Tagged: Ryan Howard
Game 1 Tonight
As most of you know, Game 1 of the 2008 Fall Classic begins tonight, we are about two and a half to three hours away from the first pitch and I would like to give you my predictions for the 2008 World Series with the help of whatifsports.com
Dispicable is a little harsh
I haven’t written since the last week of the regular season, and a lot has happened since then. The Mets preceed to choke again in amazing fashion, leading the Brewers to make there first postseason appearance since the days of Harvey’s Wallbangers in 1982. Amazingly enough, it was the final game at Shea Stadium and the ceremony would be held AFTER the game. After the loss, I was expecting them to get booed out of the stadium, which they essentially were. The Division Series is over also. Speaking of choking, those lovable Cubs from the Windy City did it again. Going out without even a whimper against Joe Torre’s revived Los Angeles Dodgers. The Cubbies got wrecked at Wrigley, and played close in Game 3 in LA, but to no avail. Talk about a smack in the face to the Yankee organization, Torre winning in LA after being insulted with a preposterous offer by the Yankee front office last offseason, and now he’s four wins away from another trip to the fall classic, with a team filled with members of the 2003 Red Sox. Speaking of Windy City failures, the Chicago White Sox are out after falling to the Tampa Bay Rays (I still can’t stop calling them Devil Rays) in four games. I remember in mid-September when people were talking about a Cubs-White Sox World Series. Well, that was a nice idea, but both teams played poorly and won a combined 1 game. Some people were talking about a Freeway Series, another nice idea gone down the crapper. The Angels, who haven’t played a serious game all year, we ousted by the increasingly annoying Red Sox. It’s not even like the Halos played bad, they were just outplayed…again. For the 3rd time in 5 seasons the Angels were sent packing by the BoSox. A controversial call at 3rd base, took all the momentum from them, and eventually the series, in Game 4. Personally, I think Willits was safe. If that played had been a collision at home plate and Varitek dropped the ball like he did diving to tag Willits, he would have been called safe. The rules should not change for different bases. I guess it would have been better if they let Aybar (who had the game winning hit the night before) swing away. Finally, the Phillies are back in the LCS for the first time since 1993, beating the Brew Crew, 3 games to 1. The Fightin Phils’ were clearly a better team. Sabathia was completely worn out from pitching essentially every other day down the stretch to get Milwaukee to October. Pat Burrell went on a monster streak, and the Phillies put down the Brew Crew easily without major production from MVP candidates and All-Stars Chase Utley and Ryan Howard. If those guys get going, woah, look out. And lastly, broadcaster Tim McCarver today said that Manny Ramirez acts in his final weeks in Boston were despicable. Look, I’m not gonna go out there and say I condone Man-Ram’s acts, they were childish and stupid, but I’m not going to say he hurt that ball club. In his final month in Beantown, which were essentially his final 3 weeks there, Manny hit .347, with a .473 on-base percentage, .587 slugging percentage, hit 4 homers and drove in 16. Numbers wise that was the 3rd best month of the season for Manny, and his best in a Red Sox uniform. Yes, he pretty much intentionally took three straight strikes right down the middle against Mariano Rivera, but he was the best offensive player on that Boston team, whether he was trying or not.
Jeter passes Gehrig
Last night, in the bottom of the 1st inning, Derek Jeter passed Lou Gehrig for the most hits all time at Yankee Stadium. Which looking at it, is kind of cool, since that is a record that can be stated will “never be broken”. Although the Yankees went on to lose the game, it is just an amazing feat for the Yankee Captain. The Mets officially completed their track to self-destruction as they fell again to the Nationals last night, 1-0. With a two-run home run by Ryan Howard in the top of the 8th against Atlanta, the Phillies won 8-7, and took a half-game lead over the Mets in the NL East. Although the Mets still lead by a half game in the Wild Card, it does not look pretty in Flushing. They currently hold a 2-0 lead against the Nats in the first inning, but the Phils are up 4-0 in the ATL. The Rays regained full control in the AL East with a 2-1 win last night from a walk-off RBI single by all-star catcher Dioner Navarro. Boston currently leads Tampa, 2-1, in the first. Amazingly, Tampa has the best home record in the American League, despite having an exceptionally low turn out for fans of a first place team. The Red Sox are 1-7 this year at the Trop, the one win coming on Monday night. Last night, Mets Outfielder, and a possible candidate for NL Comeback Player of the Year, Fernando Tatis seperated his shoulder in the 5th inning and is done for the year. Another crushing blow to the Amazin’ Mets who have Damion Easley hurt, thus leading to more playing time for Luis Castillo, which means bad news for the Mets. As the Rays take a 3-2 lead on a Willy Aybar homer, Phil Hughes is making his first start for the Yankees since May.