It's baseball season

“I'm not for anybody. I just hate those teams.

I watched what passed for a hockey game last night. Wasn't much, but the only hockey game in town.”

“I've heard of hockey. Something about ice, sticks, goals, etc.”

“Something like that. The Flyers weren't too sure either.”

“Boston out, Yanks on the verge. Johnson sucked last night! I was hoping for a repeat of last years ALCS (with a different outcome of course), but alas, it was not to be. Pitching, Pitching, Pitching!”

“Perhaps it's best the Phutiles did not make the playoffs. They spared me further agony.”

“Doesn't matter really if the Yankees beat Los Angeles or not; I don't think the Yankees' pitching is good enough to take down the White Sox, nor do I think anyone in the playoffs is a match for Chicago; if you ask me, they're just going to roll right over everyone.”

“The Brats found out what the Phutiles already knew. There's no quit in the A-holes!

I just hope they go on to beat the Cruds!”

“http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2186589


Gerry Hunsicker is available, the Phillies could do a lot worse than hire him for their next GM.”

“Wow! Hadn't gotten that news until now Chuck. Thanks. There may be hope after all.

The move had to be made, but it's a helluva shame because Wade is a nice guy (Yes, I know what Birdie Tebbits said about nice guys). I happened to be sitting in the Phillies office one day waiting to see PR guy Larry Schenk when Ed came into the room to talk to a TV crew. He did not know me from Adam, but he looked around the room and nodded to me before talking to the TV guys. When he finished the interview, he nodded again on his way out.

He has certainly made some good moves in his time as GM. Given what he inherited and what he left behind, there is vast improvement. But he could not manage to push them over the top. I think the biggest mistake was hiring Charlie Manuel.

Hopefully whoever comes in will correct that one.

This came out of the blue. I wasn't expecting it to happen.”

“So far no letter from the A's inviting me to interview for the manager job. Heck, they had one civil engineer for 3 years; why not try another?”

“Why would any sane person want to subject him or herself to second guessing by hordes of sports writers and talking heads??? Hell, it burns out baseball lifers.”

“Actually, I'd be happy to take Hunsicker if he brought Scrap Iron along.”

“You can't have Scrap Iron, how about Sweet Lou Pinella?


I've got an extra ticket to the Sat game, anybody interested?
last edited: 10/10/05 4:01:30 PM”

“I've been wondering, is Steve Bartman a Chisox fan?”

“If he is, he better not come to any of the games and if he does, make him sit in the upper deck!”

“Still no interview date for that A's job....”

“I'd think the Chisox would pay Steve Bartman to show up in the Angels' ballpark.

I had nearly forgotten that name until last night's game. Like a lightning bolt, the thought, "Where the hell's Steve Bartman sitting?" shot across my mind.”

“For anybody who forgot who Steve Bartman is: http://www.thebackpacker.com/trailtalk/thread/26952,-1.php”

“I am busily designing and constructing a time machine as we speak so that I may go back in time and kill Steve Bartman's mother before he was born.”

“I wish you guys would leave me alone!”

“Die evil bartman!”

“Chi-town's greatest son(uvab*tch)!”

“CARDINALS CARDINALS CARDINALS CARDINALS CARDINALS!

woohoo!”

“what a game! If the Cardinals continue to play like that, they should be World Champs no problem.”

“wabbit season!”

“The White Sox should not have won that game in the bottom of the ninth. It hurts to say it because I am a big fan of the team.

It was obvious that he made the catch. He should have tagged out AJ though, just to make sure.

These next 3 games in LA are going to be tough.”

“all I can say is Go Cardinals!!!”

“Yes, that was a BS call!!”

“The umps are part of the game. I didn't see the whole thing, but I can bet there were calls earlier in the game (and even in game 1) where sox fans would say they were screwed.

Controversial calls at the end of games are especially tough for umps, but really shouldn't affect an outcome more than a controversial call earlier in the game. Instant replay in baseball may be one of the only ways to cut down on missed calls. Jeez, at least they should use it to see whether a home run was fair or foul - something they seem to screw up weekly.”

“Yankees, ha ha”

“Bad calls have been part of the game since it dawned on somebody that they needed an umpire to decide things.

In 1969, Don Clendenon was called safe when he was photographed running outside the baseline.

In 1970, Bernie Carbo was called out when Elrod Hendricks tagged him with an empty mitt while holding the ball in the air in his other hand.

It goes on and on and on.

What bothers me is not that bad calls are made, but that bad umpires continue to work when there is proof they can't get calls right. Also, it bothers me that umpires make terrible calls and then are quick to throw managers and players out of the game when they come out to argue. It's the arrogance, sanctioned by MLB, that bothers me.

They should institute a replay that managers could call for, and if the replay upholds the ump's decision the team calling for the replay gets an out on their next batter. That would cut down on replays for very close plays. But managers would be able to get a bad play overturned.

But in this case, the umps were interviewed on ESPN and insisted the replay showed the ball changed direction, meaning it had hit the dirt. I did not see a replay that was slow enough to see anything. I was not watching the game at the time.”

“Hey, at least they got rid of that clown Eric Gregg.”

“Dagnabbit! The A's went and re-hired Macha after all. So much for my dream job....”

“I almost felt sorry for those Angels fans with the long faces ... especially the cute women who needed a shoulder to cry on. That's a long way to go to get a wet shoulder though.”

“Not me! They had their World Series a few years ago. Time for the White Sox!”

“So regardless of who wins the NLCS, this will be an all-Central Division WS. Has Flyover America finally broken the hegemony of the Left and Right Coasts?

Discuss amongst yourselves.”

“ZZZZZZzzzzzz......”

“There actually have been a number of WS between central US teams, including one year between two St. Louis teams (Cards vs Browns).

One of the more memorable WS was between the Cards and Tigers in 1968. Bob Gibson and Mickey Lolich both turned in stellar pitching performances that year.”

“Mickey Lolich: first major leaguer with a giant beer gut!”

“Seems like Babe Ruth grew a decent beer gut before he retired.

To me, it looks like Chicago has gotten back into peak form just at the right time and have been smoking since the Cleveland series at the end of the regular season. I'm hoping they keep it together for the WS.”

“At least the Babe tried to hide it....”

“I'm trying to remember the name of the Atlanta pitcher from the '80's (I think) who Dave Letterman called "A big fat tub of goo"...”

“Here he is: Terry Forster”

“Mickey Lolich could be a lights out pitcher. I thought he was a better pitcher than Denny McClain, who won 30 games one season. I was living in Maryland those years, and when the O's escaped Mickey with a win it seemed lie a great series. Tigers Stadium seemed like a gloomy place during night games, and when Lolich was on the mound it seemed gloomier. I can still see that face peering in for the sign.”

“OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH MMMMMMMMMMMYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


GOOOOOOOOO CCCCCCCCCCCAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRDDDDDDDDSSSSSSS”

“Today sucks”

“Huh? Any time the Asstros lose it's a beautiful day!!”

“That was incredible!”