I've definitely change my mind about the way that the NLCS will go. I thought that the Arizona Diamondbacks, behind ace Brandon Webb, would jump out to a 1-0 lead with a Game 1 victory and then head to Colorado up 2-0. Now it appears that Jeff Francis and the Rockies are the better squad and they will be returning home to Corrs with at least a split of the first two games.
Francis' excellent performance and the Rockies 5-1 victory changes the entire outlook of the series. The Rockies offense has not cooled down one bit and they have now won 18 of their last 19 games (14 of 15 in the regular season, 4 straight in the playoffs). This is the hottest team in baseball and frankly I'd be nervous to face them no matter what team I am. The Red Sox and Indians better watch out, because if Colorado can keep rolling through this series, they may pull a St. Louis Cardinals and continue to roll right though the World Series.
As much as I am rooting for the Red Sox to win the World Series and think that they could shut down the Corrs Train to win it all, I admit that the Rockies winning would be a great story. Todd Helton is one of the best players of this era, probably top ten, maybe even top five. He is one of the best hitters for average, up there with Ichiro. But he constantly has the stigma of "Corrs Field" riding over him. A World Series ring would do a lot for his credentials.
Meanwhile Dan O'Dowd has turned around a franchise that has seen a little success, but has never been near where they are now. With excellent drafting and trades, the Rockies are now a team that can contend year in and year out. There make-shift pitching staff has done the job, keeping the opposing team's score low enough for the amazing offense, made up mostly of young players who will be the team's core for years to come, to win games decesively. Manny Corpas has proven to be a un-hittable closer, both in the playoffs and the regular season. Matt Holliday, Troy Tulowitzki and the rest of the cast of regulars are slugging this team to victory, but the pitching hasn't been too shabby either.
This is a team I liked for two years down the line, maybe with the addition of another pitcher or two, same as the D-Backs, but both teams have shocked everyone and now baseball fans are left with an exciting series. Hopefully people will tune in and find out more about two teams that had great years, mostly under the radar.
One other thing from this series was the disgraceful behavior by the Diamondbacks fans. I know it was just a handful of fans and I know that it happens all over the place, but come on. It was the right call and to delay a game for that long was just ridiculous. Booing is one thing, but throwing full water bottles onto the field near players was wrong. Express your displeasure with boos, but don't throw things on the field. The D-Backs have been an amazingly successful franchise, having been around for just ten years and having a shot at their second World Series within their grasp. These fans should behave better than they did.
Moving on to the ALCS, the series everyone is talking about.
The Red Sox and the Indians are two teams that had great seasons, just like the Rockies and Diamondbacks, but both have been in the spotlight longer.
Josh Beckett and C.C. Sabathia are both Cy Young contenders and tomorrow's game should be exciting.
My prediction: 6-2 Red Sox, Bobby Kielty continues his success against C.C. with at least two hits and two RBI.
On the NL side, the Diamondbacks will not be able to salvage the second game of the series, as the Rockies take the game 7-3.
Enjoy the games tomorrow night.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Monday, October 8, 2007
Torre, A-Rod Eras in Bronx Appears to Be Over
As a Red Sox fan, I couldn't help but smile after the Yankees fell to the Cleveland Indians today in the Bronx, ending their season.
As a baseball fan I couldn't help but feel sorry for Joe Torre, one of the game's best managers, ever, as he seemingly finished his career in New York with a walk to the dugout, head down, as the Bronx faithful gave him a final cheer.
Torre has not lived up to the Boss' expectations the past few years and while he has been able to scrape by the past few years without that elusive fifth World Series ring, this year seems to be his last.
Loyal players like Jorge Posada and Derek Jeter stuck up for their manager, a player favorite, but it probably won't be enough to save him, as The Boss wants one thing: rings.
As I watch Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS (yes I own the DVD set with all the ALCS and World Series games from that year) I remember how close it came to the end of Torre in New York as he helped the Yankees become the first baseball team ever to blow a 3-0 series lead. He survived that set-back but won't survive this one.
Steinbrenner said Torre was managing for his career in New York and with the loss, it appears that he will be out of a job.
Joe Girardi, Don Mattingly and maybe even Tony LaRussa will be the top candidates to replace Torre, though I think it is Girardi's job if he wants it and he should take it.
Girardi reminds me of a young Torre, a good player who will be an even better manager, liked by fans and players.
Mattingly should stay in the Yankees organization, helping Joe G replace Joe T, but he may be able to pick up a managerial job of his own somewhere else.
