Red Sox Playoffs Revisited

It's so far so far good for the Red Sox in their quest for another World Series Championship this decade. They exceeded my expectation in sweeping the Angeles in three straight games.

An injury to Garrett Anderson one of only two Home Run hitting threats in the Batting Order and pitching by the Red Sox doomed them to a quick exit from the playoffs.

The Other A.L divisional series saw the Yankees going down in four games to the Cleveland Indians. The Yankees were done in by their lack of Pitching. The Best Hitting team in the League was stymied by great starting pitching by the Cleveland staff. The Indians series win deprives the Red Sox and their fans from the extra joy of playing and beating the Yankees.  Not that I'm complaining that our biggest rival will not be in the World Series again this year. It also is more satisfying when we knock them out but I'll get over it and I'm looking forward to us playing Cleveland.

The Indians have strong starting pitching lead by their by their 19 game winners, C.C Sabathia and Fausto Carmona. They have some good hitters with up and coming star Grady Sizemore leading the way. They don't have the clutch power hitters that the Red Sox have but they have a solid lineup. The Red Sox have a clear advantage in the bullpen and in playoff experience.

So I'm predicting that the Red Sox will beat the Indians in Seven Games and advance to the World Series.

Over in the National League it's a match up between two very surprising teams, The Colorado Rockies and the Arizona Diamondbacks. These teams both breezed by their first round opponents three games to none. The Rockies took care of the Phillies and the Diamondbacks beat the favorite Chicago Cubs. I really don't know who is going to win. The Rockies have won 13 of their last 14 games including a one game playoff against the San Diego Padres just to make it into the first round. I'll go with the hot team and predict that the Rockies will beat the Diamondbacks to advance and lose to the Red Sox in the World Series.

So I still say that the Red Sox will prevale 4 games to 0 to win the World Series for the fist time sine 2004. instead Just change my last prediction of the Cubs with the Rockies

Unfortunately The Fox network will be covering the rest of the Red Sox games. Their main announces Joe Buck and Tim McCarver are so bad that I rather put up with the regular Red Sox announcers Don Orsillo and Jerry Remy doing all their non baseball gibberish then the clowns that do the game for Fox.

On my last blog Janet left a comment saying that she enjoys what I call "inane banter" between the Red Sox Announcers. She made a good point that casual fans like her are entertained by the non baseball stuff during the often long and dull games. As a big baseball fan I don't like it but there are many more casual fans out there then the hard core fans like myself.

I also found this while on the Internets the other day. I would have put it on my last blog if I saw it before I posted it. This comes from a good Red Sox parody site call of the green Monster It has some funny bits like "Red Sox to Install Toll Booths Inside Fenway Park" and "Aryan Nation calls for the return of Dennis and Callahan ". Check it out for a good laugh. Here's a good sample from the site:

Jerry Remy to be Treated for Endorsement Addiction 

Sovereign Bank, Eastern Clothing of Watertown, Modell's Sporting Goods, not to mention his hot dog stand and the endless pitches for the plethora of products sold on his website.  Gifted baseball analyst Jerry Remy is a walking endorsement, and yesterday in a painfully emotional press conference, Remy announced that at the end of the season he will undergo treatment for what has been described as acute endorsement addiction.
           "I'll endorse competing products, my Aunt Elma's garage sale…hell, I'd even endorse something that could cause me physical harm," said a brutally honest Remy, as he wiped his tear-filled eyes.  "You have no idea how bad this has gotten.  I walk down the street and see a crunched up soda can on the sidewalk, and I think to myself, 'I could sell that.  Call it the RemCan and stick on the website.' I mean, I literally had to fight the urge not to pick the thing up and try to sell it.  It's a nightmare."
           Partner Don Orsillo, who is secretly jealous of Remy's popularity and would love to see his empire collapse, offered special insight into Remy's problem.  "The guy is truly sick.  Between innings he's down in the stands trying to sell the coffee cup he just drank from, telling people it's a quality product.  Remember the rat that came into the booth and freaked out Castiglione in Tampa?  Remy trapped the thing, got Joe to sign the cage, and had it up on eBay the next day.  He's on the phone with Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts trying to cut deals with both of them.  Unreal!"
           Remy announced that he will head off to Vermont to be treated at the Green Mountain Center of Unusual Addictions.  "It's a fine treatment center," Remy said.  "They do tremendous work.  In fact, in November, they're offering special rates that I encourage you to investigate.  First rate facilities, comfortable surroundings…" At this point, Remy was being pulled out of his chair.  "And when you get there," he said, as he was led away, "tell 'em the RemDawg sent you. Be sure to mention my name or I won't get a cut…"

Here's the TV schedule for the upcoming Red Sox –Indians series and The World Series.

Series begins Friday Game Matchup Day Date Time ET TV

Gm 1 CLE @ BOS Fri Oct. 12 7 pm FOX

Gm 2 CLE @ BOS Sat Oct. 13 8 pm FOX

Gm 3 BOS @ CLE Mon Oct. 15 7 pm FOX

Gm 4 BOS @ CLE Tue Oct. 16 8 pm FOX

Gm 5* BOS @ CLE Thu Oct. 18 8 pm FOX

Gm 6* CLE @ BOS Sat Oct. 20 TBD FOX

Gm 7*CLE @ BOS Sun Oct. 21 TBD FOX

* - if necessary

WS Game 1 (AL host) Wed., Oct. 24FOX

WS Game 2 (AL host) Thurs., Oct. 25FOX

WS Game 3 (NL host) Sat., Oct. 27FOX

WS Game 4 (NL host) Sun., Oct. 28FOX

WS Game 5 (NL host) Mon., Oct. 29FOX

WS Game 6 (AL host) Wed., Oct. 31FOX

WS Game 7 (AL host) Thurs., Nov. 1FOX

Also a good trivia Question:

In 1993, MLB owners voted 27-1 to realign the divisions and create a new wildcard system. Since then, revenue has quadrupled and ticket sales have increased by the millions. Which owner cast the single dissenting vote? Guess

Drum Roll. Please.

-----------------------

------------------------

--------------------------

Answer: George W Bush.

Yes our current Dumb-Ass President. He was given a sweetheart deal to become a limited partner in The Texas Rangers Baseball Club. The main reason was that the team wanted a new stadium and they wanted it paid with State Tax money. George W's dad just happened to be the President  of The United States at the time and his family had ties with all the top Texas law makers. George was put in charge of cozening up to them . He took them out and hobnobbed with all the right people and low and behold the Tax payers of Texas ended up paying the bill for the new Ball Park. Shortly there after W sold his part of the team and made a great profit. The  high rollers he met with bankrolled his run for Governor and the rest is history.

--

Rich

Comments

[Fitz]

Jeez, you almost got out of this without mentioning Bush:) I din't know you knew so much about baseball.