Saturday, October 16, 2004
Saturday Afternoon in October
I'll be updating throughout the afternoon...
We all complain about our lives sometimes. Don't we?
I mean there are the grumbles about that co-worker who drives us absolutely freakin' nuts. And there's the perpetual question that rears its head at inopportune times: How could they possibly screw up a cup of coffee?
Pick your spots, though. For today is not a day for complaints. They just won't hold any water on a day like this.
I'm starting to wonder just how many different hairstyles Jeannie Zalasko can come up with in a given week... And I'm sure many guys watching Fox right now don't give a hoot about her hair. But it's an interesting question nonetheless.
It's a Saturday in October. And the air is crisp here in the Northeast. They're readying Fenway Park for Game 3 tonight, and it feels like a long time since Game 2 concluded.
The Astros are about to try to make a dent in the NLCS at home.
There's a bunch of interesting college football games going on today, and as far as my picks go, I'm 1-1 so far. Lost Oklahoma (God, their pass defense looked suspect...) and won Illinois (Michigan shouldn't be favored by anything close to 20 points in a Big Ten road game).
Chris Russo has started his radio show from Fenway, and the day feels complete.
Although I have a few Sam Adams Octoberfest in the fridge waiting to join in the fray, I've decided to crack open a Budweiser instead. Save the Sam for when tonight really gets going.
Budweiser is my typical "recreational" beer. Don't hate it. Don't love it. It's just kind of there. It's a Saturday afternoon-too early to feel sleepy beer. And I prefer it over almost any other "light" beer, as in light-colored beer.
As I'm creeping closer to 30, and as my responsibilities seem to be increasing geometrically, nights out come in drips and drabs. Last night I made it out for a beer with my brother-in-law. Choices: Bass on tap and Long Trail on tap.
Bass is probably in the Top 10 of my favorite beers, but I wouldn't say it's a lock. I find that sometimes the first couple of sips are always a little disappointing. But it's really a solid beer, especially by the time you get about 1/3 of the way through.
Oh, yeah this a baseball blog...
I don't have much to add about the NLCS. St. Louis is having one of those dream seasons that you see a couple times a decade. We all know that Edmonds/Pujols/Rolen/Walker et. al. are great players, but how many times do we see every single good player on a team firing on all cylinders at precisely the same moment?
Maybe Houston gets a game here. I'm not sure though.
ALCS? I have a multitude of thoughts on this one, not only because of my vested interest, but because of the tangled web of storylines, surprises and general goofiness that this rivalry offers.
General thoughts heading into a Game 3:
1) I don't remember a series in which a team went up 2-0 that I thought the lead was shaky as I do in this case. I expect the Red Sox to have a huge weekend in Fenway with the bats. I mean big. Seven runs. Eight runs. Ten runs. I will not be truly comfortable until the Yankees go up 3-0. Even at 3-1, I won't be doing cartwheels.
2) Along the same theme, I wouldn't be shocked if Boston wins all three at home. My perspective coming into this series was that the two teams would split the first two games; the Sox would win two at Fenway; and the Yankees would have to win the last two at home. I saw Boston grabbing a 3-2 lead. I think that could still play out.
3) A major factor in this series is how the Boston bullpen is a far cry from where it was one year ago. Last year, the bullpen troika of Timlin/Embree/Williamson was excellent, nearly flawless. This year, there is no Williamson and Timlin looks eminently hittable on a night in/night out basis. In nearly every game that isn't being pitched by Mike Mussina, my perspective will be "Give me six innings, four runs and I'll take my chances that I'm still in the game, and take my chances against that Pen." Of course, Jon Lieber took that approach and kicked it in the pants, throwing one of the most improbable starts in post-season play that I can remember.
4:27 p.m. Larry Walker just hit an absolute bomb to almost dead-center. 1-0 St. Louis. Not a terrible pitch... A straight fastball that was actually tailing away a bit towards the outside corner and Walker just crushed it. On the biggest stage of his career to date, and Walker has been really incredible...
4:30 p.m. Terry Francona is holding court in Boston right now. Is it me, or are these pre-game managerial press conferences as exciting as watching paint dry? Putting me to sleep...
Clemens is out of the 1st without further damage.
I can't imagine Curt Schilling not pitching again in this series. Just a thought.
4:34 p.m. College Football score:
Southern Cal up 14-0 on ASU
Biggio just led off with a single. This series seems like the Veterans Showcase, doesn't it? Edmonds, Biggio, Bagwell, Clemens, Walker, Kent... It's like the Geriatric Tour. But they're all still pretty damn good.
Walk to Beltran.
A typically nice play by Rolen at 3rd. Backhand stop, stepped on the bag and threw to first for the 5-3 DP.
4:45 p.m. Houston has just taken a 3-1 lead. Two-out single by Berkman, two-run HR by Kent.
This series is the antithesis to the idea that pitching dominates post-season baseball.
There have now been an incredible 13 home runs hit in this series in two games and one inning of play.
The home run has been reduced to matter-of-fact by these two teams.
Speaking of...
Edmonds just led off the 2nd with a home run. Looked like something off-speed (maybe a split that just hung) on the outer part of the plate. Edmonds' weight was gone, but he just kind of flicked the bat, and hit the ball out in right-center.
4:54 p.m. 3-2 Houston going to bottom of 2nd.
4:57 p.m. Damn, I'm getting hungry. Might be time for a sandwich soon.
