6 hours. 23 minutes. 18 innings. History.
Anthony Rendon and Jordan Zimmerman looked like the ultimate stars in the Nations capital tonight as they both put on a performance that was looking like a game for the ages. The next thing you know, Joe Panik takes a walk to end the 20 batters in row retired streak for Jordan Zimmerman who by the way in his last start threw a no-hitter! Matt Williams came out to the mound and decided to make the pitching change that ultimately was the right move in the scheme of things in a one run ball game bringing in Drew Storren who hadn't given up a run since August.
The gritty Giants then put together a 2 out rally with Buster Posey getting a 2 out hit, and then Pablo Sandoval continued his 13 game postseason hitting streak that tied the ballgame and initiated a review that could have given the Giants a 2-1 lead, but in the end was upheld as the third out of the top of the 9th. The next thing you know, this quick 9 inning game turned into the longest baseball game in the history of Postseason baseball.
The fireworks started in the 10th when Asdrubal Cabrera slammed his helmet and got ejected for a high fastball that clearly was a strike that he didn't agree with, getting him and his manager ejected for arguing balls and strikes. The crowd decided to become sarcastic the rest of the inning every high pitch that wasn't a strike. This would be the last time for the next 2-3 hours the crowd would get into the game for it was another 8 innings when that ultimate moment happened.
Brandon Belt. A 26 year old, baby faced guy from an average sized town in Texas, made history that may not see a breaking point in anytime soon. Top of the 18th inning, 6 hours in, he hits a solo blast into the upper deck in the Nation's capital to give the Giants a 2-1 lead ultimately handing them a 2-0 series lead heading back to the west coast to the most beautiful ballpark in the game. Funniest thing, Tim Hudson started this game tonight for the Giants, he also started in that game in 2005 for the Braves when they went 18 innings against the Astros. Adam LaRoche was also involved in that matchup as well. Crazy how both guys ended up in the same spot nearly 10 years later on a night in DC.
Then there was the game that was played in Los Angeles on this night.
The Dodgers have found this guy in A.J. Ellis who might become a new household name when I comes to success in the postseason. He got the double that started the run production in the 3rd inning of Game 2 of the NLDS against the Cardinals which ultimately got the Dodgers 2 runs giving them a 2-0 lead heading into the 4th. The crazy part is there was a phantom tag that scored the first run when it should have been the end of the inning. Zach Grienke (who also was the starting pitcher) was the one who received the phantom tag and ultimately scored on an Adrian Gonzalez 2 out RBI single. The Cardinals really couldn't do anything else till later on in the ballgame and shockingly enough, neither could the Dodgers.
Then comes Matt Carpenter, the new dagger in the back of the Dodgers, he hits a two run homerun on the first pitch that he sees in the 8th inning and ties the ballgame at 2-2 sucking the air out of Dodger stadium. Well, at this point, I was figuring we'll see another extra inning game and I'll be up late again writing my blog. Not the case, Matt Kemp hit a bomb to left field and the Dodgers took a 3-2 lead into the top of the 9th where Jansen shut the door on a Cardinals comeback. The coolest part (since I didn't watch the game on television) I heard Vin Scully call a game winning Home Run. How cool is it to know that I heard a living legend call a game winning homerun and he's been doing it for nearly 60 years. It truly is incredible how timeless the game can be.
Dodgers and Cardinals are now tied in their series 1-1 as they head to the Midwest in a best of 3 series with the Cardinals holding home field advantage for those last three games.
Should be an awesome Sunday worth of ALDS baseball along with NFL action included. Today, was the craziest college football day in the history of college football, and keeping up with everything was truly insane. What a great Saturday in sports!
Sunday, October 5, 2014
Saturday, October 4, 2014
Friday Night Fights; From Beltway to SoCal
Since 9 am pacific time till 10:30 pm pacific time (13 1/2 hours) I have been glued to my television set, and it wasn't for football, breaking news concerning tragedy and despair. No, it involved something much more enthralling, Major League Baseball in it's grandest form. This Friday October 3rd 2014 was probably one of the best days of baseball I can remember, or is it just because this is how the postseason is every single year? I don't know but today was no exception to that idea of how unbelievable today was. We had fights, game winners, intensity, comebacks, and best of all PURE LIVE DRAMA! Yes, drama and baseball in the same sentence! So feast your eyes upon the blog, and enjoy reading everything you missed for this was an unbelievable day 4 in the postseason.
For what now feels like a week ago that was only
this morning, Detroit and Baltimore played their second game of their layout of
the ALDS. For what will look like an epic collapse for the entire city of
Detroit will look like sweet, sweet revenge for one Delmon Young. A guy who
spent a great season in 2011 and then got shipped off for battery parts in
Philly, finally got to take a real shot at the team who he thought would give
him a real chance to shine.
Early in this game, it took both teams a while to
heat up and then the 3rd inning we finally saw some offense. The big
second basemen Schoop hit a 2 out single and Nick Markakis hit a questionable 2
run homerun that looked as though it should have been a double. Tigers fans
will blame it on the home crowd favoring of the umpires for years to come, but
it seriously looked like the Tiger fans had room to gripe as it looked like it
bounced off of the fence. Yes! It was difficult to see, but on a couple of
angles they had, it looked like it never went over the fence. This homerun was
so early in the game that people eventually forgot about it, but it did make a
big difference in the end.
Well, Detroit didn’t give two rat’s behinds as they
responded in the next half inning (top of the 4th) and scored 5 runs
to make it 5-2 Detroit. Miguel Cabrera was heated in this inning as J.D.
Martinez hit a 3 run bomb to make it 4-2, Miggy decided to jabber at the
Baltimore crowd while he was on base, that’s never a good idea when you are on
the road. Soon after J.D. hit the homerun, Nick Castellanos hit a solo shot of
his own to solidify Miggy’s trash talking ideations towards the Baltimore
crowd. Could any of them hear/understand him? Probably not, but it’s a Triple
Crown winner yelling his statements, surely they were important.
The Orioles answered in the 4th with a
J.J. Hardy 2 out single to cut the score 5-3, and at this point the Orioles
needed to bank on their bullpen to carry them through to get the W. The Orioles
also had multiple chances to add to the score as in the 5th inning
they failed, along with the 6th inning they also couldn’t put a run
together, and then the 8th inning came once again.
This time, the Tigers seemed to put the nail in the
coffin as Victor Martinez hit’s an RBI double that almost got the Tigers two
runs but Miggy got thrown out at the plate. Still, it’s a 6-3 ballgame for the
Tigers, and if their pitching could hold the lead, they could steal a game in
Baltimore and head back to Detroit with home field advantage in virtually a 3
game series. All they needed was 6 outs, but if you remember Thursday night’s 8th
inning, this just became another chapter in this ALDS that seemed to rewrite
itself for the implosion of the Tigers. Up 3 in the bottom of the 8th
Adam Jones gets plunked by a pitch, Cruz gets a ball past the infield to get on
base, and the gritty gutty Orioles were at it again as Pierce rips an RBI
single to put a run across the board. 6-4. Then J.J. Hardy works a walk from
the new incoming pitcher Soria who recently had been known for his struggles.
Then came up the former Tiger who again proved his worth in the 2011 postseason
with clutch hit after clutch hit and he now 3 years later, he gets the chance
to prove it once again in a pinch hit situation in the Bottom of the 8th
with the bases loaded down 2 runs. He rips it down the line, the crowd going
absolutely bananas, as all three runners get across home plate to take a 7-6
lead in the bottom of the 8th!!! Yes it wasn’t an implosion like Game
1 for the Tigers, but the chapter may as well have been just as gut wrenching
as a former face hit the decisive blow in Game 2. I can’t describe to you how
incredible the atmosphere sounded from the television and knowing that it was a
TBS broadcast where they filter the sound, you knew the place was absolutely bumpin’.
Zach Britton came in for the 9th, shut it down, and the Orioles will
pack up their bags run to Detriot with a 2-0 series lead in a best of 5, and
try to finish off this team who has the best hitter in the game who can’t keep
his mouth shut. On to Detroit they go.
Let’s stay in the Beltway shall we? Except this time
we’ll head back to the Nation’s Capital where we breakdown Game 1 of the NLDS
of the 2 time champion San Francisco Giants and the fiery Washington Nationals.
The only funny thing is, nobody was more fiery than the Giants starting pitcher
on this day. That man was Jake Peavy. If you poured gasoline on this guy on
this day, Obama would have had to call national security that’s how hot Peavy
was. The best part too? He held a no hitter against one of the best offensive
teams in the game up until the 5th inning.
Strasburg was absolutely fabulous as well. The only
time he gave up runs was when the Giants found a way to manufacture them and
the grittiest of ways. In the top of the 3rd, Panik hit an RBI
single after the Giants had sacrificed a man to second, the Nationals then had
a pass ball that moved the runners up to 2nd and 3rd, then Panik made it 1-0.
Then came the top of the 4th, where Hunter pence hustled out a potential double play and was safe at
first base, he steals second base, then Brandon Belt scores Pence on an RBI
single making it 2-0 Giants.
After the Nationals broke through with their first
hit in the 5th inning off of Jake Peavy on a Bryce Harper infield
single, they threatened with the bases loaded in the 6th inning but
couldn’t score. Then the Giants again get a huge triple in 7th by
Joe Panik, and Buster Posey knocks him in for an RBI single making it 3-0 San
Francisco Giants in the Nation’s Capital.
That was what really put Bryce Harper over the edge,
because in the next half inning (after an amazing rendition of God Bless
America), he hit a ball in the third deck. This reignited the entire crowd as
the National fans got right back into the flow of the game. Two batters later,
Asdrubal Cabrera decided to stamp another letter to the fans with another solo
shot making it 3-2 Giants. They crept back into it and they did it against the
future closer, 100+ MPH throwing, lighting rod pitcher of Hunter Strickland. He
was pulled after the second homerun. I’m sure the fear was strong with San
Francisco after those two moon shots.
