2009 MLB Playoffs Thread

[OZZIE4DUKE]

So I'm not one for conspiracy theories, but I'm surprised that there hasn't been any questioning of MLB's decision to postpone last night's Phillies-Rockies game. First and foremost, there was not enough snow in Denver to justify the decision. A dusting that stopped by noon. Six hours before first pitch. It was really cold last night, but MLB didn't base its decision the cold and, as far as I'm concerned, cold isn't a reason to not play an outdoor sporting event (if you're going to put teams in cities like Denver, you have to understand that the fall can be cold).

Baseball is not a cold weather sport. Never has been, never will be, and I don't care if Bowie Kuhn wears an overcoat in late October or not ;)

Thank goodness the Twins still have the dome for tonight's game. In future years, playing the twins in the playoffs will be something to avoid.

[rockymtn devil]

So I'm not one for conspiracy theories, but I'm surprised that there hasn't been any questioning of MLB's decision to postpone last night's Phillies-Rockies game. First and foremost, there was not enough snow in Denver to justify the decision. A dusting that stopped by noon. Six hours before first pitch. It was really cold last night, but MLB didn't base its decision the cold and, as far as I'm concerned, cold isn't a reason to not play an outdoor sporting event (if you're going to put teams in cities like Denver, you have to understand that the fall can be cold).

Baseball is not a cold weather sport. Never has been, never will be, and I don't care if Bowie Kuhn wears an overcoat in late October or not ;)

Thank goodness the Twins still have the dome for tonight's game. In future years, playing the twins in the playoffs will be something to avoid.

I respectfully disagree. If you're going to call your premier event the "October Classic", be prepared for October weather. If you're going to put a team in a city like Denver, you have to anticipate October weather in Denver. That includes cold. Unless, of course, you never expect the team from Denver to make it far enough for this to matter (which, given baseball's salary/revenue structure, I have no doubt is the point).

I can remember the Florida Marlins beating the Cleveland Indians in snow during the 1997 "October Classic", so cold and snow in October are not unique to the mountain time zone.

All I'm saying is that yesterday's game should not have been postponed. And, the decision by MLB undoubtedly favors one team in this series. That one team happens to be the defending World Champions and a team from a larger market than the Colorado Rockies (not to mention that MLB must be dreading a Rockies-Dodgers NLCS which would guarantee no east coast fans would stay up late enough to watch, let alone be interested). And the media hasn't even raised an eyebrow?

[OZZIE4DUKE]

An A bomb. from ARod!
Hip hip Jorge! Hip hip Jorge!

[Turk]

Half-dozed through the Phillies - Rockies Game 3 last night so I could tell the kids who won while they were getting ready for school. I am not a ballplayer and I slept in my van by the river last night, but it seems to me it's not as hard to play in the cold as it used to be when I was a kid, what with Gore-Tex, baseball hats with earflaps, big huge propane heaters in the dugouts, little pocket hand warmers, and other 21st-century ways to fight foul weather.

My big beef is the crazy starting times. The October days can be quite pleasant; it's those late evening starting times that suck. I'm not going to let my kids stay up to watch a game that starts at 10PM, I don't care who's playing. (Well, Duke in the finals on the first Monday in April might be the only exception).

As for the Phils, they ground out a nice win, phighting off the Rockies and an ump with a strike zone the size of a postcard. Lidge closed out the game, allowing a couple of walks and easy popups, and if he shows signs of life after the craptastic season he's had, they could fix a big hole in the bullpen and be a dangerous threat to repeat. I loved the move by Ol Cholly to let Lidge mop up and get the last out when the Phils clinched the East in Philly a few weeks ago. The fans went nuts (in a good way), Lidge got mobbed by his teammates, they got to wear "NL East Champs" shirts after the game, and it was a great way to remind Lidge "you used to be good at this" and help get his mind right.

I was surprised the Cards rolled over after their ace lost - I would have guessed that series was going 5 when it started.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Half-dozed through the Phillies - Rockies Game 3 last night so I could tell the kids who won while they were getting ready for school. I am not a ballplayer and I slept in my van by the river last night, but it seems to me it's not as hard to play in the cold as it used to be when I was a kid, what with Gore-Tex, baseball hats with earflaps, big huge propane heaters in the dugouts, little pocket hand warmers, and other 21st-century ways to fight foul weather.

My big beef is the crazy starting times. The October days can be quite pleasant; it's those late evening starting times that suck. I'm not going to let my kids stay up to watch a game that starts at 10PM, I don't care who's playing. (Well, Duke in the finals on the first Monday in April might be the only exception).

As for the Phils, they ground out a nice win, phighting off the Rockies and an ump with a strike zone the size of a postcard. Lidge closed out the game, allowing a couple of walks and easy popups, and if he shows signs of life after the craptastic season he's had, they could fix a big hole in the bullpen and be a dangerous threat to repeat. I loved the move by Ol Cholly to let Lidge mop up and get the last out when the Phils clinched the East in Philly a few weeks ago. The fans went nuts (in a good way), Lidge got mobbed by his teammates, they got to wear "NL East Champs" shirts after the game, and it was a great way to remind Lidge "you used to be good at this" and help get his mind right.

