Tag: world series

A closer look at World Series art

Seiler is a Chicago based artist who was commissioned by Major League Baseball to do some art for the 2010 World Series program.  That’s quite an honor!

On his blog, It’s Funny Because It’s True, Seiler writes about his experience but mostly breaks down each piece art (almost literally as he zooms in and shows segments of each piece art). 

If you’re a baseball art fanatic, this is definitely worth looking at.  For me as the old saying goes, I don’t know art but I know what I like.  And I kinda like this.

Obama, typical Sox fan, talks about HIS team in congratulatory call

Listen and watch as President Obama follows protocol and calls the San Francisco Giants (is it Bochy he’s talking to?) to congratulate them for winning the 2010 World Series.

 

Within 10 seconds, Obama doesn’t hesitate to invoke the Chicago White Sox, who “broke a much longer dry spell” in his conversation.  Let it go, Barack… we’re ALL happy the SOX won what, five years ago??

Nevertheless, a fine call despite the fact it was probably scripted on both ends. 

Giants’ victory elicits some nasty emotions

[picappgallerysingle id=”10086686″]

Whoever said that Baseball is a microcosm of all that is America was probably right.  All you need to do is read a few of the countless forums out there tonight on the heels of the Giants’ World Series victory over the Texas Rangers.

Over at the MLB forums, you can find this gem:

BlueFan124 wrote:
You hippie losers can take the WS but tomorrow we take our COUNTRY back!!!!!!!
11/1/2010 10:58:16 PM
Woah!  That’s quite a stretch.  Next thing you know, they’ll be demanding that “the Freak” cut his hair.

weekend links… some WS, some not.

Hmm… Sandy Alderson.  The Mets could have a whole lot worse.

Texas gets a win.  MLB interviews with Lewis, Washington and Moreland.

2010 first pick Bryce Harper gets his first pro dinger in the Arizona Fall League

Jose Bautista had his monster year in 2010 but do you know who came in second in homers in the AL?  Paul Konerko did.  And the Diamondbacks are interested in him.

There’s a creepy looking costume of Ron Washington… but fortunately he’s flattered.

Game 7 of 1960 World Series to be shown on MLB Network

Pirate fans, Yankee-haters and baseball history buffs rejoice!  Game Seven of the 1960 World Series will be shown on television this off-season. 

All thanks to Bing Crosby who reportedly had the last copy of the game:

The copy had been in a vault Crosby built in his home and was discovered last year by an executive of Bing Crosby Enterprises. No other copy is known to have existed for nearly 40 years.

The game will be broadcast on MLB Network sometime this off-season.

New York Yankees capture 2009 title

I’m no Yankee fan but I give credit where credit is due.  The Yankees played like the Champions they are.  Indeed, with 40 league championships and 27 World Championships, it seems their franchise has been one long dynasty with short interruptions here and there.  

As I alluded to yesterday, the World Series MVP would probably be decided in last night’s game.  And Hideki Matsui left no room for error in judgment.  ‘Shemp’ drove in six runs in Game Six’ 7-3 clincher.   For the series, he hit .615 with three dingers and 8 rbis. 

The Yankees seem to be the team of New York and New York only.  They’re the Evil Empire.  But, let’s face it.  Without them, baseball wouldn’t be the same and probably wouldn’t be in as good as shape. 

In 2010, I’ll probably root for any team playing the Yankees as I do every year.  But for now, congrats to the to all the Yankee fans out there.  A job well done by the Bronx Bombers.

Baseball Reference’s stat summary of the World Series

Utley: A case for a losing World Series MVP?

Outside of possibly Johnny Damon who is currently hitting .381 with 5 runs scored and 4 rbis, the Yankees are without a clear choice of a World Series MVP at this point.  Is it outside the realm of possibilities that even if the Yankees win it all, Chase Utley be named for this honor?

Through Game 5 of the Series, Utley leads both teams in runs scored (6), rbis (8) and of course homeruns (5).  Not only that, he was primarily responsible for two of the Philadelphia Phillies victories. 

The last and only player to win the World Series MVP for a losing team, ironically, was a Yankee.  In 1960, it wasn’t World Series hero Bill Mazeroski who garnered the award but Bobby Richardson. 

4954Bobby_Richardson Secondbaseman Richardson went 11 for 30 (.367) and drove in 12 runs and scored eight behind two doubles, two triples and a homer.  Most impressive credentials, indeed. 

That all said, my prediction is that conventional practice will prevail and the winner will share the spoils.  Should the Phils pull one out, Chase will most likely get the honor. 

It’s a crap shoot if the Yankees win.  Most likely, it will depend on what happens tonight but I’m giving Damon the edge right now. 

Hamels and Myers a little tense after “quit” remarks?

 

A little tension between Cole Hamels and Brett Myers in the clubhouse during the World Series?  Couldn’t hurt the chemistry, right?

From mlb.com:

Myers and a Phillies official both dispute a Yahoo! Sports report that Myers and Hamels had a "tense confrontation" in the Phillies clubhouse following Game 5 of the World Series.

… (Phillies director of baseball communications) Casterioto asked Myers if he had seen Hamels.

"He quit," Myers cracked.

