The Goddam Boston Red Sox

 Since the Yankees fleeced the Sox for George Herman Ruth,  this franchise been cursed. At least until Theo Epstein arrived, and convinced owner John Henry it was time to start spending bigtime bucks, on big time talent. A long curse, the type gypsies put on and you grow another apendage, or a tail.

They couldn't win in 46' ( lost to the Cardinals ) and again in 67' ( same team Cards, different heroes ). Then losing a 7 game to the Reds, not even Carlton Fisk could save them.

Then losing to those hated Yankees in 1978 in a playoff, that was horrible, and the curse tightened it's grip.
I thought it was over when they beat the Angels (when by rights the Angels had them) down to their last strike, but  Davey Henderson beat Donny Moore and they went to the Series. With a Roger Clemens, no less, and stars all over the diamond.
But you know what happened, more Game 6 drama, a ball hit by the Mets and it dribbled threw Bill Buckner's wickets and the air collapsed in the balloon yet again.  Curses, foiled again !!

As I say, on comes a young bright mind in Theo Epstein, he brings in new manager.  Tito call me Terry Francona, born of a baseball lineage. They did was restore hope, even after they suffered at the hands of Yanks and Scott Brosius, & Aaron Boone.   The Beantowners wondered "when will this merciful curse end ? ". Christ why not ask the Cubs about curses. Check the calendar folks,  1908 ! for the Cubbies.

Anyhow, back to those damned Red Sox, well it seems adding a Curt Schilling added just the right ingrediant, adding a Johnny Damon was as well, and the Cowboy Up generation, coined by Kevin Millar came of age.

They found their edge, they found a way, lead by Big Papi., by Manny, by Youkilis, and Dustin Pedroia. They found whatever had been missing since 1918, and in the last 7-8 years, playoff success, and 2 World Series titles.
Fast forward to September of this year. Something bad was going on in Boston, they could not win games, they found new ways to lose. They could not get decent games from starting pitchers and they could hit in the clutch. I mean you name a facet of the game, defense, offense, hell if they had akicking game, they'd have screwed that up too.

The offseason finger pointing began almost when the last out in Baltimore wa recorded, when Crawford's bobble coat them the 162 nd game and any chance of a 1 game playoff against the Rays.  It was so and so's fault, the pitching staff, the bullpen, the offense, maybe even the kicking game, they all took turns.

Until the stories leaked of not keeping Francona, he would be the scrificial lamb slaugtered to preserve the franchise.  Then the club house stories emerging. Drinking beer and eating chicken but off duty starting pitchers became another sign that Francona had lost his players trust and The Boston Globe's reports and ESPN reports buried any hope of Francona returning.
So Terry's option was not picked up, and the rumours continued, this time, it was wunderkid Theo Epstein, could he lured away to GM the Cubs ( talk about frying pan into the fire ).

Tampering charges, compensation arguments, and an all out free for alll, all while the playoffs were going on.

No one could stop looking at this multi car pile up, it was trainwreck in progress, with nightly reports, blogs, twitter all eating up the Red Sox , their ownership and the messing aftermath of a season gone wrong.

Stupidity decided to step in when nameless gutless front office claimed they were not perhaps happy about the Carl Crawford signing.  Well la de da, put your hands up if you but that one ???

So now heading into 2012 ( apocolypse year ) a new GM annoited ( company man Cherington ) in tow, the Red Sox, who hijacked September.

This time I sympathise not for Boston.  They had the best duo, and ownership decided they needed scapegoats, not the beer swilling chicken eaters. Not the under performers, not the gang that couldn't shoot straight. They deserve whatever the Gods have in store for them.

Leave it Bill Lee, to sum up the situation.

"You see, in Boston, they dumped tea in the harbour, then complained they had nothing to drink". " They had all the signs, Paul Revere could have showed them, one-ith by land, two -th by sea , three -eth you're out ".

