Bazeball
 

Wow! How bout these pennant/wild card races? [obnoxious]BTW THEEEEEEEEE YYYAAAAANNKKKEEEEEES WIN![/fan]

oh, is it still a race? I thought they had just decided to give the whole thing to the world's most awesomest angels.

We went to the park last night with a bunch of friends, and my daughter saw them play for the first time. They managed to put a win up for her. What a blast.

Here's my prediction - Angels get both the Cy Young award with Bartolo Colon, and the MVP with Vladamir Guerrero.

I believe it is time to stick a fork in Oakland..... yep sure nuff, they've been on the grill too long, they're done. :flamer:

I'm a huge Oakland fan (even got playoff tickets in advance) but this game tonight sorta cemented it. it really comes down to the 4 game series with the Angles but they A's just don't have it this year. Having Crosby out for a time and Harden gone so long + all the other injuries was just too much for a rookie laden team like this. Next year will be something though. Blanton has found his way, Harden should be back, Haren has been spot on, Saarloos is decent. Swisher won't be a rookie either.

It'll be interesting to see what teams fail once they get in the playoffs. Some teams have been protected by their strong batting lineup and it won't be so easy in the playoffis with more equally matched teams. Once again the Cardinals look strong but we know what happened last year.

You still have to give the schedulers the nod for lining up these season ending series. Oakland still has their shot.

I think the number of games inside the the division hurts the teams with better pitching. Opponents see the same arms again and again, they will hit them, so the best teams may not be the ones in the playoffs. *shrug* I guess maybe they just play too many games but I'll listen to or watch as many as possible.

After watching last night's game agains the Devil Rays, and seeing how many Angels played a part in the victory, I was reminded again of how brilliantly that team is managed. Even without big bats swinging, their kind of small ball can just punish you with hits, moving guys around, stealing bases. How many teams do you see where a .300+ hitter is willing to lay down a left side bunt to move a base runner around?

Not to mention the fact that they are one of the most error-free teams in baseball. I really like our chances this year in the post-season. We got hot at the right time, our pitching is back where it needs to be, and our offense is back to being productive.

To me, that smells like World Series, baby.

That is the most irritating thing about the Yanks this year. They are not that good at small ball. They don't move the runner over. Part of the problem is Torres fixation on playing established players. Bubba Crosby plays the best defensive outfield on the team, lays down bunts, steals bases, and rides the bench. They are streaky because they rely on the long ball, well that and so so pitching...

that's a safe bet.

for the national league i see Roger Clemens or Chris Carpenter....

(Go 'stros!)

Kids, let me settle things for you right now.

Cardinals.

The Cardinals will beat the Padres like ugly children, then handle the Braves. Then they will banish the Angels like St. Michael banished Lucifer.

Cardinals in 6, baby!

your dreaming!

I am dreaming...I am dreaming of standing along Market Street early next month, as the Cardinals parade down the street with that championship trophy.

If you think the Astros are going to the Series...well, could you please share with me whatever it is that you're smoking? ;)

Goes without saying. Let's hear it for teams that win their division with a losing record - huzahh!

You've clearly never seen a team that can manufacture runs like the Angels. In there last series, they scored runs with *no hits*!! walk, steal, steal, bunt

That's angels baseball. And it'll tear up the Yankees, and it'll tear up the Cardinals.

The Cards had the lowest ERA in the majors this season, gave up the fewest earned runs, the 2nd fewest runs overall and were 5th-lowest in giving out walks.

The Angels are a good team. They can get past any of the teams in the AL...but not the Cardinals.

I'm taking it a series at a time. We did get the Atlanta "monkey" off our back last year. and the cards will most likely beat out the 'stros but it won't be a sweep this time.

oh, and Syc - *holding in smoke* "ear" *passes 5 foot bong*:fumette:

It wasn't a sweep last year--it went 7 games. Remember, dopesmoker? :)

oh that's right, i was thinking of the cards in the world series. :lol2:

Yeah...that sucked ass. But the Sox totally earned that championship, and I have nothing but respect for them.

yeah, i was just settin' ya up for a slam! :thumb:

Nope. David Ortiz. I hate Boston but Poppy er Popi er whoever always gets the big hit. He carried that team this year.

The Cards ERA was against National League hitters, that won't hold against the AL Champs.

The Yanks are supposed to roll Mussina out tonight, thing is he sucked out loud last time out. Starting out 0-1 to the Angels isn't the best plan. Maybe the figure starting against Colon is a loss anyway so just use up Moose.

the lines are giving 7 runs on www.covers.com today to the 'stros. that sux.

Or, maybe he's a damn good pitcher. He was flinging some hot shit last night!

Apparently, I'm no Joe Torre.

Big game tonight. I have to admit that I prefer the Angels style of play to what the Yankees have morphed into over the last few years. Another fan I was talking to thinks we should expect wholesale lineup changes next year but I'm not so sure. The fence swingers are putting butts in the seats even if they rarely win tight games. I think they'll try to address middle relief and leave the rest alone. I just hope they sign Matsui.

Go Angels! Whereever they're really from. Do the play at the Big A anymore?

f*ck.

All is not lost...game 5 in Anaheim tomorrow night. I believe the stadium is again known as the Big A...it's gone through a few name changes over the past 10 years (currently, it's known as Angel Stadium of Anaheim).

Ha! I remember when they changed the name, because I was working on the All-Star Baseball videogame and they changed it yet again after we'd already recorded all the announcer commentary for that year. First it was "Anaheim Stadium," then it was "Edison International"... The only stadium that changed as much was Enron Field/Astros Field/Minute Maid Park. I had to stitch together 4 different people saying "Angel Stadium at Anaheim" from other bits of audio.

