MLB Winter Meetings

The MLB Winter Meetings have concluded, but most of the action took place after they were over. Sean Dolan and Christian Binder, the hosts of 4th and 15, give their thoughts on the deals that went down in Major League Baseball.

Christian Binder: As a Yankees fan, I can’t be upset with what’s been going on. I still don’t know how I feel about the Yanks acquiring Curtis Granderson, but if he puts up numbers like he did in 2007, then he’s a steal. He does give the team a dependable every day centerfielder who can also lead off, but he has GOT to work on hitting left-handed pitching. I was upset to see Austin Jackson, the Yankees’ supposedly untouchable outfield prospect, go in the deal, but Granderson is in his prime and he’s here for the foreseeable future. That’s really the only move the Yankees have made, though, and they really need to find some back-of-the-rotation starters. I mean, let’s face the fact that Joba Chamberlain is not a starter and that Phil Hughes should be. The top three spots are already set with CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, and Andy Pettitte, but after that, there’s question marks. There are still good pitchers such as Ben Sheets and Justin Duchsherer on the market. Why not give at least one of those guys a shot? Plus, they have to keep up with the Red Sox who signed John Lackey to a 5-year deal. The Sox now have arguably the most talented staff in baseball with Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, Lackey, Daisuke Matsuzaka, and Clay Buchholz. I know you’re happy, Sean, because your team just got the best pitcher in baseball.

Sean Dolan:  With regards to the Yankees’ offseason moves so far, I must admit that I am surprised they did not make a stronger effort to sign Lackey, not only because he would have added depth to the rotation, but because the Red Sox were the other major contender to sign him.  Granderson was a decent pickup, though.  He will serve as a good compliment to the core players on the team, putting up solid numbers both offensively and defensively.  As for the Red Sox, the Lackey signing solidifies their rotation as one of the most complete in the league.  However, I feel that they spent a lot of money on a part of the team that didn’t require much improvement.  Pitching is not their weakness, hitting is.  Beyond Jason Bay, who has already refused offers from them, and Matt Holliday, there are no real top-tier hitters on the market, though they could still be helped by the likes of Garrett Atkins or Adrian Beltre.  If they can acquire some hitting help with the salary space they have left, the Bosox will compete with the Yankees for dominance of the American League.

Which brings us to the Phightin’ Phillies.  When I first learned that Cliff Lee had been traded away, I was furious.  But the more I learned about the trade for Roy Halliday and the circumstances surrounding it, the more I like it.  First, Halliday is only three years older than Lee, dispelling concerns about age.  Second, trading away Lee was essential for maintaining the farm system.  Since the beginning of last season, the Phillies have traded away seven of their top ten farm prospects.  Letting Lee stay for another season (and ultimately losing him to free agency) would have prevented the team from acquiring blue-chip prospects to replace the ones they have given away.  Thus, the Phillies have re-secured a future for themselves, rather than risking everything on next season.  In the end, the effectiveness of this deal for the Phillies will be determined by how successful the prospects from Seattle are, and, believe it or not, how well Cole Hamels pitches next season, not Roy Halliday.  With Lee gone, Hamels is the go-to left-handed starter again, and if he pitches like he did in 2008 when he was the MVP of the World Championship team, the Phillies essentially regain the ace they sent to the West Coast.  Christian, your thoughts on this trade?

Christian: Let me just say first that Garrett Atkins has signed with the Orioles and it doesn’t look like the Sox are going after Beltre, though I could be wrong.The Sox addressed their outfield issues by signing Mike Cameron, which makes me think they’re trying to deal for Adrian Gonzalez with a package centered around Jacoby Ellsbury. I don’t think Ellsbury really fits what the Padres would need, but there’s always a chance that Theo Epstein pulls of some crazy trade.

Now for the Phillies. I’m still not sure if this was the best move for them. They know what they’re getting in Roy Halladay, but they have to remember that he hasn’t pitched in the National League. That won’t be a problem for him – he’ll probably wind up with a sub-2.50 ERA and 24 wins given the sad state of the NL, but he has to bat now. They have no idea how that will affect him. They got a good return for Cliff Lee, but they lost Kyle Drabek in the Halladay deal. I’m a big believer in building a club through the farm system and I feel like they sold their farm over the past year. Don’t get me wrong, though. They’ve got a complete team with the guys they have in the major leagues now. The lesser talked about trade the Phils made this offseason was signing Placido Polanco, who will play third base for them. The guy is getting up in age, but he was a Gold Glove second baseman for the past two years with the Detroit Tigers. That fills the hole left by departed third baseman Pedro Feliz. Right now, the Phillies are clearly the team to beat in the NL.

Looking ahead, there are still big names without teams. Jason Bay and Matt Holliday remain unsigned. Bay has received offers from the Red Sox and Mets, but he rejected the offer from the Sox. The Mets seem like a suitor, but I’m not so sure he’d want to play for them. Holliday has received an offer from the St. Louis Cardinals and it was a very lucrative deal. However, he has yet to accept it and he hasn’t received any other offers. Realistically, there aren’t many teams that can offer him as much money as he wants, so I see him ending up with the Cardinals. What do you think, Sean?

Sean:  Well, it is finally official.  Jason Bay has signed with the New York Mets, a move that I believe will put them in the running for the National League Wildcard.  I still believe the Phillies have all the pieces necessary to dominate the division again (cue homer bell), but this signing will certainly make the race all the more interesting.  That is, assuming Bay stays healthy, a feat that not many Mets have been able to accomplish as of late.  Matt Holliday, meanwhile, will most likely end up with the Cardinals.  You are correct in stating that not many teams can offer him the money he wants; he turned down a five-year, $82.5 million deal from the Red Sox, so logistically one could eliminate the majority of the league from topping that offer.  The last free agent that I would like to address is Cuban 21-year-old left-handed pitcher Aroldis Chapman, who has been courting the Red Sox, Yankees, A’s, Angels, and most recently, the Blue Jays.  Personally, I see him signing with the Angels, a team that will be looking to fill the void left by losing John Lackey.   I also believe they have the money to land him a good deal and the drive to compete with the Yankees and Red Sox in free agent acquisitions.  Your thoughts?

Christian: Peter Gammons said “Jason Bay would rather play in Beirut than Queens.” So much for that. The Mets were the only team really bidding for Bay and they got him. He does bring some help, but he’s not nearly what the team needed. What the Mets lack is pitching. Sure, they have Johan Santana, but after that, they’ve got absolutely nothing. They should’ve spent more time focusing on guys like John Lackey, Randy Wolf, and Brad Penny, but they were never really in on any of those guys. I can’t see Holliday going anywhere but St. Louis. However, his agent Scott Boras said that he would consider a one- or two-year deal for his client, which opens the door for teams like the Yankees. I honestly think that that’s Boras trying to force the Cardinals’ hand, though. Holliday is worthy of a multiyear deal, but no one has the money to spend on him in these tough economic times. As for Chapman, I’m not sure he’ll play in the majors this year. Everyone knows that the kid can throw, but what he lacks is discipline. Plus he wants a contract that’s crazy. The Yankees screwed up when they signed Jose Contreras to a multiyear deal before seeing him pitch in the majors and teams around the league, including the Yanks, have learned from that. I think if anyone signs him, he should be sent straight to the minors for at least a year to develop. Right now, though, there are no clear suitors for him.