The bottom of the 8th was another frightening
inning as Sergio Romo almost cost the game again, but he managed to get out of
a situation leaving 2 men on base where the Nationals again found themselves
short of the runs they needed. They didn’t have another chance to win, and the
Giants sealed it in the 9th. This was one of those 4 hour,
intensified, magnifying games that felt as though each run was a touchdown in
football. If you saw the game, you know exactly what I mean. The Giants win
Game 1, 3-2 and now lead the series 1-0 and they will play again Saturday.
You want to talk about where the real matchup was
this Friday? That’s right, Los Angeles California where two of the best teams
in baseball were hosting playoff games. SoCal was soaking in the hot night and
the pitching matchup out in the National League, was just itching for a
showdown like no other, but who would have thought it would have ended the way
it did.
Dodgers. Cardinals. Wainwright. Kershaw. Popcorn.
Ready.
Need I say anything else?
Both these teams are the rematch of the 2013 NLCS
and bad blood had been rejuvenated between the two after what happened to Hanley
Ramirez last postseason when he had his ribs shattered on an inside fastball.
The pitching matchup wasn’t too bad either.
I think coming into this game looking at a 2-1, 3-2,
4-3 game would have been expected, but right out of the gate Randal Grichuk didn’t
want a pitcher’s duel as he brought Clayton Kershaw back to earth on a solo
blast in the 1st inning to give the Cardinals an early 1-0 lead. It
also didn’t help that the Dodgers couldn’t get anything going on offense
against Adam Wainwright in the first couple innings and left a total of 4 men
on base. Then came the brawl.
Well, it was more of a pushing match that ended in a
benches clearing scuffle, but fists were on the verge of being thrown. In the
bottom of the 3rd, Yasiel Puig got plunked pretty good and that set
off Adrian Gonzalez to get in the face of Yadier Molina and both had to be separated
by the home plate umpire. The benches cleared, players and coaches cooled down
and everything got back to normal rather quickly, but it was definitely a spark
that the Dodgers needed.
The Dodgers then proceed to score two 2 out runs to
get the lead back at 2-1 in the bottom of the 3rd. Which is all that
Clayton Kershaw needed. He fanned all three batters in the 4th, the
Dodgers added two more 2 out runs in the 4th to make it 4-1, and
Kershaw shut down the 5th as well. AJ Ellis, the Dodgers number 8
hitter on this day, hit a 2 run bomb to then give Kershaw a 6-1 lead heading
into the top of the 6th. Mind you, Kershaw is 111-2 when given this
kind of lead in his career and knowing the kind of year he has had, it’s over.
Kershaw cruises to get the first two outs in the 6th
until Matt Carpenter hits a solo shot to make it 6-2 Dodgers. Still, only two
runs allowed on only two homeruns, Kershaw is cruising, and Adrian Gonzalez
made an incredible catch on a foul ball to rejuvenate the Dodgers heading into
the bottom of the 6th. The Dodgers didn’t respond with any runs, but
Kershaw was in the driver seat to get the Dodgers Game 1 of this division
series. Then came the top of the 7th inning.
So many questions, so many angles, so many different
perspectives to pick from, but I can tell you this much, this is just what the
Cardinals do. Matt Holliday gets a base hit, then Peralta, then Molina, then
Adams knocks in Holliday to make it 6-3 Dodgers. 4 straight hits and now the
bases are loaded. Pete Kozma strikes out, and then Jon Jay gets an RBI base hit
to make it 6-4 and Kershaw still has the bases loaded. Mattingly goes out to
the mound decides to keep Kershaw in (because duh, it’s Clayton freaking
Kershaw) and have him try to finish out the inning. Kershaw K’s Taveras for the
second out in the inning, then there’s that bad man in Matt Carpenter. What
does he do? Breaks the spirit of the Dodgers and hits a bases clearing, two out,
3-run double to give the Cardinals a 7-6 lead. Kershaw is then pulled, and his
replacement walks the man who hit the first home run of the game in Randal Grichuk,
gets walked and Matt Holliday (who led off the inning with a single) hit’s a
towering 3 run bomb that gives the Cardinals a 10-6 lead… WHAT! CLAYTON
KERSHAW?! Now he has the chants of Clayton Manning with the way he performed in
that 7th inning! A 7 run 7th inning and the Cardinals
were 5 for 7 with 8 RBI’s when there was a guy on second base facing Kershaw.
Can you say tipping your pitches? Oh yeah. It was clear as day.
Another crazy stat, Clayton Kershaw is the only
pitcher in MLB history to give up 7+ runs in consecutive postseason starts
(both of which were to the St. Louis Cardinals). Again, mind boggling
considering this is the same man being considered with the likes of Bob Gipson
in winning the Cy Young & MVP Awards for this upcoming November. Baseball,
it’s a crazy game for a reason.
The Dodgers couldn’t respond in their half of the 7th,
but they did find some magic in the bottom of the 8th. Puig finds a
way to get on with a walk, and Adrian Gonzalez hits a 2 run bomb to make it a
10-8 ballgame as they chipped away to get that much closer to the Cardinals.
Then came the bottom of the 9th where the last ups for the Dodgers
were that close. A.J. Ellis got his 4th hit to keep the Dodgers
hopes hanging by a thread, and then Andre Eithier came on to pinch hit for the
pitcher’s spot and he hits a double that puts Ellis on 3rd Base. Two on, men on
2nd and 3rd base with 1 out and Dee Gordon all he needs
his a base hit to tie it. He grounds out, but gets Ellis to score making it
10-9 Cardinals with 2 outs in the inning, the tying run on 2nd base
and Yasiel Puig is up at the plate with one out left in the ballgame. He could
tie it, he could win it, or he could lose it. Unfortunately, he struck out
swinging and the Cardinals took Game 1 of this best of 5 NLDS with a 10-9 win
in Los Angeles.
This game was by far game of the day, but
considering the prior two games, it really was just the icing on the cake.
Nobody expected Wainwright to be taken out before the 5th, nobody
expected Kershaw to blow it in the 7th, this game was easily the
most unexpected game I can remember in a very long time. It isn’t the best game
I’ve ever seen, but it’s definitely one of the most exciting. The funniest
thing too, is that there was one more game to be played on this already crazy
Friday in Postseason Baseball.
The Angels and Royals were already zipping along
with their two young studs all the way up until about the 5th inning
when the action started to occur. This was the first game in postseason history
where two rookie starting pitchers were facing one another and by the looks of
it, it won’t be the last time these two see each other again. Other than the 2nd
inning, where Eric Hosmer got to second base on an error by the right fielder
and Alex Gordon knocked him in to make it 1-0 Royals early, it was a back and
forth pitcher’s duel all night long.
Josh Hamilton drilled Salvador Perez in the head on
his follow through by accident and the training staff had to come out and do concussion
tests on Perez to see if he was ok. Ultimately he was fine and stayed in, but
it would have been a huge blow for Kansas City if he had to leave the game.
But, the bottom of the 6th is where the Angels would ultimately
respond as Albert Pujols put himself in playoff lore once again as he got a two
out, opposite field, base hit to knock in the tying run (Calhoun) to score
making it a 1-1 tie.
The game moved quickly into the 8th where
the Angels nearly won the game and the Royals made an amazing double play to
kill the momentum of the Angels. C.J. Cron hit’s a leadoff double and gets a
pinch runner in Collin Cowgill. Chris Ianetta hits a fly ball to Jarrod Dyson
(who had just entered the ball game for defensive purposes) and Collin Cowgill decides
to tag up and go to third. Jarrod Dyson throws an absolute pea shot to third
and throws out Cowgill by half a step making that an F8-5 double play. 2 outs,
bottom of the 8th, now with nobody on base. The definition of an
inning killer, but Kansas City still couldn’t capitalize as they left 2 men on
base in the top of the 9th.
The game ultimately goes to extra-innings and it’s
the first time a team (Kansas City Royals) has played in 3 straight extra-inning
games in postseason history. Huston Street (who worked the 9th
inning) came in and worked the 10th inning as well, it was the first
time he had worked more than 1 inning since 2011. He made it through. The
Angels again got a runner on in the bottom of the tenth but an amazing double
play got the Royals to the 11th. That’s where the magic happened
again.
Lorenzo Cain beats out an infield single, and Eric
Hosmer decides to rain down a towering 2 run bomb to give the Royals a 3-1 lead
in the top of the 11th. The Royals then decide to add on and the man
who got hit in the head earlier punched a base hit to get the man Jerrod Dyson
(who made that spectacular throw in the 8th) over for a score to
make it 4-1 Royals in the 11th. They went to the bottom of the 11th
and one solid question came up as Greg Holland ended the ballgame giving the
Royals a 2-0 series lead, and the first team in MLB history to win three
straight extra-inning games. Where is Mike Trout?
This guy is 0-fer in his postseason debut thus far
and he’s supposed to take over as the new face of the game. The prior face of
the game was this guy in Derek Jeter (I don’t know if you’ve heard of him) but
he was known to be clutch in the postseason from his first full year in the
league in 1996. Mike Trout can’t even buy a hit and looks like a complete scrub
at the plate right now. Outside of that, the Angels aren’t playing that bad of
ball, it’s just the Royals are that magical right now.
There were three 4 hour games today. The last time I
checked, nobody cared, and today was absolutely one of the best days of
baseball I can remember in quite some time when it included a 4 game schedule
of all day baseball from 9 am pacific time to 10:30 pm pacific time. Crazy
baseball, you gotta love it!
I’ll see you tomorrow night!
Thursday, October 2, 2014
More Magic Out West
On a night where there was another terrible showing on Thursday Night Football in the NFL and the #2 team in the nation in college football lost on their home turf, there was still magic occurring in the world of postseason baseball.
Not so much magic in Baltimore as there was in the Los Angeles of the Anaheim variety as the Royals once again find some magic out of a hat to put the Angels on their back in this best of five Divisional Series.
First let's get to Baltimore where 8th innings are places to die for one Detroit Tigers ball club. 8 runs allowed in the 8th inning all off of a Romine misplayed ball at shortstop to allow the first run of the inning making it 5-3 in the 8th. After that, finding a way to stop the bleeding in the 8th couldn't be found. Up until the 8th inning, this was looking like a very classic 4-3 ballgame getting late. The Tigers in their half of the 8th were putting quite the scare into the Orioles as their championship grip was showing as the Orioles needed to put in Zach Britton to hold the lead heading into the Oriole half of the inning, which turned out to be a barn burner. The Orioles ultimately won the game 12-3 and took a 1-0 lead in the ALDS over the Detroit Tigers.