With LaRussa out of St. Louis, I can see Torre spending a few more years in baseball their, in a huge baseball town with appreciative fans, where he once played. He can retire there with less pressure and finish his career on a good note, maybe even leading the Cardinals to another World Series victory.
Meanwhile I can see LaRussa heading up to Seattle to join Walt Jocketty as the two of them continue their dominance as great baseball minds, using Ichiro Suzuki and the rest to take over the AL West from the Angels, who desperately need a power hitter or two, as proved by the loss to the Red Sox, where their offense looked very over-matched.
As for Alex Rodriguez, I think it is time for him to get out of the Bronx and I think he feels the same way, even if he didn't say it. He will never be a "True Yankee" after never winning a World Series ring, and I don't think he ever will be.
A-Rod can't seem to take the pressure and I think he will opt out. He put that clause in for a reason and without the Rangers picking up his contract, Yanks GM Brian Cashman said they wouldn't go after him.
My prediction is this: The Red Sox will trade Manny Ramirez for a third starter, sending him to somewhere like the Chicago White Sox for Jon Garland or Javier Vazquez or to the Angels for Kelvim Escobar or Ervin Santana or even to the Dodgers to bring back Derek Lowe or for someone like Chad Billingsley (if the Dodgers would trade Billingsley, it would be worth Manny and a prospect, like Craig Hansen).
Mike Lowell will leave the Sox to free agency to go back to the NL to finish his career, and Curt Schilling will leave as well, heading somewhere like Arizona to serve as a Number Two starter in an easier league. With Ramirez, Lowell, and Schill gone, the Sox can afford to spend a lot of money on A-Rod and add him to the lineup.
The Sox will have Beckett, Matzusaka, Garland/Vazquez/Escobar/Santana/Lowe/Billingsley/???, Wakefield, and Lester/Buchholz in the rotation and a 3-4-5 of Ortiz, Rodriguez, and Drew (who can hopefully step-up) and Jacoby Ellsbury starting in leftfield as the replacement lead-off hitter for Johnny Damon they hoped to find in Coco Crisp, who will be a great number nine hitter.
The Sox are already a World Series contender and should win this year, but this off-season they will still be very active, finally ridding themselves of the headache (but great hitter) that Ramirez is, adding an all-time great (maybe the best ever) in A-Rod, and adding a third starter they will need to replace Schilling. Schilling cannot pitch three more years in Boston, but if they win the World Series this year, he could do that somewhere else and earn a Hall of Fame plaque. The Sox need to make room for Ellsbury, a budding superstar, and also for Buchholz, a future Cy Young winner. The future is bright this yea and in the future for the Sox.
No matter what, it should be an interesting off-season, but first comes a couple great Championship Series.
Go Sox! Go D-Backs! I predicted it on WVOF, now its time for it to happen.
As a baseball fan I couldn't help but feel sorry for Joe Torre, one of the game's best managers, ever, as he seemingly finished his career in New York with a walk to the dugout, head down, as the Bronx faithful gave him a final cheer.
Torre has not lived up to the Boss' expectations the past few years and while he has been able to scrape by the past few years without that elusive fifth World Series ring, this year seems to be his last.
Loyal players like Jorge Posada and Derek Jeter stuck up for their manager, a player favorite, but it probably won't be enough to save him, as The Boss wants one thing: rings.
As I watch Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS (yes I own the DVD set with all the ALCS and World Series games from that year) I remember how close it came to the end of Torre in New York as he helped the Yankees become the first baseball team ever to blow a 3-0 series lead. He survived that set-back but won't survive this one.
Steinbrenner said Torre was managing for his career in New York and with the loss, it appears that he will be out of a job.
Joe Girardi, Don Mattingly and maybe even Tony LaRussa will be the top candidates to replace Torre, though I think it is Girardi's job if he wants it and he should take it.
Girardi reminds me of a young Torre, a good player who will be an even better manager, liked by fans and players.
Mattingly should stay in the Yankees organization, helping Joe G replace Joe T, but he may be able to pick up a managerial job of his own somewhere else.
With LaRussa out of St. Louis, I can see Torre spending a few more years in baseball their, in a huge baseball town with appreciative fans, where he once played. He can retire there with less pressure and finish his career on a good note, maybe even leading the Cardinals to another World Series victory.