There’s plenty more where this came from. Be sure to listen to 4th and 15 every Thursday from 4:15-5:00 on WSOE 89.3 FM.

Christian Binder
cb-sports.blogspot.com
http://wsoesports.wordpress.com/category/christian-binder/

MLB: Red Sox reportedly sign Lackey

By Craig Filazzola, WSOE Sports Director

According to ESPN and other sources, starting pitcher John Lackey has signed with the Boston Red Sox.  This is a 5-year, $85-million deal for the 31-year-old right-hander.  Lackey took a physical for the Red Sox on Monday.   

Red Sox fan Eli Kaufman and Yankees fan Christian Binder discuss the move.

Eli Kaufman – It’s a good indication that Theo Epstein and the owners aren’t just going to sit back and not make any moves this offseason

Christian Binder -  I don’t know why they’d want to sign Lackey. Your staff is good enough already. How about filling the holes in your outfield or figuring out who’s playing the infield corners? If Mike Lowell is going away, you can only play Kevin Youkilis at one position and forget about David Ortiz playing first. You could play Victor Martinez at first, but do you really want Jason Varitek playing every day? Bigger problems than Lackey.

Eli Kaufman - Good pitching beats good hitting. The fact that we are looking at Lackey might mean we are shopping Clay Buchholz, so we might end up getting a third or first baseman.

Christian Binder – Nobody’s trading corner infielders, but you might sign Adrian Beltre (yippee). I mean, you don’t lose anything by signing Lackey, but if I were Theo, I’d try to sign Matt Holliday before Lackey or Beltre, because you know Jason Bay is as good as gone. Unless you want Josh Reddick playing left. Plus, Ellsbury is a sub-par centerfielder who is more suited in left, so in reality, you need a centerfielder.Eli Kaufman – 1. Jacoby is not subpar!!!! 2. We are going to get a corner infielder, whether its Beltre, who hit 25 homers the year before last, Adrian Gonzalez, Miguel Carbrera, or anyone. You never know with Theo. He always makes these crazy random trades

Eli Kaufman - 1. Jacoby is not subpar!!!! 2. We are going to get a corner infielder, whether its Beltre, who hit 25 homers the year before last, Adrian Gonzalez, Miguel Carbrera, or anyone. You never know with Theo. He always makes these crazy random trades

Christian Binder – 1. Yes. He’s a below-average defensive centerfielder.  2) Beltre was awful this year. Adrian Gonzalez isn’t going anywhere, and you’re crazy to think that the Tigers would even entertain the notion of trading away their best player after they traded away Edwin Jackson and Curtis Granderson.

Eli Kaufman – 1. Agree to disagree. Watch a highlight tape.  2. Beltre was injured this year. He didn’t play a full season. The monster will help him out a lot. He’ll be like a younger Mike Lowell, and that’s the thing, the Tigers know they need to rebuild. Although both teams claim they won’t trade certain players, we both know that they get traded all the time. 3. The Sox have to pick and choose which players they feel they can get with the money they have. We don’t have Yankee type cash. Maybe Holliday doesn’t want to come to Boston. Who knows?

Christian Binder – Haha. I’ll agree to disagree, but of course a highlight tape is going to show all the good plays! Fair enough on the rest of your points. Touché. 

Eli Kaufman - Well played sir. Well played. The Sox are so unpredictable it’s tough to really know what’s going to happen in beantown.

Contact Information:
Craig Filazzola
WSOE Sports Director
cfilazzola@elon.edu

Eli Kaufman
WSOE Sports
ekaufman@elon.edu

Christian Binder
WSOE Sports
cbinder@elon.edu

MLB: Yankees win in six, crown new stadium

By Matt Curry, WSOE Sports

So before I start this, I would like to dedicate this blog to my grandfather who asked me to write a blog about his team’s victory when the Yankees won.  So here it is, and hope you all like it.

Where do I begin? I would probably have to start with the fact that once again the Yankees are on top of the baseball world. This is such a sad thought being a Mets fan. Even though I didn’t root for a specific team to win because I would have liked neither to win, the baseball fan in me said great series. The Yankees did what they had to do: win when Lee wasn’t pitching. The Phillies couldn’t capitalize with the two wins by Lee. Their offense was largely missing in this series from the big guys except Utley, who I think should have won the MVP for the series. Matsui won the final game for the Yankees with his great hitting, almost accomplishing a feat that no one else had ever done: hit for the cycle in the world series, but Utley was the only player keeping the Phillies in every game.

This series was pretty evenly matched outside of Cliff Lee and Mariano Rivera. Both lineups had people struggling and the bullpens were horrific. They say managers don’t win you games, but as shown by Manuel’s decisions in game six, they can certainly lose you some. With that said, he should have pulled out Pedro earlier. However it wouldn’t have mattered because Matsui was on a tear and once Mariano entered the game it was over.

This series was great for Major League baseball, and evidence of that was right here on campus as we saw the great fan bases of the Phillies and Yankees duel it out. This was easily the best series we have had in years, with many fans getting involved. I think it would have been an epic series if the Phillies could have forced a game seven and Cliff Lee came out on short rest to face the Yankees. Who knows what could have happened?

Anyways this was a special series because there were some players getting their first title including A-Rod and Texiera, but for some Yankees like Jeter and Rivera, this was their fifth. To me that it unprecedented in the history of the game and speaks to their talent and durability. Also a congrats to Joe Girardi, you now get five months of happiness before the fans get on your back next season. As for the Phillies too bad you couldn’t repeat, but next season you will have a great shot to return to the World Series.

This World Series was good to watch because of the power of both these teams. I was a little surprised that the pitchers didn’t give up ten runs at least once, but give credit to them. I think both teams can possibly look to a rematch next year, well the Phillies might have to worry about the Mets if they can stay healthy. Anyways its good for the season to finally be over, lets take a few months off, see what trades happen this offseason, and get ready for a new season in March.

Contact Information:
Matt Curry
WSOE Sports
mcurry3@elon.edu

MLB: Back in the Bronx – Just Like It was Yesterday

By Greg Brzozowski, WSOE Sports

Courtesy of: espn.com

Let’s take a trip back in time, shall we? The destination: October 27, 1999. The place: Yankee Stadium. The scene: the New York Yankees have just swept the Atlanta Braves to win their 25^th World Championship, their third in forth years. The baseball world is witnessing a dynasty that this generation’s fans had never seen ever before. Celebrating on this night is shortstop Derek Jeter, closer Mariano Rivera, starting pitcher Andy Pettite, and catchers Jorge Posada and Joe Girardi. Each had won just earned their third championship ring, each was celebrating the fact that they were the once again the greatest team in the world, and each was celebrating the art that the Yankees had become so closely associated with: winning. Girardi would not be around the next year to be apart of the Bronx Bombers’ 26^th World Title the next season, but the other four would. But now, ten years and eight days later, these same five men would still be a part of the main focus for another Yankees Championship team as New York defeated the defending champion Philadelphia Phillies for their 27^th World Series Championship on Wednesday night.

