Rangers Celebrate ….

Alex Rodriguez stepped up to the plate, it was the bottom of the
9th, with 2 outs, A-Rod was the only thing that stood between the Rangers and a
visit to the World Series for the first time in franchise history.

The scene was set, A-Rod who couldn’t take the Rangers there got
a chilling reception, the commentators called it poetic justice, A-Rod grabbed
his crutch and adjusted his cup as if to say ‘Suck This’, Neftali Feliz
the Rangers closer looked in, dug deep and threw 3 fast balls all around the 100
mph mark, with 1 strike away from celebration, again Feliz looked in got his
sign and threw, what must have looked like a soft toss to A-Rod, who froze then
flipped his bat from one hand to the other and walked back to the dug out head
held down, while the Rangers went into overdrive on the celebrations….

….there was no doubt the Rangers were happy with the win, they
can celebrate as much as they want, they deserved it. It’s a wait and see game
for the Rangers now as they contemplate their very first World Series, for the
travel manager it’s headaches ahead, as he has to make arrangements for both San
Francisco and Philadelphia, until he knows where they will be headed.

The Phillies host the Giants this evening in the hope of forcing
a game 7  Sunday. Mr. Durable Roy Oswalt takes the mound for the Phillies,
while the Giants counter with Sanchez.

Go Phillies….

Phillies Lose Game 1 ….

Game
one of the NLCS was not even close to the hype dispersed by the media, it may
have started with all good intentions of being the overly anticipated duel of
the Cy Youngs, but it turned into another ordinary game between 2 NL teams, one
from the East and one from the West.

I could bitch and complain that the home plate umpire had a bad
call at a critical moment that extended the inning allowing the Giants to add a
couple of runs, but as I said previously umpires are part of the game and it
happens, in fact it was touch and go as to Halladay or Lincecum saying something
to the umpire, in the end Halladay spoke out, which seemed to ease the pain for
the Giants bull pen, but not the Phillies.

 The bottom line the Phillies didn’t monopolize on
situations that they should have, they had the chances from the first inning to
the last inning. I am sure that Giants fans are on cloud nine, standing Ross and
Lincecum on pedestals well above the heights they gave Bonds.

As a Phillie fan I see it differently, I see that game as a game
the Phillies lost, not one the Giants won. Halladay of all pitchers should never
have thrown the same pitch, in the same location to Ross in his 2nd at bat,
after he hit the first one for a home run. Ibanez should have caught that ball
at the wall in the 6th, and J-Roll should have at least made contact in the 9th,
not just swung through the pitches like a 5th grader in the playground. Another
place, another time, you’d almost have to call foul and wonder why MLB aren’t
investigating, oh wait, it’s not Chicago, and we’re all more civilized now,
above all that stuff.

The ALCS had an early game on Saturday, game 2 started with the
Yankees having a 1-0 game lead in the series, the Rangers like game 1 came out
swinging and running, after some very normal baseball action, it was the final
pitch of the game with the Rangers winning 7-2. No magical come back, no Texas
meltdown for the Yankees to jump on, it just happened. The ALCS goes to New York
for games 3, 4 and 5 with the series tied 1-1, any single win by the Rangers and
it will force a return to Arlington to decide the series.

All in all Saturday was some very average baseball action, no
edge of the seat will they won’t they stuff. You could almost tell that the
Yankees weren’t going to be able to do enough for a second comeback, it was like
game 1 drained them of their comeback energy and they needed more time to
recharge, had they had a day off Saturday to play Sunday, it may have all been different.
As for the Phillies game being just a 1 run game, at no time did I see anything
from the Phillies players that indicated they were going to get that run back,
it was almost as if they just gave up.

Today is game 2 the Phillies have Oswalt on the mound and the
Giants have Sanchez, I just hope the Phillies offence can actually play some
baseball today. Yankees and Rangers have a travel day and will be back at it
Monday.

Go Phillies….

A New Chapter in Rangers History Begins ….

Last
night was the decider for the final piece to the LCS puzzle. Tampa Bay Rays,
back home hosting the Texas Rangers for game 5 of the ALDS series. Some had
deemed this a replay of game 1, with the Rays hoping to right the wrongs in the
replay and the Rangers hoping that as with all replays the outcome never
changes.

Some might believe that the home field advantage had put the
outcome of this game in the Rays favor, but neither team had won at home this
post season, so the advantage had been cancelled out. It could be that the extra
seats made available by MLB at the Trop would be the deciding factor, if they
were all sold by game time.