Let's get to Los Angeles where the real drama ensued.
Another extra inning magic show by yours truly, the Kansas City Royals. Boy, the Angels sure did have a power outage late inning after late inning when they could not put the go ahead run across home plate as they consistently seemed to have 2 runners on every bottom of the inning until they lost ultimately in the 11th.
Early in the game, Weaver was on his game and the only time the Royals scored was when they put together a late inning rally to manufacture one run to get on the board. Then once they did that, the Angels responded with a solo blast to tie it. 3rd inning it was Chris Ianetta who answered the bell, and in the 5th it was David Freese who once again added on to his already heroic efforts in the postseason for his career. After that, it was a pitchers duel as two friends in Jered Weaver and Jason Vargas both kept their teams in check to get the win. Vargas just did enough, where as Weaver was an absolute master of shutting down those Royal bats.
Vargas also got some serious help in this game. Lorenzo Cain made 2 great catches along with Nori Aoki making 2 game saving catches (which truly weren't the prettiest things to view). Vargas and the rest of that pitching staff definitely have to find a way to own it back to those two for finding the ball in their gloves on those 4 plays. But the real hero was the Moose,
Mike Moustakas came up to the plate in the top of the 11th, and made another stamp in the history books for what defines magic. After multiple innings of the Angels getting so close to ending the game, the Moose was fed up and decided to silence the already inconsistent crowd at the ballpark in Anaheim and put the first run on the board that had an exclamation point next to Kansas City in the box score. A homerun that could find a way to shift the power within this series as the road team (with momentum) now holds home court in a series that is already short enough as it is (5 games). One more win for Kansas City, and the Angels could find themselves sitting on their couches faster than they thought a week ago tonight.
This was a 4+ hour game. I didn't hear anybody complain about how long it was. Stop talking about needing pitch clocks because those may take away from the romance and drama that games like this provided tonight. They are still partying like it's 1985 in Kansas City, they are 2 wins away from an ALCS appearance (just like the Baltimore Orioles established tonight).
We got 4 games tomorrow! I'll be covering all of them and I'll be writing about them again tomorrow! Should be another fantastic day across America when it comes to the game played on the Diamond in October!
Not so much magic in Baltimore as there was in the Los Angeles of the Anaheim variety as the Royals once again find some magic out of a hat to put the Angels on their back in this best of five Divisional Series.
First let's get to Baltimore where 8th innings are places to die for one Detroit Tigers ball club. 8 runs allowed in the 8th inning all off of a Romine misplayed ball at shortstop to allow the first run of the inning making it 5-3 in the 8th. After that, finding a way to stop the bleeding in the 8th couldn't be found. Up until the 8th inning, this was looking like a very classic 4-3 ballgame getting late. The Tigers in their half of the 8th were putting quite the scare into the Orioles as their championship grip was showing as the Orioles needed to put in Zach Britton to hold the lead heading into the Oriole half of the inning, which turned out to be a barn burner. The Orioles ultimately won the game 12-3 and took a 1-0 lead in the ALDS over the Detroit Tigers.
Let's get to Los Angeles where the real drama ensued.
Another extra inning magic show by yours truly, the Kansas City Royals. Boy, the Angels sure did have a power outage late inning after late inning when they could not put the go ahead run across home plate as they consistently seemed to have 2 runners on every bottom of the inning until they lost ultimately in the 11th.
Early in the game, Weaver was on his game and the only time the Royals scored was when they put together a late inning rally to manufacture one run to get on the board. Then once they did that, the Angels responded with a solo blast to tie it. 3rd inning it was Chris Ianetta who answered the bell, and in the 5th it was David Freese who once again added on to his already heroic efforts in the postseason for his career. After that, it was a pitchers duel as two friends in Jered Weaver and Jason Vargas both kept their teams in check to get the win. Vargas just did enough, where as Weaver was an absolute master of shutting down those Royal bats.
Vargas also got some serious help in this game. Lorenzo Cain made 2 great catches along with Nori Aoki making 2 game saving catches (which truly weren't the prettiest things to view). Vargas and the rest of that pitching staff definitely have to find a way to own it back to those two for finding the ball in their gloves on those 4 plays. But the real hero was the Moose,
Mike Moustakas came up to the plate in the top of the 11th, and made another stamp in the history books for what defines magic. After multiple innings of the Angels getting so close to ending the game, the Moose was fed up and decided to silence the already inconsistent crowd at the ballpark in Anaheim and put the first run on the board that had an exclamation point next to Kansas City in the box score. A homerun that could find a way to shift the power within this series as the road team (with momentum) now holds home court in a series that is already short enough as it is (5 games). One more win for Kansas City, and the Angels could find themselves sitting on their couches faster than they thought a week ago tonight.
This was a 4+ hour game. I didn't hear anybody complain about how long it was. Stop talking about needing pitch clocks because those may take away from the romance and drama that games like this provided tonight. They are still partying like it's 1985 in Kansas City, they are 2 wins away from an ALCS appearance (just like the Baltimore Orioles established tonight).
We got 4 games tomorrow! I'll be covering all of them and I'll be writing about them again tomorrow! Should be another fantastic day across America when it comes to the game played on the Diamond in October!
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Who's that Bum?
Moonshine Stupid.
As in, so good they could not be in the right state of mind.
Madison Bumgarner proved again why nobody can touch his brilliance when it comes to the Postseason once again. This guy only allowed 4 hits, 1 walk, and had 10 strikeouts in a Complete Game, 109 pitch, masterpiece in a one game playoff where you couldn't ask for anything much better. This guy was bananas, out of this world, ridiculous, but most of all calm and collected.
Who else do we know of who could come into hostile territory and pitch a lights out game similar to this as to what Madison Bumgarner did? The only thing that comes to my mind is how Cliff Lee performed in Game 1 of the 2009 World Series and he didn't even have a shutout. Yes, Roy Halladay threw a no hitter, but it was at home in front of his home crowd, and it wasn't an elimination game. How good can Bumgarner be? Just look at tonight's game and don't tell me he's not a stud.
This guy Brandon Crawford is O.K. too. I mean, he was only batting 7th in the lineup and decided to hit the first grand slam as a shortstop in the history of postseason baseball. Take that Alex Rodriguez!
This Giants ball club is just a scary bunch in general. When it comes to elimination games they can't be stopped this decade winning every single time they are on the brink because they have never lost a postseason series in the 2010's! Think about that for a second. The other crazy thing that's going to happen, they are going back to Washington where they ended that teams last playoff appearance run when they spoiled a 2-0 series lead back in 2012 coming back in classic comeback fashion. I bet Nationals fans are thrilled beyond compare because they totally want to see the Giants once again when it comes to postseason play.
All in all, this 8-0 game wasn't anything special except the Grand Slam and the Bumgarner Brilliance. But let me just say something to all you people who feel like the Giants aren't capable of getting it done come postseason time in 2014. Just go back to 2010 & 2012. They were underdogs then too.
As in, so good they could not be in the right state of mind.
Madison Bumgarner proved again why nobody can touch his brilliance when it comes to the Postseason once again. This guy only allowed 4 hits, 1 walk, and had 10 strikeouts in a Complete Game, 109 pitch, masterpiece in a one game playoff where you couldn't ask for anything much better. This guy was bananas, out of this world, ridiculous, but most of all calm and collected.
Who else do we know of who could come into hostile territory and pitch a lights out game similar to this as to what Madison Bumgarner did? The only thing that comes to my mind is how Cliff Lee performed in Game 1 of the 2009 World Series and he didn't even have a shutout. Yes, Roy Halladay threw a no hitter, but it was at home in front of his home crowd, and it wasn't an elimination game. How good can Bumgarner be? Just look at tonight's game and don't tell me he's not a stud.
This guy Brandon Crawford is O.K. too. I mean, he was only batting 7th in the lineup and decided to hit the first grand slam as a shortstop in the history of postseason baseball. Take that Alex Rodriguez!
This Giants ball club is just a scary bunch in general. When it comes to elimination games they can't be stopped this decade winning every single time they are on the brink because they have never lost a postseason series in the 2010's! Think about that for a second. The other crazy thing that's going to happen, they are going back to Washington where they ended that teams last playoff appearance run when they spoiled a 2-0 series lead back in 2012 coming back in classic comeback fashion. I bet Nationals fans are thrilled beyond compare because they totally want to see the Giants once again when it comes to postseason play.
All in all, this 8-0 game wasn't anything special except the Grand Slam and the Bumgarner Brilliance. But let me just say something to all you people who feel like the Giants aren't capable of getting it done come postseason time in 2014. Just go back to 2010 & 2012. They were underdogs then too.
Culmination Game for Oakland
What else is there to say other then that the Kansas City Royals put together a game that will live in infamy in the heartland of America. A game that was played into October if there wasn't any other way, and the drama that opened those October sky's provided the drama looking to be written in the greatest month sports has to provide.
The blue rally towels were waving, the crowd sounded nervous but antsy. They were ready when the Royals were ready to strike. But it wasn't the Royals that struck first it was Brandon Moss who brought the thunder to the park.
A 2-run homerun by Brandon Moss who hadn't homered in 2 weeks, provided the spark that the Oakland A's needed to jump on the early excitement that the Royal fans were anticipating to pounce on. Well instead, Brandon Moss became the party pooper.
But the Royals came back to chip away at the deficit, and ultimately took the lead as Eric Hosmer hit a clutch 2 out hit to help the Royals take the lead at 3-2 at the end of the 3rd inning.
After that offensive output early on, both John Lester and James Shields settled down for a couple innings to let the fire churn a little bit. Then came the 6th inning. Known as the inning that got away from the Royals.
Shields got pulled early with two men on base, then Brandon Moss decided to mash another pitch over the centerfield wall making it 5-3 Oakland which opened the flood gate and allowing a couple more 2 out runs making it 7-3 going into the bottom of the 6th inning where it looked like the Royals only had 12 outs left in their season against a zoned out John Lester, which spells a automatic W where Lester is 85-1 in his career when being handed a 3+ run lead. Good Luck.