I'll be updating throughout the afternoon...
We all complain about our lives sometimes. Don't we?
I mean there are the grumbles about that co-worker who drives us absolutely freakin' nuts. And there's the perpetual question that rears its head at inopportune times: How could they possibly screw up a cup of coffee?
Pick your spots, though. For today is not a day for complaints. They just won't hold any water on a day like this.
I'm starting to wonder just how many different hairstyles Jeannie Zalasko can come up with in a given week... And I'm sure many guys watching Fox right now don't give a hoot about her hair. But it's an interesting question nonetheless.
It's a Saturday in October. And the air is crisp here in the Northeast. They're readying Fenway Park for Game 3 tonight, and it feels like a long time since Game 2 concluded.
The Astros are about to try to make a dent in the NLCS at home.
There's a bunch of interesting college football games going on today, and as far as my picks go, I'm 1-1 so far. Lost Oklahoma (God, their pass defense looked suspect...) and won Illinois (Michigan shouldn't be favored by anything close to 20 points in a Big Ten road game).
Chris Russo has started his radio show from Fenway, and the day feels complete.
Although I have a few Sam Adams Octoberfest in the fridge waiting to join in the fray, I've decided to crack open a Budweiser instead. Save the Sam for when tonight really gets going.
Budweiser is my typical "recreational" beer. Don't hate it. Don't love it. It's just kind of there. It's a Saturday afternoon-too early to feel sleepy beer. And I prefer it over almost any other "light" beer, as in light-colored beer.
As I'm creeping closer to 30, and as my responsibilities seem to be increasing geometrically, nights out come in drips and drabs. Last night I made it out for a beer with my brother-in-law. Choices: Bass on tap and Long Trail on tap.
Bass is probably in the Top 10 of my favorite beers, but I wouldn't say it's a lock. I find that sometimes the first couple of sips are always a little disappointing. But it's really a solid beer, especially by the time you get about 1/3 of the way through.
Oh, yeah this a baseball blog...
I don't have much to add about the NLCS. St. Louis is having one of those dream seasons that you see a couple times a decade. We all know that Edmonds/Pujols/Rolen/Walker et. al. are great players, but how many times do we see every single good player on a team firing on all cylinders at precisely the same moment?
Maybe Houston gets a game here. I'm not sure though.
ALCS? I have a multitude of thoughts on this one, not only because of my vested interest, but because of the tangled web of storylines, surprises and general goofiness that this rivalry offers.
General thoughts heading into a Game 3:
1) I don't remember a series in which a team went up 2-0 that I thought the lead was shaky as I do in this case. I expect the Red Sox to have a huge weekend in Fenway with the bats. I mean big. Seven runs. Eight runs. Ten runs. I will not be truly comfortable until the Yankees go up 3-0. Even at 3-1, I won't be doing cartwheels.
2) Along the same theme, I wouldn't be shocked if Boston wins all three at home. My perspective coming into this series was that the two teams would split the first two games; the Sox would win two at Fenway; and the Yankees would have to win the last two at home. I saw Boston grabbing a 3-2 lead. I think that could still play out.
3) A major factor in this series is how the Boston bullpen is a far cry from where it was one year ago. Last year, the bullpen troika of Timlin/Embree/Williamson was excellent, nearly flawless. This year, there is no Williamson and Timlin looks eminently hittable on a night in/night out basis. In nearly every game that isn't being pitched by Mike Mussina, my perspective will be "Give me six innings, four runs and I'll take my chances that I'm still in the game, and take my chances against that Pen." Of course, Jon Lieber took that approach and kicked it in the pants, throwing one of the most improbable starts in post-season play that I can remember.
4:27 p.m. Larry Walker just hit an absolute bomb to almost dead-center. 1-0 St. Louis. Not a terrible pitch... A straight fastball that was actually tailing away a bit towards the outside corner and Walker just crushed it. On the biggest stage of his career to date, and Walker has been really incredible...
4:30 p.m. Terry Francona is holding court in Boston right now. Is it me, or are these pre-game managerial press conferences as exciting as watching paint dry? Putting me to sleep...
Clemens is out of the 1st without further damage.
I can't imagine Curt Schilling not pitching again in this series. Just a thought.
4:34 p.m. College Football score:
Southern Cal up 14-0 on ASU
Biggio just led off with a single. This series seems like the Veterans Showcase, doesn't it? Edmonds, Biggio, Bagwell, Clemens, Walker, Kent... It's like the Geriatric Tour. But they're all still pretty damn good.
Walk to Beltran.
A typically nice play by Rolen at 3rd. Backhand stop, stepped on the bag and threw to first for the 5-3 DP.
4:45 p.m. Houston has just taken a 3-1 lead. Two-out single by Berkman, two-run HR by Kent.
This series is the antithesis to the idea that pitching dominates post-season baseball.
There have now been an incredible 13 home runs hit in this series in two games and one inning of play.
The home run has been reduced to matter-of-fact by these two teams.
Speaking of...
Edmonds just led off the 2nd with a home run. Looked like something off-speed (maybe a split that just hung) on the outer part of the plate. Edmonds' weight was gone, but he just kind of flicked the bat, and hit the ball out in right-center.
4:54 p.m. 3-2 Houston going to bottom of 2nd.
4:57 p.m. Damn, I'm getting hungry. Might be time for a sandwich soon.