GO 'STROS! man, yesterday's game. What a game that was! not one but TWO grand slams! a funny thing is that the fan that caught Berkman's grand slam ball also caught the game winning home run ball from Burke! i watched the "first game" at the flight school and listened to the other 9 innings from the plane. ya know, you can actually bounce around in a 172 cockpit quite easily! i was yelling cheering laughing. bring on St. Louis, it'll be a good series!

Great starting pitching performances for NY and LA last night, both guys looked untouchable. They were going pitch for pitch, a couple very cool operators. Leiter is looking more comfortable coming in from the pen now. Hopefully Mussina is ready to go again tonight. If not, I hope Small is ready to stop any early inning bleeding. Go Yanks!

DOUBLE PLAY!!!

K-Rod to A-Rod, one out away!

*cue the heavenly music!*

Angels win ANGELS WIN!!

Football season begins. *Dulp* Big Ben is hurt.

Luv to see those Yanks stank. Go White Sox.

Why do you insist on rooting for the wrong team? :biggrin: I'm fully on board with the Angels now, until El Duque gets his start.

I don't understand anything in baseball. But I've never seen a match.

I've tried to study a match of cricket without sleeping when I travelled in England. The sky was blue (I can testify), the birds were singing.
Some players were lucky to run sometimes. Some others were proud to pitch somewhere. I think the last ones were giving points to their own team if they could bear the sun without falling dehydrate.

Next to this strange game, in another cool space-time, white shirted and trousered elderly people were playing lawn bowling.

Quite a nice afternoon. But I still understand nothing in cricket : I'm not sure this sport has real rules. ;)

I don't know how this can possibly help but...

http://www.artshole.co.uk/arts/artis...rick3-text.jpg

start here bargalunan

Actually, there's not really a "wrong choice" right now.

ANGELS
Pros: Beat the Yankees, the Rally Monkey
Cons: Responsible for those goddamn Thundersticks, won one three years ago, PICK A GODDAMN CITY

WHITE SOX
Pros: Longer drought than the Red Sox had, due for a win, associated for years with the awesome Veeck family
Cons: Afterthoughts in their own city next to the legion of Cubs fans

ASTROS
Pros: Beat the Braves, never been to a Series, due for a win
Cons: Harboring recently-pinstriped scum (Pettitte and Clemens), abandoned the Astrodome

CARDINALS
Pros: Flattened by Sox Mania last year, best team in baseball this year
Cons: Once harbored J.D. Drew, Tony LaRussa molests collies

:lol2:

here's a comic from the houston chronicle:

I like

Angels: PRO - prove that the franchise is for real, and that 2002 wasn't just a Cinderella year.

HORSHIT!!!!!

9th Inning, 3rd out, Strikeout.

Stolen away by the Ump.

It wasn't that idiot West again was it?

GO 'STROS!!!!!! series tied 1-1. finally won one post season at Busch stadium. which, may be, just maybe their last game in that stadium.

GO 'STROS!!!!! 3-1 BABY! Tonight is the night!

CRAPSTACKS! 1 strike, that's all we needed. ONE STRIKE! and WTF was Garner thinking to pitch to Pujols anyway? at least we have one of the best pitchers in the national league starting wednesday.

The Cards pulled that one out of the dumper, but they still have a ways to go.

This might be sycamore's pre-christmas miracle.

Silly me, I watched the Rams get their asses beat last night.

He was thinking "You know, I really don't want to intentionally put the go-ahead run on base and walk the tying run into scoring position."

Pujols is undeniably dangerous, but he's not a machine; he had every chance of dribbling one to shortstop instead of launching it halfway to New Mexico. With a top-notch closer on the mound, Garner trusted his pitcher, and this time he hung the wrong slider to the wrong guy. It's baseball, it happens.

greetings from memphis. too bad i don't have enough time to tour around.
anyway, yeah, vsp, i know, just the hindsight 20/20 workin' here. oswalt is starting tomorrow so we'll see what happens there. i hope he brings his game with him........

My thoughts on last night

Sorry, Fred...I know if I were an Astros fan right now, I'd be confident, but still shell-shocked.

here it is wednesday and i still have that look on my face. :eek:
we'll see tonight though. can the 'stros win 2 in a row post season at busch stadium (last week and today or tomorrow)? :unsure: or is the :reaper: upon them?

Sycamore, you need to practice turning over police cars and setting city busses on fire, just in case.

oh yeah, that's right....the yanks riot, the southerners just throw a huge party and get drunk! :rolleyes: :biglaugha :guinness:

Nah...we don't do anything like that here. We just bitch and complain about it a bit, then move on. Very rarely do St. Louis sports fans get really riled up. In fact, about the only thing that we're still pissed off about is the 1985 World Series (the blown call by umpire Don Denkinger in game 6).

this town was electric last night! down here everyone gets in such a cheery mood when we win something huge that the crime rate here drops.

Goooooooo 'stroooooooooos!

The Cardinals are becoming more and more like LaRussa's Oakland A's...can't finish the deal. I don't think that's necessarily a reflection on LaRussa, but it does make one wonder...

The better team clearly won, and I congratulate the Astros on winning the NL pennant. Having said that, I've been a fan of the Sox for years, and would love to see them end their curse...GO SOX!!!

I wonder if Steinbrenner has reflected on who the two game one pitchers are for the best teams in baseball.

it should be a good series. playball!

Roger that!