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AL East
Oct 13, 2011 20:04:36 GMT -5
Post by Allen Wiener on Oct 13, 2011 20:04:36 GMT -5
Allen - where did you get the courage to write "discombobulated?" A few glasses of really good pinot noir did the trick! As usual, you're right. Sabathia was a bit of a panic move. Giradi should also have tried to get blooper balls from all his batters. But he let them swing away. That's how Bremley beat us in the 2001 World Series against Rivera. Choke up on the bat and slap at the ball to make contact. Any major league ballplayer should know how to do that. But I guess it's a lost art, like the bunt. Well, the ALDS game just started, so I'm off! It's what Paul was referring to when he said the Sox don't know how to play small-ball; few teams do anymore. From what I've seen of the Rangers this postseason, maybe they don't have to, but most teams do. I would still prefer to see a team use a combination of good pitching, solid hitting, a significant amount of speed on the bases and the ability to lay down a bunt, choke up and slap the ball "where they ain't," and get men along on the bases. If you lay back and rely on homers, it can win you a division title, as it did for the Yankees, but it may not get you any further than that. Tigers just managed to squeek through and will live to play another day - in Texas. Boy, those Rangers are impressive. No lead is safe and they can really tear you up in the late innings. Verlander was far from Cy Young quality today, but the Tigers finally started hitting again. It could just be that the pressure may now be worse on Texas than Detroit. The Rangers wanted to nail it down today and no one expected the Tigers to win this series after falling behind 3-1, but now it's 3-2 and one more Tiger win will push Texas to the wall, where they never wanted or expected to be. Meanwhile, Detroit may feel like it's no lose for them; they weren't supposed to be here after today, but they are. Could be 1968 all over again -- a Tiger series win after being down 3-1 and a rematch of Detroit and St. Louis. Allen
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AL East
Oct 16, 2011 12:06:25 GMT -5
Post by loucapitano on Oct 16, 2011 12:06:25 GMT -5
Baseball is so full of surprises. Who could predict 15 to 5 in the ALDS? Now my spouse thinks we should support St. Louis because it's my name and she is not a fan of prince Fielder (who she thinks was disrespectful of his father former Yankee Cecil Fielder) It's as good as any reason to watch the World Series. Can't wait to get fully involved in Football. Good hunting to all, Lou
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AL East
Oct 16, 2011 12:25:34 GMT -5
Post by Allen Wiener on Oct 16, 2011 12:25:34 GMT -5
If St. Louis goes, I'm looking forward to seeing Pujols finally get his moment in the national spotlight -- and can't wait to see what Cruz may do!! In short, looking forward to a great series!
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AL East
Oct 17, 2011 12:28:56 GMT -5
Post by Hiram on Oct 17, 2011 12:28:56 GMT -5
Not many ballplayers would be first-ballot HOFers if their stats were limited to their first 11 seasons in the league. Rookie of the Year, nine All-Star appearances, six Silver Slugger awards, three MVP awards, with four second-place finishes, and two Gold Gloves, Pujols has been consistently great since his first season, 2001. Only three players have a higher lifetime slugging percentage than Albert Pujols; Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, and Lou Gehrig
I'm hoping for a great series as well. No MLB team has had more trips to the World Series than the Redbirds since 2004. There's no doubt that having a player as talented as Pujols will make a team better, but it's also important to note that since 2000, only one team has gone without a managerial change. Only Connie Mack has won more ballgames than Tony LaRussa, and his next post-season victory will tie him with the all-time leader, Bobby Cox.
I'm also glad to see the Rangers make it back to the World Series. This season I watched almost as many Rangers games as I did Cardinals games, and Texas is a deep and talented ball club that is exciting to watch. They feature the most physically talented player in the game, Josh Hamilton, who is surrounded by some clutch hitters; Michael Young, Adrian Beltre, and yes, Nellie Cruz. I think the 2011 Series has the potential to be one for the ages!
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AL East
Oct 17, 2011 15:31:50 GMT -5
Post by Allen Wiener on Oct 17, 2011 15:31:50 GMT -5
Agree on all points, Hiram; should be a hum dinger!
And Pujols -- what can you say? Imagine the press he'd have gotten if he played in N.Y.!! Just look at what ARod gets up there, and as far as I'm concerned, he can't carry Pujols's satchel.
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AL East
Oct 22, 2011 23:06:47 GMT -5
Post by Allen Wiener on Oct 22, 2011 23:06:47 GMT -5
Albert Pujols!! WOW! Just, WOW! Move over R. Jackson. I think even Rangers fans will agree that Albert deserves this moment in the national spotlight! Here's one superstar who is not a postseason bust. Tonight's performance is just unbelievable. Don't know what the TV ratings will be, but shame on anyone who calls him/herself a baseball fan who is not watching this.
