Postseason | The Baseball Zealot

Taco Bell makes a run for the profit margin with promo

The Red Sox may be having their way with the Rockies so far in the World Series but I’ll bet the higher-ups in Taco Bell Inc. are hoping this series will go seven games. They’re making a killing with the “Steal a base, Steal a taco” promotion. Fox mouthpieces Joe Buck and Tim McCarver are … Continue reading “Taco Bell makes a run for the profit margin with promo”

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Fox mouthpieces Joe Buck and Tim McCarver are gleefully playing along at MLB’s behest.

During Wednesday’s game (from NYT):

“No stolen bases yet in the game,” McCarver said, as David Ortiz batted.

“No free tacos for America,” Buck said. “At some point it’s going to happen.”

Sad to say, I expect that. But MLB has gone the extra step. Now they gotten the players involved. While wired so we can hear their on-the-bench discussion, Royce Clayton and Coco Crisp chatted up the Taco Bell promo.

I wonder how much that was worth to the MLB.

Long wait ends in disaster for Rox

The Rockies waited a long time to get here. They rested eight days since they swept the Snakes. For the record, that’s the second longest rest before a World Series Game 1. You would have to go all the way back to 1910 when the Philadelphia A’s waited ten days before their series with the Cubs… … Continue reading “Long wait ends in disaster for Rox”

The Rockies, however, got off on the wrong foot(hill). There’s not much to say other than Beckett was on and so was the Boston offense. The Sox broke the record for the largest difference in score in a game one of World Series. Eight doubles seemed like a lot but it’s not a postseason record.

A word on Manny Ramirez. I wonder what columnist Ken Rosenthal is thinking now. Rosenthal who last week, wrote a column for Fox Sports entitled Manny’s antics aren’t a laughing matter, must be eating his words. Or probably not. Regardless, Boston simply loves Manny’s “antics”.

With Game 1 in the books, I’m not writing off the Rockies quite yet. They were facing Boston’s best hurler in enemy territory after being dormant for eight days. They have an uphill row to hoe but it’s only one game.

One more note: I always like note when Matt Herges, a native of Champaign, Illinois, gets the job done. Despite the shellacking that the Rockies took. the Colorado reliever managed to pitch a perfect one and a third innings allowing only a walk.

Veterans coming through in the ALCS

I got this email today from Teddy Ballgame: TEK & KENNY, was that all T*CHIX or what!!! Of course, he was referring to Jason Varitek and Kenny Lofton who hit homeruns for their respective teams in Game 3 of the ALCS. The T-Chix reference is for my Twin City Thunderchickens, my Illowa APBA League team. It’s … Continue reading “Veterans coming through in the ALCS”

I got this email today from Teddy Ballgame:

TEK & KENNY, was that all T*CHIX or what!!!

Of course, he was referring to Jason Varitek and Kenny Lofton who hit homeruns for their respective teams in Game 3 of the ALCS. The T-Chix reference is for my Twin City Thunderchickens, my Illowa APBA League team. It’s nice to get some positive reinforcement (even though playoff stats don’t count in APBA).

I drafted Kenny Lofton as a rookie in 1993 along with Moises Alou as part of my “These Chickens have Legs” campaign to increase the speed of my lineup. He was a solid leadoff man and centerfielder for several years but he didn’t stay on my forever. Ironically, Lofton in our league mirrored the real Lofton getting traded from team to team. But it was always my team that he was traded back to.

Regarding Lofton (the REAL Lofton), he’s going on ~~sixty-two~~ forty-two years old but I was talking to a friend of mine a couple weeks ago and I told him I thought he would be a valuable asset in the post season. I mean he does have eleven years and a whopping 91 games of post season experience. I didn’t think he’d do it with the long ball mind you but the kind of player Kenny is, he’ll help the team in many ways in October that just don’t show during the regular season.

Go Kenny!

10/13/07 LCS Linescore of the Day: Jhonny Peralta

Jhonny Peralta: 3 for 5, 2B, HR, 3 runs, 4 rbis Jhonny P was the man with the bat (and the glove.. he was involved in 3 DPs) in Cleveland’s 10-6 win in Game 2 in the ALCS. The much heralded 1-2 punch of both the Red Sox and Indians have faltered with the possible … Continue reading “10/13/07 LCS Linescore of the Day: Jhonny Peralta”

Jhonny Peralta: 3 for 5, 2B, HR, 3 runs, 4 rbis

Jhonny P was the man with the bat (and the glove.. he was involved in 3 DPs) in Cleveland’s 10-6 win in Game 2 in the ALCS.

The much heralded 1-2 punch of both the Red Sox and Indians have faltered with the possible exception of Beckett. Josh pitched ok on Friday allowing two runs in six innings. The combined ERA of the starters in Games 1 and 2 is an even 9.00 (19 ER in 19 innings). That was not to be expected from three Cy Young candidates and a perennial post season pitcher.

It seems right now, that the ALCS will be won with the bat not the arm.

10/12/07 LCS Linescore of the Day: Manny Ramirez

Manny Ramirez: 2 for 2, 2 runs, 3 rbis With a stunning 10-2 defeat of the Cleveland Indians, you gotta figure the LSOTD will come from the Red Sox. Sure enough, Manny Ramirez drove three runs and scored two behind two hits. The Red Sox got to 19-game winner CC Sabathia who I thought would be … Continue reading “10/12/07 LCS Linescore of the Day: Manny Ramirez”

Manny Ramirez: 2 for 2, 2 runs, 3 rbis

With a stunning 10-2 defeat of the Cleveland Indians, you gotta figure the LSOTD will come from the Red Sox. Sure enough, Manny Ramirez drove three runs and scored two behind two hits.