The Rays ‘Ace’ David Price was on the mound for this crucial
game, and should be a consideration in the AL Cy Young, the biggest
advantage however was on the mound for the Texas Rangers….

….Cliff Lee. After his taste of post season with the Phillies
last year, Lee obviously thrives in the big game moments. It didn’t take long
last night, the first inning gave the Rangers a lead. Although the Rays would
tie it up in the 3rd, it was the 4th inning on that the Rangers dominated. The
score even ended as if it was a replica of game 1, Lee went the whole 9,
throwing 120 pitches with just 1 run and 6 hits, picking up 11 strike outs.

The Rangers are now in unfamiliar territory, as they write a new
chapter in the Texas Rangers history books. With the opening game at home this
Friday against the New York Yankees, you have to know Lee won’t be on the mound.
I am sure they aren’t thinking too much about this in Texas, for the die hard
fans the….

….celebrations are still in full flow, if not in body, in
mind.

The LCS teams all know who they are playing, where they are
playing and when they are playing. The only thing they don’t know for sure is
how many games they will play and if they’ll get to the big stage.

What’s with the major Yankee promotion on the MLBlogs opening
page? I seem to remember this last year too, does this have anything to do with
the location of MLB media.

Go Phillies….

A moment in time: It was this day 27 years ago the
first cellular communications was launched, in 1983 it was called Ameritech
Mobile Communications in Chicago, Illinois.

Giants Silence Braves Fans, Finally ….

The
National League teams were reduced to the final 2 last night as fans endured the
last NL 2010 post season game to be ridiculed by TBS, the NLCS and World Series
have the pleasure of Fox and their hired guns attempting a leucotomy on
the viewing public.

It was the turn of the San Francisco Giants to celebrate the
continuance of their post season. I realize to get to the LCS round for both AL
and NL teams is a major accomplishment, but lets face it there is no title to go
with it. I can understand being champions of your respective divisions, it’s a
title, but making it to the LCS has no title, so why the champagne celebrations.
I don’t dispute they should have some celebratory hugs and back slapping on the
field, even in the locker room, but champagne soaking celebrations, I for one
think they should hold those for the winners of the LCS round.

Last night was the final game of Bobby Cox’s career and like it
or not he finished his career the way he has performed it, being in the dug out
of an also ran team. Some may think this is harsh, but during Cox’s reign over
the Braves, he had one of the finest pitching staffs in baseball, and yet he has
1 WS title with a lot of Eastern Division titles.

He does still hold the title of the most ejections by a manager,
which may be one title that no one beats, since managers don’t seem to stick
around long enough these days. Like he’s done so many times Bobby Cox sat in the
dugout watching his team throw it all away….

….when it was all said and done, he just rose from his chair,
turned around and disappeared into the tunnel, it was a short while afterwards
someone decided that it wasn’t cool for the Giants to be celebrating on Bobby
Cox’s last stand, so Bobby was ushered out of the tunnel to the field which
immediately stopped the on field celebrations. Cox then gave a wave to the
crowd, seemed to have no acknowledgement to the Giants, turned tail and
again….

….disappeared into the shadows. Maybe now Cox has gone the
Braves will bring back ‘Chief Noc-A-Homa’.

Tonight we have a do or die match as the Texas Rangers square
off against the Tampa Bay Rays at the Trop. in St. Petersburg, I am sure now
that they have managed to uncover some of the lost seats at the Trop it should
be a record crowd tonight. You know I am sure somewhere those lost seats, there
was a woman to blame, oh wait that was a shaker of salt.

Phillies, H2O DrOWNS the Reds

Cole Hamels, part 3 of the Philadelphia acclaimed H2O trio, took
the mound for the Phillies in what was to be the final game of their 2010 NLDS
series against the Cincinnati Reds. The Reds were countering with Johnny Cueto,
who faced Philadelphia back in June and July, he got the win at home in June,
but had a no decision at CBP in July.

The game started as it finished a game of quality pitching, it
was a duel, the Reds starter and bullpen vs. Cole Hamels. It didn’t seem to
matter what sort of voodoo the commentators tried to inflict on Hamels he was
unwavering in his bid to at least go 9 innings even if it wasn’t a no hitter, it
was to be just a complete game shut out, insert heavy amount of sarcasm
in ‘just’.