It’s amazing to think that the same players who were such interracial part of the Yankees championships from a decade ago still hold a major role of importance on the team. Posada has gone from splitting time with Girardi at catcher to becoming the heart and soul of the franchise. Pettite, who left for Houston after 2003 to go pitch in his home state but then returned to the Bronx in 2007, is now the all time leader in postseason victories in the history of baseball and delivered a great performance in the deciding game of this World Series. Mariano, who is nearing the age of forty, is still lights out at this point in his career and is widely considered the greatest closer and postseason pitcher of all time. Jeter, the former first round pick out of Kalamazoo, Michigan, has become one of the greatest clutch performers to lace up a pair of cleats, is the all time hits leader for the Yankees (2747) and all players in postseason history (175), and is the captain of the most storied franchise in sports. And Girardi is now the manager of the team he played for just ten years ago. In only his second season managing in New York and in his first season in the playoffs, he wins his forth ring, his first as a manager. 

While key acquisitions the Yankees brought in this season (like in pitchers C.C. Sabathia and A.J. Burnett, first baseman Mark Teixeira, and outfielder Nick Swisher) and over the past few years (like third baseman Alex Rodriguez, outfielder Johnny Damon, and designated hitter and World Series MVP Hideki Matsui) clearly helped bring the sports record 27^th championship back to the Bronx, the four players who are the last remnants from the previous dynasty still are as responsible for the Yankees being back on top as anyone else. Throughout the entire postseason and the World Series, Jeter, Posada, Pettite, and Rivera all came up big when the moment called for it. Here are their playoff and World Series stats to show how much these guys still mean to this team.

Derek Jeter

World Series: .407 BA (11-27, 3 2B), 5 R, 1 RBI 

Postseason: .344 BA (22-64), 3 HR, 6 RBI, 14 R

Jorge Posada

World Series: .263 BA (5-19, 1 2B), 1 R, 5 RBI 

Postseason: .260 (13-50), 2 HR, 8 RBI

Andy Pettite

World Series: 2-0, 5.40 ERA, 11.2 IP, 9 H, 8 BB, 10 K

Postseason: 4-0 (won every series clinching game), 3.52 ERA, 12 ER, 30.2 IP, 25 K

Mariano Rivera  

World Series: 0-0, 2 S, 0.00 ERA, 4.1 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 3 K

Postseason: 0-0, 5 S, 0.56 ERA, 1 ER, 16.0 IP, 14 K

To win four championships in five years is an amazing feat. To win another nine years later with the same core group of players, acting as the team’s leaders on the field and in the clubhouse is near unbelievable. To put that in perspective for you what Jeter, Posada, Pettite, and Rivera have done here, let’s compare them to their rivals, the players currently on the Boston Red Sox. Let’s say hypothetically that seven years from now in 2016, the Sox win another World Series. And while they will have acquired new free agents, have young players come up from their farm system, and maybe change their manager, they will still have the same core guys they won with in 2007 against the Rockies. They would have the dynamic, clutch player in Dustin Pedroia (playing the role of Jeter), the fiery, heart of the team guy in Kevin Youkilis (Posada), the great pitcher who never gets the full respect he deserves in Jon Lester (Pettite), and the closer who has been there, done that in Jonathan Papelbon (who is NO WHERE CLOSE TO RIVERA, but is used to help the analogy work. It’s just that no pitcher will EVER be in the same league as Mo when everything is finished.) These four are the Red Sox’s core players right now but isn’t it hard to imagine that they all could be so good for another seven years, not even nine, and hold on to be a major part of another championship season at Fenway? I mean, they would have to all stay in tremendous physical shape, continue to play at the top of their game for close to another decade with no drop off, and stay with their team (or sign back like Andy) in this day in age of gigantic free agent contracts. Now, after seeing all of that, could you honestly guarantee me that those four players would lead the Sox back to the top again nearly a decade later?

Yes, the New York Yankees would not have won the World Series without the pitching of Sabathia and Burnett. Yes, they would have been as dynamic offensively without the presence of Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira. Yes, they would not have been as sound defensively without Teixeira making gold glove plays every game. Yes, they would have not been as loose in tough points of the season without the charismatic Swisher and his complicated high fives and Burnett’s whipped cream walk off pies. Yes, they would not be World Champions if not for Damon’s double steal in Game 4 or Godzilla’s MVP performance (.615 BA (8-13), 3 HR, 8 RBI, first DH to win MVP in World Series history). Yes, they would not be the best in the world if it weren’t for the development of the bullpen building a strong bridge to get to Rivera this season or the rise of prospects from the farm system. But, you can guarantee that if you subtract Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettite, or Mariano Rivera, it becomes a lot more difficult to regain the top spot on the MLB mountain.

The baseball world has no idea what is in store for the 2010 Yankees season. Posada’s years are starting to gain on him and at 38; how much longer can he continue to catch? Can Jeter continue to be a superstar at age 35 and factor into the MVP vote once again next year? Will Andy Pettite return to the Yankees at age 37 now that he is a free agent or will he decide that he wants to retire and go out on top? And when he enters next season at 40 years old, how much longer can Mariano Rivera continue to be the greatest closer in baseball and stupefy fans and players alike with his ability to dominate hitters nearly twenty years younger than him? For now, these questions and concerns are the furthest thing from Yankees’ fans minds as they celebrate their 40^th pennant and 27^th Championship. But after adding on another chapter to Yankees lure on Wednesday night, with Girardi in the dugout controlling everything, the Captain at short, Jorge behind the dish, Andy on the mound, and Mo to close another title out, Yankee fans went into celebration, exactly just like it was 1999.

Contact Information:
Greg Brzozowski
WSOE Sports
gbrzozowski@elon.edu

MLB: World Series Game 5 Wrap Up

By Greg Brozowski, WSOE Sports

Here’s all the info you need to know about Game 5 of the 2009 World Series where the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the New York Yankees, 8-6.

 

From the word go, it seemed as though both teams were ready to put up a big night offensively. Cliff Lee took the mound for the Phillies after his unbelievable pitching performance in Game 1 of the series and looked to continue his success. Philly needed Lee to step up again for his team, as they had not won a game since he had pitched and were facing elimination in the series. In his first start, Lee had not given up a run but in the very first inning, Alex Rodriguez, the hottest hitter for the Yankees drove in his 18^th RBI of this postseason (a Yankee record, the previous one being held by both Bernie Williams and Scott Brosius with 16) to give New York a quick 1-0 lead.

 

In the bottom half of the first, Philly responded quick off of starter A.J. Burnett, who was pitching on only three days rest. After a Jimmy Rollins single and a Burnett pitch getting away from him and hitting Shane Victorino in the process, Chase Utley, the Phillies biggest offensive weapon in the Fall Classic, hit a three run homer to put the his team up 3-1.

 

In the bottom of the 3^rd, the Phillies were ready to increase their lead even further. After Utley walked and stole second and Ryan Howard walked, Jayson Werth came up and drove in Utley on a single. The next batter, Raul Ibanez, then singled also and scored Howard from second. That marked the end of night for Burnett who had one of his classic starts where he inexplicably imploded. Dave Robertson came in to relieve for the Yankees. With Carlos Ruiz at the plate, he grounded into a fielder’s choice, scoring Werth in the process (the run was accounted to Burnett though). With his night now completely in the books, here is Burnett’s dismal line: 2+ IP, 4 H, 6 ER, 4 BB, and 2 K. Phillies now lead 6-1.

 

In the top of the fifth, the Yankees condensed the lead when Eric Hinske (who pinch hit for Robertson and got on with a walk, then got to third on a Derek Jeter single) scored on a Johnny Damon groundout to get the score to 6-2 Philadelphia.