" In Boston, they eat beans and wonder why they fart so much "  "Sometimes, a loss is just a loss, but in Boston, it's a Shakespearian tragedy" 

"Et tu Brute, then fall Francona" 


Coming attractions, the Jays seek arms in the Far East...Whirling Darvish...

Ordained

From the College of Cardinals

Last Friday night, the Cardinals were victorious and won a hard fought see saw 7 game World Series.

Tony La Russa was elected from the College of Cardinals as their new pope.

Not by vote, as in the picture above, but by twitter, by blog, by fans, and by media alike. A little too much adulation for my liking, but in Saint Louis, where they take their baseball as seriously as they take their religion, winning their 11 th title in 2011 is not coincidental, it is divine right or rite.



The last game was not anything like Game 6, but had no chance of coming close. A brief Texas lead was erased, and then a melt down inning of gaffs and walks and then the walls caved in ultimately. Plus, and I am not in this corner, Ron Washington seemed to have been out managed by the Big Giant Head of LaRussa. 

Wash spurned any talk of a Derek Holland start in Game 7, despite the superlative 8 plus innings he churned out.  No, Matt Harrison would make this start, and come hell or high water ( there's that Biblical reference again ) he was not gonna waver.  No flooding of the Mississipi was observed either.

This series might go down as the sloppiest played by both teams, who at times looked like the 62' Mets, the Alphons and Gaston ( not Cito ), the you take I don't want it. And so far the numbers reflected a lack of interest in the north east and southwest ( NY and LA markets ).

What will be written about as people reflect back is the moves made by Cardinals in July, getting Ed. Jackson, Dotel, the Zepper , adding Rhodes and Furcal, and moving McLellan into the pen. Bold moves,indeed and when you look at their late August, and September run, they all fell into place. Of course the Braves foldup made all the whole thing possible or the Phills might have waltzed into the Classic.

A sign was held prior to the last fly out by Murphy  that said 11' in 11', and 5 in 12', a reference to winning their 11th title in 2011, and to keeping Pujols for 2012, and if there are baseball Gods, the Cards will retain their star, and he will retire along side Musial, Gibson, and other legandary greats to play in Saint Louis.

It is ordained.

Good bye Baseball season 2011, hello off season.

Game 7 - Time for Magic to Unfold

Freeze that moment.

It's the bottom of the 11th, 9-9 tie, several lead changes, comebacks galore. And then David Frees steps to the plate.

A high drive...a deep drive, and the ball lands on the grassy noll in dead centre with fans pouring from the bleachers to try and get to the ball.

High 5's, and hugs, in the Rangers dugout there is no smiles, just the thought that we had this one, twice in the bag.

I am sure the Phillies thought that in Rd 1, nope, did not happen. Then the Brewers were the favourite, nope, that didn't happen either.  Onto a World Series and another underdoggy position.

Last time if memory serves the Cards played a home game and it was a Game 7 was in '68.

Think the Twins series was in Minny, but I can proven wrong.

In '68, Gibson faced Denny McLain and was defeated. That year McLain had won 31 games for the Tigers, all Gibson did was finish with a modern era record for ERA at 1.12.

We won't have near the pitching match up this time, but it is a Game 7, and they usually do not disappoint.

There will be magic, in some form, maybe another walk off hit, another Napoli ket RBI, a Nelson Cruise Missle home run, a great performance from the man they call Albert.

If this the last game Albert Pujols plays in a Cardinals jersey, do you think he will have one for the ages.

Pitching tonight..acc to Washington it's Harrison, but I think it's a guy named WholeStaff, anyone available, and those that aren't. Like the cliche, there ain't no tomorrow, well there is, just no Game 8.

For those that will watch, myself included, I expect more magic.

Strap yourself in, let the Games begin.

World Series Time

Well what's happening in baseball these days, the Texas Rangers are making their second straight appearance and the wild card Cardinals have made it by beating the best team in baseball ( Philly ) and the the team they could not catch ( Milwaukee ) in their division.

