The Bleacher Bums: October 2006 Archive

Smell those division titles.

Posted at 5:11 PM on October 1, 2006 by Josh Lee (1 Comments)

Carlos Silva gave himself a chance at a spot in the Twins' playoff rotation with a one run, five-hit start against the White Sox. Joe Mauer won the batting title in the American League and in the majors overall. Torii Hunter hit his 31st home run of the year. Justin Morneau knocked in his 130th RBI. Michael Cuddyer finished the season on an eight-game hitting streak. Luis Castillo got back up on his sore knees to give the Twins a much-needed kick from the leadoff spot. Reyes, Rincon, Crain, and Nathan did what they do so well in relief. Punto, Bartlett, White, and Redmond were the Piranhas that we've come to love.

The most valuable Twin of the day, though, may have been Detroit pitcher Kenny Rogers, who gave up two runs to Kansas City in the 12th inning, and handed the American League Central Division title to the Minnesota Twins, while forty thousand people watched and cheered at the screens in the Metrodome. After storming to the top of the table after being seven kajillion games back in early June, it seems fitting that Minnesota's fate wouldn't just come down to the last game of the season, it would extend past the Twins' last game and into someone else's. Because while nothing's been easy this year, everything's been exciting.

Break out the champagne goggles and bring on the As!

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Jason Kubel: The Forgotten Hero

Posted at 6:59 AM on October 2, 2006 by David Zingler (1 Comments)

On June 13, Jason Kubel stepped into the batter's box in the 12th inning with his team trailing the Boston Red Sox 2-1. With one out, lefty Julian Tavarez was on the mound and the bases were loaded. Kubel proceeds to hit a high drive to right field; what initially looks like a fly ball carries until it barely clears the baggie. Pandemonium ensues in the Metrodome. The Twins 5-2 win moves their record to 29-34. We didn't know it at the time, but the victory marked the official beginning of the squad's march to an AL Central title.

"I didn't think (it would go out)," Kubel said of the watershed homerun. "The best I thought it would be is a sacrifice fly that would tie the game and give us a shot to win it. When it went out, it was probably one of the most exciting things to ever happen to me. It was a lot of fun, I would love to do it again a couple of more times."

That moment, which Kubel calls the highlight of his career, was not a sign of things to come for him, however. The 24-year-old outfielder had a strong June, receiving 81 at-bats. On July 1, he was hitting .314. Shortly after that, his surgically repaired left knee sabotaged his season. By September the promising prospect was out of the picture, tallying just 9 at-bats.

The injury that cost him the entire 2005 season occurred during a Arizona Fall League game in October 2004. "(I tore) three ligaments," The Twins 2004 Minor League Player of the Year explained. "It hurt really, really bad. The rehab on it was worse than everything else. It was a lot of hard work."

"June and July were pretty good and then the knee gave out and I couldn't get it going from there," Kubel said of his season. "It's frustrating especially since I was doing so well when I was in. To have what's happening now is frustrating. I am still happy about where our team is at, so that makes it better."

While Kubel was able to avoid a stint on the Disabled List, the bad knee did limit him to DHing and pinch-hitting. As the plate appearances became less frequent, his averaged headed south. He finished the season at .241.

"I was thinking (they might send me to Triple A to get at-bats), but I was hoping not," Kubel commented when discussing his sparse playing time. "For what happened, it all worked out pretty good, I think."

Although he hoped to have a larger role in the team's success, the injury has helped Kubel keeps things in perspective. "It was a lot better than watching it at home like I was last year," he reflected. "To be here and be a part of it and get a chance to get in (the game) every now and then (is great). I am still having a good time with it. It's tough because I was playing well before I got hurt, but it's not bad."

Unsure of his status regarding the playoff roster, Kubel has his sights set on 2007, "The last two years I've just been working to get my legs (strong enough) to walk and run," the South Dakota native stated. "Now that I can do that, I can get on a baseball program and get in better shape so I don't break down halfway through (the season) like I did this year."

With the injury prone Shannon Stewart likely to depart via free agency, Kubel will be among the top candidates to man leftfield for the defending AL Central Champs, "(Becoming the everyday left fielder) is what I am shooting for, like I was this year," he said. "I'll make sure I have a better chance by being healthy next year. I am looking forward to that."

