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.

If you listen carefully, Taps is playing in Boston and Atlanta

A Shakespearian tragedy has played out in two cities where baseball is played , and the locals are worshipped, while in the racous downtowns of St. Louis and Tampa Bay, they celebrate like it's Mardi Gras.

Tragedy is nothing new to Red Sox Nation, watching Scott Brosius and Aaron Boone and Bucky "Freakin" Dent. Somewhere Ben Affleck just used a swear word and RAys fans woke up saying " we can buy playoff tickets ? ", and then they won't.

Atlanta is not a stranger to Greek tragedy themselves, but for their lone World Series over Cleveland, they have had hearts broken as many times as the Buffalo Bills.

In Massechusetts, rabid fanatics are asking for sharp objects to be locked up, as Celts are very inactive, and beloved Sox went 7-22 in a meltdown rivalling 3 Mile Island. Maybe the Patties losing to the Bills is another omen, that this ain't your year Boston.

Sitting alone in his office deep in the bowels of Fenway, manager Terry Francona sits at his desk, with a bottle of Wild Turkey, and the record player on , with the strains of a Patsy Cline song "Crazy" playing in the background. 

Terry will not be canned, there are too many guilty faces in the locker room, Adrian Gonzalez, Daniel Bard, Josh Beckett and others had swoons at the worst time. We may hear about bogus injuries to help these guys save some face, but in the end, this not anything new in Boston.

Flags now flying at half mast in Boston.

How the mighty have fallen

Good God, I first must apololgise for the lack of content lately, damn bosses, too many projects, no support, and the damn new dog keeps needing to get up in the night to pee.

Guys shoes I don't want to be in right now,

Terry Francona - he will keep his job, I don't think that Theo Epstein is going to make rash moves, just blow up the pitching staff is all.
I think any rotation dependant on John Lackey, Dice K, and even Tim Wakefield was doomed to start with, and add in oft injured Eric Bedard, and that is a recipe for disaster.

Over in the National League, the Bravos are having their own issues, and I see hundreds of candles lit outside Turner Field, and hosannas were heard after the Astros dealt the Saint Louie's a near fatal blow. Cards are still only 1 back, so there's hope and the Phils are just sending out Lee, Oswalt, I mean Atlanta must think, give us Blanton, give us a raw rookie, but nooooo, the Phillies are playing this right the end, getting their major league leading 100 the victory.

Oh and the rumours are now true, The Oz is out on the south side of Chicago, and his new address is Miami Beach, to manage the 2012 Marlins.

Prayer never worked in Chicago Oz, you better have a plan for managing a low budget crew.

Second last game for the home squad, and with injuries, and surgeries, and new borns, it has been hard to field a decent line up .

My 83 game prediction is now toast, but according to Paul Beeston we have most of the building blocks in place, just asfew tweaks...and hold on a second..a few tweaks...we got holes at second, maybe centre field, 3 fifths of the rotation, the entire bullpen except Janssen, and left field is still a question mark. But that is what the off season is for, optimism.

Upcoming blog will be my review of Moneyball.

Fridays Feathers Flying

So a call to arms as the end of August arrives, and the pennant races heat up, and the Jays are poised to battle Tampa, possible to unseat them as the 3rd place team in the AL East.


Actually there are only 2 races left to discuss, as the
Yanks and or Boston will be division and or Wild Carder, and the Central is almost settled.


In the NL, the Phils are home and cleared, the brave have the Wild Card, and the Brew Crew have the Central sown up.


It's just the 2 western division were there is still battles raging on, at least for now. The Giants are chasing Arizona and the Angels are trailing the Rangers, and that , as they say, is that.

No sense causing a fuss or a riot, September is going to be a rather quiet month of playing out the string, packing up, and reaching personal stat goals to get incentive bonuses, and prop up bad years going into free agency.

Unless MLB changes their minds, and adds a second wild card team, races could be over in week or two, and where's the drama, why go watch 19 yr old kids fight for playing time. That's why we have spring training !

I have a hard time watching the Jays scuffle against Oaklnad and Kansas City, they just look like they are sleepwalking through these games against weaker opponents. Never progress until they develop a killer instinct.

Maybe they need a can of RAID.

So, onto some truly weird stuff.

Matt Holliday - aka Moth Man

I have seen a lot of bug infestations, Jacobs Field, Joba vs the gnats, but Matt had the luck of having one fly into his ear.
They used a flashlight, and bugger woulkd not come out.

Finally they used a pair of tweezers to extracate the moth.

B ug Off

Posada, aka Billy the Exterminator

Jays looking for brighter feathers

News on the Toronto Star this morning reports that as early as next season, the Jays will have yet another redesigned uniform, as Rogers seeks to bleed the customers with a patriotic red and white, with a sprinkling of blue. I mean, aren't Jays blue ?

Please feel free to colour this blank slate as you see fit.  Making this public allows Rogers to use their fan base to provide ideas, or better yet, market feedback on what most fans want. Presumably if 20,000 core fans like a retro style, 20,000 fans will buy it.


I can only hope it means the end of Mikey DC's fave black jersey, my personal opinion is I am tired of teams wearing black, it does not make them look tougher, or more imposing.

I sense it is yet again time for Rogers to try and sell us more sizzle when they have no steak.
 Oh and the village idiot just called me, says even he sees through this sham.

Of course I asked a few Ardent Jays followers, the ones that bleed blue by it, hook, line and sinker, the skeptics see it as I do, it's the art of misdirection at work.  Like watching Christian Bale in The Prestige.

Now these are not the best new ideas , but I hear this design is high on the dart board of potential new uniforms.

One advantage would be if the wings actually worked, it could allow us an unfair advantage on balls destined for the seats.

However I think the creative folks are looking for more Maple Leaf / Patriotic garb, so maybe stitch the flag across their backs. 

If this new uniform does not work, may have to sell space on uniforms to corporations, like Nascar and Formula One.  Now that needs MLB approval, and the Yankees and Red Sox won't do it, so likely that one dies on the vine as well.  Can we just find us some bullpen, another 2 starters will experience, a 2nd baseman that can hit, and promote Travis D'Araud , and perhaps we can win more games, be a real contender, and sell them as a winning franchise, instead of gimmickry, bobble heads, and bringing your dog to the park, which I am sure the grounds crew and stadium cleaners just love afterwards.

My idea, scarp the black, use the Red and White ( July 1st Canada Day ) as home jersey, but add more blue, and use good sense adding talent to augment what you have. Spend your time and cash on giving the fans better players in the uniforms than new uniforms on poor performers.