Remember, this the playoffs, nothing is ever set and stone, and the Royals were ready to remind the world of how the Oakland A's got to this point.
Lester went 1-2-3 in the 6th & 7th, only allowing 6 more outs in the season for Kansas City heading into the bottom of the 8th, where the magic ensued.
Lester left the ball game with men on base again, and the Royals decided to literally steal the show as they stole base after base (ultimately 7 altogether) and grinding their way to getting within 1 run heading into the 9th.
Down 7-6 in the bottom of the 9th, 1 out, and a runner getting to third, Nori Aoki stepped up and hit a ball far enough easily tying the game, ultimately getting the Royals to extra inning baseball.
The next couple innings both teams run stagnant, but then came the 12th inning.
Top of the 12th, the A's score a run making it 8-7, and again testing the might of the Royals. Similar as to how A's had their entire season up until the dog days of August, they were up and they looked like they would just keep cruising to that victory like they did in the first half of the season. But much like the second half of the season, the second half of the 12th inning proved to be the nail in the coffin.
Both Johnny Gomes and Nick Fuld collided in the outfield, providing Eric Hosmer to triple with only one out in the inning. Then Christian Colon hit a chopper so high, that the likes of David Ortiz could run it out and Eric Hosmer tied the game. Colon made it to 2nd on a dropped pitchout, and the man who was up to bat hadn't had a hit all game. He was 0 for 5, and he hit a ball that looked about 3 feet off the plate down the leftfield line, where Josh Donaldson laid for what seemed like forever watching his season trickle down the line and hearing footsteps of all the teams that caught them down the stretch of the regular season as Christian Colon ran home and won the game 9-8 for the Kansas City Royals in the 2014 AL Wildcard Game.
The culmination of an entire season wrapped up into one game. From the top of the 6th inning on till the very final hit in the bottom of the 12th. The Oakland A's went from the best team profoundly in the game midway through the 2014 season to one of the more mediocre teams to finish the season who barely got into the final playoff slot of the postseason. This game finally ended that terrible 2 month drought that the Athletics had been feeling similar to the water drought in California.
It just dried up late, and never became replenished! On to the NL Wild Card Game Wednesday Night!!!
The blue rally towels were waving, the crowd sounded nervous but antsy. They were ready when the Royals were ready to strike. But it wasn't the Royals that struck first it was Brandon Moss who brought the thunder to the park.
A 2-run homerun by Brandon Moss who hadn't homered in 2 weeks, provided the spark that the Oakland A's needed to jump on the early excitement that the Royal fans were anticipating to pounce on. Well instead, Brandon Moss became the party pooper.
But the Royals came back to chip away at the deficit, and ultimately took the lead as Eric Hosmer hit a clutch 2 out hit to help the Royals take the lead at 3-2 at the end of the 3rd inning.
After that offensive output early on, both John Lester and James Shields settled down for a couple innings to let the fire churn a little bit. Then came the 6th inning. Known as the inning that got away from the Royals.
Shields got pulled early with two men on base, then Brandon Moss decided to mash another pitch over the centerfield wall making it 5-3 Oakland which opened the flood gate and allowing a couple more 2 out runs making it 7-3 going into the bottom of the 6th inning where it looked like the Royals only had 12 outs left in their season against a zoned out John Lester, which spells a automatic W where Lester is 85-1 in his career when being handed a 3+ run lead. Good Luck.
Remember, this the playoffs, nothing is ever set and stone, and the Royals were ready to remind the world of how the Oakland A's got to this point.
Lester went 1-2-3 in the 6th & 7th, only allowing 6 more outs in the season for Kansas City heading into the bottom of the 8th, where the magic ensued.
Lester left the ball game with men on base again, and the Royals decided to literally steal the show as they stole base after base (ultimately 7 altogether) and grinding their way to getting within 1 run heading into the 9th.
Down 7-6 in the bottom of the 9th, 1 out, and a runner getting to third, Nori Aoki stepped up and hit a ball far enough easily tying the game, ultimately getting the Royals to extra inning baseball.
The next couple innings both teams run stagnant, but then came the 12th inning.
Top of the 12th, the A's score a run making it 8-7, and again testing the might of the Royals. Similar as to how A's had their entire season up until the dog days of August, they were up and they looked like they would just keep cruising to that victory like they did in the first half of the season. But much like the second half of the season, the second half of the 12th inning proved to be the nail in the coffin.
Both Johnny Gomes and Nick Fuld collided in the outfield, providing Eric Hosmer to triple with only one out in the inning. Then Christian Colon hit a chopper so high, that the likes of David Ortiz could run it out and Eric Hosmer tied the game. Colon made it to 2nd on a dropped pitchout, and the man who was up to bat hadn't had a hit all game. He was 0 for 5, and he hit a ball that looked about 3 feet off the plate down the leftfield line, where Josh Donaldson laid for what seemed like forever watching his season trickle down the line and hearing footsteps of all the teams that caught them down the stretch of the regular season as Christian Colon ran home and won the game 9-8 for the Kansas City Royals in the 2014 AL Wildcard Game.
The culmination of an entire season wrapped up into one game. From the top of the 6th inning on till the very final hit in the bottom of the 12th. The Oakland A's went from the best team profoundly in the game midway through the 2014 season to one of the more mediocre teams to finish the season who barely got into the final playoff slot of the postseason. This game finally ended that terrible 2 month drought that the Athletics had been feeling similar to the water drought in California.
It just dried up late, and never became replenished! On to the NL Wild Card Game Wednesday Night!!!
Monday, September 29, 2014
2014 MLB Postseason Predictions
Well now that the Derek Jeter Saga has lifted itself off the canvass of the sports world during this final week, we now have real baseball to attend to. We know that Derek Jeter was apart of so many wonderful Octobers over the past 20 years, but unfortunately he won't be apart of this one. There are, though, some beautiful stories resonating coming into this 2014 MLB Postseason.
The Kansas City Royals will paint this October field of teams for the first time since 1985. Much like the Pirates of 2013 (who are back in the postseason once again in 2014), the soft spot will be their for them for it has been quite the journey to return back to this spotlight that the postseason has been missing in the heartland of America.
Yes, the St. Louis Cardinals have provided the spark that the Midwest has been provided, but when it comes to their beloved Royals, they dawn a Fall appearance that has had the patience of almost 29 years in the making.
The last time the Royals were in the postseason they were apart of the AL West. From 1986 till 1994 (when they joined the AL Central & MLB had it's infamous strike) the Royals were very respectable franchise and had 5 (6 if you count 1994's shortened season) winning seasons and in 1989 went 92-70 only finishing 7 games back of the Oakland A's in the division. This was before the Wildcard came into effect.
From 1995 on though... the Royals (who were apart of the Newly formed AL Central in 1994) only witnessed 2 winning seasons (2003: 83-79, 2013: 86-76), Seven 70 win seasons, Four 100+ loss seasons (3 straight from 2004 to 2006), and countless 90 plus loss seasons. That is the definition of despair in the world of sports. The Royals have earned this date in the postseason for quite a long time.
I do also understand the rivalry between the Royals and Cardinals. So, understand that those who have stayed Royal fans over these past 29 years where the Cardinals have won 2 World Series (2006 & 2011), 6 National League Pennants (1985, 1987, 2004, 2006, 2011 & 2013), 9 division titles, and been to the playoffs in 13 separate appearances altogether? Call yourself the greatest fan ever for you have seriously earned it.
For the rest of the playoff contenders we have the wheezing Oakland Athletics who limped into the playoffs needing the final day to seal their fate in a wild card birth to face those exciting Kansas City Royals and they will both play on the final day of September to kick off the madness of who will be in the collective final four of the American League. The Pittsburgh Pirates nearly nabbed the St. Louis Cardinals on the final day of the regular season, but instead of winning the central, they host the 2 time World Series Champions of this decade in the San Francisco Giants. It's an even year, and you know what that means, the Giants are destined to win it all. Not so fast, I think the 2013 reigning National League MVP will have something to say to that this year.
The Washington Nationals had a ho-hum season leading the National League in wins and taking the number one seed from the Los Angeles Dodgers over this past month of September. The way they have been playing, especially finishing off the regular season with a no-hitter, indicates they are ready for some revenge from what happened to them in 2012 when the Giants stormed back against them down 2 games to none in the NLDS. If their offense can get it going, anything is possible with that pitching staff night in and night out.
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have been the best team in baseball the entire season and they have earned the number one seed easily and they come into the postseason rather fresh with everybody resting the final series of the season. They have, soon to should be American League MVP, Mike Trout leading them and a pitching staff ready to duel at anytime. Don't sleep on those Baltimore Orioles though, for they are a little short due to some injuries they have had late in the year, but they have the Home Run Champion of 2014 in Nelson Cruz, a guy who has some touted playoff experience of his own (former outfielder of the American League Champion Texas Rangers in 2010 & 2011). The Orioles also have a pitching staff that sneaks up on you and can lay the hurt early and often enough to have you saying," Who the heck are these guys, and how come I haven't heard of them?!" The Tigers are also very scary, for they have the greatest rotation any playoff roster has ever had and they have an offense fond of World Series experience.
My predictions back in March were way off on the whole. Except, I did pick the Nationals to finish 1st in the National League, and Detroit to finish 3rd in the American League. The only problem, I had Tampa Bay and Cincinnati in the World Series... Yikes. I also had the Angels and Oakland making the postseason out of the American League West, just that Oakland would win the division. As you can see, overall, I did a terrible job but if there is a silver lining, I had both Nationals and Angels heading to the League Championship Series eventually losing. Pretty good for a prediction during the ides of March Madness.
So I will let you get excited as October will script itself but these are my picks for who is going to win it all this October of 2014. Enjoy my analysis and let the magic do the story telling this postseason for it should be one of the best yet.