Meanwhile I can see LaRussa heading up to Seattle to join Walt Jocketty as the two of them continue their dominance as great baseball minds, using Ichiro Suzuki and the rest to take over the AL West from the Angels, who desperately need a power hitter or two, as proved by the loss to the Red Sox, where their offense looked very over-matched.
As for Alex Rodriguez, I think it is time for him to get out of the Bronx and I think he feels the same way, even if he didn't say it. He will never be a "True Yankee" after never winning a World Series ring, and I don't think he ever will be.
A-Rod can't seem to take the pressure and I think he will opt out. He put that clause in for a reason and without the Rangers picking up his contract, Yanks GM Brian Cashman said they wouldn't go after him.
My prediction is this: The Red Sox will trade Manny Ramirez for a third starter, sending him to somewhere like the Chicago White Sox for Jon Garland or Javier Vazquez or to the Angels for Kelvim Escobar or Ervin Santana or even to the Dodgers to bring back Derek Lowe or for someone like Chad Billingsley (if the Dodgers would trade Billingsley, it would be worth Manny and a prospect, like Craig Hansen).
Mike Lowell will leave the Sox to free agency to go back to the NL to finish his career, and Curt Schilling will leave as well, heading somewhere like Arizona to serve as a Number Two starter in an easier league. With Ramirez, Lowell, and Schill gone, the Sox can afford to spend a lot of money on A-Rod and add him to the lineup.
The Sox will have Beckett, Matzusaka, Garland/Vazquez/Escobar/Santana/Lowe/Billingsley/???, Wakefield, and Lester/Buchholz in the rotation and a 3-4-5 of Ortiz, Rodriguez, and Drew (who can hopefully step-up) and Jacoby Ellsbury starting in leftfield as the replacement lead-off hitter for Johnny Damon they hoped to find in Coco Crisp, who will be a great number nine hitter.
The Sox are already a World Series contender and should win this year, but this off-season they will still be very active, finally ridding themselves of the headache (but great hitter) that Ramirez is, adding an all-time great (maybe the best ever) in A-Rod, and adding a third starter they will need to replace Schilling. Schilling cannot pitch three more years in Boston, but if they win the World Series this year, he could do that somewhere else and earn a Hall of Fame plaque. The Sox need to make room for Ellsbury, a budding superstar, and also for Buchholz, a future Cy Young winner. The future is bright this yea and in the future for the Sox.
No matter what, it should be an interesting off-season, but first comes a couple great Championship Series.
Go Sox! Go D-Backs! I predicted it on WVOF, now its time for it to happen.
Friday, May 4, 2007
The Rangers
During tonight's game five I realized something. This is the most emotionally attached I've been to a sports team since the 2004 Red Sox won the World Series.
I've always been a Rangers fan, since the Whalers left Hartford at least, but former Mirror Sports Editor Dan Akeson really made me attached to this team. His connection and live and die with the team attitude made me become emotionally attached as well. Tonight's loss hurts, but the Rangers have not yet lost at MSG in the playoffs and that will continue.
Buffalo will get what they deserve. Damn Chris Drury.
I've always been a Rangers fan, since the Whalers left Hartford at least, but former Mirror Sports Editor Dan Akeson really made me attached to this team. His connection and live and die with the team attitude made me become emotionally attached as well. Tonight's loss hurts, but the Rangers have not yet lost at MSG in the playoffs and that will continue.
Buffalo will get what they deserve. Damn Chris Drury.
The Rangers
During tonight's game five I realized something. This is the most emotionally attached I've been to a sports team since the 2004 Red Sox won the World Series.
I've always been a Rangers fan, since the Whalers left Hartford at least, but former Mirror Sports Editor Dan Akeson really made me attached to this team. His connection and live and die with the team attitude made me become emotionally attached as well. Tonight's loss hurts, but the Rangers have not yet lost at MSG in the playoffs and that will continue.
Buffalo will get what they deserve. Damn Chris Drury.
I've always been a Rangers fan, since the Whalers left Hartford at least, but former Mirror Sports Editor Dan Akeson really made me attached to this team. His connection and live and die with the team attitude made me become emotionally attached as well. Tonight's loss hurts, but the Rangers have not yet lost at MSG in the playoffs and that will continue.
Buffalo will get what they deserve. Damn Chris Drury.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Random Sports Thoughts
I planned on posting a blog every day, but spring weekend kind of put those plans on hold for a few days. But now I will really start to try and make a post every day.
Today I'll start with just a few interesting thoughts from sports over the weekend.
Today I'll start with just a few interesting thoughts from sports over the weekend.
