Baseball 2005

[Dan Gould]

Shades of the 1986 ALCS/Donnie Moore/Hendu homer.

But somehow I doubt that Lidge will kill himself or that the Astros will roll over and play dead for the next two.

[MartyJazz]

The proverbial game of inches. On a 1-2 count, Eckstein manages to hit a groundball that finds its way between the shortstop and the 3rd baseman. Edmonds takes one pitch for a ball that was very similar to the one the blind homeplate ump the night before rung him up on, on his way to a walk. The stage is then set for a real clutch hitter among quite a few super paid players who fail to perform when the prize really is on the line. Very exciting and AFAIAC, very welcome. I'm fed up with seeing 2nd place teams not only get into the WS but win it. I want to see White Sox-Cards, the teams with the two best records.

[Dan Gould]

I'm fed up with seeing 2nd place teams not only get into the WS but win it.  I want to see White Sox-Cards, the teams with the two best records.

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Wait til next year when the Yanks are the Wild Card.

[MartyJazz]

If the Yanks are the wild card, who do you pick to win the AL East?

[PHILLYQ]

If the Yanks are the wild card, who do you pick to win the AL East?

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TORONTO!!

[Dan Gould]

If the Yanks are the wild card, who do you pick to win the AL East?

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With Papelbon in the rotation, Hansen in the bullpen and a healthy and effective Schilling and Foulke, I think you know who I am picking. The Sox next year may have the deepest pitching staff in their history, and that's without making any improvements from without, like Burnett. So long as the offense isn't eviscerated by letting Damon go or an ill-advised trade to get out from Manny's contract, the team will be very tough to beat.

And they'll do it with a fresh influx of youth, from Pedroia and Youklis in the starting lineup to Delcarmen, Hansen and Papelbon on the staff, and Jon Lester waiting in the wings, while the Yanks are getting older and older and older and older and older ...

Edited October 18, 2005 by Dan Gould

[Evonce]

So long as the offense isn't eviscerated by letting Damon go or an ill-advised trade to get out from Manny's contract...

Those are some big IFs, I'm sure you know. Manny probably sings "Meet the Mets" at least once a day, and Herr Steinbrenner is practicing writing Damon's full name. Going to be a significant offseason for the Red Sox, whatever happens.

Yet if Damon wants to be a Cub, I won't complain.

[Dan Gould]

So long as the offense isn't eviscerated by letting Damon go or an ill-advised trade to get out from Manny's contract...

Those are some big IFs, I'm sure you know. Manny probably sings "Meet the Mets" at least once a day, and Herr Steinbrenner is practicing writing Damon's full name. Going to be a significant offseason for the Red Sox, whatever happens.

Yet if Damon wants to be a Cub, I won't complain.

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Neither would I!

The fact is, there are conflicting signals about Manny all the time. There was word put out by a rep that he wants to meet with ownership about the "direction" of the team, as in, I want to stay, and I hope you're going to do this or that to improve the ball club. Nevertheless, it seems likely they'll explore the options once again.

As far as Damon goes, there are indications within the Yankees that they are not so high on him at all. They also worry about how many years it may take to get him signed and whether he'll be Bernie Williams-like by the last couple of years of the deal. Damon is more likely to end up with the Angels, I think, but hopefully the Cubs do what they can and ultimately he realizes he has the best possible world at Fenway.

[jazzypaul]

There's talk that the White Sox might want Damon, too. Actually, I'd love to see us pay the money for Manny or some other big bat. No matter what, Reisnsdorf HAS to know that he's gonna have to pay out some money to repeat this again next year. Hopefully, the idea of smallball doesn't go to his head. We need a bat. And if we had a Manny or even a Griffey in the DH spot, I don't think there'd even be a question about whether or not we'd take the WS or not.

Of course, this being the white sox, there'd still be assholes out there rooting against us.

[Dan Gould]

There's talk that the White Sox might want Damon, too.  Actually, I'd love to see us pay the money for Manny or some other big bat.  No matter what, Reisnsdorf HAS to know that he's gonna have to pay out some money to repeat this again next year.  Hopefully, the idea of smallball doesn't go to his head.  We need a bat.  And if we had a Manny or even a Griffey in the DH spot, I don't think there'd even be a question about whether or not we'd take the WS or not.

Of course, this being the white sox, there'd still be assholes out there rooting against us.

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You are so freaking paranoid it makes it easy to WANT to root against you.

[BERIGAN]

Maybe Vlad and Arod (the Pepsi twins!) saw Albert's clutch shot last night. Yes, it can be done. My goodness.

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It helps if the slider hangs though! It was fantastic that Pujols to hit a 3 run homer with 2 outs..hell, they were one strike away from losing when Eckstein got the single. I just got the feeling they (The Cards) didn't look like a team that thought they could get back in the game. They missed so many chances to score. No way was Lidge going to get lit up. Shows what I knows!

I really feel conflicted. The Astros fans and the team really, really were happy yesterday. They are not jaded, expecting to win all the time like some teams do. So, I would like to see them win one in STL. It will be called the biggest choke since..well, since last year. But, I would like to see another WS in Busch as well...I guess I should be happy either way!

[Quincy]

I really feel conflicted. The Astros fans and the team really, really were happy yesterday. They are not jaded, expecting to win all the time like some teams do. So, I would like to see them win one in STL. It will be called the biggest choke since..well, since last year. But, I would like to see another WS in Busch as well...I guess I should be happy either way!

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Yup, I feel much the same way. I have a friend who is a born 'n' bred Astro fan. He had nightmares about Pujols last night (I guess for game 6 & 7.) What they went through in 1980 LCS was so brutal, and '86 was tough on 'em too. Check out ESPN's Page 2 column by Simmons for more thoughts on last night.

This is one of the few playoffs in years where I won't have a strong dislike for "the other team." I'm not totally sure in my mind who da other team be yet!

[Neal Pomea]

Congratulations Astros! This is the World Series matchup I was hoping for ever since my Washington Nationals were eliminated from the wild card race in the last week of the regular season.

We should see some great pitching! Maybe even the White Sox bullpen this time around!

Too bad for the Cardinals, though. It may take a while before we see the two teams with the best regular season records match up in a World Series.