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Writing for baseball cards

Posted at 1:45 PM on October 2, 2006 by Ben Tesch

The secret lives of baseball card writers
David Roth got a job at Topps writing for the backs of baseball cards, and found out that it's pretty much like any other job for a large, soulless corporation. "Baseball cards, it turned out, are not made in a card-cluttered candy land. Rather, they are created by ordinary men and women who are generally unawed by their proximity to a central part of American boyhood."

Bleacher Bums roundtable

Posted at 3:53 PM on October 2, 2006 by Ben Tesch (1 Comments)

We all sat down in the studio today with Morning Edition producer Jim Bickal to shoot the breeze about the Twins and the major league season in general. We talked about the Twins season, the upcoming series against the A's, season-ending awards... you know, whatever.

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1-2 punch looks good

Posted at 8:57 AM on October 3, 2006 by Ben Tesch

It was announced yesterday that Santana was named AL Pitcher of the Month as he went 3-1 with a 1.78 ERA and 38 Ks over five starts, and Boof won AL Rookie of the Month after posting a 4-1 record and a 2.63 ERA in. This all bodes well for the division series against the A's, which starts today at noon, and has those two guys pitching the first two games at the Dome. Here's a preview.

I've now seen three preview/predictions, all of which have the Twins in 4 or 5. Care to state your prediction for the ALDS?

Twins lose Game 1

Posted at 2:32 PM on October 3, 2006 by Ben Tesch (2 Comments)

Frank Thomas puts two daggers in the heart of Twins fans, as the A's win. Another valiant comeback effort, but that insurance homerun in the 9th did it. Reactions and analysis, anyone?

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Useless Information & Irrelevant Observations, Game 1

Posted at 6:05 PM on October 3, 2006 by David Zingler (7 Comments)

11:30 am: The Metrodome is in its usual playoff form. There is sparse bunting and a “Division Series” logo painted near both foul lines. The most notable addition is the large “2006 Central Division Champions” banner hanging on the folded seats in right center next to the “baggie.” The curtain that covers much of the upper-deck in right field is gone. The retired numbers are now on relatively small, flat baseballs hanging on the facing of the upper deck just above the press box. Aside from the before-mentioned 2006 banner, there is nothing commemorating any of the Twins division, league or world championships.

11:35 am: In a clash of the titans, Twins bullpen catcher Aron Amundson triumphs over TV anchorman and former Twins farmhand Mike Pomeranz and TC the Bear in the pre-game softball homerun hitting contest. Amundson hits four balls into the left-centerfield seats from the second base area, Pomeranz two, TC just one.

12:11 pm: A’s leadoff hitter Jason Kendall strikes out to start the game and loses his bat in the process.

12:21 pm: American League batting champ Joe Mauer is greeted with raucous applause as he heads to the batter’s box for his first playoff at-bat. (He would ground out to second).

1:00 pm: As I head to relieve myself in the troth, I notice that the concession stand lines have all but clogged the Metrodome’s concourse.

1:02 pm: The are no lines in the men’s bathroom, so I get back in time to see Nick Punto drop a drag bunt and slide head-first into first base. The play is close, but he is out. Luis Castillo moves to second.

1:05 pm: Michael Cuddyer flies out to end the 4th, leaving Castillo stranded at third. The Twins still do not have a hit.

1:13 pm: Justin Morneau teases the listless Homer Hanky holders by lifting a fly ball to deep left-center. Unfortunately it lands in Mark Kotsay’s glove.

1:36 pm: Frank Thomas is nearly gunned out by Michael Cuddyer at first base after hitting what looked like a routine single to right. (Shouldn’t have made the “Big Hurt” angry.)

1:48 pm: With his circle machine in storage, Bert Blyleven sings the “Take me out to the Ballgame” with his arm around TC. (No f-bombs were dropped.)

2:03 pm: The day’s attendance is announced. 55,542 people cheer.

2:14 pm: “Big Hurt’s” second homerun ball is tossed back onto the field (his first was not). Too little too late.

