October Baseball

After being M.I.A for quite some time, I thought I'd take an opportunity to weigh in on the baseball playoffs. Personally, I thought they got off to a great start with the Tigers-Twins one game playoff...what a game!! I was excited about what was to come, especially since I was pulling for the Twins in that game. Obviously, I'm a Sox fan. And even given the success over the past decade, I still consider myself a conservative fan when it comes to expectations and predictions. Did I think the Sox were going to cruise through the Angels in the ALDS? No. But I thought they'd be able to take the series in 4 or 5 games. Well that went by the wayside. And boy, did they blow that series. Well, really, just Game 3. How does this relate to Dan the Banner? I think it's obvious, the Sox were a horribly difficult team to get pictures with Danny, or even get the chance to ask for a picture, and I like to think karma has made them pay with an early exit in October. Ok, that may be wishful thinking, but after the shenanigans/antics Papelbon has pulled all this season and really the past few seasons with the obnoxious "Cinco Ocho" (real original by the way), underwear dancing, beer pouring, idiotic comments, and being too selfish to throw anything but one pitch in one location, it's about time something blew up in his face. I just wish it wasn't with the Sox facing elimination and primed to extend the series. Bring on Daniel Bard!

And can someone tell me where the real Alex Rodriguez is, and who this guy impersonating him in the playoffs? It's bad enough that he's actually hitting at a decent clip in the playoffs as opposed to his usual 1-13 with 8 K's, but the clutch hits he's getting are insane, the guy has been Superman. Game tying home runs in the 9th? Looks like someone took their October steroids before the playoffs started. It pains me to watch the Yankees this postseason, not just because I'm a Sox fan and obviously don't want to see the Yankees win anything, but if - God forbid - they go on to win it all, do you know how bad that is for the game? In a time where everyone else, even big market teams like the Sox, Mets, Angels & Tigers all have some semblance of home developed talent, what does it say when a team uses less than half the homegrown talent as other teams in the league and spends half a BILLION dollars on free agents then wins the World Series. It's not a good message, not a good pattern, and not good for baseball.

On a more positive note though, Pedro looked AWESOME pitching for the Phils in Game 2. It's always great to see some vintage Petey on the mound.

Hoping for some Banner action to come up in the next couple weeks, staying positive some things will come up soon.

3 and a big weekend

Sox magic number is down to 3!
And a big weekend in the Bronx is upon us. Now, realistically this series doesn't really mean anything because even if the Sox did sweep, they're still 2.5 games back of the Yanks. This is still a big weekend of course, as all Sox-Yanks battles are, because (assuming the Sox clinch the wild card spot) both teams are tuning up for the playoffs, and it's quite possible that Boston and New York - much to the delight of the national media (specifically FOX Sports) will meet in the ALCS...and really, who doesn't miss those epic match-ups from 2003 and 2004??
More importantly about this weekend, however, is that the Sox could officially clinch a playoff berth. Either way, it should be a fun weekend with some great - albeit LONG - games.
To officially throw out predictions, I say the Sox take tonight's Lester v. Chamberlain match-up, the Yanks take Sunday's game with Paul Byrd going, and while I really want to say the Sox pull it out Saturday, I still don't trust Daisuke, and I certainly don't trust him against the Yankees, so I think New York pulls it out Saturday as well and Daisuke hits the 80 pitch mark in the 3rd inning.
Let's hope I'm wrong about Saturday.
3 and counting...