Wednesday, October 11, 2006
The Playoffs
I hope everyone enjoyed Part I of the Wiz Kids. Look for Part II later this week. There are, total, sixteen parts to this series, so I am a long way from being finished. As I said the other day, I hope to bring into focus how great the ’50 team actually was, even though it is curiously forgotten by history.
Anyway, back to matters at hand. No real news this past week on the Phillies front aside from the fact that charges were dropped against Brett Myers, which wasn’t any sort of a surprise: victims of domestic violence rarely want to testify against their spouse / significant other. Let’s hope that Brett stays out of trouble.
The Sporting News voted Ryan Howard as Player of the Year, an honor that is voted on by the players. Ryan was actually the landslide winner, with 294 votes to David Ortiz’s 75 and Albert Pujols’ 32. I think this bodes well for his chances in the actual balloting for MVP. I guess we shall see.
Meanwhile, my bold prediction of a Twins – Dodgers World Series went for naught as the Twins and Dodgers couldn’t even muster a victory in a single game, let alone a series. That said, I am happy with the result of the ALDS: the A’s, my second-favorite team, advanced as did the Detroit Tigers, the feel-good story of 2006. Better still, the Yankees, that collection of run-away egos and free-flowing money, crashed and burned. Joe Torre was nearly fired, A-Rod is in the doghouse and is virtually unmovable, so the Yankees are stuck with that mess.
So what do I think of the ALCS? Well, I am surprised that the A’s lost last night. I thought that Barry Zito matched up well against the Tigers lineup, but that was not to be. It didn’t feel like the A’s batters got much going at all against a formidable pitching staff. Good work Tigers. Personal prediction: the series will go to seven games and the A’s will ultimately take it.
As for the Cardinals and Mets … yawn. The idea of a team that won just 83 games representing the N.L. in the World Series is just wrong, but it might happen. I’m not overly impressed by either of these teams. The Cardinals pitching staff, long a strength, was actually one of the worst in the N.L. in 2006. Their offense was a middling affair, finishing sixth in runs scored, remarkable to do when you have so many weapons in your lineup.
As for the Mets … their pitching is awful without Pedro and El Duque. They should not have gotten past the Dodgers, but they did. Now they are down to Tom Glavine and … John Maine, Oliver Perez and Steve Trachsel? Ugh. These could be a lot of 10-7 games with the way these guys pitch.
The Mets saving grace is their prolific offense, which ought to make things interesting. However, I will go out on a limb and say: Cardinals in six games.
Anyway, back to matters at hand. No real news this past week on the Phillies front aside from the fact that charges were dropped against Brett Myers, which wasn’t any sort of a surprise: victims of domestic violence rarely want to testify against their spouse / significant other. Let’s hope that Brett stays out of trouble.
The Sporting News voted Ryan Howard as Player of the Year, an honor that is voted on by the players. Ryan was actually the landslide winner, with 294 votes to David Ortiz’s 75 and Albert Pujols’ 32. I think this bodes well for his chances in the actual balloting for MVP. I guess we shall see.
Meanwhile, my bold prediction of a Twins – Dodgers World Series went for naught as the Twins and Dodgers couldn’t even muster a victory in a single game, let alone a series. That said, I am happy with the result of the ALDS: the A’s, my second-favorite team, advanced as did the Detroit Tigers, the feel-good story of 2006. Better still, the Yankees, that collection of run-away egos and free-flowing money, crashed and burned. Joe Torre was nearly fired, A-Rod is in the doghouse and is virtually unmovable, so the Yankees are stuck with that mess.
So what do I think of the ALCS? Well, I am surprised that the A’s lost last night. I thought that Barry Zito matched up well against the Tigers lineup, but that was not to be. It didn’t feel like the A’s batters got much going at all against a formidable pitching staff. Good work Tigers. Personal prediction: the series will go to seven games and the A’s will ultimately take it.
As for the Cardinals and Mets … yawn. The idea of a team that won just 83 games representing the N.L. in the World Series is just wrong, but it might happen. I’m not overly impressed by either of these teams. The Cardinals pitching staff, long a strength, was actually one of the worst in the N.L. in 2006. Their offense was a middling affair, finishing sixth in runs scored, remarkable to do when you have so many weapons in your lineup.
As for the Mets … their pitching is awful without Pedro and El Duque. They should not have gotten past the Dodgers, but they did. Now they are down to Tom Glavine and … John Maine, Oliver Perez and Steve Trachsel? Ugh. These could be a lot of 10-7 games with the way these guys pitch.
The Mets saving grace is their prolific offense, which ought to make things interesting. However, I will go out on a limb and say: Cardinals in six games.
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