2:41 pm: The humid concourse is jammed full of irate hometown fans. Defiant ushers guard the non-rotating doors. More than one person voices their displeasure about the unused doors. (Wonder who would do a thing like that).

2:54 pm: I’m on the Light Rail headed home.

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Barry Zito's Playoff Blog.

Posted at 8:50 PM on October 3, 2006 by Josh Lee (1 Comments)

This is probably the wrong time to bring it up, but Barry Zito's playoff blog makes for some entertaining reading:

[The Metrodome] is crazy, man. For whatever reason, they put a white roof on it. I guess nobody told them baseballs are white or something. We need to bring back those orange glow-in-the-dark balls we used to have growing up for games here.

For my money, Pat Neshek still has the best player's blog in the game, but Zito's enthusiastic rambling is a lot more fun than the usual post-game soundbites. I'm mostly impressed that they got this posted just a couple of hours after the game; if I had just spent the afternoon getting the home team to chase good, bad, and ugly pitches all over the place to nab an early series lead, it would be days before you could get anything more than "Wooooooo!!!" out of me.

I'd say that the blog almost makes me feel good for Zito, except that I'm still busy feeling miserable for the Twins.

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Twins lose Game 2

Posted at 3:14 PM on October 4, 2006 by Ben Tesch (1 Comments)

Add your reactions in the comments. My initial reaction is that the Twins are killing themselves. Castillo seems to be the only one that realizes that the A's walk a lot of batters. It seems like Oakland has the book on us, and we're not adjusting. Do you really dive for a ball with the game tied, 2 outs, and a runner on first? Do you really bring in a fairly wild and hard-throwing reliever in a sacrifice fly scenario?

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Useless Information & Irrelevant Observations, Game 2

Posted at 6:07 PM on October 4, 2006 by David Zingler

11:40 am: My friend arrives to our seats sporting a well-worn Twins 1987 World Championship sweatshirt. He had earlier claimed the shirt was “retired” after he wore it to the Kirby Puckett memorial at the Dome in March. For the record, I am wearing my Corky Miller game worn jersey for the second straight day.

12:20 pm: Joe Mauer collects his first postseason hit, a single.

12:25 pm: A “You Can Handle the Boof” banner is unfurled in the right centerfield cheap seats between the 1st and 2nd inning.

12:35 pm: Boof gets a standing ovation after working out of a second inning jam.

12:39 pm: A freak with a bullring through his nose, a rat-tail hairdo and a throwback Pete Rose jersey on walks by looking for his seat.

12:56 pm: For the second straight game Nick Punto slides into first base headfirst, but is out. The 3rd inning ends.

12:59 pm: Frank Thomas leads off the 4th hitting .750 in the series. He proceeds to smack a ground rule double. The “Big Hurt” is now hitting .800.

1:10 pm: A skinny, shirtless teenager wearing a black afro wig with his body painted blue and white makes an appearance. “WS or Bust” is painted on his chest, with “Kirby 34” on his back.

1:39 pm: The third time is a charm. In the 5th, Punto slides headfirst into first base and is SAFE!

1:44 pm: “Big Hurt” flies out. His average dips to .667.

2:11 pm: It’s the top of the 7th and the crowd, still buzzing after Michael Cuddyer’s and Justin Morneau’s back-to-back homers, starts the wave.

2:32: Juan Rincon K’s Thomas to start the 8th. He is now hitting .571.

2:36 pm: The day’s attendance is announced. 55,710 people cheer.

2:40 pm: Torii Hunter swings at a pitch in the dirt to end the 8th. Is this his last AB in the Metrodome as a Twin?

3:17 pm: It’s Groundhog Day. I am crammed into the Metrodome concourse after a bummer loss desperately trying to leave. The militant ushers of course, block all of the non-revolving doors.

3:43 pm: I am at the 38th Street LRT station after a cramped ride waiting for my friends, who where unable to squeeze into my train and had to catch the next one. This day was a serious downer. And tomorrow I actually have to spend a full day at the office……

They're down 0-2, but is there hope?