 

After two scoreless innings of relief by Alfredo Aceves, Phil Coke came in to pitch for the Yankees in the bottom of the 7^th. The first batter Coke faced, Utley, takes him deep for his second homer of the game, this one a solo shot. This home run is so important because it tied the Phills second baseman with Reggie Jackson for the most home runs hit in a single World Series with 5. After retiring Howard and Werth, Ibanez hits another long ball off of Coke to increase the lead to 8-2. Phil Hughes then came on to get the final out of the inning for New York but the game looked over for the Yankees.

 

The Yankees hit Lee the hardest they had done so the entire series in the top of the 8^th when both Damon and Teixeira singled and doubled respectively. A-Rod then came up big again for the Yanks, as he hit a ball to deep left that went off the glove of Ibanez for a double, scoring both base runners. After this hit, Phillies manager Charlie Manual took out Lee for Chan Ho Park. Nick Swisher than advanced Rodriguez to third on a groundout to second and Robinson Cano drove in A-Rod with a sacrifice fly to center. All of a sudden, the Yankees were back in the game, only down 8-5.

 

In the top of the ninth, Charlie Manual decided to put in reliever Ryan Madson rather than closer Brad Lidge despite the fact that it was a save situation. This was probably due to the fact that Lidge had given up the game-winning run in Game 4 of the series the night before.  Jorge Posada leads off the frame with a double to start the Yankees off right. Then Hideki Matsui comes in to pinch hit for Phil Hughes and lines a single to center, putting Posada at third with no outs. The Phillies fans start to panic as they realize that the tying run at the plate is one of the greatest clutch players of all time, Derek Jeter. But, Madson throws Jeter a tough pitch and he bounces into a crushing double play that completely kills the Yankees rally. Posada does score on the play though to make it an 8-6 game. Next up is Game 4 hero Johnny Damon who nearly mimics his 9^th inning at bat from the night before, making Madson throw many pitches before singling. With the tying run at the plate again in Teixeira, Madson comes up big and strikes out the regular season AL home run leader and seals Game 5 for the Phillies, sending the World Series back to the Bronx for Game 6. The Yankees now lead 3-2 and can still wrap up their 27^th World Title Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium.

 

Game 5 Personal Notes

 

Many people think that the reason A.J. Burnett pitched so poorly in Game 5 was because he was pitching on short rest and that manager Joe Girardi should have thrown the fresh arm of Chad Gaudin. I completely disagree. Girardi made the right move as the three-man rotation has helped the Yankees tremendously in this postseason. Gaudin, meanwhile, has only pitched one inning of work since early September. Burnett is the Yankees number two pitcher and if you are going to lose, you need to lose with your best guy on the mound. The one pitching move I wish Girardi had not made was putting Coke in the ballgame as his two homers he gave up in the 7^th were the difference in the final score of the game. I understand the move as he had the lefty-lefty advantage against Utley and Howard, but I would have rather seen Hughes start the inning so he could have gotten some work to fix his stuff, which has been pretty much terrible this entire postseason. It was technically garbage time at that point in the game and when Hughes was in to pitch later that inning, he got out the one man he faced.

 

The Phillies may feel like they have a good chance to win this series still but I am a little unsure. The only two games they have won were started by Lee and then have lost all other efforts by Pedro Martinez, Cole Hamels, Joe Blanton, and Brad Lidge (who blew it after the game was tied in Blanton’s start). Lee wasn’t even that dominant in last night’s effort to be completely honest but he did enough to keep the Phillies in position to win. But now he cannot pitch the rest of the series despite for a possible relief appearance in a possible Game 7. Someone from this Phillies staff is going to need to step up, starting with Game 6 starter, Martinez, if the Phillies want to defend their championship title.

 

The fact that Charlie Manual did not use closer Brad Lidge in the save opportunity in the top of the 9^th during Game 5 shows that after his Game 4 performance, he no longer trusts his inconsistent closer to save games anymore. Even if this series goes to Game 7, know that you WILL NOT see Brad Lidge pitch again unless extreme circumstances call for it.

 

Game 6 Prediction

 

In Game 6, we will see Andy Pettite, the man with the most victories in postseason history in all of baseball history, go on three-days rest for the Yankees the Phillies will hope Pedro Martinez can prolong their season to one more game. The Yankees will receive an extra boost from coming back home to the Bronx and having their reliable pitcher on the mound leading the charge. Look for the Yankees hitters to try and draw out long at bats against Pedro, who does not have the same stamina he used to, so they can try and get to the Phillies bullpen. The Yankees will be wishing that they get six or seven strong innings from Pettite. Closer Mariano Rivera, who has not pitched since Saturday (where he only threw 5 pitches) will have his workload determined by Pettite’s outcome. If the Yankees are in position to win after seven innings, know that Mariano WILL pitch two innings of relief to go for the save or lock up the win, like he did in Game 2. The question is if in a close game, if Pettite can only throw six innings, will Rivera come in for a three inning save? The Yankees bullpen, like the Phillies has been shaky this postseason and the only reliable reliever between the two teams is Rivera. I see Rivera going two innings of relief for the save, as the Yankees will win 5-3. The World Series title, after nine years of being gone, will be back in the Bronx for the 27^th time in the Yankees hollowed history.

Contact Information:
Greg Brzozowski
WSOE Sports
gbrzozowski@elon.edu

MLB: World Series Game 4 Wrap Up

By Greg Brzozowski, WSOE Sports

Here is a breakdown of Game 4 of the World Series and all the info you need to know about the New York Yankees 7-4 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies that gave them a 3-1 Series lead and has them now one win away from their 27^th World Title.

The Yankees started the game out hot from the get go as Derek Jeter hit a lead off single and Johnny Damon followed with a double off of Phillies starter Joe Blanton. Mark Teixeira then drove Jeter in from third on a grounder to first that Ryan Howard had to dive for. After a pitch hit Alex Rodriguez for the third time in two games, Jorge Posada hit a sac fly to drive in Damon, giving the Yankees a 2-0 lead.

The Phillies looked to respond in their half of the 1^st of the ALCS MVP, C.C. Sabathia. After retiring the leadoff man Jimmy Rollins, a pair of doubles by Shane Victorino and Chase Utley cut the Yankee lead to 2-1.

Fast forwarding to the bottom of the 4^th, the Phillies tie the game at 2-2 on a Pedro Feliz single that scored Ryan Howard. The Yankees respond though in the top of the 5^th as Jeter drove in Nick Swisher, who had previously walked, and Damon hit a single to score Melky Cabrera, giving the Yankees a 4-2 lead and momentum as the rally quieted the Philly fans.

Sabathia had kept the Phills’ bats quiet for the next few innings before he faced the man who has destroyed him the entire series in Utley, who hit his third solo homer of the series, all of which were off of the Yankee ace, bringing the Phillies within one at 4-3. This marked the end of Sabathia’s night as Damaso Marte, who got Howard to fly out next, relieved him.

We go to the bottom of the 8^th, still at 4-3 Yanks. Joba Chamberlain is in to try and get the ball to Mariano Rivera in the ninth. After striking out Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez, Feliz comes up and hits a game tying home run to left field as Citizens Bank Park goes crazy. Game is tied 4-4.

