Matthew

Nah, it wasn't the bucks, not at all. Got them thru Stub Hub & as a "contingent event" would get a CC refund if Game 5 didn't get played...it was just the whole vibe of maybe being able taking my son to see our team play in the World Series. For a chance like that, money is a secondary consideration (but a consideration nevertheless, as any ticket for the game, even SRO, this evening was not even remotely practical for us, even with a credit card). Of course, the possibility exists that we'll be going to a game that could see the Rangers lose the Series, but either way....Lee vs Lincecum with high stakes on the table no matter what...wow... We'll both have memories of that that should last a lifetime. Money well spent, imho. I am so freaking envious. On a completely unrelated note: My mother's new heartthrob is Buster Posey, I mean, head-over-heals in love...

Very good game, Rangers deserved the win all they way. Tomorrow's another day...

Yeah, I meant the 8th. I just thought that Washington had to do anything possible to keep the lead to two runs. Theory is great is baseball, but you need outs, and Feliz hasn't pitched in a lot of days, so use him fer cryin' out loud! I mean, he gets the third out, and he can pitch the bottom of the 9th.

Ron Washington did not manage the 9th well at all -- not even using Feliz?? They needed to keep it to a two run lead, and Ron was acting like it was the middle of July.

I think going back to Texas will help the Rangers tremendously, the TLC of the fans, they get the DH back, but that bullpen -- they looked flat-out scared tonight, especially Holland.

No, Lee goes to right field as a defensive replacement.

Vlad not in the lineup tonight...

Yes--didn't somebody upstream point out that Guerrero might be problematic for the Rangers in the road games? Those two plays reminded me of watching Marcus Thames this year for the Yankees whenever he took the field...a development that never failed to make Pinstripe Alley posters break out in hives. Giant radio announcers are saying one of the most important outcomes of this game could be Vlade not playing in games 6 & 7, because of no DH (if it comes to that), loosing Vlade for those two final games would be a big blow to the Rangers.

Very sad seeing Vlade playing so bad in the outfield, he use to be good.

The test is now going to be for the rest of the staff - now that Lee has not set the tone, which, if any of them, will? They all have greateness in them, but they also all harbor disaster. It's time to decide. Will the hitters bounce back? I like the way the came back for 2, even if that's all the more they get, a lot of teams, including the old Rangers, would not have mustered that. I like to win, obviously, but for me, sports are ultimately about character tests. And if is is the Rangers' fate to lose this series, I want them to lose it with character, not with shame. And if they win, same thing. Yeah, no one wants to go out like the 1985 St. Louis Cardinals.

I was at least in the ballpark...

For some reason, I just didn't think Lee would be on tonight, those streaks can last only so long. Still, the Rangers are the kind of team that are dangerous every freakin' inning...

Giants left their brains, not their hearts, in San Francisco

Game 1 prediction: Giants 5 Rangers 2. Lee out by the 7th. Lincecum 8 innings. Wilson: Comes in to pitch the 9th for the save. World Series: Giants 4 games Rangers 2.

Pinky And The Brain - volume 1. "Are you pondering what I'm pondering...."

Supposedly, it was a wicked spitter that Casey threw... Damn Yankees...

I don't see Arod moving a second time for Jeter. I know Ghostie thinks there's a great bromance going on between the two, but it's not going to happen, ARod's ego is too big.

I know that Jeter is a hero to Yankee fans, after all, he is a True Yankee™, but I don't see it working having DJ at third, the karma is all wrong for that to happen. Besides, who would move into shortstop for the Yankees? Is there anyone better than a slow Jeter they can turn to? Well, Posada, everyone knows he stinks at a catcher at this point in his career, and there's not too much coming up after him. The Yankees are in deep doo-doo for next year, and I don't think they can buy them$elve$ out of this one either. Lucky for them, Tampa Bay is going to gut their team, Toronto, does anyone take them seriously? Looks like clear sailing for Boston next year, and the Yankees fighting for the wild card again. Couldn't happen to a nicer team...

Yeah, I know what you mean, the "rap" didn't do anything for me, but I liked "Wonderful World," I'm just a sucker for that one, even like Jerry Garcia's one million versions of the song.

I've played this one a couple of times now, an it really is a beautiful album. Wyatt is able to blend strings, other instruments, and his voice very effectively. The opening song, Laura, is especially lovely. This is not your typical jazz standards album, but a very creative piece of work from a great vocalist / musician. Highly recommended.

Bob Dylan: The Original Mono Recordings.

On the other hand at least you get a chance to play for the title with less than the best record. The 2000 Yankees had the 5th record yet made the playoffs and won the title over the Mets. In the pre-wild card days there have been clubs that played .600 ball and never got a chance as there was one team that was better. Though I'm not sure which side I fall on. In a short series anything can happen. However it's also damn hard to win the season year after year with no "back door" to the World Series. One of the reasons that I can't put the 1996-2000 Yankees in the same class as the Big Red Machine is the DH. The style of play without the DH is very different, and especially the pre-DH era. The 1996-2000 teams were built with a completely different outlook than the A's or Red's, in fact, that is the reason I think the early teams are better, they had to play the whole game, and a better style. Those Yankee teams, Torre just filled out the line-up, and tried not to fall asleep at the wheel. I'll take the Big Red Machine anytime, I saw them play, and they were awesome -- too bad Joe Morgan can't stop talking about them, or himself, I think that just turns fans off this team. But, really, Joe Morgan, Pete Rose and Johnny Bench, wow! Both sets of fans are nervous about this one, they seem to be equally matched, and it looks like it's going be which team takes advantage of the breaks will win (if that's not a cliche, I don't know what is!)..

The Official World Series Film Collection. I was able to find this for $80.00, so I decided to buy it for my birthday. Been selecting various Series, to dip my toe into the water. Started with the 1968 Boston / St. Louis Series, as that is the first one I remember following, then the 1969 Mets / Orioles Series, as my 6th grade teacher brought a tv into the classroom, so we could watch the games during the week (Ah! days long gone, where you had actual day games). Just a fun box set to have. I'll look at the 1979 Series later today, as that is one of my all-time favorites -- has there ever been a funkier series than that one? We Are Family, two of the worse stadiums in baseball, great players, Earl Weaver... that series had everything and a couple of bags of chips! Edit: 1979 World Series was Pittsburgh Pirates vs Baltimore Orioles

From the Mercury News: "At one point in the game, I turned to (assistant) Dick Tidrow and I said, 'This is a street fight, and we win those,'" general manager Brian Sabean said. That's why I think we are in store for a special World Series, both teams play a great style of baseball, though, I think Dan is right: four games without the DH, plus the twilight in San Francisco, are big pluses for the Giants. Hamilton will also be finding out about the dimensions of AT&T, and how a lot of his hits won't be flying out of the park.

Giants vs. Rangers. It's going to be a heck of a series. But, boy, following the Giants is torture, but a good torture right now.