American League Wild Card Game
Oakland Athletics (88-74) @ Kansas City Royals (89-73)
Johnny Lester (a Tacoma native from close to where I live) will be on the hill and in big games he has proven to be so clutch for the likes of Boston, especially last season. The Royals have been the best story of 2014 when it comes to sports successes, and they got a guy in James Shields pitching. The Wild Card games are crazy because they are do or die and this is the first game on the docket for the postseason and I don't want my entire postseason blog to be ruined because of one game but it may have to be. It's been 29 years since the confines of Kansas City have see the likes of a playoff game, and I think they will pull it out, why? Momentum, hitting, swagger, and a stadium that will be buzzing like it's 1985. Kansas City fans have been waiting for a day like Tuesday and I think with the way Oakland has been playing offensively since trading away their Home Run Derby champion, they truly haven't been playing like an 88 win team all season, recently they have been playing like a 77 win team ready to go home. Kansas City looks for real and I think James Shields puts together a solid start to match John Lester and get KC's first playoff win in a long time. Prediction: KC wins game 6-4.
National League Wild Card Game
San Francisco Giants (88-74) @ Pittsburgh Pirates (88-74)
This may be one of the best games when it comes to storylines in a long time and it's perfect because it's set up for a one game showdown in Pittsburgh. The Giants could start their run at a third World Series in 5 years, and the Pirates could get back into the fold with the other three teams in the National League for the first time in back-to-back years for the first time in a long time. The Giants again have a pitching staff on the cusp of great things and their hitting is once again questionable but they have proven that lack of fire power means nothing when they enter the postseason. The Pirates do have fire power and they can mash with the best of them. The last time Bumgarner faced Pittsburgh back on July 28th, he gave up 5 runs on 6 hits in 4 innings pitched. Clearly, both these teams have changed since that last start but they both have ended up with the same record and are now at this point where it's winner take all. Edison Volquez on the other hand has been pitching great baseball the last month and has only allowed 4 earned runs in September and had a dazzling earned run average (ERA) of 1.08. Considering the way the Giants offense is assembled and how well Edison Volquez has been pitching, Madison Bumgarner will have to pitch gritty. And if their is one thing Bumgarner can do, it is just that and then some. The last time Bumgarner pitched in the Postseason (Game 2 against Detroit in the 2012 World Series), Bumgarner was the definition of "stupid good" against one of the best lineups in all of baseball. His pitching line: 7 Innings pitched, 2 hits allowed, 2 walks, 8 strikeouts, 0 runs allowed. That's borderline moonshine stupid. Oh and in his rookie year (2010) he had an ERA of 2.18 in 4 starts in the postseason along with an (oh nothing) 8 Innings pitched, 3 hits allowed, 2 walks, 6 strikeout SHUTOUT PERFORMANCE against the Rangers (Who had one of the greatest lineups ever) in Game 4 of the 2010 World Series, lifting the Giants to a 3-1 lead in the series ultimately slamming the door in the Rangers face. Let me remind you, incase you forgot, that was his ROOKIE SEASON. Nail in the coffin, Madison Bumgarner will be at an "on mars" level of intensity ready for this game. Some guys just know how to step it up when it counts, and Madison Bumgarner will do just that on Wednesday night. Prediction: SF wins game 2-0.
MLB Division Series
American League
#3 Detroit Tigers (90-72) @ #2 Baltimore Orioles (96-66)
Look, I am a huge fan of this Baltimore Orioles team for they bring joy back to the sport of baseball that is refreshing and rejuvenating through the eye of the media. Adam Jones is a freak and this season proved that the Orioles are a serious threat to contend in the World Series. They have a top tier bullpen and if they can find a way to get a lead late, might as well write it down as a W. The Tigers have a potent and experienced team who's looking to finish off some unfinished business from 2012. Not that the Orioles aren't looking to do the same because they too were around in 2012, but the Tigers have won four straight American League Central Titles and they came their closest in 2012 to pulling off a World Series title. Granted, they got swept, but the opportunity was there. It was also their last season, but this magical run by the Red Sox stepped in their path. The Tigers come into this postseason with probably the greatest rotation in the history of Major League Baseball, the issue is that their bullpen has seem to run it's expiration date past sour. The Tigers have multiple closers playing different roles in the bullpen and consistently are inconsistent on where they will throw in the 9th inning. When it comes to postseason baseball, that's not something you want to have as a worry for the final innings are so precious. This series is simple. If the Orioles can find a way to get a lead getting into the 7th, they will win this series. If the Tigers get a large lead early in each game, they should win this series. The problem is, large leads are hard to come by and if you have to bank on a large lead to win ball games, your chances are rather slim. I do believe that the Tigers bullpen can hold and will hold even in close games, but what the Orioles have shown this past season is that when it's closing time, the doors are slammed shut. I think this will be a classic series, but I'm banking on that Orioles bullpen late to seal the deal for the Orioles, but man it will be close. Prediction: BAL wins series 3-2
#4 Kansas City Royals (89-73) @ #1 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (98-64)
Who ever isn't at least rooting for the Kansas City Royals may as well call themselves the devils children (outside of Cardinals fans) because they are the most loveable team outside of the Pittsburgh Pirates from last season. The problem is, magic only goes so far and I don't think the magic will carry the Royals very far when it comes to the postseason this year. They say experience doesn't mean much, but when it comes to postseason baseball, the Angels have the most experience of them all. The Angels have two guys who are foaming at the mouth for getting back to the World Series for the first time since being eliminated two years in a row while in Texas. Josh Hamilton and C.J. Wilson. These guys will have a huge chip on their shoulders to get back to the pinnacle of the sport and there are two guys in that dugout with them who took them down in that classic 2011 World Series in Albert Pujols and David Freese. It's been a while since they all were in the World Series, but with the fresh face in Mike Trout (who should win the MVP this November), they shouldn't have to worry about carrying the load. The Royals can mash, but they just can't monster mash like this Angels team has the capability of doing. The only issue for the Angels is that if their starters flounder, then the Angels could be in some trouble. The Royals have a decent pitching staff and the Angels aren't necessarily shut down worthy coming out of the bullpen, and if the Royals can hang around till late and work the starters of the Angels, then the Royals more than likely have a chance. The only question I have is can they hold down that offensive explosion in the Angels lineup? If the Angels come in firing on all cylinders, the Royals get destroyed, but if the Angels struggle just a little bit, the Royals could come a swipe a quick 5 game series in the blink of an eye. I just don't see that happening and I see the Angels (who are all rested up) ready to fire back with some serious ammo. Prediction: LAA wins series 3-0
National League
#3 St. Louis Cardinals (90-72) @ #2 Los Angeles Dodgers (94-68)
The defending National League Champions in the St. Louis only have one thing on this Dodgers team that is wildly talented and has the best pitcher the game has seen in nearly 15 years; experience. They have ways the grind out wins in the postseason and keep returning year in and year out and somehow keep finding people to replace them to fill in the gaps. You could say that the Cardinals are a lot like the Major League Baseball version of the San Antonio Spurs of the NBA; Consistent and quiet. When I mean quiet, I mean they keep winning in ways that make you scratch your head because you wonder where the offense comes from. They have one of the best pitching staffs in all of baseball year in and year out because they have the best catcher in the game head and shoulders in Yadier Molina. Molina can hit, manage an entire pitching staff by himself, and back pick runners with the best of them. As long as Yadier Molina is behind the plate, the Cardinals always have a chance. This year is another question though. Can the Cardinals compete with the likes of Clayton Kershaw? Or, is the question can Clayton Kershaw prove that he can pitch in the spotlight of the postseason against a team as gritty as the Cardinals? That question will be asked and answered in this series rather quickly. I don't think the magic of Mike Matheny (Cardinals Manager) will work this season, although it wouldn't shock me if they found a way to overcome the Dodgers once again. The only real problem I see is if the Cardinals get into a shootout scenario with the Dodgers, the Cardinals stand no shot. If it gets late in the ballgame and the Cardinals are within a run, the Dodgers could be looking at another exit via the Cardinals for they will find a way to win it late. I think this will be a classic series and it will go down to the wire from the standpoint the Cardinals pitching staff is much better just because of Yadier Molina and their experience is second to none. But the Dodgers... THE DODGERS! They have the greatest pitcher since Pedro Martinez, and he will dominate every time he takes the mound. I think the offense will kick in too, and they will give enough of an edge to finally get the Dodgers over that hump that the Cardinals seemed to dispel last October. That should be a thing of the past especially if the Dodgers can push it to a Game 5, for Kershaw will pitch... and Kershaw will dominate. Prediction: LAD wins series 3-2
#4 San Francisco Giants (88-74) @ #1 Washington Nationals (96-66)
Everyone is jumping on this Nationals team like they are the greatest thing since sliced bread... because yes they are that good, but this is the postseason now, it's a brand new season. The team that wins the Wild Card Game will dictate how I pick this series, and if the Giants get here, believe me I'll be picking them hard. Here's the issue, and I think all Giants fans know this, I think that this will be the first time that the offense truly impacts the outcome of the pitching staff. I will refuse to write the Giants off ever in the postseason these days for they have Bruce Bochy, a manager who presses all the right buttons. I just don't think he has enough to compete with the likes of Washington especially when it comes to their lineup. The scary thing about the Nationals is the moment they get hot offensively, they become impossible to stop. They have a starting rotation that has a chance to shine but unfortunately the Giants may just overshadow them in that realm too. I just worry that the Giant offense won't find that magical spark they have had the previous 2 World Series runs and if they can't get it rolling, no way the Giants win this series. I find it difficult to pick against the Giants though, but here is the ultimate factor in why the Nationals win this series. 2012. That's all you need to say to them and there's no way they don't win this series. I still think it will be close but after what happened in 2012 to the Nationals from this Giants team and how the Giants ultimately won the World Series in a sweep, they have been waiting 2 years for this redemption moment and they will get it. Just look out for the Giant magic, because if it happens, this will go 5, and in a Game 5, I'll have no idea what to expect. But for now, I'll go with what the experts are deeming as the better team. Prediction: WAS wins series 3-2
League Championship Series
American League
#2 Baltimore Orioles (96-66) @ #1 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (98-64)
Yes, I picked the chalk, how original of me. The only team I see automatically making it in my view is the Angels because of their offense and how consistent their pitching staff has been. I still really like the idea of the Orioles and their bullpen especially late in games. I feel that when the Orioles have the lead late they will win mostly every time. The Angels though have the offense to really challenge the Orioles when it comes to run production, but Chris Davis will be back by this series and he will provide the spark that the Orioles need, not that they already had enough firepower to begin with. I think this series could go 7, but I think the only way the Orioles win it is to own home field, and steal one on the road which I believe they can do in Los Angeles. I think that bullpen will absolutely destroy the Angels and their opportunity to get to the World Series, even though they have enough experience to come away with some clutch victories in this series. They just can't hang late like Baltimore will be able to prove. Prediction: BAL wins pennant 4-2
National League
#2 Los Angeles Dodgers (94-68) @ #1 Washington Nationals (96-66)
This is the juicy matchup everybody wants to see, and I ultimately think that the team who wins this series wins the whole thing. Why? Both teams have legitimate offenses and both have rotation's that are terrifying. I don't think Kershaw helps the Dodgers all that much in this series for the Nationals offense will counteract him and they can mash with anybody. Although, the Dodgers do have the exciting Puig and I think this will be the series where he could ultimately spark that lineup to get out in a front and hold their chance to sit in the World Series for the first time since the 1980's. As much as I say Kershaw won't be a factor, if the Dodger push this series to 7 games, I'd take the Dodgers all day for I know Clayton could carry the entire game. Although, I don't know if it will go seven, for the rotation of the Nationals is pretty nasty and knowing that, the Dodgers will have quite the offensive struggles ahead of them. If they can't find the spark, then the Nationals will take this series in 5, but if the Dodgers can find a way to be gritty and gut out runs here and there throughout the game, they have more than a chance. I just can't see it happening. I have the Nationals getting to the World Series and making it a Beltway series in 2014. Prediction: WAS wins pennant 4-1
2014 World Series
Washington Nationals @ Baltimore Orioles
With the price of gas these days, I figured I'd help out the people in D.C. and show them that I predict a very limited use of our spending on cross country flights. I also thought about the congressmen so they can go watch America's real pastime. This is the World Series, at this point both teams know what they got, how to succeed, know what will work at what times and who's been hot. Pitching has always been a thing that dictates who wins championships and the team with the best bullpen left gets my nod of approval. They also have home field advantage because of the All Star game which allowed for the American league to take the cake in the 2-3-2 format that set's up nicely for Baltimore. I think Camden Yards has done it's time as a ballpark and the World Series Banner needs to hang true from the warehouse across the street. This will make for an interesting series and I think it will 7 because of how difficult it will be for Baltimore to figure out that vaunted pitching staff in Washington. But, since Chris Davis & Nelson Cruz will be the mash bros in the middle heading into this world series, I just see them hitting bombs into the dark, cold, Autumn night.