The Red Sox got to 19-game winner CC Sabathia who I thought would be key for the Indians in the series. Beckett was solid if not spectacular and that was more than enough for the Red Sox.

The Yankees and Joe Torre

No doubt, after their ALDS loss to the Indians, the Yankees will be asking themselves some important questions now. Most hyped now, of course, is whether Joe Torre will keep his job. I’m not a Yankees fan but I have a healthy respect for Mr Torre. I also wouldn’t want his current job for anything. … Continue reading “The Yankees and Joe Torre”

No doubt, after their ALDS loss to the Indians, the Yankees will be asking themselves some important questions now. Most hyped now, of course, is whether Joe Torre will keep his job.

I’m not a Yankees fan but I have a healthy respect for Mr Torre. I also wouldn’t want his current job for anything. Let’s face it, given his past performances in recent years, anything outside of a World Series win will be considered a failure.

I’ve heard some Torre press conferences particularly those after key losses. After dealing with the press, I wouldn’t be surprised if went backstage and banged his against the wall.

Should the Yankees replace Torre? I guess I don’t really care. I will say this. There will be plenty of teams interested in him. As long as he isn’t burned out and not ready for a break.

Tiger Todd Jones speaks out on MLB scheduling

Todd Jones has it all figured out. He gives his opinion on the playoff schedule on his Your Turn column at the Sporting News website entitled All the Playoff Teams Deserve Prime-time. How would he fix it? So, how do you fix it? You cut some games off the regular season and make the postseason … Continue reading “Tiger Todd Jones speaks out on MLB scheduling”

Todd Jones has it all figured out. He gives his opinion on the playoff schedule on his Your Turn column at the Sporting News website entitled All the Playoff Teams Deserve Prime-time.

How would he fix it?

So, how do you fix it? You cut some games off the regular season and make the postseason like a true second season. You let more teams in the playoffs and then schedule more off-days so more teams get in the prime-time slot…

Finally, you tell the West Coast teams they’ll have to give up their night games in the postseason so the rest of the country can watch — and not have to read about — Jose Valverde saving the first game of the Diamondbacks-Cubs series.

It’s a refreshing article. Not because I necessarily agree with it all but because it expresses a legitimate opinion. And one that doesn’t toe the company line.

And because he calls the Yankees the Evil Empire. Todd Jones, he has a sense of humor.

Wasted Opportunities ruin the Cubs

The TV at home bore the brunt of my frustrations tonight. I must have thrown three or four of my kids’ toys at it tonight.. starting with Chris Young’s bomb off Rich Hill. I actually turned the television off after Stephen Drew’s homer in the 9th inning. Logging on to mlb.com just now, I had … Continue reading “Wasted Opportunities ruin the Cubs”

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The TV at home bore the brunt of my frustrations tonight. I must have thrown three or four of my kids’ toys at it tonight.. starting with Chris Young’s bomb off Rich Hill.

I actually turned the television off after Stephen Drew’s homer in the 9th inning. Logging on to mlb.com just now, I had my fingers crossed, of course to no avail.

The Cubs never had it. Not that they didn’t had their chances. Livian Hernandez, however, got out of every jam.

The magic number for the series is zero. That is the number of rbis by Alfonso Soriano, Derrek Lee, and Aramis Ramirez for the series combined. Again, wasted opportunities.

I will give the Arizona Diamondbacks their due. If team loyalty wasn’t an issue, the ‘Backs are a team I might have enjoyed watching win. With players like Byrnes, Drew, and Young, they are a scrappy, hustling team with a hunger for victory.

All for now, I’m too drained and frustrated. Later, I’ll do a season wrap-up of the Cubs season.

Baseball Zealot Radio: Pre-Postseason Roundtable

I bring back non-Cub fan co-hosts so I can gloat

No, I don’t really :-)

Here are the show notes…

032- Pre-Postseason Roundtable

Show Notes for Episode 32:

Hosts: Tom, Chuck, Todd

Summary: After Todd tells how happy he is about the Littlefield leaving the Pirates, we discuss the upcoming postseason. We give our opinions on who will go on and who won’t.

Thanks for listening!!

Time: 46:19

Date Recorded: 9/30/07

Link to Episode 32

Listen via iTunes

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TBS’ Skip Caray feels a bit left out

As you probably know, TBS will be broadcasting a good share of the postseason. And they’ll be doing without longtime announcer Skip Caray. TBS has elected to go with Dick Stockton, Ted Robinson and Don Orsillo for the NLDS. Skip apparently isn’t taking it very well going as far as to talking to the media … Continue reading “TBS’ Skip Caray feels a bit left out”

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Skip apparently isn’t taking it very well going as far as to talking to the media about it.

From the Atlanta Journal Constitution:

“I feel like I can do a better job than a tennis announcer or a football-basketball announcer,” Skip Caray said. “I’m not knocking Ted Robinson and Dick Stockton, but point of fact is they don’t do baseball anymore and I’m there every day.”

I’m not that familiar with Skip to make a call on his broadcasting skills. Also, with a few exceptions, I’m not too particular about who announces the games I listen to. Let me re-phrase that. You be amazed at the range of opinions out there on the topic.

That all said, I will have to comment on this quote by Skip…

Caray said he’d like to be voted into baseball’s Hall of Fame along with longtime broadcasting partner Pete Van Wieren someday. “But when your employer says you’re not good enough to do the playoffs, I don’t think that helps your chances.”

Sorry, Skip, I don’t care how good you think you are but lobbying for HOF induction just doesn’t look good. Bert Blyleven used to do it and I thought it looked bad… and I’m a big Blyleven fan.