Posted at 6:40 PM on October 5, 2006 by David Zingler (5 Comments)

We all know the Twins are down 0-2 to Oakland and their dream season is on the brink of ending unceremoniously. Have you given up all hope of a comeback? Do they have a chance?

I say yes! They've fought back from too much and beaten too many odds to go down like this. Radke comes up big in Game 3, Johan shuts 'em down in Game 4 and they piece together a victory in Game 5.

Am I onto something here or has the ghost of Sid Hartman taken over my brain? You decide.

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Midnight for Cinderella.

Posted at 8:22 PM on October 6, 2006 by Josh Lee (1 Comments)

Sometime next week, I'll probably write a post that tries to put the Twins' 0-3 ALDS loss in perspective. I'll write something about how amazing it is that Minnesota was in the postseason at all, and how being in a position to be upset like this took an incredible set of unlikely coincidences and good luck. I'll write about what a wonderful thing the team accomplished, erasing the first two months of the season and storming their way back to the top of the division like a team with nothing to lose, because they had nothing to lose.

But I can't write that post now, because the good luck has run out, the good feelings of the regular season don't mean a lot in the postseason, and as it turns out, the Twins actually had plenty to lose. I'll be back after I'm done sulking.

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A dispatch from Oakland

Posted at 7:48 PM on October 7, 2006 by Jon Gordon

Because I was assigned to cover the ALDS games in Oakland for MPR, the Bleacher Bums have invited me to be a temporary guest blogger, and I do mean temporary: This will be my only post, so get it while it's hot.

First of all, just to end any confusion, I am not the John Gordon who broadcasts Twins games. Mmm kay? I work as an MPR technology reporter.

I was born and raised a Twins fan. One of the biggest thrills of my early life was travelling from my South Dakota home to Bloomington in the mid 1970's to take in a Twins game, where I got to see favorite players like Rod Carew. The team remains dear to my heart. However, since I moved to the San Francisco Bay area to report on technology for Future Tense, the scrappy, small-budget A's have become my favorite team. I live close to the McAfee Coliseum. When the wind is right I can hear the stadium announcer call Marco Scutaro to the plate. I hope I haven't touched a nerve by uttering Scutaro's name. That bases clearing double in the 7th inning of game three might haunt Twins fans for years.

I'm no sports reporter so I'll offer no hard analysis here. Just some observations about game three, which ended badly for one of my favorite teams, but turned out better for my #1 team.

The day the Twins season ended started amusingly enough. I was downing a cup of coffee in Starbucks in the city of Alameda, which is adjacent to Oakland. Who should walk in but A's manager Ken Macha. As he was leaving (with two "Venti" beverages in his hands) I couldn't resist shouting out, "Mr. Macha! Don't let Milton Bradley spill those coffees on your starting pitcher today." You see, in game two ESPN commentators fixated on an A's dugout incident, in which Bradley knocked over a cup of coffee on Esteban Loaiza's uniform. Apparently this led to a little argument between Bradley and the pitching coach. So Macha looks bemused when I make the coffee comment, says something about how the A's did well after the incident, and then he walks out the door. But it apparently left a mark, as he chatted about the incident to reporters just a few hours later. The incident is mentioned in a San Francisco Chronicle article, and a piece in the San Jose Mercury News. Hilarious. Here's an excerpt from the Merc:

The last time the A's won a playoff series, Huston Street was in the second grade and Rick Honeycutt got the save in the close-out game against Boston.

That was in 1990. If it seems longer, it's because there have been so many false start celebrations since. Nine of them, to be exact. Nine times, the A's had a chance to clinch a series and failed.

But not 10. Definitely not 10.

The Athletics took care of business Friday. Didn't mess around at all. Beat the Twins, 8-3, by seizing control of the game early and cruising late. Through this entire series, the A's never trailed once. Had a few laughs along the way, too.

Ken Macha, their manager, stopped at a Starbucks on the way to work Friday morning. As he strolled out of the place with his normal cup of java, one customer told Macha: ``Hey, don't let Milton Bradley pour that on anybody today.''

This post is getting long, so just a few more things.

--In the visitor's locker room after the game, Twins players looked tired but not emotionally crushed or anything. They joked, drank light beers, and ate big mounds of pasta. Joe Mauer's plate looked especially full.