Prediction: Baltimore Orioles win the World Series in 7 games; 4-3.
World Series MVP: Nelson Cruz
Enjoy October! I'll be writing all month long after every night of baseball this postseason! Enjoy the nightly blogs from yours truly!
The Kansas City Royals will paint this October field of teams for the first time since 1985. Much like the Pirates of 2013 (who are back in the postseason once again in 2014), the soft spot will be their for them for it has been quite the journey to return back to this spotlight that the postseason has been missing in the heartland of America.
Yes, the St. Louis Cardinals have provided the spark that the Midwest has been provided, but when it comes to their beloved Royals, they dawn a Fall appearance that has had the patience of almost 29 years in the making.
The last time the Royals were in the postseason they were apart of the AL West. From 1986 till 1994 (when they joined the AL Central & MLB had it's infamous strike) the Royals were very respectable franchise and had 5 (6 if you count 1994's shortened season) winning seasons and in 1989 went 92-70 only finishing 7 games back of the Oakland A's in the division. This was before the Wildcard came into effect.
From 1995 on though... the Royals (who were apart of the Newly formed AL Central in 1994) only witnessed 2 winning seasons (2003: 83-79, 2013: 86-76), Seven 70 win seasons, Four 100+ loss seasons (3 straight from 2004 to 2006), and countless 90 plus loss seasons. That is the definition of despair in the world of sports. The Royals have earned this date in the postseason for quite a long time.
I do also understand the rivalry between the Royals and Cardinals. So, understand that those who have stayed Royal fans over these past 29 years where the Cardinals have won 2 World Series (2006 & 2011), 6 National League Pennants (1985, 1987, 2004, 2006, 2011 & 2013), 9 division titles, and been to the playoffs in 13 separate appearances altogether? Call yourself the greatest fan ever for you have seriously earned it.
For the rest of the playoff contenders we have the wheezing Oakland Athletics who limped into the playoffs needing the final day to seal their fate in a wild card birth to face those exciting Kansas City Royals and they will both play on the final day of September to kick off the madness of who will be in the collective final four of the American League. The Pittsburgh Pirates nearly nabbed the St. Louis Cardinals on the final day of the regular season, but instead of winning the central, they host the 2 time World Series Champions of this decade in the San Francisco Giants. It's an even year, and you know what that means, the Giants are destined to win it all. Not so fast, I think the 2013 reigning National League MVP will have something to say to that this year.
The Washington Nationals had a ho-hum season leading the National League in wins and taking the number one seed from the Los Angeles Dodgers over this past month of September. The way they have been playing, especially finishing off the regular season with a no-hitter, indicates they are ready for some revenge from what happened to them in 2012 when the Giants stormed back against them down 2 games to none in the NLDS. If their offense can get it going, anything is possible with that pitching staff night in and night out.
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have been the best team in baseball the entire season and they have earned the number one seed easily and they come into the postseason rather fresh with everybody resting the final series of the season. They have, soon to should be American League MVP, Mike Trout leading them and a pitching staff ready to duel at anytime. Don't sleep on those Baltimore Orioles though, for they are a little short due to some injuries they have had late in the year, but they have the Home Run Champion of 2014 in Nelson Cruz, a guy who has some touted playoff experience of his own (former outfielder of the American League Champion Texas Rangers in 2010 & 2011). The Orioles also have a pitching staff that sneaks up on you and can lay the hurt early and often enough to have you saying," Who the heck are these guys, and how come I haven't heard of them?!" The Tigers are also very scary, for they have the greatest rotation any playoff roster has ever had and they have an offense fond of World Series experience.
My predictions back in March were way off on the whole. Except, I did pick the Nationals to finish 1st in the National League, and Detroit to finish 3rd in the American League. The only problem, I had Tampa Bay and Cincinnati in the World Series... Yikes. I also had the Angels and Oakland making the postseason out of the American League West, just that Oakland would win the division. As you can see, overall, I did a terrible job but if there is a silver lining, I had both Nationals and Angels heading to the League Championship Series eventually losing. Pretty good for a prediction during the ides of March Madness.
So I will let you get excited as October will script itself but these are my picks for who is going to win it all this October of 2014. Enjoy my analysis and let the magic do the story telling this postseason for it should be one of the best yet.
American League Wild Card Game
Oakland Athletics (88-74) @ Kansas City Royals (89-73)
Johnny Lester (a Tacoma native from close to where I live) will be on the hill and in big games he has proven to be so clutch for the likes of Boston, especially last season. The Royals have been the best story of 2014 when it comes to sports successes, and they got a guy in James Shields pitching. The Wild Card games are crazy because they are do or die and this is the first game on the docket for the postseason and I don't want my entire postseason blog to be ruined because of one game but it may have to be. It's been 29 years since the confines of Kansas City have see the likes of a playoff game, and I think they will pull it out, why? Momentum, hitting, swagger, and a stadium that will be buzzing like it's 1985. Kansas City fans have been waiting for a day like Tuesday and I think with the way Oakland has been playing offensively since trading away their Home Run Derby champion, they truly haven't been playing like an 88 win team all season, recently they have been playing like a 77 win team ready to go home. Kansas City looks for real and I think James Shields puts together a solid start to match John Lester and get KC's first playoff win in a long time. Prediction: KC wins game 6-4.
National League Wild Card Game
San Francisco Giants (88-74) @ Pittsburgh Pirates (88-74)
This may be one of the best games when it comes to storylines in a long time and it's perfect because it's set up for a one game showdown in Pittsburgh. The Giants could start their run at a third World Series in 5 years, and the Pirates could get back into the fold with the other three teams in the National League for the first time in back-to-back years for the first time in a long time. The Giants again have a pitching staff on the cusp of great things and their hitting is once again questionable but they have proven that lack of fire power means nothing when they enter the postseason. The Pirates do have fire power and they can mash with the best of them. The last time Bumgarner faced Pittsburgh back on July 28th, he gave up 5 runs on 6 hits in 4 innings pitched. Clearly, both these teams have changed since that last start but they both have ended up with the same record and are now at this point where it's winner take all. Edison Volquez on the other hand has been pitching great baseball the last month and has only allowed 4 earned runs in September and had a dazzling earned run average (ERA) of 1.08. Considering the way the Giants offense is assembled and how well Edison Volquez has been pitching, Madison Bumgarner will have to pitch gritty. And if their is one thing Bumgarner can do, it is just that and then some. The last time Bumgarner pitched in the Postseason (Game 2 against Detroit in the 2012 World Series), Bumgarner was the definition of "stupid good" against one of the best lineups in all of baseball. His pitching line: 7 Innings pitched, 2 hits allowed, 2 walks, 8 strikeouts, 0 runs allowed. That's borderline moonshine stupid. Oh and in his rookie year (2010) he had an ERA of 2.18 in 4 starts in the postseason along with an (oh nothing) 8 Innings pitched, 3 hits allowed, 2 walks, 6 strikeout SHUTOUT PERFORMANCE against the Rangers (Who had one of the greatest lineups ever) in Game 4 of the 2010 World Series, lifting the Giants to a 3-1 lead in the series ultimately slamming the door in the Rangers face. Let me remind you, incase you forgot, that was his ROOKIE SEASON. Nail in the coffin, Madison Bumgarner will be at an "on mars" level of intensity ready for this game. Some guys just know how to step it up when it counts, and Madison Bumgarner will do just that on Wednesday night. Prediction: SF wins game 2-0.