As fans are waiting for what will be an exciting top of the 9^th, Phillies manager Charlie Manual goes to his shaky closer Brad Lidge, who blew 11 saves in the regular season but was 3-3 in opportunities in the postseason. Lidge starts out hot, getting pinch hitter Hideki Matsui to pop up and striking out Jeter. All that was separating the Phillies from the bottom of the 9^th was Johnny Damon. After having Damon at two strikes, he continued to foul off sliders by Lidge and drew out a nine pitch at bat that ended with him getting a single to left center. Little did the baseball world know that this hit would change the entire game, the World Series, and the momentum of both teams completely.

What Damon did on the next pitch was so an unthinkable and smart that the Phillies had no defense against it. The Phillies defense was playing a defensive shift that put the third baseman Feliz in the shortstop position and the other three infielders on the right side of second base. Damon, knowing Lidge does not like to use a pickoff throw, went to steal second on the first pitch. With catcher Carlos Ruiz catching the pitch out of the dirt, he threw down to second but had no play at getting Damon with his speed. The key part of the play though was that the throw Feliz fielded at second pulled him towards the second base side of the bag. Damon seeing that ABSOLUTLY NO ONE WAS COVERING THIRD BASE, takes off after using a pop up slide and takes third base, stealing two bases off of one pitch. This was huge because Lidge’s best pitch, his slider, is uncontrollable at times and if he threw it in the dirt and the ball got away, Damon would score the game-winning run. So, he decides to throw his lackluster fastball. Lidge proceeds to hit Teixeira and then A-Rod gets the biggest hit of his career as he hits a double down the left field line to give the Yankees a 5-4 lead and finally quiet the Phillies fan for good. For good measure, Posada drove the final nail in Lidge’s coffin by driving in Teixeira and A-Rod, giving the Yankees a 7-4 lead.

Bottom 9^th, Mariano Rivera, Matt Stairs, Rollins, and Victorino are out 1-2-3. Yankees take a 3-1 Series lead.

Game 5 Prediction

I originally picked the Yankees to win this series in six games, and after last night’s performance…. I’m sticking with that prediction. The reason is Cliff Lee. Lee was outstanding in Game 1 of the Fall Classic and had no trouble quieting the Yankees bats. While he is facing A.J. Burnett for the Yankees, who was very good in Game 2, I see Lee mimicking a similar outcome to his first start of the World Series. Burnett is also going on short rest, but he is undefeated when only taking the mound three days after he last pitched. Still, I see this series going back to New York for Game 6 as Philadelphia wins tonight, 6-3.

But the Yankees can feel free to prove me wrong and win their 27^th championship in five games. As a diehard fan of theirs, I won’t mind being wrong about my prediction at all.

Contact Information:
Greg Brzozowski
WSOE Sports
gbrzozowski@elon.edu

MLB: World Series Game 3 Wrap Up

By Greg Brzozowski, WSOE Sports

Here’s all the information you need to know about what happened in Game 3 of the World Series as the New York Yankees took a 2-1 game lead against the Philadelphia Phillies, defeating them 8-5.

The Phillies got off to a hot start to their first home game in a World Series since all the way back in 2008. Their fans were loud and obnoxious (which made me happy to hear as a baseball fan, even though they were insulting my team with chants at starter Andy Pettite like “You’re on steroids”), the players were excited, and the Yankees looked nervous coming out of the gate. You have to remember that the last away game they played in the World Series was six years ago in Florida where about 38 fans were on hand to watch some new sport they had never heard about called baseball. The Phils made Pettite throw a lot of pitches in the first inning and capitalized in the second off the first of Jayson Werth’s solo homers, tacked on two more in the process (one off of a bases loaded walk) and took a three nothing lead. Pettite looked terrible and had a high pitch count, but I said that I was going to see how he performed the next inning before I call it a terrible start.

Meanwhile, Cole Hamels, the Phillies starter, owned the Yankees. Of the first 11 batters he faced, only one man got on base when he hit Alex Rodriguez. The bats were dead for the Yanks and they looked in trouble. The fans were loving Hamels and he had his best stuff yet of the entire postseason after so many critics called into question his pitching abilities after going 10-11 with a 4.32 ERA in the regular season and 1-1 in the playoffs with a 6.75 ERA. He had a no hitter going for three innings.

The top of the 4^th inning is where the entire game changed its pace. After a fly out by Johnny Damon, Mark Teixeira walks, and A-Rod is at bat. He hits a Hamels pitch deep to right that appears to hit off the top of the wall for a double. When looking at the replay, it shows that the ball actually hit the lens of a TV camera that was positioned right over the top of the fence. The umpires decided to use the first instant replay challenge in the history of World Series play and determined that the ball would have gone over the fence if it were not for the camera and ruled it a home run, shrinking the Phillies lead to 3-2. In my opinion, this was CLEARLY the right call made by the umpires and reversing their original decision was a good choice. Also, it was A-Rod’s first ever hit in the World Series. I do no care what happened in the first games of this series; NO ONE can give A-Rod any business about any possible struggles he had those first two games. He is a huge reason for where the Yankees are and he deserves zero grief from any fan. So may I personally say in this blog to A-Rod, thank you for all the good you have done for the Yankees. I appreciate it and so do the fans.

A-Rod’s homer switched the momentum of the game into the Yankees favor. Pettite helped himself out on both sides of the field by pitching better and being accountable for the Yankees tying and lead taking runs. In the top of the 5^th, Pettite drove in Nick Swisher, who had previously doubled, on a single to center, becoming the Yankees first pitcher with an RBI in a World Series game since Jim Bouton in Game 6 of the 1964 Series. After a single by Derek Jeter, Pettite scored the go ahead run off a Damon double as Jeter came in right behind him. The Yankees now lead 5-3. Hamels was done one batter later after walking Teixeira, going 4.1 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, and 3 K’s. The rowdy fans by now were quiet for the rest of the night.

In the 6^th, the Yanks tagged reliever J.A. Happ for another run after Swisher hit a solo shot to left, as he had his best game of the entire postseason and broke out of his slump after being benched for Game 2. It was a great managerial move by Joe Girardi to put him back in. Girardi, who was criticized for over-managing in previous playoff series has toned down his changes and has made good decision after good decision in the Fall Classic.

The Phillies best player of the game, Werth, answered back in a small form in bottom half of the 6^th with his second solo home run of the game. It was the first hit Pettite gave up in the past eleven at bats. The rest of the inning was quiet as Carlos Ruiz worked out a walk that caused no harm. That was the end of Pettite’s night. After a tough start, he calmed down and gave the Yankees what they needed to win. His final line: 6 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 BB, 7 K’s.

The Yankees got their lead back to three runs when they scored one off of relieved Chad Durbin. After a Jeter fly out, Damon walked and stole second on a swinging strike three by Teixeira. A-Rod walked next and Jorge Posada hit a single to left, scoring Damon and making the lead 7-4.

With Pettite out of the game, it was up to the Yankees bullpen to keep the lead and give the Yankees a 2-1 series lead. The highly promising young pitchers that helped the Yanks win ballgames in relief in the regular season had disappeared in the playoffs so this Yankee fan was holding his breath along with many others during the last final innings. Joba Chamberlain came out for the bottom of the 7^th and made quick work of Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino, and Chase Utley, getting them out on nine pitches. After a top of the 8^th where Hideki Matsui pinch hit for Joba and hit a solo shot off of Brett Myers to give the Yankees a 8-4 lead, Damaso Marte came in to face Ryan Howard, the hot Jayson Werth, and Raul Ibanez. Marte struck out the first two and the third lined out to A-Rod at third. He only needed 15 pitches (13 of which were strikes) to take down the Phillies big bats and send the game to the final inning with the Yankees holding on to a four run lead.