--I didn't see as many Twins fans in Oakland as the last time I covered an A's - Twins ALDS in 2002.

--I'm an A's guy, but I do believe the Twins were the better team in 2006. Just seemed like they didn't handle the pressure in the ALDS. The A's made very few mistakes. The Twins made many. I believe these teams just might meet again in post season the next few years.

--Here's the story on game three I filed for MPR.

It should still be a good October

Posted at 10:16 AM on October 9, 2006 by Ben Tesch

All the matchups for the league championships are set. The Twins may be out of the hunt, but this year's post-season still looks like a good one. The Cards won last night, so they will face the Mets in the NLCS. With the Tigers dismantling the Yankees, they will face the A's in the ALCS.

Apparently having a mediocre streak at the end of the season worked well this year. As the Elias Sports Bureau mentions, only three teams in major-league history reached the post-season despite losing as many as 28 of their last 50 regular-season games: the 1976 Royals (who lost the ALCS to the Yankees) and the Cardinals and Tigers this season. The Cardinals had the worst record in the NL Central from July 23 to the end of the season (28-37); the Tigers had the worst in the AL Central from Aug. 2 to the end of the season (24-32).

Season in review

Posted at 9:32 AM on October 10, 2006 by Ben Tesch (1 Comments)

Kelly Theiser gives her review of the Twins season, laying out The Big Turnaround, what went right, what went wrong, and a forecast for the 2007 season. I personally think it would fantastic if we ended up picking up a solid free agent veteran starter such as Jason Schmidt, Cory Lidle, or Ted Lilly.

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One year at a time

Posted at 3:55 PM on October 10, 2006 by Ben Tesch

Twins pick up CF Hunter's option
Torii Hunter will be back with the Minnesota Twins for at least one more year. Hunter, a Twin his entire career, had said he preferred a long-term deal. But in a statement, he said he was happy to have the option picked up.

Smart move? Too much money? Did he just heat up at the end to make good money? You decide.

Hey, it's Enrico Palazzo!

Posted at 9:32 AM on October 11, 2006 by Ben Tesch

Take these singers out of the ballgame — please!
The music blog Idolator picks out some recent troubling performances of "The Star-Spangled Banner" and "God Bless America" in order to get you ready for the upcoming series of playoff caliber musical talent that will most likely try to top each other with their falsetto and unique twists.

Yankees' Lidle Dies In Plane Crash

Posted at 3:55 PM on October 11, 2006 by Ben Tesch

Plane owned by Yankees pitcher crashes into Manhattan high-rise
A law enforcement official has told The Associated Press that a member of the New York Yankees organization was aboard the plane that crashed into a New York City high-rise. And FAA records show the plane was registered to pitcher Cory Lidle.

Another report is saying that Cory Lidle was the pilot of the plane that crashed into a 50-story condominium in Manhattan, and Lidle is one of two confirmed dead.

Why the Indians were terrible, part XLVII

Posted at 10:10 AM on October 12, 2006 by Ben Tesch

Where It Went Wrong for the Tribe (Part 3)
With 118 errors, the Indians seemed to be engaged in a soccer match with the Angels, booting balls with reckless abandon. However, according to the THT Team Page, the Indians committed 44 throwing errors, which was slightly above the league average of 42. The Indians just weren't kicking the ball around; they were throwing it all over the place also.

From the Onion...

Posted at 10:29 AM on October 12, 2006 by Ben Tesch

George Steinbrenner Fires Tigers
"The Tigers' level of play during the ALDS was deeply disappointing and absolutely not acceptable to both me and the great and loyal Yankee fans," the statement read in part. "This is a mid-budget team with a payroll under $85 million, and I expected them to play like one."

A history of the baseball uniform

Posted at 2:35 PM on October 12, 2006 by Ben Tesch

Dressed to the Nines: A History of the Baseball Uniform
There is something special about the baseball uniform, a mystique that is hard to pin down. Whether we are looking at someone in a uniform or we are trying it on ourselves, it is the feeling of the fabric, the design on the cap and jersey, the colors, cut, and history of the outfit, that all lend meaning to our relationship with the game.