MLB Division Series
American League
#3 Detroit Tigers (90-72) @ #2 Baltimore Orioles (96-66)
Look, I am a huge fan of this Baltimore Orioles team for they bring joy back to the sport of baseball that is refreshing and rejuvenating through the eye of the media. Adam Jones is a freak and this season proved that the Orioles are a serious threat to contend in the World Series. They have a top tier bullpen and if they can find a way to get a lead late, might as well write it down as a W. The Tigers have a potent and experienced team who's looking to finish off some unfinished business from 2012. Not that the Orioles aren't looking to do the same because they too were around in 2012, but the Tigers have won four straight American League Central Titles and they came their closest in 2012 to pulling off a World Series title. Granted, they got swept, but the opportunity was there. It was also their last season, but this magical run by the Red Sox stepped in their path. The Tigers come into this postseason with probably the greatest rotation in the history of Major League Baseball, the issue is that their bullpen has seem to run it's expiration date past sour. The Tigers have multiple closers playing different roles in the bullpen and consistently are inconsistent on where they will throw in the 9th inning. When it comes to postseason baseball, that's not something you want to have as a worry for the final innings are so precious. This series is simple. If the Orioles can find a way to get a lead getting into the 7th, they will win this series. If the Tigers get a large lead early in each game, they should win this series. The problem is, large leads are hard to come by and if you have to bank on a large lead to win ball games, your chances are rather slim. I do believe that the Tigers bullpen can hold and will hold even in close games, but what the Orioles have shown this past season is that when it's closing time, the doors are slammed shut. I think this will be a classic series, but I'm banking on that Orioles bullpen late to seal the deal for the Orioles, but man it will be close. Prediction: BAL wins series 3-2
#4 Kansas City Royals (89-73) @ #1 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (98-64)
Who ever isn't at least rooting for the Kansas City Royals may as well call themselves the devils children (outside of Cardinals fans) because they are the most loveable team outside of the Pittsburgh Pirates from last season. The problem is, magic only goes so far and I don't think the magic will carry the Royals very far when it comes to the postseason this year. They say experience doesn't mean much, but when it comes to postseason baseball, the Angels have the most experience of them all. The Angels have two guys who are foaming at the mouth for getting back to the World Series for the first time since being eliminated two years in a row while in Texas. Josh Hamilton and C.J. Wilson. These guys will have a huge chip on their shoulders to get back to the pinnacle of the sport and there are two guys in that dugout with them who took them down in that classic 2011 World Series in Albert Pujols and David Freese. It's been a while since they all were in the World Series, but with the fresh face in Mike Trout (who should win the MVP this November), they shouldn't have to worry about carrying the load. The Royals can mash, but they just can't monster mash like this Angels team has the capability of doing. The only issue for the Angels is that if their starters flounder, then the Angels could be in some trouble. The Royals have a decent pitching staff and the Angels aren't necessarily shut down worthy coming out of the bullpen, and if the Royals can hang around till late and work the starters of the Angels, then the Royals more than likely have a chance. The only question I have is can they hold down that offensive explosion in the Angels lineup? If the Angels come in firing on all cylinders, the Royals get destroyed, but if the Angels struggle just a little bit, the Royals could come a swipe a quick 5 game series in the blink of an eye. I just don't see that happening and I see the Angels (who are all rested up) ready to fire back with some serious ammo. Prediction: LAA wins series 3-0
National League
#3 St. Louis Cardinals (90-72) @ #2 Los Angeles Dodgers (94-68)
The defending National League Champions in the St. Louis only have one thing on this Dodgers team that is wildly talented and has the best pitcher the game has seen in nearly 15 years; experience. They have ways the grind out wins in the postseason and keep returning year in and year out and somehow keep finding people to replace them to fill in the gaps. You could say that the Cardinals are a lot like the Major League Baseball version of the San Antonio Spurs of the NBA; Consistent and quiet. When I mean quiet, I mean they keep winning in ways that make you scratch your head because you wonder where the offense comes from. They have one of the best pitching staffs in all of baseball year in and year out because they have the best catcher in the game head and shoulders in Yadier Molina. Molina can hit, manage an entire pitching staff by himself, and back pick runners with the best of them. As long as Yadier Molina is behind the plate, the Cardinals always have a chance. This year is another question though. Can the Cardinals compete with the likes of Clayton Kershaw? Or, is the question can Clayton Kershaw prove that he can pitch in the spotlight of the postseason against a team as gritty as the Cardinals? That question will be asked and answered in this series rather quickly. I don't think the magic of Mike Matheny (Cardinals Manager) will work this season, although it wouldn't shock me if they found a way to overcome the Dodgers once again. The only real problem I see is if the Cardinals get into a shootout scenario with the Dodgers, the Cardinals stand no shot. If it gets late in the ballgame and the Cardinals are within a run, the Dodgers could be looking at another exit via the Cardinals for they will find a way to win it late. I think this will be a classic series and it will go down to the wire from the standpoint the Cardinals pitching staff is much better just because of Yadier Molina and their experience is second to none. But the Dodgers... THE DODGERS! They have the greatest pitcher since Pedro Martinez, and he will dominate every time he takes the mound. I think the offense will kick in too, and they will give enough of an edge to finally get the Dodgers over that hump that the Cardinals seemed to dispel last October. That should be a thing of the past especially if the Dodgers can push it to a Game 5, for Kershaw will pitch... and Kershaw will dominate. Prediction: LAD wins series 3-2
#4 San Francisco Giants (88-74) @ #1 Washington Nationals (96-66)
Everyone is jumping on this Nationals team like they are the greatest thing since sliced bread... because yes they are that good, but this is the postseason now, it's a brand new season. The team that wins the Wild Card Game will dictate how I pick this series, and if the Giants get here, believe me I'll be picking them hard. Here's the issue, and I think all Giants fans know this, I think that this will be the first time that the offense truly impacts the outcome of the pitching staff. I will refuse to write the Giants off ever in the postseason these days for they have Bruce Bochy, a manager who presses all the right buttons. I just don't think he has enough to compete with the likes of Washington especially when it comes to their lineup. The scary thing about the Nationals is the moment they get hot offensively, they become impossible to stop. They have a starting rotation that has a chance to shine but unfortunately the Giants may just overshadow them in that realm too. I just worry that the Giant offense won't find that magical spark they have had the previous 2 World Series runs and if they can't get it rolling, no way the Giants win this series. I find it difficult to pick against the Giants though, but here is the ultimate factor in why the Nationals win this series. 2012. That's all you need to say to them and there's no way they don't win this series. I still think it will be close but after what happened in 2012 to the Nationals from this Giants team and how the Giants ultimately won the World Series in a sweep, they have been waiting 2 years for this redemption moment and they will get it. Just look out for the Giant magic, because if it happens, this will go 5, and in a Game 5, I'll have no idea what to expect. But for now, I'll go with what the experts are deeming as the better team. Prediction: WAS wins series 3-2
League Championship Series
American League
#2 Baltimore Orioles (96-66) @ #1 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (98-64)
Yes, I picked the chalk, how original of me. The only team I see automatically making it in my view is the Angels because of their offense and how consistent their pitching staff has been. I still really like the idea of the Orioles and their bullpen especially late in games. I feel that when the Orioles have the lead late they will win mostly every time. The Angels though have the offense to really challenge the Orioles when it comes to run production, but Chris Davis will be back by this series and he will provide the spark that the Orioles need, not that they already had enough firepower to begin with. I think this series could go 7, but I think the only way the Orioles win it is to own home field, and steal one on the road which I believe they can do in Los Angeles. I think that bullpen will absolutely destroy the Angels and their opportunity to get to the World Series, even though they have enough experience to come away with some clutch victories in this series. They just can't hang late like Baltimore will be able to prove. Prediction: BAL wins pennant 4-2
National League
#2 Los Angeles Dodgers (94-68) @ #1 Washington Nationals (96-66)
This is the juicy matchup everybody wants to see, and I ultimately think that the team who wins this series wins the whole thing. Why? Both teams have legitimate offenses and both have rotation's that are terrifying. I don't think Kershaw helps the Dodgers all that much in this series for the Nationals offense will counteract him and they can mash with anybody. Although, the Dodgers do have the exciting Puig and I think this will be the series where he could ultimately spark that lineup to get out in a front and hold their chance to sit in the World Series for the first time since the 1980's. As much as I say Kershaw won't be a factor, if the Dodger push this series to 7 games, I'd take the Dodgers all day for I know Clayton could carry the entire game. Although, I don't know if it will go seven, for the rotation of the Nationals is pretty nasty and knowing that, the Dodgers will have quite the offensive struggles ahead of them. If they can't find the spark, then the Nationals will take this series in 5, but if the Dodgers can find a way to be gritty and gut out runs here and there throughout the game, they have more than a chance. I just can't see it happening. I have the Nationals getting to the World Series and making it a Beltway series in 2014. Prediction: WAS wins pennant 4-1
2014 World Series
Washington Nationals @ Baltimore Orioles
With the price of gas these days, I figured I'd help out the people in D.C. and show them that I predict a very limited use of our spending on cross country flights. I also thought about the congressmen so they can go watch America's real pastime. This is the World Series, at this point both teams know what they got, how to succeed, know what will work at what times and who's been hot. Pitching has always been a thing that dictates who wins championships and the team with the best bullpen left gets my nod of approval. They also have home field advantage because of the All Star game which allowed for the American league to take the cake in the 2-3-2 format that set's up nicely for Baltimore. I think Camden Yards has done it's time as a ballpark and the World Series Banner needs to hang true from the warehouse across the street. This will make for an interesting series and I think it will 7 because of how difficult it will be for Baltimore to figure out that vaunted pitching staff in Washington. But, since Chris Davis & Nelson Cruz will be the mash bros in the middle heading into this world series, I just see them hitting bombs into the dark, cold, Autumn night.
Prediction: Baltimore Orioles win the World Series in 7 games; 4-3.
World Series MVP: Nelson Cruz
Enjoy October! I'll be writing all month long after every night of baseball this postseason! Enjoy the nightly blogs from yours truly!
Sunday, September 28, 2014
Now Batting...The Shortstop...Number 2...
Derek.. Jeter...... Number 2.
Bob Sheppard could not say it with any more vindication.
