Yankee fans bring signs to
The Stadium at the Bronx
that read simply “1918”.
But what happens if
the Red Sox win the
American League
and then the
World Series ?

Amaury Pi-González [Read more →]

When you get this far into the playoffs small mistakes can be made. You don’t have the pressure of the five game series which requires tough baseball 24/7.

The pitching staff is the key and I mean the whole staff. To win a seven gamer you need three or four in the bull pen plus at least two horses on the mound.

Boston has the two horses and I think a surprisingly decent bull pen anchored by Keith Foulke. The key for Boston is not having to go to Foulke for more than one inning and not back to back to back days.

That’s why I like the Sox I think they can hit with the Yankees and not have to use the best guys in the pen every day.

Click below for more! [Read more →]

After last night’s game between the Dodgers and the Cardinals, I saw something that I had never seen occur
in baseball. I had seen it in hockey when after a hard
fought playoff series , the two teams would line up and
shake hands and congratulate each other. It is an
admirable show of sportsmanship. However, in baseball, one team usually jumps up and down and the
losers walk glum-faced back to to the clubhouse with
their heads down. Last night, the Dodgers came on the field and congratulated the Cardinals. Shook hands
and hugs for the players and managers. I know the object is winning but when teams show their appreciation to each other for the hard work and effort to get to the playoffs and each team plays as hard as they can, there are really no losers. Yes the Cardinals will advance and the Dodgers will go home
but baseball now is better off for what those two teams did after the game. Let’s hope they have started a new tradition in baseball.

Jerry Feitelberg [Read more →]

So far the 2004 playoffs have been less than spectacular.

When you have an overmatched Dodger team and an underachieving Angels team leading the way, it’s tough to get excited.

The Red Sox have the bats cooking. If Curt Schilling and Pedro Martinez continue to throw the way they did in their opening starts, perhaps Boston fans will have something to cheer about.

The Yankees and the Twins have each other, a bumbling matchup with the Yanks doing everything in their power to give the series to Minnesota.

One word of advice to the Twins: Don’t let NY up, just when you think you have them, they are back in the game and beat you.

[Read more →]

Ron Gardenhire should worry less about what music Ruben Sierra listens to when he comes up to bat and watch the pitches his pitchers throw more carefully.

Who’s Gardenhire’s bench coach anyway?
Grady Little?

Joe Nathan was gassed, it was obvious he had nothing left on the ball when he threw four wide ones, the culmination of eight in a row out of the strike zone, to Derek Jeter.

A Rod who has enough power in this park to do some real damage even though he is often fooled by the pitch, ended the night with a mediocre fly ball double to tie the score and effectively end the Twins night.

Jasse Crain next in for Minnesota is a rookie, but he has a live arm and pitched well down the srtetch.

Why let the game get away?

Only Grady Little and Ron Gardenhire can explain last night’s brain lock.

Click below for more! [Read more →]

It was not vintage Johan Santana last night at the Stadium in the Bronx, but the young lefty got the job done as the Twins beat the Bombers 2-0.

The Twins play defense especially in the outfield. Torri Hunter is the best center fielder in the game today. He runs down everything, throws with the best, and displays an enthusiasm for the game which lifts his team.

The Yankees miss Jason Giambi’s bat in the middle of the line up. What a waste of time having A Rod bat second. Ted Sizemore batted second, Junior Gilliam, Tommy Herr, Kevin Seitzer, Rennie Stennett, they all hit second, you get the idea, the set up hitters in the lineup.

If this is the spot A Rod feels comfortable hitting in NY, because he again disappeared in the clutch this season, it could be a short postseason for the New Yorkers.

I’d move him to fourth right now and put Bernie Williams second.

Click below for more! [Read more →]

The Boston Red Sox traded for Curt Schilling for one reason and that is to pitch and win game one of the division series.

The Angels make you beat them before the sixth inning or else you have to deal with their bull pen anchored by Scott Shields, Brenden Donnelly, KRod and Troy Percival.

Not a lefty in sight for Mike Scoscia.

You can’t let Vladimir Guerrero beat you, but you better keep Chone Figgins and Darin Erstad off base ahead of the free swinging AL MVP candidate.

To win a five game ALDS or NLDS you have to play almost flawless baseball for the entire series.

The game changes by the minute and whoever makes the fewest mistakes wins.

Click below for more! [Read more →]

It would seem that a similar pattern of the field Manager revolving door may be starting with the A’s. Today’s Contra Costa Times leads one to believe that Ken Macha may want to leave the Manager’s job due to Beane’s resistance to deviate from the old Baltimore strategy of two walks and wait for the home run. All the years Baltimore employed this strategy they won three championships from 1966-1983. They lost more than they won, including three playoffs to the A’s. Lighting and lumber will always beat those who wait for things to happen.

Click below for the conclusion!
[Read more →]

2004 regular season is
h i s t o r y.
Below are my picks
for the main awards.
Everybody here
follows the game
so the stats are
there to see.

Amaury Pi-González

Click below for more! [Read more →]

Marty, This is being written the morning after the ninth inning. It is still not known how today’s games play out. The likelihood is that the season is over for the Giants today but it matters litttle. No matter how today’s games end, the season is over. The Giants will not be successful in a playoff, if, by some unlikely scenario, they get that far. This season’s last column is not premature.

Click below for more!
[Read more →]