Baseball season started!

[BERIGAN]

Oh, I knew it all along...what with Country Joe West's strike zone the size of a matchbox!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jim Alfredson]

Amazing. And I don't even like baseball.

[BERIGAN]

Amazing. And I don't even like baseball.

But you have posted at least....where is Ghost, and Dan, and bluesForBartok??? Are they all passed out from shock???

Just heard that Shilling had his ankle sutured before the start!!!!

[Jim Alfredson]

Yes, those close-ups of his bloodied sock were pretty gnarly. Gives new meaning to the name "red socks"!!!

[doubleM]

Fuck!!! I wasn't expecting a series after 3-0, but who was?!!! Anyone going to watch tomorrow's game?

[Jim Alfredson]

My wife forbids me to watch baseball. She got home late tonight because of after-work meetings (she works for a small city government) and we were talking in the kitchen and I said, "Let's go in the living room and talk." "Why?" she asked. "What are you watching?" "The Red Sox/Yankees game 6," I said.

"BASEBALL?!?! OH NO, YOU'RE NOT WATCHING BASEBALL! You already watch basketball, college football and pro football. If you start watching baseball then next thing I know you'll be watching hockey and then golf and then you'll turn into my dad!"

You must understand... when she met me, I only followed Michigan State football and basketball. But now I watch the Pistons and the NFL and even my old college buddies, who I got together with this weekend, we're flabergasted by my "newfound" love of sports. We were watching the Sox/Yankees game 3 on saturday and they just about spit beer out their noses when I started talking about Schilling.

[BERIGAN]

My wife forbids me to watch baseball. She got home late tonight because of after-work meetings (she works for a small city government) and we were talking in the kitchen and I said, "Let's go in the living room and talk." "Why?" she asked. "What are you watching?" "The Red Sox/Yankees game 6," I said.

"BASEBALL?!?! OH NO, YOU'RE NOT WATCHING BASEBALL! You already watch basketball, college football and pro football. If you start watching baseball then next thing I know you'll be watching hockey and then golf and then you'll turn into my dad!".....

Then you said, "Whose your daddy????" And that is the last thing you remember, before waking up in the hospital.

[Dan Gould]

And here we are again.

I'm kind of reminded of the end of Speed when Dennis Hopper's character says to the Great Wooden Actor (not sure if this is exactly right, but you get the drift): "Well, Jack, I think Harry would be disappointed, seeing as we're right back where we started."

A few observations:

Schilling's performance was, IMO, the greatest pitching performance in post season history. To do what he did, in that situation, under those medical circumstances, is absolutely amazing.

This series has far surpassed last year's LCS for sustained excitement. Until Game 7 last year, you didn't see the extraordinary shifting of tides and changes of fortune, and I'm only talking micro here, not the macro level of losing three straight and then coming back to force Game 7.

The only other post season series to match this has to be the 2001 World Series, and I'm not even sure it matches this series, because as amazing as the Yankee come backs in the Bronx were, those weren't elimination games the way the two extra inning games were.

A-Rod, henceforth and for all eternity to be known as THE CHEATER, not only is a cheater, but he has absolutely no integrity either. Now, you may say that one follows the other, but I disagree. He formulated his plan in a split second as Arroyo moved over to make the tag, but as the umpires huddled, he knew what he had done. When they called him out and he stood there with that, What Did I Do? look, I lost whatever respect I had for him. He knew he was guilty, and a man walks off the field, goes into the dugout, and apologizes to his team.

Speaking of THE CHEATER could anyone (of a certain age) not recall Reggie Jackson, another (UNINDICTED) CHEATER sticking his hip out to deflect the double play relay, not only tipping the balance in that game, but irrevocably changing that World Series? Thank God that today, the umpires get together and talk things over.

*********

Reasons for optimism (Yankees):

Its Game 7, its Yankee Stadium, and they're facing the Red Sox. 'Nuff said.

Flash and Mariano got the day off. Presumably Mussina is available, like last year, and so is Vasquez and Duque (thoiugh with a bad shoulder, who knows if pitching Duque is a good idea.)

Reasons for optimism (Red Sox):

Big Mo

Embree and Timlin got the day off. Foulke only had to go one inning and I'm sure he'll be available for the last three outs again.

[Chrome]

A-Rod, henceforth and for all eternity to be known as THE CHEATER,

That move by A-Rod was unbelievable ... I know he's got a ton of talent, but I never could quite get behind him ... yet I still never would have guessed he'd try something like that.

[Dan Gould]

According to Section 6.1 of the MLB Umpire Manual, "While contact may occur between a fielder and runner during a tag attempt, a runner is not allowed to use his hands or arms to commit an obviously malicious or unsportsmanlike act."