Maybe Tommy Lasorda is right?

Posted at 1:44 PM on October 13, 2006 by Ben Tesch

I'm beginning to think that TV personality nee manager Tommy Lasorda is right: no, not about SlimFast, but that it seems awfully quiet when your local club's season is over. Is anyone paying attention to the playoffs? Everyone too busy trying to find their winter gloves? No one to root against since the White Sox and Yankees are both out?

Tigers win it

Posted at 8:49 PM on October 14, 2006 by Ben Tesch

Well, that sure was quick. The Tigers sweep the A's, and advance to the World Series for the first time since 1984. The Tigers looked quite good on both sides of the ball, as they outscored the A's 22-9 in the four games. Even though Magglio had the big hits, Placido Polanco batted .529 and was named the MVP of the series. Everyone knew they were good, but this is all sort of surprising after the way they ended the regular season, and the way they've been the last 13 seasons: as the losingest team in baseball, including losing 113 games just 3 years ago.

Think they can win it all?

Macha out.

Posted at 4:05 PM on October 16, 2006 by Josh Lee

The Twins got swept out of the playoffs after a regular season that had its ups and downs, but ultimately ended in a division win. The team's management responded by exercising its option on Torii Hunter, a sign that for the most part, they like the team they have and want to see if they can build on this year's successes.

The Twin-killing As got swept out of the playoffs after a regular season that had its ups and downs, but ultimately ended in a division win. The team's management responded by firing its manager, Ken Macha, a sign that they plan on looking different next year after too many years of playoff frustration.

Maybe the Twins are being complacent, or maybe the As are overreacting. (Or maybe the flimsy parallel I was trying to draw between them was completely specious.) Either way, the offseason game of Managerial Musical Chairs just got a little more interesting.

The Strib talks to Terry Ryan

Posted at 9:31 AM on October 18, 2006 by Ben Tesch

Twins GM working on next year's team
With another busy offseason ahead, the Twins GM says the payroll shouldn't be a problem but also emphasizes the importance of Francisco Liriano's health.

DePaula added to roster

Posted at 9:40 AM on October 19, 2006 by Ben Tesch

Right-hander rewarded for successful Minor League season
The Twins added right-handed pitcher Julio DePaula to the 40-man roster. DePaula went a combined 3-3 with a 2.09 ERA and 10 saves in 51 appearances in the Minors this past season. He started the year at Class A Fort Myers and pitched in eight games before being moved up to Double-A New Britain where he went 2-2 with a 2.57 ERA in 43 relief appearances.

The move to add DePaula to the roster comes one week after the Twins outrighted left-handed pitchers Dave Gassner and Justin Jones and infielder Terry Tiffee off the 40-man roster.

NLCS Game 7 tonight

Posted at 3:29 PM on October 19, 2006 by Ben Tesch

Tonight at 7:19 (no, not 7:11) the Mets will host the Cardinals for the deciding game in the series. The Cardinals will bring out Suppan, and the Mets will shovel Oliver Perez aka "the worst pitcher who's ever started a Game 7" out to the mound. Who are you rooting for? Who's going to win? (My answers: Mets/Cardinals)

Cardinals win the NL

Posted at 10:21 AM on October 20, 2006 by Ben Tesch

The Cardinals ride series MVP Jeff Suppan into the World Series with a win over the Mets. My jaw dropped twice in that game: once on the homerun-robbing snowcone catch by Endy Chavez in the 6th to keep the game tied, and then later on the 9th inning curveball by Wainwright that struck out Cliff Floyd looking. Turned out my prediction of who I was rooting for and who won were both correct. Now the World Series starts Saturday in Detroit. Any predictions? (Mine: Tigers in 5.)

Gardenhire gets 2-year contract extension

Posted at 10:39 AM on October 20, 2006 by Ben Tesch

Unlike Ken Macha, Dusty Baker, Frank Robinson, Buck Showalter, Joe Girardi, et al, Ron Gardenhire is staying put, signing a two-year contract extension which would be through the 2009 season. The Twins also signed pitching coach Rick Anderson, bench coach Steve Liddle, bullpen coach Rick Stelmaszek, third base coach Scott Ullger, hitting coach Joe Vavra and first base coach Jerry White to contracts which will run through the 2008 season. (I wonder what happens in that offset year?)