- NFL Draft: The draft has become an event that is looked forward too almost as much as many sporting championships. Its a day that begins a new NFL season, all teams are 0-0 and all are looking forward to the future. Unless you are a Dolphins fan (haha Dan) you can hope for a good season this fall or at least a better future with a young star. As a Patriots fan I am really happy about this draft. I really wanted to see them take a linebacker at the end of the first round (Paul Posluzny more specifically), but I am happy with Brandon Meriweather, as long as Belicheck takes away his gun. He can eventually be a replacement for the aging Rodney Harrison. But the biggest accomplishment the Pats made was bringing in Randy Moss for a fourth round draft pick. The reward is high, the risk low, as Moss is one of the best receivers in football. Hooked up with Tom Brady and looking to show the doubters that he is a winner, I expect a resurgence in his career and a Super Bowl parade in Boston once again.
- Red Sox-Yanks: The Red Sox are firing on all cylinders when it means the most. These games against the Yankees are always important and to start 5-1 is huge. Yes, it's early in season, but they have the most wins in the AL and are looking good. I am looking forward to the return of Jon Lester, who is a great success story. Manny is finally heating up and we may have found our starting second baseman in Alex Cora, although I still think Dustin Pedroia is a starting-caliber guy. Josh Beckett=AL Cy Young winner, no doubt about it.
- Rangers Overtime Win: The Rangers outplayed the Sabres in Game Two, but still got the loss. Coming back home at MSG they were in a must-win situation. In a great game, the Rangers overcame horrible, one-sided officiating to pick up a major win. Now the Rangers need to keep it going on Tuesday and bring the series back to Buffalo tied at two games.
- NBA Playoffs: I can't get interested in this. There is too much else in sports going on, the NBA just basically sucks. Maybe I'll watch a couple finals games. But I am rooting for the Bulls to win it all, because of Ben Gordon.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
How Much Do Sports Matter?
I was thinking this morning about how much time I spend watching, reading about, writing about or listening to sports. Since I was young I have always spent most of my time during the day doing something that had to do with sports. Whether it was playing football with my friends, watching SportsCenter, or reading Sports Illustrated, sports was almost always part of my life.
Now as the sports editor of The Mirror, I am somehow thinking about sports even more than before. Sports is always on my mind. When I'm sitting in class trying to survive the boring lectures, I begin to think about the Red Sox game from the night before or the Rangers game that will be on later in the day. When I wake up, I watch SportsCenter and check ESPN.com, to find out what has happened in sports overnight, which usually is nothing.
When I'm doing homework or anything on the computer, I constantly check ESPN.com, waiting to see what happens next in the world of sports. When I read for fun, its usually a sports related book. I read Sports Illustrated and Sporting News from cover to cover each week.
Sports is a way for many of us to escape from the reality of our lives. It's a way for us to avoid the eight page research paper, which I should be writing right now.
But for me, it's my dream that sports becomes my life. I have always wanted to be a part of the sports world and in a way that has already happened for me, at least as part of the Fairfield sports world.
One day I hope to be sitting in an office, of a newspaper or magazine or sports Web site, writing about what goes on in the day in sports. I want it to be my article that someone like me checks on ESPN.com to find out how the Sox did the night before.
I can't imagine how amazing it would be to get paid to report about sports. I already spend so much time focusing on sports, it would be crazy to get paid for doing something that I love so much.
Hopefully one day I will get a dream job as a sports writer somewhere, but for now I'll just enjoy sports like I have all my life.
Now as the sports editor of The Mirror, I am somehow thinking about sports even more than before. Sports is always on my mind. When I'm sitting in class trying to survive the boring lectures, I begin to think about the Red Sox game from the night before or the Rangers game that will be on later in the day. When I wake up, I watch SportsCenter and check ESPN.com, to find out what has happened in sports overnight, which usually is nothing.
When I'm doing homework or anything on the computer, I constantly check ESPN.com, waiting to see what happens next in the world of sports. When I read for fun, its usually a sports related book. I read Sports Illustrated and Sporting News from cover to cover each week.
Sports is a way for many of us to escape from the reality of our lives. It's a way for us to avoid the eight page research paper, which I should be writing right now.
But for me, it's my dream that sports becomes my life. I have always wanted to be a part of the sports world and in a way that has already happened for me, at least as part of the Fairfield sports world.
