sluggo
1961
The rumor started yesterday, largely due to a post on Keith Olbermann’s MLB blog, and part of the deal would be the Yankees paying off a large part of the contract. Brian Cashman came out yesterday and flatly declared the rumor as “not true”, saying that he hadn’t had trade talks of any type with the Marlins about anyone since the trade deadline.
Since then, Olbermann has added to his post, claiming talks were between Randy Levine and Jeffrey Loria. And while I find the whole thing dubious, the Soriano signing a few years ago was basically done against Cashman’s wishes as well, so who knows.
Watching the postgame interviews on TV: omg, the Tigers’ poor owner with that horrible wig/hairpiece is going to get skewered by… well, anyone who sees this. I actually thought that was a woman until he spoke.
That said, I’ll be rooting for Detroit in the World Series. The Cards and Giants have already won, the Tigers haven’t since the 80s. And I love Leyland, and would love to see Verlander get one as well.
Hah, yes. I guess once you get to a certain level of ridiculous wealth, people must stop telling you how stupid you look. But it’s OK, Dave Dombrowski looks noble enough for both of 'em.
You’re a class act, Sluggo. I wouldn’t be so magnanimous if the sweep had gone the other way.
Goddammit. Giants starting pitching is in a bit of a shambles.
Zuwadza
1964
A first inning jam from Lincecum? Where have I seen that before?
“And Sandoval grounds out to second sharply here, 2 outs. Now back to discussing the Yankees and Red Sox here in the NLCS.”
Yeah, this is why I hate the Yankees, and Red Sox, and Dodgers, etc. The Tigers just pull off one of the most dominating team performances ever, especially by starting pitchers, but all anyone wants to talk about is what will happen to A-Rod and his huge contract with New York. Screw 'em.
viva el birdos @vivaelbirdos
After every swing, Yadier Molina makes the face you’d make if you were constantly, pleasantly surprised to learn you played pro baseball.
mdowdle
1968
So, looking back over the longue durée, are the Cardinals the ‘Yankees’ of the National League? Since at least the 1930s, every decade except for the 1970s, they find themselves in at least one World Series (the only exception is the 1970s). And in most, they are in multiple Series.
They’ve certainly been successful, with 11 championships (so far). But that’s still a far cry from the Yankees with 27. The Yankees tend to be better in the regular season (the last five years about 7 games better each year than the Cardinals), so we get to hate their success for a lot longer. Lately, the Cards have been just good enough in the regular season; they keep sneaking in as the wild card and then get hot in the post-season. And they don’t have anything close to the payroll that New York does. So, while St. Louis is definitely successful, I don’t think they’re anywhere near the Yankees.
Having said that, as both a Cubs and Tigers fan, I still don’t like 'em.
Yeah, I don’t think the Cards are the Yankees of the NL. They don’t have the huge payroll.
As far as NL champs go, both the Cards and the Dodgers have won the NL 22 times. The Dodgers only have six WS titles, though, basically because the Yankees kept beating them in the late 40’s and 50’s.
News from the AL Champions: they’re not going to sit around until Wednesday waiting on the World Series to start.
“We actually have our instructional league team coming to Detroit and we’re going to play a couple of actual games Sunday and Monday and have a workout Saturday as well,” Leyland told Mike and Mike. “We’re going to have our pitchers throw to hitters and we’re going to have our hitters face live pitching. So hopefully we’ll be a little more prepared this time.”
Learned a lesson from 2006.
Also, nice little article on the skipper. He won’t say whether he’s coming back next year or not, which is as it should be. Jim won’t say anything about himself until the team is done playing.
I think that if the Cardinals do not win the NLCS tonight against Barry Zito that they will not win it at all. The Giants will have Ryan Vogelsong and Matt Cain pitching at home for games 6 and 7, and I think they will win both of those games if it comes to it.
They also played in 2 World Series in the 1920’s, and played in no World Series in the 1990’s.
nKoan
1974
Out of curiosity, how much does Lynn scare Cards fans right now? Zito starts always brings fear to hearts Giants fans, although his latest string of success is something.
To me, this game looks to be a gut wrenching game from both sides.
Worry about Lynn? Only a ton. Just a ton.
Lynn has always had this very annoying habit of “getting under the ball”–basically on his delivery, his hand drops under the ball and his 2-seam fastball instead of moving down in the zone instead just sort of wobbles side to side and ends up being a pitch that gets hit 450 feet or so. He does this charming and fun-filled thing in the 1st inning of games, and then later in games when he gets tired.
If I were Barry Zito tonight, I would not throw strikes. The Cardinals will be eager to try to get Lynn a lead that can be turned over to a suddenly well-rested bullpen; they will flail away horribly like they did in that August game where Zito handled them easily. If I were Giants hitters, I would look dead red for Lynn’s fastball and dare him to try to throw his curve for strikes.
I don’t think he’ll be back either way, but if they win the Series he definitely won’t be back. I don’t see why he would… it’d be a tremendous accomplishment and a great way to end a career. And Leyland is really old. I can’t see a better way to end a career. To do it in Detroit would make him a superhero for the ages.
— Alan
Ok, Cardinals, get this shit over with. I’m pumped for the World Series.
World Series starts next Wednesday no matter how long this series goes.
If the Giants win tonight behind Zito, they have to be feeling very good about their chances at home with Vogelsong and Cain. If those two fellows pitch the same games they’ve already pitched, then the Giants win. Sorta means that for the Cardinals, it’s win tonight or don’t.
Kind of think that the Cardinals will be jumping at the ball from Zito, too, playing into his hands. Zito’s at his best when guys chase against him. Cardinals will be trying to get an early lead to turn the game over to their well-rested bullpen, and I think they’ll be flailing like they were in the last game Zito pitched against them in August.
Zuwadza
1980
This is probably the best game I’ve seen Zito pitch all year. I’m not sure I’d believe it if someone had told me yesterday that Zito would pitch 7.2 innings with no runs, 6 K’s and only 1 walk. Sure, he got some defensive help, but he has looked like some sort of Zito-machine out there.
