The Glade 4.0

You know its kind of hard to type with your fingers crossed.

4-0 SF Bottom of the fourth.

Braves are looking a little frustrated.

_________________
The U. S. Constitution doesn't guarantee happiness, only the pursuit of it. You have to catch up with it yourself. B. Franklin

"A mind needs books like a sword needs a whetstone." -- Tyrion Lannister, A Game of Thrones

Bottom of the tenth 4-4

_________________
The U. S. Constitution doesn't guarantee happiness, only the pursuit of it. You have to catch up with it yourself. B. Franklin

"A mind needs books like a sword needs a whetstone." -- Tyrion Lannister, A Game of Thrones

Congratz Atlanta, 5-4 in 11.

_________________
The U. S. Constitution doesn't guarantee happiness, only the pursuit of it. You have to catch up with it yourself. B. Franklin

"A mind needs books like a sword needs a whetstone." -- Tyrion Lannister, A Game of Thrones

Phillies-Reds was an ugly game all over. I'm happy we won, and a bit relaxed now as it would be pretty hard not to make it to the NLCS at this point, but it's not a game I'd like to dwell on. Reds fans likely doubly so.

Slow-mo instant replays are not conclusive on this one, but the Utley maybe-hit-by-pitch contrasts nicely with Jeter's show from 2 months back or whenever that was. :p

The Atlanta game, from what little I admit I actually saw (only was loosely following it due to being a bit otherwise occupied, not to mention the crazy hour), seemed like quite a game to see in full. Bleak start, then Giant momentum seemed stopped soundly? Wagner's injury can't be a good thing for Braves fans, either. From what little I know now it doesn't seem like the worst of injuries, but even if he comes back for a potential NLCS can you trust his health.

So far, the picture is this....

ALDS
Rays @ Rangers (Texas leads 2-0 and will be going for the sweep)
Twins @ Yankees (NY leads 2-0 and will be going for the sweep)

NLDS
Phillies @ Reds (Philadelphia leads 2-0 and will be going for the sweep)
Giants @ Braves (Series tied 1-1)

It's a bit sad that there's no team I can really root for, but rather I root against teams, like the Yankees because...well yeah; and the Phillies, because they're turning into the Yankees of the NL, or even the Rays. I want a Texas-San Fran or Texas-Atlanta world series, but I seriously doubt I'll see anything close to that.

Hey, we only paid out big bucks for like two top guys now! We have a long ways to go to be the Yankees of the NL! :p Or at least, that's what defines Yankeedom to me...

That Braves game was a bit tough to watch there at the end. Had the makings of a great game with a go-ahead home run in the bottom of the 8th to get all the positivity going on the Braves' side, then half an inning later.. crushed.

Actually, while the Phillies are a ways from Yankee spending, they aren't as far as you like to think.

Currently 4th in all of baseball at $142+ million.
Top player salaries....1. Howard 19m/yr 2. Halladay 15.75m/yr 3. Utley 15+m/yr 4. Oswalt 15m/yr 5. Ibanez 12.166m/yr 6. Lidge 12m/yr

Halladay and Oswalt boosted the payroll quite a bit, as well as the continuing arbitration guys that will increase payroll next year as well IIRC. I expect next years payroll, unless they try to gut the roster some, should be around 160 million-ish, which would put them near the top of all of baseball only behind the Yankees.

The sad part is, payroll doesn't mean that much if you don't spend wisely.......the Cubs are 3rd in baseball salaries.....rofl....and the Mets 5th.

So, 2/4th of the ALDS's are done now.....Yankees sweep the Twins, and the Phils sweep the Reds.