After an uneventful top of the 9^th, Phil Hughes, the one pitcher who has struggled the most of all the Yankees in this bullpen despite all of his regular season success, came in to try and prevent the Yankees from having to use their closer, Mariano Rivera, after he got six outs on Thursday night in Game 2. Hughes got Pedro Feliz to ground out for his first out but then allowed a solo home run off the bat of Carlos Ruiz to decrease the Yankee lead to 8-5. Girardi, taking no chances of squandering the lead for the series (a good decision), takes out Hughes and brings in Rivera. Pinch hitter Matt Stairs and Rollins prove to be no trouble for Mo as he takes them down with five pitches and the Yankees take a 2-1 Game lead over Philadelphia in the 2009 World Series.

Personal Notes about Game 3

This was the Yankees best offensive output of the Series. If they mimic these numbers against Phillies Game 4 starter Joe Blanton, they will go up 3-1.

Cole Hamels needs to figure out what he is doing wrong and what has caused him to drop off so much from last season. The Phillies were looking for him to be their ace for the next decade. You look at the controversy that the Yankees have created with the “Joba Rules” and the limits they put on Chamberlain every season to prevent his arm from going on him and you wonder if the Phillies should have better restricted Hamels. In 2006 he threw 132.1 innings, in 2007 he threw 183.1 innings, in 2008 he threw 227.1 innings. In 2009, with only one less start from 2008, he threw nearly 34 less innings, had 4 less wins, 1 more loss, and had an ERA that shot up from 3.09 to 4.32. Think about it, the Phillies first two starters in this series weren’t even on their roster at the beginning of July. The Phillies clearly couldn’t have made the World Series if it weren’t for Lee and Pedro.

Phil Hughes should not be considered the Yankees set up man for the rest of the World Series. He has yet to have a good outing and has cost the Yankees much more than he has helped them. Its tough to say this about Hughes, who helped recapture the Yankees feel of their bullpen from the late 90’s when the combinations of guys like Ramiro Mendoza, Jeff Nelson, and Mike Stanton would have no problems getting the ball to Mariano every night. But with a 10.80 ERA this postseason, Chamberlain (2.08 ERA), Marte (0.00) and David Robertson (0.00) should be used ahead of him.

Game 4 Prediction

C.C. Sabathia will have another great pitching performance on three days rest. In the ALCS at Anaheim on the same amount of days off, here is Sabathia’s line: 8 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5K’s. I expect C.C. to go 7 IP, with 6 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, and 6 K’s. I limit this to 7 innings because C.C. could get pinch hit for but If you remember he has a couple of home runs to his name and loves batting. He could go even further into the game.

Joe Blanton has started one game this postseason, Game 4 of the NLCS where he left the game after 6 innings and had the Phillies not gone on to tie and win the game, the loss would have gone to him. His official line: 6 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K’s. If I was Charlie Manual, Cliff Lee is starting Game 4, which is now a must win for the Phillies. But as a Yankees fan, I couldn’t be more than thrilled to see Blanton on the mound. I see Blanton at: 5 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 3 K’s.

My prediction for the game is going to be Yankees win 7-3. The Yankees get to Blanton early and coast the rest of the game. I don’t expect much from the Phillies bats because if you look at Game 1 of the World Series, C.C. mad two mistakes on his pitches to Utley and he capitalized. I don’t see him making those same errors. When you have Joe Blanton starting a crucial World Series game for your team, you’re in trouble. He has a career 8+ ERA vs. the Yankees and in the bandbox that is Citizens Bank Park, I see a couple of Yankees homers leaving the yard.

Contact Information:
Greg Brzozowski
WSOE Sports
gbrzozowski@elon.edu

MLB: World Series Game Log – Game 2

By Greg Brzozowski, WSOE Sports

The World Series has dawned upon us and I could not be happier. Baseball is my favorite sport to watch and the Fall Classic is the epitome of the entire season. This year is a little bit more special to me because I am a Yankees fan and am incredibly excited to see my favorite team playing for the championship again. But after Game One, I am a little less thrilled to be facing a red hot Phillies team. Cliff Lee and Chase Utley are instantly on my list of players I cannot stand to the point of a Red Sox level. Our youthful and talented bullpen has been near embarrassing (Phil Hughes). Not to mention, I am living or dying on every pitch and pickoff throw and will likely become completely clinically insane if any of these games go close… so I figured why not document my feelings and emotions during the course of the remaining games of the series to be put out in public. So, without further ado, here is my live game log for Game 2 of the World Series featuring the Philadelphia Phillies vs. the New York Yankees.

7:30 – Most people would expect that after Lee’s performance last night in how he put up one of the top 5 pitching performances in World Series history (also include Jack Morris in ’91, Bob Gibson in ’68, Don Larsen ’56, and Josh Beckett in 2003, that last one hurts to write) that I would change my original prediction of the Yankees winning this series in six games. Well, you’re wrong. Here’s my theory. While Lee pulled a Hall of Fame performance last night, I can honestly say that I do not see any other Phillies starter coming close to that effort. Four months ago 75% of the teams in the Major Leagues didn’t even want to look at Pedro Martinez. Cole Hamels is a shell of his postseason self from last year. And then Joe Blanton has a career ERA against the Yankees over 8. Not impressed.
7:36 – Having Jay-Z and Alicia Keys perform “Empire State of Mind” before game two was great; all that was missing was Jay-Z screaming out at the end “LET’S GO YANKEES”!!! You wonder if it would inspire the Phillies to bring their own rap duo to Citizens Bank Park for Game 3. I could see it now, “Ladies and Gentlemen. Give a round of applause to your opening act and Philadelphia natives, DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince!” Make it happen Philly.
8:09 – Just made it to Varsity to watch the game. I thought it would be on the big screen TV but no. Apparently the Virginia Tech and North Carolina College Football game is more important than Game 2 of the WORLD SERIES!
8:17 – Top of the second. Both A.J. Burnett and Pedro Martinez haven’t allowed a hit yet. Burnett just got Ryan Howard on a nice curveball. He looks good so far.
8:30 – That ball that just went fair for Raul Ibanez down the line for the ground rule double almost seems to be retribution for the missed Joe Mauer call in the ALDS. Matt Stairs finds a way to get the ball under Alex Rodriguez to Johnny Damon. The second I see it happen I know Ibanez is scoring of off Damon’s arm. On a side note Matt Stairs is fat. 1-0 Phillies.

Celebrity Tweet of the moment: Jason Stark, ESPN Senior Baseball Writer
“Stair’s last RBI on anything but a home run: How bout June 25 – an RBI double vs. the Rays. Yep, that was June 25.”