I was surprised the Cards rolled over after their ace lost - I would have guessed that series was going 5 when it started.

Phantastic recap, Turk. Thanks. I had turned off the game when it was tied and hadn't looked online to see who won. Go Phillies! I really enjoyed the game I saw in the new ballpark last summer - great atmosphere and facilities.

[Turk]

I was remiss in omitting yet another blown call by the umpires in the 9th. Rollins singled and got bunted to 2nd by Victorino. Utley swung at a pitch and hit it into the dirt at his feet. It bounced up, glanced off his knee while he was still in the box, and rolled into the infield. Utley took off down the line and beat the throw. Shoulda been a foul ball; instead runners at 1st and 3rd, setting the table for Howard's sac fly ball.

Not as bad as the fly ball down the line in the Twinkies game the other night, but definitley hurt the Rockies big time.

[Lavabe]

Phantastic recap, Turk. Thanks. I had turned off the game when it was tied and hadn't looked online to see who won. Go Phillies! I really enjoyed the game I saw in the new ballpark last summer - great atmosphere and facilities.

Good food?

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Phantastic recap, Turk. Thanks. I had turned off the game when it was tied and hadn't looked online to see who won. Go Phillies! I really enjoyed the game I saw in the new ballpark last summer - great atmosphere and facilities.

Good food?

Yeah, I think it was. I got, what else? A cheese steak.

[Turk]

My next trip, I need to try a "Schmitter", a sammich made popular by a local watering hole. They also have "Bull's BBQ", named after Greg "The Bull" Luzinski, in a blatant ripoff of Camden Yards. They just use the name; I don't believe Luzinski hangs out every game like Boog does. Here's the details on the Schmitter and a quick list of the more popular food choices at The Bank. (Bring a crate of Zocor and a defibrillator just in case!)

http://www.the700level.com/2005/09/the_schmitter_s.html

Back to baseball - thought we were heading for a game 5 in the NLCS, but the Phillies manufactured a great win somehow. I thought they were dead in the water when Utley made the wrong choice with that baserunner in his face and Madsen blew the save in the 8th. I'm thinking it was a good no-call on the fielder's interference, but Utley definitely flinched, and it looked to me like the runner grazed him when he jumped around Utley. And Ol Cholly might be onto something using Lidge for less than an entire inning - maybe that gives Lidge less time to get all mental out there.

So Phils vs. Dodgers and Yanks vs. Angels... I think the Phils are better than they were last year but haven't paid attention to the Dodgers. Ozzie, Windsor, do you see any threat from the Angels? (Especially since A-Roid seems intent on finally shedding his "A-Fraud" or "Mr. April" nicknames...)

[OZZIE4DUKE]

So Phils vs. Dodgers and Yanks vs. Angels... I think the Phils are better than they were last year but haven't paid attention to the Dodgers. Ozzie, Windsor, do you see any threat from the Angels? (Especially since A-Roid seems intent on finally shedding his "A-Fraud" or "Mr. April" nicknames...)

I think the Angels are a real threat, but in September the Yankees finally started beat them at their own game, winning a makeup game at Yankee Stadium early in the month and then taking 2 of 3 in Anaheim late. I really was hoping for another series with the Red Sox (nodding to BD), but against either team, I think this is the Yankees' year. The pitching, both starting and relief, is first rate, and we all know that hot pitching stops hot hitting, but it is nice that the only hitter we've got who is slumping is Johnny Damon. I'm very happy for ARod and hope that he keeps hitting the ball hard and "where they ain't!"

[Bostondevil]

The Playoffs start tonight!!!!!

It's the Dodgers versus the Rockies - in Newton Central Little League Fall Ball. GO DODGERS!!!! Son Tommy is the left fielder.

[weezie]

OK then!!! Go Dodgers!!!!

(Don't let your son sit next to Manny... He's kind of strange )

[YmoBeThere]

Agreed, Go Dodgers!

[YmoBeThere]

Yay Dodgers, boo Yankees.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Let's go Yankees!

[YmoBeThere]

Let's go Yankees!

Interesting that you would quote Long Duk Dong.

[YmoBeThere]

Angels with a one run lead in the bottom of the 11th. Let's see if they can hang on.

[YmoBeThere]

Angels with a one run lead in the bottom of the 11th. Let's see if they can hang on.

Apparently not...

I wanna go to bed, why couldn't they end this?

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Angels with a one run lead in the bottom of the 11th. Let's see if they can hang on.

ARod - the new Mr. October!

Yanks win 4-3 in 13, the winning run scoring on a throwing error by the second baseman.

[YmoBeThere]

Angels with a one run lead in the bottom of the 11th. Let's see if they can hang on.

ARod - the new Mr. October!

Did the Yankees win on Reggie's hits? Because the Yankees haven't won yet off an A-Rod hit. They've just not lost. And yes, there is a difference.