MLB: Playoff Meanderings
A Sampling of Thoughts, Analysis and Insight Surrounding the MLB Playoffs
Stop “Who-ing” Seattle, it’s almost over.
You can let the dogs in for the winter.
Sure, you came back in game five when you erupted with five runs in the fifth inning. The fifth run of that inning scored by a player (John Olerud) who wears number five who figuratively bashed Jeff Nelson’s head in and sent him to the showers.
The Yankees return home tonight and have El Perfecto on the mound. Sure, stranger things have happened at Yankee Stadium (ask any Oriole fan).
Just don’t let Arthur Rhodes anywhere near the mound.
***
Why do the postseason baseball announcers (Bob Costas and Joe Buck) insist on calling the NLDS or the ALDS “THE AL(or NL) DS” ?
Think about it. The ALCS is a series between two teams, as is the NLCS and World Series.
But the National (or American) League Division Series isn’t a Series. It’s four teams playing.
Perhaps I’m reading too much into this.
***
The Mets are playing very good baseball now.
Beating San Francisco and on the cusp of beating St. Louis, the better of the New York teams should win the World Series.
Then again, San Fran and St. Louis were supposed to do the same. But New York is different.
Take this nugget ... Armando Benitez, perhaps the worst reliever in post season history, actually got a hold in Game 4 when he left Mark McGwire on deck after he goaded Jim Edmonds to hit a routine fly to right.
Usually, Benitez gives up a home run.
He’s done it seven times (a record) in his short postseason career.
***
As Keith Olberman has pointed out on more than one occasion, if both New York teams end up in the World Series, it will be the first time two teams from the same city have met in a major championship final since 1956.
Say that five times fast.
By the way, nobody beats the Wiz and nobody will beat the Mets this year.
You can let the dogs in for the winter.
Sure, you came back in game five when you erupted with five runs in the fifth inning. The fifth run of that inning scored by a player (John Olerud) who wears number five who figuratively bashed Jeff Nelson’s head in and sent him to the showers.
The Yankees return home tonight and have El Perfecto on the mound. Sure, stranger things have happened at Yankee Stadium (ask any Oriole fan).
Just don’t let Arthur Rhodes anywhere near the mound.
***
Why do the postseason baseball announcers (Bob Costas and Joe Buck) insist on calling the NLDS or the ALDS “THE AL(or NL) DS” ?
Think about it. The ALCS is a series between two teams, as is the NLCS and World Series.
But the National (or American) League Division Series isn’t a Series. It’s four teams playing.
Perhaps I’m reading too much into this.
***
The Mets are playing very good baseball now.
Beating San Francisco and on the cusp of beating St. Louis, the better of the New York teams should win the World Series.
Then again, San Fran and St. Louis were supposed to do the same. But New York is different.
Take this nugget ... Armando Benitez, perhaps the worst reliever in post season history, actually got a hold in Game 4 when he left Mark McGwire on deck after he goaded Jim Edmonds to hit a routine fly to right.
Usually, Benitez gives up a home run.
He’s done it seven times (a record) in his short postseason career.
***
As Keith Olberman has pointed out on more than one occasion, if both New York teams end up in the World Series, it will be the first time two teams from the same city have met in a major championship final since 1956.
Say that five times fast.
By the way, nobody beats the Wiz and nobody will beat the Mets this year.

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