8:33 – The reason I like this matchup of Pedro vs. the Yanks is this lineup knows him so well. Derek Jeter, Damon, A-Rod, Hideki Matsui, Jerry Hairston Jr. (when with the Orioles), and Jorge Posada (when he eventually pinch hits for Jose Molina, who is Burnett’s personal catcher) all have experience against him. Because I don’t know if you knew this, but Pedro pitched for the Red Sox earlier in his career.
8:35 – Key at bat between A-Rod and Pedro. A-Rod starts out making Pedro throw a lot of pitches, Pedro wins getting A-Rod looking. Yankees can’t have that.
8:47 – Pedro out of the second with no trouble after the K on A-Rod, single by Matsui, great catch to rob Robinson Cano by Ibanez (he really wants me to not like him). Fly out by Hairston. Looks good, well pitching wise. Appearance wise he looks like a slob.

Just to be clear, out of anyone from the Yankees Red Sox rivalry that was at its finest earlier this decade, there was NO ONE I HATED MORE THAN PEDRO MARTINEZ!!! He normally killed the Yankees, was overly arrogant and cocky (remember the quote: “Who is Kareem Garcia?), loved to go head hunting, insulted the Yankee tradition, and attacked a 73 year old Don Zimmer, which was one of the most classless moves I will ever see in sports in my life. No matter what Pedro does I will always despise him. He didn’t help his cause to fix things when he said he is the most influential player to ever play in Yankee Stadium. Please, Pedro isn’t even qualified enough to clean Babe Ruth’s toilet after one of his hot dog and beer performances.

Celebrity Tweet of the moment: Sweeny Murti, Yankees Beat Writer

“Pedro: 43 pitches to seven batters.”

They’re getting to Pedro early, which is what the Yankees need to do. BRING OUT THE PHILLIES BULLPEN! Not like ours is that much better though, excluding the greatest postseason pitcher of all time, Mariano Rivera

9:01- Anyone else realize that Charlie Manual looks like Freddy Kruger’s dad?
9:05 – HUGE strikeout by Burnett on Howard with Utley on first, Rollins on second. Yankees just avoided a big inning there that could’ve hurt them. Score remains 1-0.  My friend Jackson Brodie just brought up an awesome point. What killed the Yankees in Game 5 of the ALCS was Burnett giving up 4 runs on 4 hits and a walk in the 1st inning. It took a miraculous level comeback for the Yankees to take the lead in the 7th and that still wasn’t enough for the series-clinching win when the bullpen blew it. If Burnett keeps the Phills bats under control for the most part, the Yankees will have a chance to hit Pedro later on when he gets tired or the questionable bullpen.
9:11 – Molina walks against Pedro, the Yankees first BB of the Series. Once threw the lineup and no Yankee has reached second base yet.
9:15 – Jeter down looking, his 2nd K in as many at bats. I’m surprised how well Pedro is doing with all the history his daddy has against him.
9:22 – What product do you think Chase Utley uses to slick back his hair? McDonald’s french fry grease? Spit? Manure?
9:24 – Molina throwing out Jason Werth with his lead got too big at first is the game changing play the Yankees needed. Notice what happened afterwards. Two pitches later, Ibanez strikes out. One pitch after, Feliz flies out to left. Crowd gets excited. Not to mention Teixeira, A-Rod and Matsui coming up to face Pedro. Yankees NEED TO CAPITALIZE NOW!!!!!!
9:28 – WHAT DID I SAY! YANKS NEED TO CAPITALIZE!!! MARK TEIXERIA! FIRST PITCH! HOME RUN! 414 FEET TO CENTER! Game tied 1-1.
9:35 – Pedro allows two deep outs and K’s Hairston to get out of more trouble after Matsui waked. Tied at 1 after 4.
9:37 – If there is one debate the MLB postseason has caused this year, it’s whose overly promoted show will get canceled first, Lopez Tonight or the Wanda Sykes Show?
9:45 – We are 4 ½ innings through and we have had zero Kate Hudson shots. Is Fox feeling ok? They’re not acting like themselves. They live for the celebrity cameos. I’m starting to get worried.
9:50 – Pedro has 6 K’s so far yet Molina’s ground out was his first of the night.
9:57 – End of 5. Still knotted up at two. Pedro at 83 pitches after an 8 pitch inning. Bullpen is quiet for the Phillies. Pedro looks good for the 6th but maybe Manual should ask Grady Little what happens when you leave Pedro in postseason games too long at Yankee Stadium.
10:01 – Burnett gets through the heart of the order, Utley, Howard, and Werth in under 10 pitches. Who does Pedro have to face in the bottom of the 6th… the heart of the Yankees order.

Celebrity Tweet of the Moment: Sweeny Murti
“Between them Howard and ARod have struck out 9 times all ready this series. That’s niiiiine times.”

10:07 – Two Phillies up in the bullpen just sat down. Manual trusts Pedro after just striking out Teixeira.
10:08 – A-Rod down swinging for the second time in the game. Pedro has 8 K’s.
10:10: IT’S A THRILLA FROM GODZILLA!!! MATSUI WITH THE SOLO SHOT! Yankees take lead 2-1. I will be shocked to see Pedro come back for the 7th.
10:15 – Pedro just gave Manual the same line he gave Grady in the 8th in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS before he blew it, “I’m fine”. Don’t know if Manual could allow this to happen with Pedro at 99 pitches but Chan Ho Park is starting to warm in the Phillies pen. I chalk this up as a win-win for the Yankees for whoever comes in.
10:19 – Burnett is showing his worth right now. He has gotten better every single inning as he gets Werth, Ibanez, and Feliz 1-2-3. He has set down 8 in a row. It looked as though Pedro was going back out for the bottom of the 7th.
10:23 – Pedro is out to pitch the 7th! His next pitch will be his 100th. Molina is batting third. It’ll be interesting to see if Posada pinch hits because the one and only Mariano Rivera is now warming up in the bullpen. Molina is not really needed because I think Burnett pitches the 8th till he gives up a base runner, then enter Sandman.
10:27 – Pedro battles Hairston in a long at bat and Hairston wins with a bloop single. The Yankees fastest man, Brett Gardner, is now pinch running. The move pays off as Melky Cabrera executes a hit and run with a single to right. Gardner is at third, Melky at first, and Jorge Posada is coming to the plate to pinch hit for Molina.  Pedro’s “comeback” at Yankee Stadium looked good initially, but ends with him getting the loss. The lasting image, Pedro walking off the field smiling as Yankee fans boo him with a passion. I happen to say some not too kind words to the TV also.

Celebrity Tweet of the Moment: Bill Simmons, Writer for ESPN, the Sports Guy, a gift to the human race, unfortunately a gigantic Boston fan:
“Just landed in Boston + checked email. Top one said ‘Good God that’s Grady Little’s Music!’ Didn’t even have to check score.”

Celebrity Tweet of the Moment: Jason Stark
“Why Park (Park relieved Pedro)? Posada 0-7 against him. That would be why.