Nothing makes sense anymore.

Posted at 11:20 AM on October 21, 2006 by Josh Lee

We're living in strange times, and it's hard to know what to expect from the game of baseball anymore, especially when it comes to the playoffs. The Braves finally relinquished their stranglehold on the NL East. The best two regular season teams in the AL were upset in the Division Series. Jeff Weaver pitched in the NLCS, and didn't even stink. I've given up on trying to make sense out of anything anymore.

So I guess I shouldn't be surprised to hear that the starting pitchers for Game 1 of the World Series will be a couple of rookies, Anthony Reyes of St. Louis and Justin Verlander of Detroit. At this point, I wouldn't be surprised to see La Russa and Leyland take the mound themselves, just to mess with my mind. And I'm not even going to bother trying to make a prediction: on paper, the battered and exhausted Cardinals don't have a chance against the rolling and rested Tigers, but in this Bizarro-world postseason, I'm not willing to put money on certainties anymore.

Cardinals win Game 1

Posted at 10:00 PM on October 21, 2006 by Ben Tesch

The heavily un-favored Cardinals win Game 1 of the World Series behind a gem by rookie starting pitcher Anthony Reyes, a couple dingers, and a disastrous three-error 6th inning by the Tigers. It will be interesting to see whether the Tigers bats can get back on track and shift the balance back in their favor after losing one at home. Any thoughts? Is Game 2 a must-win for the Tigers?

Tigers win Game 2

Posted at 11:06 PM on October 22, 2006 by Ben Tesch

Kenny Rogers comes back with a gem of his own, and the Tigers take Game 2, 3-1 over the Cardinals. The lone Cardinals run came during a very shaky 9th inning by Todd Jones in which the Cardinals had the bases loaded. The big talk was the "questionable substance" noticed on Kenny Rogers' hand at the beginning of the game. Rogers said it was a dirt/rosin mixture, but some Cardinals mentioned that the ball "was doing some funny things". Either way, after he cleaned it off he ended up retiring 10 straight and gave up only one more hit through 8 innings.

The series now moves to St. Louis on Tuesday night, with Nate Robertson and reigning (and current candidate for this year's) NL Cy Young, Chris Carpenter, as the starters.

MLB labor deal done

Posted at 8:41 PM on October 24, 2006 by Ben Tesch

MLB players, owners announce five-year labor deal
Baseball players and owners proclaimed an unprecedented era of labor peace, finalizing a new five-year collective bargaining agreement Tuesday night. The deal makes relatively minor changes to the previous agreement, and doesn't alter baseball's drug rules.

As Peter Gammons puts it: "There is little that is earth-shattering about the deal except that it was accomplished so discreetly, without threats or cries of poverty, press conferences or games missed. That's because the baseball business is awash in cash."

Cardinals win Game 3, lead Series 2-1

Posted at 10:38 PM on October 24, 2006 by Ben Tesch

Is this series all about pitching gems? Chris Carpenter goes 8 innings, giving up only 3 hits and getting 6 strikeouts. Jim Edmonds' two-run double and Joel Zumaya's two-run error were both huge, particularly since Zumaya's play was potentially an easy double play. Good news for Cardinals fans: Soups on tomorrow night. Bad news for America: no free tacos!

Will the Cards win it while they're in St Louis? Will the Series get back to Detroit, and can Detroit still win it?

Liriano considering surgery

Posted at 9:43 AM on October 25, 2006 by Ben Tesch

Still in pain, Liriano now considering elbow surgery
Still experiencing pain in his left elbow, Twins pitcher Francisco Liriano has left the team's year-round facility in Florida and is considering surgery after being unsatisfied with rehabiliation.

It's unclear if Liriano, if he elects to have surgery, will have an exploratory operation or opt for Tommy John surgery to repair the ligament. The latter could knock Liriano out for next season, which would be a blow to a Twins team that will have high expectations next year.

Game 4 Postponed.