Boston First Baseman Kevin Millar:

"What he did was completely unprofessional, and really hurt his team," said Boston's Kevin Millar. "It was an unprofessional play and he knows that. He has to brush his teeth and look at himself in the mirror in the morning."

[Big Al]

That asshole deserves to be on the Yankees. No one around here (Ranger fan or otherwise) misses him for a second.

I've always hated the Yankees, but never really cared much for the Red Sox either.

Until last night.

GO RED SOX!!!!

Edited October 20, 2004 by Big Al

[JSngry]

Like it/him or not, Reggie's move was "hardball", a "trick of the trade". More than a little shady, yeah, but you do what you gotta do and you don't make it too obvious.

A-Rod's thing last night, on the other hand, was sissified, something that a self-absorbed Little League coach's effeminate son being groomed to be a "star" would do when they were, like 7 or 8. Totally classless, and, in its obviousness, supremely unprofessional. You slam into the guy, or something, but to SLAP at a motherfucker's glove like that is SO girlymanish.

Jock check, A-Rod. Please.

[Jim Alfredson]

My wife forbids me to watch baseball.  She got home late tonight because of after-work meetings (she works for a small city government) and we were talking in the kitchen and I said, "Let's go in the living room and talk."  "Why?" she asked.  "What are you watching?"  "The Red Sox/Yankees game 6," I said.

"BASEBALL?!?!  OH NO, YOU'RE NOT WATCHING BASEBALL!  You already watch basketball, college football and pro football.  If you start watching baseball then next thing I know you'll be watching hockey and then golf and then you'll turn into my dad!".....

Then you said, "Whose your daddy????" And that is the last thing you remember, before waking up in the hospital.

Pretty much.

My wife don't take no stuff.

[MartyJazz]

According to Section 6.1 of the MLB Umpire Manual, "While contact may occur between a fielder and runner during a tag attempt, a runner is not allowed to use his hands or arms to commit an obviously malicious or unsportsmanlike act."

Boston First Baseman Kevin Millar:

"What he did was completely unprofessional, and really hurt his team," said Boston's Kevin Millar. "It was an unprofessional play and he knows that. He has to brush his teeth and look at himself in the mirror in the morning."

Agreed. Very, very unYankee-like. And to make things worse, it stirred up the idiot segment of the crowd who either didn't really understand why A-Rod was justifiably called out for interference or didn't care. Maybe A-Rod doesn't yet know that clutch hits with men on base in the late innings of close games are what really wins in the post season, because he sure as hell isn't delivering any.

[MartyJazz]

BTW, nobody including Joe Buck et al bothered to mention that what A-Rod did really hurt the Yanks. Jeter should have been on 2nd base in scoring position as a result of a typical fielder's choice instead of having to return to 1st base due to A-Rod's bush interference ploy. Instead, Buck kept stating during the umpires' conference that Jeter will return to 1st base but neglected to point out that the resulting interference call is a punitive one.

[Dan Gould]

Instead, Buck kept stating during the umpires' conference that Jeter will return to 1st base but neglected to point out that the resulting interference call is a punitive one.

True, but I believe the rule says, "the last base the player reached before the interference took place." In other words, I'm not sure if, say, Jeter had been running on the play and reached second before THE CHEATER'S girly-man move, would he have returned to second instead?

Neither here nor there, but my point is, the rule is punitive, but I don't think its automatically so.

[catesta]

Like it/him or not, Reggie's move was "hardball", a "trick of the trade". More than a little shady, yeah, but you do what you gotta do and you don't make it too obvious.

A-Rod's thing last night, on the other hand, was sissified, something that a self-absorbed Little League coach's effeminate son being groomed to be a "star" would do when they were, like 7 or 8. Totally classless, and, in its obviousness, supremely unprofessional. You slam into the guy, or something, but to SLAP at a motherfucker's glove like that is SO girlymanish.

Jock check, A-Rod. Please.

Exactly.

A-Rod's comments after...

"I was kind of perplexed by it," Rodriguez said. "I don't know what I was trying to do. I know he was coming and I know that the line is mine. They said I could've run him over, but I went out of my way. Looking back at it, I probably should've just run him over."

[MartyJazz]

Instead, Buck kept stating during the umpires' conference that Jeter will return to 1st base but neglected to point out that the resulting interference call is a punitive one.

True, but I believe the rule says, "the last base the player reached before the interference took place." In other words, I'm not sure if, say, Jeter had been running on the play and reached second before THE CHEATER'S girly-man move, would he have returned to second instead?