10:36 – Stark’s tweet proves to be wrong… Posada singles to center and scores Gardner. 3-1 Yankees.
10:39 – Park “strikes out” Jeter when he bunts foul with two strikes. One out in the bottom of the 7th. Manual takes out Park for Scott Eyre.
10:43 – Another umpiring error in this postseason! With one out, Damon lines a ball to Howard at first that takes a slight bounce, but Howard says he caught it. Throws to second where Jimmy Rollins tags Posada and up calls it a double play. They completely blew the call, thought it was a blink of the eye thing. Instead of the top of the 8th, it should be one out in the bottom of the 7th with the bases loaded for Teixeira. Yankees lost a chance to seal this game even further with Rivera now in the game for a six out save.
10:51 – Also, Charlie Manual looks like Jigsaw from the Saw movies.
10:52 – Burnett’s final line: 7 IP, 1 ER, 4 H, 2 BB (1 INT BB), 9 K’s. Great performance.
10:57 – Rare walk by Mariano to Rollins, Shane Victorino singles to right. First and second with one out Utley at bat as the game leading run. If Phillies are going to come back, this is the time with the right guys at bat.
10:59 – You know how I just said Phillies need to capitalize here? Well rather than do that, Utley grounds to second for an inning ending double play. Mariano will face Howard, Werth, and Ibanez in the 9th. Coming to bat for the Yankees: Teixeira, A-Rod, Matsui.
11:02 – Another umpiring mistake. This one is HUGE and at first again! In looking at the replay, Utley beat out the throw and should have been safe, meaning first and third with two outs for Howard. Phillies got a break, now Yankees got one. “The MLB Postseason Umpires, equally making mistakes for all teams alike!”
11:04 – Ryan Madson comes in for the Phills and his first pitch nails Teixeira on the leg. Now he strikes out A-Rod. A-Rod is now 0-8 with 6K’s in the World Series.
11:13 – Madson strikes out Matsui, Cano singles to right, Gardner strikes out. To the top of the ninth we go!
11:18 – Howard strikes out for the forth time TONIGHT! Give him a Golden Sombrero. Yankees are now two outs away from tying the series.
11:20 – Werth hits a week liner to Cano. One out away.
11:22 – Ibanez continues the game with a double to deep left center. Matt Stairs, now the tying run for the Phillies, is at the plate.
11:24 – Mariano strikes out Stairs. Ballgame over. Yankees win. The World Series is tied at 1-1. We’re going to Philadelphia.

Celebrity Tweet of the Moment: Sweeny Murti
“Beating Broxton is one thing. Beating Rivera is another. Tied 1-1 heading to Philly. Great series on the way.”

I will be back Saturday night for game 3. If you read all of this, you’re a trooper. But I love baseball and I love a good World Series, which is exactly what this series looks to be turning in to.

Contact Information:
Greg Brzozowski
WSOE Sports
gbrzozowski@elon.edu

MLB: World Series – Phillies vs. Yankees

By Matt Curry, WSOE Sports

Courtesy of: ladiesdotdotdot.files.wordpress.com

Well its about time; the time to find out if your season was a success. For one team, the year will be a success, and the other, missing the goal by one final step. The Yankees and Phillies will start their final bid at success this Wednesday at Yankee Stadium.

Now, how did each team arrive in the series? The Yankees dismantled the Twins in the ALDS and then beat the unrelenting Angels in the ALCS. The defending champion Phillies defeated the Rockies in the NLDS and the Dodgers in the NLCS for the second straight year.

Lets start off by looking at the keys to a Yankee victory. The main point is the pitchers must be on their game and keep this powerful Phillies lineup out of the game. As a Mets fan, I have seen what the Phillies can do when you give them pitches to hit. The Yankees starters need to hit their spots on the corners and pitch this team low to ensure some ground ball outs. The bullpen must also look to be ready to sub in at any time. Look for Girardi to use pitchers for one or two batter late in the game against Utley and Howard, as he tries to hold the lead until Mariano Rivera enters the game.  As for the Yankees offense, it all starts with the leadoff hitters getting on base for the big bats of Texiera and Rodriguez. A-ROD is looking for his first ever World Series ring, and look for him to be an impact player throughout the series.

The Phillies have to do what they did this year against the Yankees in interleague play, in which they took two of three games from the Yankees. They need their pitchers to hold off the most powerful offense in baseball. Look to hit some spots on the inside corner of the plate and jam the big hitters, otherwise stay outside because anything in the middle will be a home run. The Phillies bullpen will be huge in what I expect to be a high scoring series. Lidge struggles throughout the season, but has come out strong in the Post-Season, and he will need to be tough against the Yankees if they Phillies want to have a chance to close out the game. The Phillies offense will be facing a tough rotation and will look to Rollins to set the tone for Utley and Howard. Look for Werth and Victorino to be huge factors as they have been breakout players for the Phillies all year.

This Wednesday is the start of what should be an amazing World Series. The Phillies will throw Cliff Lee on the road at The Yankees ace C.C. Sabathia. This will be an extremely important game for each team because it will set the tone for the rest of the series. Look for this to be a close game, but nothing is assured with arguably the two greatest lineups in the MLB playing in this series.

With all the above stated, I think it is time for some predictions to be made. I look for the Yankees to win, in what will be a very entertaining series for guys like me who like to see a lot of runs. The series will probably go six games, with the Yankees celebrating on their field at Yankee Stadium. As for MVP’s of the series, look for A-ROD, Texiera, or C.C. Sabathia to be the top candidates.

Get Ready, Get Excited! This is what MLB fans have been waiting for the last five months. Lets see if the Phillies can defend their title!

Contact Information:
Matt Curry
WSOE Sports
mcurry3@elon.edu

MLB: ALCS Game 5 Prolongs Phillies Wait

By Matt Curry, WSOE Sports

In what can be argued as one of the better finishes of this postseason, in a most crucial game, the Angels defeated the Yankees 7-6. The fact that the game could earn the Yankees a World Series berth with a win, left the Angels in a must win situation. The Angels used this desperation and jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the first inning. Unfortunately, as most people know, the Yankees have a powerful lineup with some of the best hitters in the AL. It was only a matter of time before the Yankees awoke in a thunderous roar. This came in the top of the seventh inning when with two outs and the bases loaded, the Yankees struck for six runs to take a 6-4 lead. With the same mentality as the Angels have had all year; they rallied for three runs in the bottom of the inning to put themselves up for good.

 

Courtesy of: newsday.com

I picked the Angels to win the series in seven games, and I am not sure it can happen, but with the win last night I know it is a possibility. They defense they play, led by Torii Hunter in the outfield is outstanding, and they can put up runs in a hurry as shown in last nights game. They are also motivated unlike any other team, as they still use the loss of a teammate to give them strength. The pitching must improve if they want to win this series at Yankee Stadium, which I can assure you is one of the toughest places to win a game as a visitor, especially in the playoffs. If the Angels want to stay alive and complete one of the greatest playoff comebacks of all time, they will need to beat one of the greatest post-season pitchers of all time in Andy Pettitte. Joe Saunders will have to face the tough Yankee lineup and if he is on his game, I believe he will help the team get the job done in game six.

Now what does all this mean in terms of who goes on? I think if the Angels can win a crucial game six at Yankee Stadium, they will maintain momentum and claim a World Series berth in game seven.  The Yankees know this and will pull out everything in order to win this game, and they do not want a game seven in which anything can happen. As for the Phillies, don’t let Manuel’s confidence get you too excited because you are already set to play a tough series whether it’s the Yankees or the Angels. Secondly, the pitching rosters of the two remaining AL teams are far better in my opinion than what they have faced so far and it will be a difficult test for this potent Phillies offence. Anyways I will go more into depth about this later in the week when we finally know who will be playing in the World Series. For now, sit back, relax, and enjoy what should be a great ending to the ALCS.

 

Contact Information:
Matt Curry
WSOE Sports
mcurry3@elon.edu