The 2009 Baseball Playoffs

[danfrank]

If ever that classic line (and who originated it -- Jimmy Cannon?) were true -- "It's easy to root for the Yankees, but it's like rooting for US Steel" were true, it's this season. Hateful, hateful franchise. I can't believe so many of my lefty friends are fans of theirs.

A more clear-eyed friend said "They're all about power and money, which makes them the quintessential American team."

It's gratifying to hear someone from New York saying this. My rule is that you can't be a Yankee fan unless you became one as a kid growing up in the area. Otherwise it's like someone from, say, Romania rooting for the United States in the Olympics. My nephew (born and raised in California) is a Yankee fan because he was indoctrinated by his father (also born and raised in California). It's my duty to give him a hard time every time I see him.

[Sonic Youth]

LOL! Yeah, right.

Those seats, in a characteristic display of Yankee philanthropy, were reserved for "Half Price Tickets for Twins Fans" day. I think the Twins' fans wives made them stay home and frost the pastries, instead.



Edited By Sonic Youth on 1255185856

[Damien]

It's pretty embarrassing seeing all those empty seats around home plate. I know this has been a problem all year long at Yankee Stadium, but you'd think they might paper the house just for appearance sake.

[Bog]

Well Tee and Sonic...if he's going to continue to not be A-Fraud throughout the month of October...I'd say go ahead and mark down number 27 in the books.

Bring on the winter meetings if that's the case.

[Sonic Youth]

Whatever it takes...

[Damien]

If ever that classic line (and who originated it -- Jimmy Cannon?) were true -- "It's easy to root for the Yankees, but it's like rooting for US Steel" were true, it's this season. Hateful, hateful franchise. I can't believe so many of my lefty friends are fans of theirs.

A more clear-eyed friend said "They're all about power and money, which makes them the quintessential American team."

[Sonic Youth]

None necessary.

Good! I don't much like exerting myself. But some people seem to think such sentiments are necessary.

:p

Anyway, they're not quite dead yet, but it's doutful they'll recover from that nasty blow.



Edited By Sonic Youth on 1255149778

[Eric]

None necessary. I predicted they'd be swept out in particularly embarrassing fashion.

[Sonic Youth]

I have nothing to add to anything that will be said subsequent to this post, other than "I agree with Mister Tee."

Also, my condolences, Eric.

<span style='font-size:7pt;line-height:100%'>*Does victory dance*</span>

[danfrank]

You're right, Tee; it will be very difficult for the Cards to come back after such a punch-in-the-gut (literally: that line drive hit Matt Holliday right in his midsection) loss. In one brief moment Holliday may have lost all the good will he's gained with Cardinal fans these last couple of months. The postseason can be brutal.

[Mister Tee]

It's hard to imagine the Cardinals coming back from yesterday's debacle. Simply to have thrown Wainwright and Carpenter without getting a win is bad enough; to have lost in such excruciating fashion makes the flight back to St. Louis a painful one. It'd be easier to recover in a seven-game set; the five-game series punishes every small mistake.

[danfrank]

The tie between the Tigers and Twins after 162 games, and after 9 innings in the 163rd, goes to prove that even though the baseball season is long, every play really DOES count. This is why it upsets me to see players seemingly not--as good veteran players often say-- "playing the game the right way," e.g., getting the bunt down, hitting the cutoff man, hitting to the right side to get the guy over to third, etc. The Giants (my team too, Damien), despite their woeful hitting, could have gotten into the postseason had they played better fundamental baseball.

As for the teams that are still in it, I hate all the American League teams save the Twins, so I'll hope for a miracle. As Tee said below, the National League is hard to predict, but I think the Cardinals have the best overall team. I'll root for them over the Dodgers, and the Rockies over the Phils.

[Eric]

Thanks for thinking of me, guys. I actually haven't been following baseball much at all this year. I did watch the game last night and, while it was I'm sure nowhere near as satisfying to watch as it would've been if I'd followed the Twins the entire season, it was nothing if not entertaining.

Of course, given all the variables, I knew tonight's game would be a lost cause, but I'm hoping the Twins can at least stave off the predictable onslaught. This isn't Their Year, so maybe it will turn out to be their year.

[Sonic Youth]

I have nothing to add at this time.

[Damien]

I had hoped to post here before today's games started but didn't get a chance (and thanks for the kind words about the Giants, Tee -- even they they came up short, a very good year.

Boy, last night's game was amazing. One game tie-breakers often are very exciting, but last night's was one of the best I've ever seen. Congratulations, Eric.

Momentum can indeed be a powerful tool in post-season, which is what, as Tee points out, the Rockies had in 2007, and the Marlins had their years. The Twins (although they might be exhausted) and Rockies have the Big Mo now, but it didn't help Colorado today against the Phils.

The Cardinals have a fearsome twosome in Carpenter and Wainwright, and I see St. Louis taking the pennant. The Yankees by all objective standards should do the same in the A.L. but objective standards don't often apply in the post-season.