One day I hope to be sitting in an office, of a newspaper or magazine or sports Web site, writing about what goes on in the day in sports. I want it to be my article that someone like me checks on ESPN.com to find out how the Sox did the night before.
I can't imagine how amazing it would be to get paid to report about sports. I already spend so much time focusing on sports, it would be crazy to get paid for doing something that I love so much.
Hopefully one day I will get a dream job as a sports writer somewhere, but for now I'll just enjoy sports like I have all my life.
Monday, April 23, 2007
It's a Beautiful Day
The sun is shining, the temperature is perfect, and the Red Sox just swept the Yankees at Fenway Park for the first time in 17 years. Spring is FINALLY here and I am really excited about the baseball season, but today I really don't feel like talking about baseball. The NFL Draft is on the way and the NBA Playoffs just got started, but neither of those are interesting to me right now.
The only team on my mind other than the Sox are the New York Rangers.
The NHL Playoffs may be the most exciting of any sport to watch. Baseball is great, football always brings excellent games, and once and awhile I'll enjoy an NBA game, but hockey always seems to give seven exciting games in each series.
The Rangers did not dissapoint in round one, blowing out the Atlanta Thrashers and proving that hockey does not belong in the South. As a former Mirror editor put it so well, "What's next, baseball in Helsinki?"
Anyways, now the Rangers have the tough task of facing the Buffalo Sabres, starting with two games in upstate New York. The Sabres are a very exciting team to watch and no matter how the series turns out, it should be an enjoyable one. But I would be much happier to see the same Rangers team that shut out Atlanta 7-0, than the one we saw earlier this winter, when it looked like the Blueshirts might not even make the playoffs.
The Sabres feature quick, exciting, goalscorers, including my favorite non-Rangers player, Chris Drury, from Fairfield Prep. Drury is a guy made for the playoffs, as featured in an excellent Sports Illustrated article, which all sports fans should read.
He is a free agent after the season and Buffalo probably won't be able to bring him and fellow center Daniel Briere back next season. If Drury does hit the market, I'd love to see the Rangers make a play at him. Drury could be a leader that the Rangers need, both on and off the ice and a key player for many years. Put Briere along side Jagr and you have the makings of a dominant line.
Back to the Sabres though. Drury is joined by Briere, who had a team-high 95 points in the regular season and Thomas Vanek, who had 84 points along with other high scorers, including Jason Pominville. The defense is solid as well, backed up by a good goaltender, Ryan Miller.
The Rangers have improved a lot since the mid-season, when things looked very grim. Sean Avery has brought character and charisma to the team and ignited a fire in the Rangers that has yet to burn out. It will be hard for the Rangers to keep going in Buffalo, but it can be done.
The only team on my mind other than the Sox are the New York Rangers.
The NHL Playoffs may be the most exciting of any sport to watch. Baseball is great, football always brings excellent games, and once and awhile I'll enjoy an NBA game, but hockey always seems to give seven exciting games in each series.
The Rangers did not dissapoint in round one, blowing out the Atlanta Thrashers and proving that hockey does not belong in the South. As a former Mirror editor put it so well, "What's next, baseball in Helsinki?"
Anyways, now the Rangers have the tough task of facing the Buffalo Sabres, starting with two games in upstate New York. The Sabres are a very exciting team to watch and no matter how the series turns out, it should be an enjoyable one. But I would be much happier to see the same Rangers team that shut out Atlanta 7-0, than the one we saw earlier this winter, when it looked like the Blueshirts might not even make the playoffs.
The Sabres feature quick, exciting, goalscorers, including my favorite non-Rangers player, Chris Drury, from Fairfield Prep. Drury is a guy made for the playoffs, as featured in an excellent Sports Illustrated article, which all sports fans should read.
He is a free agent after the season and Buffalo probably won't be able to bring him and fellow center Daniel Briere back next season. If Drury does hit the market, I'd love to see the Rangers make a play at him. Drury could be a leader that the Rangers need, both on and off the ice and a key player for many years. Put Briere along side Jagr and you have the makings of a dominant line.
Back to the Sabres though. Drury is joined by Briere, who had a team-high 95 points in the regular season and Thomas Vanek, who had 84 points along with other high scorers, including Jason Pominville. The defense is solid as well, backed up by a good goaltender, Ryan Miller.
The Rangers have improved a lot since the mid-season, when things looked very grim. Sean Avery has brought character and charisma to the team and ignited a fire in the Rangers that has yet to burn out. It will be hard for the Rangers to keep going in Buffalo, but it can be done.
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