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AL East
Oct 24, 2011 15:48:54 GMT -5
Post by loucapitano on Oct 24, 2011 15:48:54 GMT -5
...and the Rangers come right back on the arm of a kid who looks younger than my grandson. I just love this stuff. Sixteen runs one day, shut out the next. Can't wait for tonight's game. This Yankee fan is really looking forward to a "GAME SEVEN!!!!! No doubt, Pujols is the Reggie of the 21st. Century - so far! I'd trade him for A-Rod any day! Lou
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AL East
Oct 24, 2011 17:46:47 GMT -5
Post by Allen Wiener on Oct 24, 2011 17:46:47 GMT -5
Yeah, Lou - we really have a World Series going here! Enjoying it thoroughly. After the 16-7 homer-fest, I agreed with McCarver that all 3 games in Texas were likely to be the same, but Holland changed the entire tone of the Series last night. Really a masterful performance by a 25-year-old. Looking forward to tonight's game too.
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AL East
Oct 24, 2011 23:23:26 GMT -5
Post by Allen Wiener on Oct 24, 2011 23:23:26 GMT -5
Well, we've gone from blowout back to nail-biters. Tonight had to be frustrating for St. Louis fans; Texas seemed to bend over backwards several times, begging the Cards to please take it, with St. Louis playing Alphonse to the Rangers' Gaston by seeming to say "Oh, no, no, no; YOU take it! Here; PLEASE take it!" The bottom line on this will be that Carpenter deserved better from his team, which was 1 for 12 with runners in scoring position, twice stranding the bases loaded. But of all the mishaps this night, my mind remains boggled at the decision to send Craig to steal second, with Pujols at bat, finally getting a chance to swing the bat. Not only did Craig get himself thrown out at second, but it (once again) left first base open and we all know what that means -- Pujols is walked intentionally for the 3rd consecutive time. Why on earth would you take the bat out of his hands? ? Dumb. Just dumb. Well, the Rangers are tenacious and have fought back well in Texas. The Cards' backs are to the wall as they head for home, where they'll try to take 2 in a row. So far, though, they've only had one good game offensively, so I'd say the odds are against them, but you never know. P.S. I now read that it was Pujols himself who ordered that blown hit-and-run! How the hell does that happen? How many managers are out there? Ridiculous, folks! And what's this about LaRussa getting the wrong pitcher from the bullpen because they couldn't hear him over the phone? Am I supposed to believe that? Or, have cushy player contracts prohibited managers from telling a guy on the bench to hustle down to the bullpen and get the RIGHT pitcher? It sounds like a World Series record for screwups in one game.
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AL East
Oct 27, 2011 23:47:35 GMT -5
Post by Allen Wiener on Oct 27, 2011 23:47:35 GMT -5
Whoa! What a game!! Almost sorry there has to be a game 7. The two teams should be frozen in time at the end of Game 6; seriously. I won't call it good baseball, but this had to be the wildest ride in World Series history! I know game 6 of the '75 series was terrific, but this is pretty tough to top. Thought it would never end! I'd say that Game 7 is bound to be anticlimactic, but the way this Series has gone, I won't say that!
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AL East
Oct 28, 2011 1:10:38 GMT -5
Post by Bill Yowell on Oct 28, 2011 1:10:38 GMT -5
Right now I'm just a Ranger fan in shock. Maybe in a day or so I will remember watching a great ball game. i would like to ask Wash what he was thinking by taking Feliz out when there is nothing left in the bull pen. "Does this mean what I think it do". Guess I had better dig out one of my old "wait til next year" shirts from my days as a Brooklyn Dodger fan.
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AL East
Oct 28, 2011 16:53:06 GMT -5
Post by Allen Wiener on Oct 28, 2011 16:53:06 GMT -5
This Series has provided a generous variety of valid second-guesses for both managers.
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AL East
Oct 29, 2011 10:52:49 GMT -5
Post by Hiram on Oct 29, 2011 10:52:49 GMT -5
The St. Louis Cardinals were 10 1/2 games back of Atlanta in the Wild Card race on August 25. They were 7 1/2 games back with 20 games left, 3 games back with five games left. They beat the National League teams with the best regular season record and the second-best regular season record. They beat a team which has gone to the Series two consecutive years. The "improbable dream" for the most remarkable team has come true!
I watched the Redbirds win in '64, '67, '82, '06. This World Series championship, this incredible run through September and October, facing game after game of "must-win" situations enabled this team to reach the pinnacle of the baseball world. Congratulations to the 2011 World Series Champions St. Louis Cardinals!
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AL East
Oct 29, 2011 11:44:31 GMT -5
Post by Allen Wiener on Oct 29, 2011 11:44:31 GMT -5
Nicely put, Hiram. I can only agree. It's been one of the most exciting final weeks of any season and fantastic postseasons in memory. I'm still not sure anything will top that final day of the regular season when the baseball world was turned upside down in a matter of hours.
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AL East
Oct 30, 2011 12:22:11 GMT -5
Post by Allen Wiener on Oct 30, 2011 12:22:11 GMT -5
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