Nothing else going on in baseball unless you consider Terry Francona leaving Boston, and the subsequent news that Theo Epstein is trying to join the Cubs, and drunken chicken eaters in the clubhouse, are worth talking about.
And the ownership of Red Sox was "not on board" with the Carl Crawford signing either.

The shenanigans in Boston have over shadowed the playoffs, to the extent it has become thee baseball story instead of the meeting of the 2 league champions.
Why is this happening ?

Well, partly because the Yankees bowed out, Sox never made it, no NY/ Calif major TV market has a team in the Series. No compelling stories, no 4 Philly rotation of the apocolypse , and not even the plucky Rays could garner any national attention.

Holliday, aka "moth man" has had large impact on Cards fortunes, along with David Freese, Lance Berkman, Yadier Molina, and a no name bull pen.

Rangers have a solid 1-9 line up, and deep bull pen, but starting pitching has been spotty for both teams, and that usually ends up mulitiple pinch hitting, and trips to the mound, double switches, so I won't insult you with who will win.



My personal bias is to my long time affection with the Cards, and the extra home game may play a deciding factor.  If so, Prince Fielder's winning RBI in the All Star game may prove impactful.


Unless the rains wash tonights game, it all starts tonight.

Yankees

Yanks depart the post season, pockets empty, promises unfulfilled and fans unhappy.  I guess a $180 million dollar payroll or whatever it is does not guarantee happiness.

The previous off season saw the Bronx Bombers unable to attract big name pitchers, but I suspect they will try and lure CJ Wilson, as will the Red Sox, Rangers and Cubs. All that guarantee is Wilson's family will be well taken care of.

They managed to cobble a rotation out of CC, Hughes, Nova, Freddy Garcia and Bart Colon, plus AJ Burnett. It was enough, bolstered by a deep pen, and relenting offense to win the division, but fell short of another series appearance.  Knowing the penchant for continual success, one would anticipate Brian Cashman looking at ways to dangle rookies ( Montero/ Betances ) to acquire veteran arms, or simply buy a pair. 

If the Yanks have serious trouble buying talent, I think they will ask the Federal Government to inspect their cash for fraudulent bills, since no one seems to want to take their greenbacks.

Arod made the last out trying to steal. Last time the Yanks lost a playoff game or series ender was 1926, when Babe Ruth tried to steal on the Cardinals, and was shot down. 1926 series was chronicled in Ken Burns BASEBALL as a series the Yanks were not supposed to lose, but 42 year old gin soaked Grover Cleveland 3 times defeated them, the last time in relief, supposedly still hung over from winning the previous game.

Pitching beat the Yanks, first by not getting any, and then by the Tigers, who as it was discovered, had just enough. 

Would not be suprised to see James Shields in a Yankees or Red Sox uniform next spring, if it's Boston, the Bombers may have to repeat the efforts of the 2011 squad. Which won't be easy.

Playoff Banter

 I like the last few days of the regular season because there was intrigue, drama, unlike the post season where seemingly predictable series should wind up shortly.

Rangers beat Rays, and their depth and there rested pitching staff was integral, plus a 1-9 hitting line up rivaled by the Yanks. Rays had little left in the tank, and will likely face another off season of concern. Home crowds were some of the worst attendance numbers in 30 years.  Rumors swirl that Shields , due to collect $ 7 million then higher in 2013, 14, will be next.  Is even David Price safe to buy in Tampa ?

 The Tigers will regret not taking AJ Burnett to the wood shed, as the Yankees are expected to advance to play Texas for the pennant. So a repeat of last year, advantage Rangers, even with no Cliff Lee.

The D Backs have done yeoman work, but winning is another thing, the Brewers and Phillies will survive scares and advance so that series will be a much better one than the AL version.

I see the Phils winning based on rotation depth, and experience and 2 starts from Doc. 

Lot's of Theo Epstein and Francona rumours at least until the Cubs name a successor, plus open jobs with the White Sox, and possibly Seattle, or the Mets. Expect to hear the name Bobby Valentine repeatedly, but there is no great fit for the BIG EGO that is Valentine.