The Reds had a hiccup in the first allowing the Phillies to get
the first run on the board, but then it wasn’t till the 5th, when….

….Chase Utley drove a ball deep for the only other scoring
play in the game. Some think it was that he wanted to silence the boo’s, I am
sure it played a part in his need to hit a homer, I think he just plays the game
to win.

The game stayed this way through the remaining innings, which
gave the commentators opportunity for hope that maybe the Reds would come back.
It was not to be, but they looked for every opportunity to attack the Phillies,
especially in the 9th inning when the Reds bullpen produced….

….the hard throwing Chapman. The commentators again chose to
place him on a pedestal, which meant he was in much need of oxygen. After being
surprised that Ibanez hit a ball off him, even though it was caught, they
explained that they really wanted to see….

….Carlos Ruiz face him, as they laugh at his first swing, then
more laughter as he watched a pitch go by, then silence as Chooch slapped a 105
mph fastball down the right field line for a base hit. Then as a way of saving
face they tried to offer explanation as to why Charlie should pull Hamels from
the game, as Cole stood in to face Chapman’s fast ball. The commentators thought
Chapman may hit Cole, ‘WHAT?’ really, but it may have been a ploy to allow them
to interject once more the Utley HBP in game 2. Once again the commentators
should keep opinions to themselves as Cole slapped a 101 mph fast ball into left
center, albeit caught in the outfield.

The bottom of the 9th saw….

….Hamels close out his own game for his longest postseason
outing and thus proving that H2O was too much for the Reds to handle, so it’s
onto the NLCS for the 3rd straight year… well done Philadelphia Phillies….

Yankees headed to ALCS ….

The
road to the LCS takes another step today, with at least two teams hanging by a
thread, hanging onto that glimmer of hope that they can turn it around and win
the remaining games of the LDS series they are in.

The Twins lost all hope yesterday, when once again the Yankees
crushed their hopes of getting beyond the first round of the post season. That
is what happens in all sports when you are involved in a knock out style
tournament, the losing team is ousted and the winning team moves on. Lets face
it last year everyone claimed the Yankees high dollar line up gave them the edge
and eventually gave them the ultimate team status in baseball, World Champions
2009. This year after a few tweaks in the off season, they still maintain the
highest salary, but they aren’t clear cut favorites, in fact a month ago they
weren’t even favored to reach the post season. So to all those Twins fans and
fans of clubs that didn’t reach the post season, this year any claims that the
Yankees brought and paid for the wins are unfounded, they won the Twins series
with quality baseball. Well done Yankees for clinching a spot in the ALCS
again.

No I haven’t turned into a Yankees fan, I still hate the smirk
on Swishers face whenever he seems to be on camera, I still have no intention of
ever giving A-Rod a free pass, but along with those things I also know that
Jeter is a true ball player, that Phil Hughes will be a legit ‘Ace’ one day and
that Granderson always seems like he’s had way to much caffeine. As I said not a
Yankees fan, but a baseball fan, almost every team has players like these, ones
with similar attributes.

The Tampa Bay Rays, shocked the crowd in Texas as they hit their
way to a win in the Rangers home ball park. This was supposed to be a
celebratory home coming for the Rangers, but the Tampa Bay Rays have been one of
the strongest road teams all season long, ending the regular season with the
best record on the road, so it shouldn’t have been a shock to anyone that they
were able to win an all or nothing game on the road.

Today is a crowded day for baseball, with 3 games scheduled, the
Rays v. Rangers at 1 PM ET, Giants v. Braves at 4:30 PM ET and finally the
Phillies v. Reds at 8 PM ET. The Rays need a win to even the series and take it
back to Tampa, the Rangers need a win to clinch and meet the Yankees in the ALCS.
The Giants or Braves need to win just to get the series lead and put the other
team on a must win Monday. The Phillies need to win to clinch their 3rd NLCS
playoff spot, where as the Reds need to win just to stay alive in the post
season.

Moments in time:

October 10th, 1582 If you lived in Italy, Spain, Portugal or
Poland this day did not exist.

In 1971 the biggest souvenir from Great Britain was purchased
by an American Tourist. London Bridge was a tourist attraction, a working bridge
that spanned the river Thames in London, this day in 1971 it was sold, then
dismantled and shipped to Arizona where it was rebuilt and opened in Lake Havasu
City.

GO PHILLIES….