This was the product Bob Sheppard would present on the grandest stage in the greatest ballpark sports had ever offered. The words 'Derek Jeter' never rang more elegant. For the elegance you'll hear sounds dull, and dimly, because the words and the actions of such a player don't need much of an entrance. When they say actions speak louder than words, they also walk and visualize in the minds of generations far and beyond what the human soul can envision. Our interpretation of Derek Jeter won't ever be who he truly was on the baseball field, but his symbol is what will be the expectation that can never be reached again.
Out of the 99 years that Bob Sheppard was alive, I don't think he ever envisioned having his words outlast his lifespan. What other player do we know in the world of sports get their name introduced by someone who has passed away? The most incredible part, is that it's so fitting that we can't bare to think of it being any other way. If anybody does deserve the praise, and for anybody to have ever lived up to the hype in the way that this man has, Derek Jeter has won that honor till the day he dies, and beyond.
19 seasons with one team. The captain of the greatest sports franchise the world will ever see, in the biggest city in the world, and with the most expectations nobody will ever understand. He played and lived under a microscope so intense it could burn through a thousand phone books, and still leave a third degree burn. In a world that went from AOL to tweeting from the beginning of his career to the end, his clean and perfect lifestyle speaks for itself. His consistency is the model of excellence we all strive to grasp a sliver of in our lifetime which was something he upheld for those 19 seasons.
There will always be criticism coming his way though, and I won't be the first to exercise that capability. Derek Jeter wasn't the greatest player to ever dawn a uniform, but he also didn't do anything to stain it.
When we look back 20 years from now and recognize the significance of his legacy, we will remember his wins, his moments, and his ability to lead the greatest teams of our generation. The shortstop position isn't just a grinding affair in the middle of the diamond, it requires consistent communication, understanding, and wisdom to know every situation laid out available for the rest of the team. Floundering at this position can lead to unfathomable errors, blunders that can't be restored, and cause chaos on and off the field. Where the NFL has it's quarterbacks, the MLB has it's Catchers and Shortstops. These positions, unfortunately, do not hold the glamour that we anticipate when it comes to the awe factor of what we would like to see on the field. These figures are the behind the scenes make shifters that do wonders more than the eye can see. The responsibilities, the daily grind from Mid-Winter to Mid-Autumn can wear down those who hold these positions every single day at the most demanding of positions.
This is why, usually, the Catchers and Shortstops bat at the bottom of the lineup. For they are the grinders on the defensive side of the ball and are the power outlets for the defense to flourish. When they bat higher in the batting order, they are the true gems hidden in the rough.
Jeter proved to be a consistent model of greatness on every half inning he ever played. He had his bumps and bruises and missed absorbent amount of time throughout his career due to injury. But, when he played, you knew he was a force to be reckon with. He wasn't a 40 home-run guy, somebody who could steal a base at will, or a highlight reel machine nightly on nightly news outlets, but when he would play, you knew exactly what you were getting and if it was a big spot, you knew he would deliver.
What he represented to the game of baseball is what every individual strives to achieve and he did it in the brightest light we could only ever imagine. He was something that can't be repeated, someone that could play in any era, and someone who's quirky style of going about his business made him beloved for he wasn't the generic cookie cutter ball player that you saw on a daily basis.
The way he lunged at pitches he never swung at, the way he would swing so helter-skelter that it looked like a mail man shoeing away at the neighbors dog, and the way he ran like a miniature horse expecting nothing but pure love from its owner. That's what will resonate with million's of people.
He was something that made you wonder (especially as a kid) "Wow, if he can play like that and bring people to their feet, then I can too." That simple statement, which only seems simple to the elder eye, resonates so vividly to the children who have ever worn a little league uniform or envisioned playing the game. When you can simply relate to a professional with the way they present their style of play, it makes the imagination flutter, the heart race, and joy seep into the eye's of children. The excitement starts to churn, the optimism steadily grows, and the anticipation of things to come grasp and tug at our souls.
We won't remember the way Jeter played 100 years from now. For all we know, YouTube & the internet will eventually evolve into some other stratosphere and we'll have his game film in another realm we can only imagine. But, the culture in which he captivated so many young people will only live with those who witnessed him live or especially in person. In 2114, people will see him on the record books, but will look at someone else in a similar light and picture anointing them as the greatest thing they ever saw and as something that captivated a light that something will never emulate again. The cycle will repeat itself, we will just never know when.
Well, that someone the past 20 years has been Derek Jeter. As baseball only moves forward, Derek Jeter's presence will lay the ground work for where the game's history has come and gone once again. As we step into another day and a new light that the game will dawn upon us all, the grass, dirt, and bases will still exist. It's the faces on the ball field that will grow, wilt, and fade as time moves forward once again. This won't be the final legacy that Major League Baseball will draw, it is one of the many more to follow and tug at our heart strings once again. It is, though, another legacy that made this game a little brighter and a little more charming then it was prior to it's existence.
I am honored to have witnessed the greatest shortstop who ever lived. What a spectacular, unabated, miraculous, flawless career by Number 2... Derek Jeter... Number 2.
Click the link below to view Jeter's final At-Bat in Yankee Stadium.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AejNA_42RRA
Bob Sheppard could not say it with any more vindication.
This was the product Bob Sheppard would present on the grandest stage in the greatest ballpark sports had ever offered. The words 'Derek Jeter' never rang more elegant. For the elegance you'll hear sounds dull, and dimly, because the words and the actions of such a player don't need much of an entrance. When they say actions speak louder than words, they also walk and visualize in the minds of generations far and beyond what the human soul can envision. Our interpretation of Derek Jeter won't ever be who he truly was on the baseball field, but his symbol is what will be the expectation that can never be reached again.
Out of the 99 years that Bob Sheppard was alive, I don't think he ever envisioned having his words outlast his lifespan. What other player do we know in the world of sports get their name introduced by someone who has passed away? The most incredible part, is that it's so fitting that we can't bare to think of it being any other way. If anybody does deserve the praise, and for anybody to have ever lived up to the hype in the way that this man has, Derek Jeter has won that honor till the day he dies, and beyond.
19 seasons with one team. The captain of the greatest sports franchise the world will ever see, in the biggest city in the world, and with the most expectations nobody will ever understand. He played and lived under a microscope so intense it could burn through a thousand phone books, and still leave a third degree burn. In a world that went from AOL to tweeting from the beginning of his career to the end, his clean and perfect lifestyle speaks for itself. His consistency is the model of excellence we all strive to grasp a sliver of in our lifetime which was something he upheld for those 19 seasons.
There will always be criticism coming his way though, and I won't be the first to exercise that capability. Derek Jeter wasn't the greatest player to ever dawn a uniform, but he also didn't do anything to stain it.
When we look back 20 years from now and recognize the significance of his legacy, we will remember his wins, his moments, and his ability to lead the greatest teams of our generation. The shortstop position isn't just a grinding affair in the middle of the diamond, it requires consistent communication, understanding, and wisdom to know every situation laid out available for the rest of the team. Floundering at this position can lead to unfathomable errors, blunders that can't be restored, and cause chaos on and off the field. Where the NFL has it's quarterbacks, the MLB has it's Catchers and Shortstops. These positions, unfortunately, do not hold the glamour that we anticipate when it comes to the awe factor of what we would like to see on the field. These figures are the behind the scenes make shifters that do wonders more than the eye can see. The responsibilities, the daily grind from Mid-Winter to Mid-Autumn can wear down those who hold these positions every single day at the most demanding of positions.
This is why, usually, the Catchers and Shortstops bat at the bottom of the lineup. For they are the grinders on the defensive side of the ball and are the power outlets for the defense to flourish. When they bat higher in the batting order, they are the true gems hidden in the rough.
Jeter proved to be a consistent model of greatness on every half inning he ever played. He had his bumps and bruises and missed absorbent amount of time throughout his career due to injury. But, when he played, you knew he was a force to be reckon with. He wasn't a 40 home-run guy, somebody who could steal a base at will, or a highlight reel machine nightly on nightly news outlets, but when he would play, you knew exactly what you were getting and if it was a big spot, you knew he would deliver.
What he represented to the game of baseball is what every individual strives to achieve and he did it in the brightest light we could only ever imagine. He was something that can't be repeated, someone that could play in any era, and someone who's quirky style of going about his business made him beloved for he wasn't the generic cookie cutter ball player that you saw on a daily basis.
The way he lunged at pitches he never swung at, the way he would swing so helter-skelter that it looked like a mail man shoeing away at the neighbors dog, and the way he ran like a miniature horse expecting nothing but pure love from its owner. That's what will resonate with million's of people.
He was something that made you wonder (especially as a kid) "Wow, if he can play like that and bring people to their feet, then I can too." That simple statement, which only seems simple to the elder eye, resonates so vividly to the children who have ever worn a little league uniform or envisioned playing the game. When you can simply relate to a professional with the way they present their style of play, it makes the imagination flutter, the heart race, and joy seep into the eye's of children. The excitement starts to churn, the optimism steadily grows, and the anticipation of things to come grasp and tug at our souls.
We won't remember the way Jeter played 100 years from now. For all we know, YouTube & the internet will eventually evolve into some other stratosphere and we'll have his game film in another realm we can only imagine. But, the culture in which he captivated so many young people will only live with those who witnessed him live or especially in person. In 2114, people will see him on the record books, but will look at someone else in a similar light and picture anointing them as the greatest thing they ever saw and as something that captivated a light that something will never emulate again. The cycle will repeat itself, we will just never know when.
Well, that someone the past 20 years has been Derek Jeter. As baseball only moves forward, Derek Jeter's presence will lay the ground work for where the game's history has come and gone once again. As we step into another day and a new light that the game will dawn upon us all, the grass, dirt, and bases will still exist. It's the faces on the ball field that will grow, wilt, and fade as time moves forward once again. This won't be the final legacy that Major League Baseball will draw, it is one of the many more to follow and tug at our heart strings once again. It is, though, another legacy that made this game a little brighter and a little more charming then it was prior to it's existence.
I am honored to have witnessed the greatest shortstop who ever lived. What a spectacular, unabated, miraculous, flawless career by Number 2... Derek Jeter... Number 2.
Click the link below to view Jeter's final At-Bat in Yankee Stadium.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AejNA_42RRA
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