Rays and Rangers tied at 2-2, going back to St Pete for the final 5th game. Expecting to see another rematch of Lee vs Price. I'd like to think Texas has a chance if Lee pitches lights out again......but I favor the Rays in this one.

tonight, Giants at Hotlanta for game 4. Giants leading the series 2-1, thanks to horrific defensive play by the Braves. The culprit, Brooks Conrad is sitting this one out, after having a terrible time this series at 3rd and 2nd. I kinda expect this one to go to game 5 as well, back in San Fran. where we would see Lincecum vs Hanson? I think the Giants should win this series, as the Braves are just too banged up.

Phillies' payroll is definitely up there. I was referring more towards the usual Yankee policy of spending the big money for the best players on the market fairly regularly. Any time there's a top notch player whose contract is about to be up and whispers start about them being in Yankees pinstripes.

The Phillies' core throughout this great run they've been having is almost entirely home-grown, which is something I like. Howard, Utley, Rollins are Phillies through and through. Ruiz and Hamels are certainly both notable and have come up through the Phillies system... Madson the same way, though not as big a name likely due to being a non-closer bullpen guy. Many of our players that came from other organizations were players not highly regarded -- Werth we got off waivers, Victorino apparently played a few games for the Padres back in 03 before winding up in the Phillies minor league system and eventually becoming a starter. Lidge, if memory serves, was regarded as very iffy when we got him (and has been very iffy for us outside of the anomaly of 2008).

Getting Cliff Lee was a Yankees-type deal. Getting Halladay was a Yankees-type deal. Getting Oswalt was a Yankees-type deal. Overall there aren't many of these in recent Phillies history, but between the payroll for our existing players and the signs that Lee, Halladay, and Oswalt point to it does seem like it's a bit of an institution now in the organization. Though maybe we should lose one of these Yankee-points for trading away Lee for 3 minor leaguers... I.. I still haven't gotten over that. Philadelphia hasn't gotten over that.

If homegrown or not is not an issue, then I'll certainly cede that they're becoming the Yankees of the NL. :p Howard's deal in particular was kinda crazy.

Conrad's errors led to every Giants score in game 3. It **** sucked.

_________________

I haven't seen enough of Conrad to see if he has a strong enough bat to DH in a middling line-up in the AL, but from what I've seen of him in the field this series, it seems to be the only option he has going forward unles he wants to donate the entire off-season to making a passable fielder of himself.

_________________

Ezekiel 23:19-20 

He's 30 years old and pretty much the only option the organization had come the post-season. It really sucks that we've been chained to him by injuries.

_________________

I'm going to blame a potential Phillies loss in the NLCS on Brooks Conrad. Not that the guy needs any more blame. Even for as ...unenthusiastic a baseball town as Atlanta is, it's not going to be easy to spend time there for him!

The sole way I did not want the playoffs to end up has now happened... pitching by both clubs has been pretty spectacular. Very easy to lose a 1-0 game to a team like the Giants. If I had to pick I'd still give the edge to the Phillies, but much too close to have any sort of reliability in picking either team to win it.

Really should be going to game 5 now between the Braves and the Giants. Ah well.

Baseball will break your heart.

That being said, hurray SFG and on to the Phillies.

_________________
The U. S. Constitution doesn't guarantee happiness, only the pursuit of it. You have to catch up with it yourself. B. Franklin

"A mind needs books like a sword needs a whetstone." -- Tyrion Lannister, A Game of Thrones

Bobby Cox deserved Chipper Jones. Sorry, bro. Tough finish.

_________________

Ezekiel 23:19-20 

I dunno ...

I'll take my small victory in that the boys took Bobby Cox to the playoffs on more time. That said, yeah, it's the sunset of an amazing career.

By the way, I have to give the Giants (post-Bonds) credit for something rarely seen in this day and age. Although they're going on to the NLCS, they took the time to honor Bobby Cox's retirement last night.

_________________

Yeah. The Giants are a classy and well run organization, top to bottom, on the field and off. They have recovered from the Barry Bonds/Jeff Kent debacle nicely.

Oh, and I just checked out Conrad's minor league career. He was a solid middle of the order hitter with 104 HRs, 376 RBI, 421 Runs and an OPS of .804 in five full AAA seasons. Looks like your standard variety 4A hitter to me.