…Hamels is sensitive to the word "quit" these days after he told reporters following Game 3 of the World Series that he couldn’t wait for the season to end. Myers said he was unaware of Hamels’ comments following Game 3, although the comments have upset some players inside the Phillies’ clubhouse.

I don’t know about you but that’s a clear indication that there WAS a “tense confrontation”. 

The big question (which most media will tend to ignore) is whether or not it’s a really big deal.  Hamels and Myers are good friends (“He’s my buddy”, says Myer of Hamels).  Can’t we just chalk it up to Series jitters and leave it at that?  Or do shall we make it a national story? 

If I know the media like I do, they’ll pounce on this like a lion on a juicy bone and we’ll hear every analysis of each angle of this story. 

The most surprising thing about this story is that it didn’t happen in New York.  The Big Apple media like to pick on their own.

Yankees Turn to Sabathia on 3 Days Rest

85125458JM010_BALTIMORE_ORIC.C. Sabathia was matched up against fellow Cleveland Indians starter Cliff Lee in the opener of the Series.  Lee outpitched C.C. in that game, but only Sabathia was ready to go on three days rest, Cliff would need one more day before he could go.  So on Sunday night Joe Blanton would answer the bell for the Phillies versus big C.C.

Derek Jeter got the Yankees going in the 1st with a leadoff single, went to 3rd on a Johnny Damon double, and Derek would score on a Mark Teixeira groundout, and then Damon would be plated on a Jorge Posada sacrifice fly, after Alex Rodriguez was drilled by a pitch, Yanks up 2-0 with the Phils coming to bat.  Back to back first inning doubles by Shane Victorino & Chase Utley would cut it to a one run game, 2-1 after one.

BIG Ryan Howard got a leadoff single in the bottom of the 4th, stole 2nd, and scored on a Pedro Feliz base knock to knot the game at two.  It was time for New York to get to work in the top of the fifth, Nick Swisher started it with a base on balls, went to 2nd on a Melky Cabrera single, and then C.C. Sabathia struckout trying to bunt the runners up.  With one out Derek Jeter plated Swisher with a single, then Cabrera scored on a base hit off the bat of Damon, and the Yanks again had a two run lead, 4-2.

The Phillies got their first two guys on in the bottom of the 5th as Jimmy Rollins singled & Shane Victorino walked, bringing up Chase Utley (who had homered twice in game one off C.C.), BIG Ryan Howard, and Jayson Werth, the meat of the order.  Two popouts & a strikeout later, and the threat was over.  Neither starting pitcher allowed a run in the 6th, Ben Francisco batted for Blanton, ending his night.

Chan Ho Park pitched a scoreless 7th.  When Sabathia delivered his 98th pitch of the night in the 7th it struck me, while thinking about this superhuman’s accomplishments, pitchers routinely went the distance in the olden days, often times throwing 200 pitches in a game, sometimes working on two days rest.  Still it was great to see this workhorse, C.C., going about his job, mowing down the top of the Phillies order, one, two…  But then Utley chased Sabathia from the game with his third home run of the Series off C.C. (so much for platooning), once again it was a one run ballgame, all six Philadelphia home runs being solo shots.  Damaso Marte was brought on to get BIG Ryan Howard to popup to end the inning, 4-3 NY.

There were two on & one out in the top of the 8th, Nick Swisher could’ve iced it, but he took strike three down the middle, shaking his head, rather than lighting up reliever Ryan Madson.  Joe Girardi didn’t want to have Mariano Rivera pitch more than one inning, thus Joba Chamberlain was called on to face the hot hitting Jayson Werth (down on strikes), Raul Ibanez (K’s him on heat), & Pedro Feliz took the kid over the wall for a game tying homer.  Oh brother, wasn’t supposed to happen that way if you’re a Yankees fan, what a ballgame, what a Series!  A wicked breaking ball to Carlos Ruiz, and Joba’s struckout the side, but now it’s all tied at four, going into the 9th.

I know this from experience, sometimes you try to save your closer for tomorrow, and then there is no tomorrow.  Chamberlain looked overpowering, but Rivera is overpowering.  Charlie Manuel called on his closer Brad Lidge to work a tie ballgame in the top of the 9th, getting the first two before Damon singled to left, stole 2nd & went around Feliz, and went all the way to 3rd (the Phillies had a shift on for Teixeira), he’s credited with 2 SBs on that one play.  Lidge hits Teixeira, bringing up ARod (1 for 13 in the Series).  Alex hits a double off the leftfield wall, big moments for big players.  With the Yankees up, Mo starts seriously loosening up to try to close it out with the lead.  A couple of insurance runs score when Posada delivers a single into leftcenter, continuing on to 2nd, where he is tagged out easily, 7-4 Yanks.

Not that it matters, but Rivera faces pinch hitter Matt Stairs and then the top of the order.  A groundout, a popout, & a  groundout, all three to firstbase, and it’s over.  The Bronx Bombers now have a three games to one Series lead, with one ballgame in Philadelphia before heading back to New York (if necessary).  Philadelphia needs to win three straight, if not impossible, close to it.  Game five features Cliff Lee versus nasty A.J. Burnett on three days rest.  Joba Chamberlain was credited with the win in this one, but we all know it was C.C. Sabathia on three days, getting the job done.