Posted at 10:55 PM on October 25, 2006 by Josh Lee

An image of the future just popped into my mind: It's 2010, and the Twins are working on their third straight World Series title. They're the prohibitive favorite over the Marlins, but a fluke win by the NL in the All-Star Game gives Florda home-field advantage. After splitting the first two meetings in Miami, the teams come back to Minneapolis for the middle three games of the series. As a cold wind blows over the garbage incinerators next to the new ballpark, snow begins to fall. And it keeps falling. Two hours later, it's still falling, and after FOX runs out of episodes of its hi-larious new comedy "Angry White Men" to fill time with, the powers that be finally decide to postpone the game, sending thousands of freezing fans out into the cold, disappointed and still tense.

That's the moment when I'll miss the Metrodome. (It'll be the only one, but hey.)

Hockey weather

Posted at 5:40 PM on October 26, 2006 by Ben Tesch

The rain says no to Game 4, but what are we doing playing baseball Halloween week anyway?
What are we doing here, trying to stage baseball games in hockey weather? The World Series used to be over by the second week of October, but it's been pushed back a total of 18 days, first by the advent of the League Championship Series, then by its expansion from five games to seven, and then by the introduction of the divisional round.

Cardinals win Game 4

Posted at 9:54 AM on October 27, 2006 by Ben Tesch

The Cardinals lead-off spark David Eckstein is heating up, and the Cardinals are taking advantage. St. Louis rode a bunch of doubles and yet another Tigers pitcher error to win Game 4 by one run. What is with the Tigers pitchers and the errors? I think that's been three of four games straight? Either way, Game 4 was easily the most exciting game of the series to watch so far. A close game where both teams are still in it, a couple lead changes, close defensive plays, and a comeback in the end.

Now the question is whether the Tigers can get the series back to Detroit. I have a feeling Busch Stadium will be rocking tonight.

Cardinals win!

Posted at 12:40 PM on October 28, 2006 by Ben Tesch

The Cardinals beat the Tigers 4-2 in Game 5 on Friday night to wrap up their first World Series title since 1982, continuing the trend this year of highly unfavored teams winning. They even set the record for winning the Series with the least wins in the regular season, a mark previously held by the Twins.

Cardinals shortstop David Eckstein won the Series MVP, going 8-for-22 with 4 RBI and 3 runs scored. He is now the 3rd player to start at shortstop for two different championship teams, after winning a championship in 2002 with the Angels.

But overall, I couldn't say any more than how ESPN's Keith Law described the series: St. Louis won this World Series not through great play and certainly not through tremendous talent, but by making fewer mistakes than their opponents. There was yet another error by a Tigers pitcher, making it five games in a row that it happened, which was two more than the previous Series record, and making them the first team ever to allow unearned runs in five consecutive World Series games. The errors ended up costing them 8 unearned runs.

So, congratulations to the Cardinals. The rest of the year the Cardinals can bask in the glory of winning it all, and the Tigers can... take some infield.

Baseball and crime rankings strangely linked

Posted at 8:44 AM on October 30, 2006 by Ben Tesch

St. Louis named most dangerous U.S. city
The city has long fared poorly in the rankings of the safest and most dangerous American cities compiled by Morgan Quitno Press. Violent crime surged nearly 20 percent in St. Louis from 2004 to last year, when the rate of such crimes rose most dramatically in the Midwest, according to FBI figures released in June.

Guess who won the World Series? St. Louis. Guess who was the 2nd most dangerous city? Detroit. Seems like your baseball teams do well if your crime ranking is high. Keep an eye on Cleveland and Oakland for next year, as they are #7 and #8 on the list.

Silva signed for '07

Posted at 3:44 PM on October 31, 2006 by Ben Tesch

Twins pick up Silva's 2007 option
In what I consider to be a surprise move, the Twins picked up Silva's option for 2007, which pays him $4.35 million. I can't say I completely fault the argument of needed depth, but isn't that a lot (especially with such a tight budget as the Twins have) to pay a guy who went 11-15 with a 5.94 ERA and gave up a league-leading 38 home runs? What happened to the days of finding another guy who can do that for half the price?