Edit: Actually, Conrad produced a similar statistical line in Major League action this year. Solid hitter who could probably DH for a team like the Royals, Twins, Tigers, Rays or A's, just don't play him in the field.

_________________

Ezekiel 23:19-20 

Lets go Phillies!!

_________________
"None is more important, none more legitimate, than that of rendering the people safe as they are the
ultimate guardians of their own liberty."- Thomas Jefferson

"Yeah, I'm rehearsing my poker face. I don't handle stupid well. *sigh*" - Farsky

I have a feeling the Phillies-Giants series is going to go right to the bitter, nail-biting end.

I'm a bit surprised, but pleased at the dominance the Rangers are showing over the Yankees. The series sits at 2-1 at the moment but it seems even more lopsided than that. I have to hope that series gets dragged out too, however!

I hope we get a chance to see the Phillies go up against Cliff Lee, even though he's had an absurd postseason record these past two years. How about we lose to him in game 1 of the World Series then win the rest..? That's not asking too much is it? :p

Texas over Philly in 6, Cliff Lee wins the MVP. You heard it here first.

_________________

Ezekiel 23:19-20 

Unfortunately, and just going on my gut, I'm thinking SF over Texas in about 5. The freakin' pitching Giants buzz-saw is looking kind of nasty right now.

Of course, they could get there, and blink, and it's a Texas sweep, with a bunch of 10-2 blowouts. Hard to say.

Neither prospect thrills me, although I'd be marginally happy with a Nolan Ryan World Series win, in a way.

_________________
This cold and dark tormented hell
Is all I`ll ever know
So when you get to heaven
May the devil be the judge

Unless you're a Yankees or Phillies fan, you want to see a Texas-San Francisco world series, just for something different, just because you're already tired of potential high-payroll dynasties.

In football, if a team is really bad, there's still the possibility that within 5 years they can turn their franchise around and at least contend for a championship. How many people here believe that within the next five years the Pittsburgh Pirates have a chance of being in the World Series?

And if you say yes, you're just the typical lawyer/contrarian type.

Next year: Pirates/Tigers.

Oh yes. It will happen.

_________________

Holy shitsnacks!

Be careful what you wish for.

For many long years, baseball fans in the bay area wanted there to be a world series between the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland Athletics. Finally in 1989, God granted our wish, and in his great mercy saved the lives of possibly tens of thousands of baseball fans in the process. On October 17, 1989, at 5:00 p.m. Candlestick Park was filled with baseball fans waiting for the start of game three. The freeways were comparably empty as only the apostates uninterested in baseball were on the road.

At 5:04 p.m. the Good Lord proved he has both a sense of humor and a sense of timing.





On a normal weekday, at 5:04 p.m.that section of freeway, The Clovis superstructure, would have been crawling in both directions with more than a thousand cars potentially on the several levels that collapsed and fell.



Only one person died on the Bay Bridge, and that was because the poor lady panicked and tried to jump her car across the gap, after the shaking stopped.



Normally the marina would have been packed with people, the apartment house behind it was almost empty.

Examples go on and on about how peoples lives were spared because of the World Series taking over the normal schedule of life in the Bay Area. Around 80 people died all told, most of them on the collapsed superstructure. I have several friends with great stories about where were you when the earthquake hit. Many are convinced that baseball saved their lives that day.

Sure, if it weren't the Bay Bridge series, a lot of the fans would still have taken time off to see the game and gone to a sports bar or gone home early or gone to a friends house, but that day the streets of San Francisco were nearly deserted around 5:00 in the afternoon.

The Athletics won the series, 4-0

_________________
The U. S. Constitution doesn't guarantee happiness, only the pursuit of it. You have to catch up with it yourself. B. Franklin

"A mind needs books like a sword needs a whetstone." -- Tyrion Lannister, A Game of Thrones