random commenter: Go, Devil Rays. They're off to a good start.In other news, I've been watching the Angels-A's series all week on local TV. Some phenomenal baseball. Like when Zito and Colon each pitched 9 innings...and both got no-decisions. Or when Jay Payton (grrrr) ran in and tagged out a baserunner at 2nd. Fun to watch.
Alex Belth (one of the BB writers): The D Rays have been full of good starts against Boston this week. They just get trippd up by mediocre middles and horrible endings. Sox will win this one in the end...again.
Friday, September 02, 2005
A rarity on this site
So the pattern's pretty obvious here: GrieveRules is generally really optimistic (I'd say way too optimistic) about the Sox, while I'm generally really pessimistic (he'd say way too pessimistic) about the Sox. But I gotta say this: (not to jinx anything, but) when the Sox were down by two to the D-Rays, really, were any of us worried they weren't going to pull it off? GR keeps pointing out the incredible offense, and that's undoubtable: they're averaging over 7 runs per game in August. And when facing a team with a mediocre-to-poor bullpen, a two-run deficit feels like nothing. [Here's where the pessimist in me screams "But in the playoffs, most bullpens aren't mediocre-to-poor!"] Anyway, after the Yanks lost, and D-Rays scored two off Arroyo, the following comments were posted over at Bronx Banter (a really phenomenal Yankees site, btw):
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Yeah watched the last 4 innings of the A's game tonight. And saw some of yesterday's game. Pretty good baseball.
ReplyDeleteI have been watching the A's quite a bit lately and I'm excited to head up the Coliseum this weekend. The A's have been playing with some amazing chemistry (even though they have lost 2 of the last three). I remember when I was at the Sox games in May and I actually felt bad for chavez - OAK sucked real bad. Last place. Crosby and Harden were hurt. Dotel had just gone down. Zito was struggling. And it was a bunch of nobodies. What a turn around.
The last few weeks I have been trying to watch two innings of any non-Red Sox or Yankee game each night. Of course my wife has been very patient with this to daye and I hope to continue through the season, but we shall see. This also led me to pick up Hernandez after his KC start.
Random observations from my sample:
I see many empty seats at ballparks.
Baseball announcers are bad. I have my beefs with Remy and Orsillo, but there are worse.
Vin Scully however is a gem.
The Royals are bad.
Ken Griffey JR looks like he did about 10 years ago.
And speaking of announcers, Early waht's your take on Hudler?
ReplyDeleteI think he is pretty funny. In short doses. I couldn't imagine having to listen to him all season. almost every day. But to occassionally tune in and hear his, um, unique take/approach, is pretty funny at times.
Let's see the A's take the Yankees to town. peter*
ReplyDeleteI agree with Earl...I never felt that the Sox were out of those games. And, not for nothing, but Borowski and Baez aren't exactly slouches.
ReplyDeleteAs a result, the Sox have extended their lead to 3 1/2 and 4 in the loss column.
This Yankees/Oakland series is huge. One of these teams could fall way back in the playoff picture if they get swept.
The Yankees follow this series with a battle against the D-Rays. The Rays have owned them...
Cleveland could take advantage of this situation, but they go up against the Twins.
This is a heck of a baseball weekend. I can't wait...except for the fact that I won't be able to pay much attention because the wife and kid are demanding that I DO STUFF WITH THEM...Imagine that...Man, how life changes...
GR -- definitely a great weekend for baseball. (Of course it won't be if the Orioles take the series.)
ReplyDeleteX -- I keep going back and forth on Hud and whatshistoes. They're infuriating at times, but generally pretty entertaining. And will even make a good point now and then. One thing I really like in announcers is an appreciation for the opposing team. Hud has it, Don and Remy has it, even the silly Detroit guys have it (though what other option do they have?) -- but many don't. The Hawk and the YESmen come to mind. They're just loathsome.
I guess with each team having about 28 games left there is still a lot of time left, but boy is this going to be fun.
ReplyDeleteAnd at this point, you have to think anything can happen. And I mean almost anything. Every team has flaws. And pretty major flaws at that.
A few weeks back when we were salavating over this 13 game homestand, my thought was that we would head in to NY with NY tabloids screaming "NY Sweep could bring Yanks back in Race" and nothing has changed on that front.
Even more exciting is that the WC races have heated up. I really would love to see a 4 team tie. Of course due to one quirk, if the season ended today - Oak and LAA tied for west with the same record as the Yanks - the Yanks would get the WC by default. OAK and LAA would play a one game playoff to decide the division. winner takes the west, but the loser goes home since their record would be 1/2 game worse than the Yanks - the one game playoff counts as a regular season game.
Oh well, you gotta figure between the two leagues that SOMETHING crazy will happen down the stretch.