Door Jazz Signatures Plays Ballads In New York City Live in London Swinging Young Scott A Sailboat in the Moonlight Tardo Hammer: Hammer Time Somethin' Special

Who said that?

As far as team speed goes, Wake and Pedro were bad at holding runners, Schilling and Arroyo less so. So, yes, Cards can try to run, for sure. As far as Wakefield goes, I did see that Mirabelli is getting the start, a good idea in my opinion. Whichever Card pitcher was hurt-he's done, supposedly. And another potential problem with the Card starters: don't they all give up homers, but most especially Morris (led the league?)? Not a good thing against the Sox. Keys for the Sox: Manny produces runs. Damon is the Damon we saw in Game 7. Bellhorn sets the table. Of course, number one is somewhat dependent on number two and three. The tablesetters have to do their jobs so the big boppers can do theirs. Then Red Sox Nation can sleep easy.

I generally agree with Berigan's analysis. The Cards have a tremendous offensive lineup (though the Yanks did, too), and some tremendous defenders. But don't count out the Sox on defense, either. About the only truly weak link is Manny in left, and Bellhorn is just adequate overall. The big defensive problem will be in St. Louis when Ortiz will have to play first base, and Millar probably sits unless he's been hot and Nixon hasn't. On the bullpens, I think its as close to even as you can get. The work they had to do to beat the Yanks-that's three days old when the game starts. I don't think fatigue will be that much of a factor, unless we get some more crazy games. Also, as solid as Isringhausen is, he's no Rivera. Trading in Rivera for Isringhausen means that automatically, the odds of a save have gone down. Offensively, the Cards are tremendous, no doubt about it. But the Sox do OK, too, which leads me to the important distinction: There's no devastating ace on the Cards staff. No Clemens or Oswalt or Pedro or Schilling, no Mussina and certainly no Randy Johnson. No one to strike fear in the heart of a lineup, feeling that you have to take advantage of any opportunity you get because it may be the only one. Good pitchers, all, but with that offensive juggernaut, I find it remarkable that no one managed to win more than 16 games. I know, they all won 15, but c'mon-that's a function of decent pitching with great offense. A true ace, on a team with 105 wins has got to end up with 20 wins, and no one did. Its basically a staff of third starters-terrific third starters, or second and third starters-but no one to scare the other side. And I mean no disrespect! So, if the Sox aces do their work, I think we'll be fine. And the last reason to have faith: 4 games at Fenway, and the team had the second best home record in baseball.

Just what I needed, thanks a lot!

I'm going to go with Houston, just barely, because of Clemens.

Does anyone have a source for a breakdown of Windows users, i.e., percentage who use Windows XP, 95 or 98 or ME or whatever other crappy software they've put out? Thanks!

Have you heard the Argo LP I mentioned above, Early in the Morning? Or one of her earliest, the King album Sings Pres?

Yeah, Brown's always had skills, and has always been able to deliver the goods on a semi-regular basis. But first and foremost, he's always been a headcase. When you get to a Game 7, you want your ace, your guy who's going to hunker down and stop whatever bleeding has been occurring, somebody who can kiss it and make it feel better. Somebody who's not a headcase. Sure, nobody can do it 100% of the time, but if the best you can come up with in a situation like that is Kevin Brown, well, you're going to be let down far more often than not. I don't think it had anything to do with Brown being a head case, unless there was lingering physical problems from the fight with the clubhouse wall. Really, I think we've witnessed the three month physical breakdown of a once talented pitcher who can no longer get it done. I'm sure the Yanks are desperate to dump him and his salary, but I'll be shocked if anyone takes him, and more shocked if he wins even 8 games or makes 18 starts next year. And it makes it oh so sweet that this was Steinbrenner's answer to the Schilling signing. You got the wrong aging pitcher, George!

Have you heard the Higgins produced (and Higgins composed) Soul Symphony by the Three Sounds? Its not your father's Three Sounds anymore, I know, and AMG craps on it, but its really a pretty decent date, on its own merits, not the least of which is loads and loads of soulful Gene Harris piano. Of course, I'm the former GHF, so your mileage may vary.

Now we know why Pedro pitched and Wakefield didn't. The Boston Herald is reporting that the rotation will be: Game 1 - Wakefield Game 2 - Schilling Game 3 - Pedro Game 4 - Lowe Arroyo out of the pen. The reasoning: Schilling has to pitch at Fenway since he can't be expected to bat/run. They want Pedro to get more rest after throwing harder in the LCS than he did the entire regular season. Schilling and Pedro are set for Six and Seven, if necessary. Francona's a freakin' genius! BTW, I like Arroyo out of the pen, better than Lowe. He got some clutch outs after his bad start, and he gives them an extra short reliever to work with Timlin/Embree or if they they need an extra inning or two to get to Timlin/Embree. And if Houston wins, Roger can't pitch before Tuesday. Unfortunately that wouldn't be at Fenway, but if it goes to Game 6, the fans will have one more chance to "salute" him.