Neither here nor there, but my point is, the rule is punitive, but I don't think its automatically so.

Rodriguez slapped the ball out of Arroyo's hand just before reaching 1st base. Jeter had to have been on 2nd by then, since he had a lead off 1st as the pitch came in to A-Rod, he is reasonably fast, and he was on his way once A-Rod's batted ball hit the ground. So it matters to me not one whit what the rule book says, I don't see how Jeter could not have already been on 2nd when the transgression took place.

[Dan Gould]

Curiouser and curiouser: still no announcement on the Yank's starter tonite??

I mean, obviously Brown is not the ideal choice, but who else is there? Vasquez, also on three day's rest? Duque on two? Brown may have looked horrible, but he's the guy with post season experience.

It all makes me wonder whether they don't think Brown can even pitch on three day's rest, or whether Brown has something wrong with him.

As far as the Sox go, I think its a smart move to start with Lowe, who's pitching with the most amount of rest, and see how long he can last, then let Wake come in. If we get him a lead and Wake has the same knuckler he showed in Monday's game, this can be over very quick.

But either way, take your chances with Lowe and let Wakefield try to get the middle nine or more outs, when they'll really count.

And I'll tell you this, Yankee fans: the mere fact that Pedro isn't starting makes me cautiously optimistic.

[Soulstation1]

any chance pedro will pitch in relief, if needed?

ss1

[Dan Gould]

any chance pedro will pitch in relief, if needed?

ss1

Oh, I think its a distinct possibility. And as scary as it would otherwise sound, the fact that Pedro won't get near the magical/disastrous 100 pitch mark makes me think he could definitely come in and get 3-6 outs. The important thing would be not getting amped up in front of the animals in the stands and losing command. If he can pitch as he did in Fenway, I'll take Pedro out of the pen in a heartbeat.

For that matter, how about Pedro for nine outs, followed immediately by Wake? They sort of tried that in the regular season, thinking that sandwiching Wakefield in between Schilling and Martinez would be extra tough. But in a game, instead of a series, it might be deadly if 1-9 saw pitches in the low-mid 90s, and the next time through saw 65 mph knucklers.

Or vice versa! Maybe get Wake to go three innings, and follow him with Pedro for only a couple.

At least I'm confident that Francona won't pull a John McNamara and leave the starters in the pen while this year's version of Schiraldi and Nipper get pounded.

[Big Wheel]

The trouble with bringing in Wakefield for middle relief is that it means Francona is almost forced to replace Varitek with Mirabelli (after those 3 passed balls). Mirabelli's not a bad hitter, but if Varitek is coming to bat in the next inning and Lowe starts to get shaky, it could constrain Francona's options.

[BERIGAN]

Like it/him or not, Reggie's move was "hardball", a "trick of the trade". More than a little shady, yeah, but you do what you gotta do and you don't make it too obvious.

A-Rod's thing last night, on the other hand, was sissified, something that a self-absorbed Little League coach's effeminate son being groomed to be a "star" would do when they were, like 7 or 8. Totally classless, and, in its obviousness, supremely unprofessional. You slam into the guy, or something, but to SLAP at a motherfucker's glove like that is SO girlymanish.

Jock check, A-Rod. Please.

Good points..I still remember that move by Reggie, and it was nothing like what we saw last night. Playing the devil's advocate for a sec(REALLY don't want to defend A-hole) but there is a fair bit a sign stealing going on by guys on second base, and that really pisses me off, throw a guy out doing that once, and it will end real quick.....

[Dan Gould]

The trouble with bringing in Wakefield for middle relief is that it means Francona is almost forced to replace Varitek with Mirabelli (after those 3 passed balls). Mirabelli's not a bad hitter, but if Varitek is coming to bat in the next inning and Lowe starts to get shaky, it could constrain Francona's options.

Actually, there's been a lot of debate about Mirabelli being used anyway, at least ealier in the series. He is a pretty good hitter, as you say, and in fact he kills Yankee pitching, with pretty gaudy numbers at Yankee Stadium, if I'm not mistaken. And that is ironically where Tek has had a terrible time this year, though he came up with big hits last night.

I know you want to win or lose with your big dogs, but I would not have a problem with Mirabelli getting the call. In fact, maybe you even start Mirabelli and keep him in until Wake is done, then have Varitek come off the bench?

I honestly won't second guess Francona if Mirabelli plays tonite, however that comes about.

[BERIGAN]

Hey, want to see the dumbest, stoopidist "article" ever posted on espn about baseball???? I saw this last night, should have posted it earlier. These same "Experts" had both series over a few days ago...

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story...second/guessing