great video

I'm not sure if anybody found this video of an apparent dance-off between the UConn and South Florida baseball teams during a rain delay at this year's Big East Tournament.
It's quite amusing. Take a look at it.
My question is can anybody verify or deny that the guy doing the "handstand" on the tarp is Rocky Hill's Doug Elliot? If the uniform number is correct it is.
In either case, good stuff from the guys. I guess it goes to show how restless you can get during a delay.

feeling their pain

On the night of June 22, 2002, I was in a hotel room in Hershey, PA, watching the James Bond movie "The Spy Who Loved Me" on a local network station, when during a commercial break I overheard something that shocked me.
On Thursday morning I was sitting in my living room when similar news shocked me again, though, in a sad way, not nearly as much.
I cannot begin to understand how the family of Nick Adenhart is feeling right now. I cannot understand the emotions of his Los Angeles Angels teammates, his friends, and others who knew him.
But I do know a bit about what the Angels' fans are feeling, for what it's worth.
June 22, 2002 was the day that St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Darryl Kile was found dead in his hotel room in Chicago, the victim of a heart attack, as the Cards were in town to face the rival Cubs. It was that news that a local TV anchor announced during that commercial break, and when I heard it, I wondered if I had heard correctly. It was unbelievable. I don't know if I breathed from that point until many minutes later when I turned over the ESPN to find out what I thought I heard was true.
As a Cardinals fan, I will never forget seeing the video at Wrigley Field that afternoon, as a packed house of both teams' fans waited wondering why the game was delayed. Then Cubs catcher Joe Girardi stepped to a microphone, and with tears in his eyes, delivered the message. I may not remember it exactly, but very close.
"We regret to inform you that due to a tragedy in the Cardinals family, today's game has been canceled."
I get tears in my eyes thinking about it seven years later. This was the arch-rival, or would have been on any other day. But on that day, it simply did not matter.
I relived the experience two years ago, when Cardinals reliever Josh Hancock was killed in a drunk driving accident in April, 2007. Hancock had been a member of the World Series winning team the year before.
Ironically, it was when the Cubs were in St. Louis for a series.
Of course, I didn't know either Kile or Hancock. I never met them. I don't believe I ever saw either of them play in person.
And yet, in both cases, I felt deeply saddened by their deaths, more than others you hear about on the news.
It is a strange business, being a sports fan. You become completely invested in the lives of people you have never met, or at least a small portion of their lives. You watch them on TV, day-in and day-out, and they become a part of your life as a result. They become important on some level.
And yet, when you get right down to it, you don't know anything about them.
Kile was a star, one of my favorite pitchers on the team, and a big part of the Cardinals resurgence as a franchise in the 2000s. Hancock was the epitome of a role player, a mediocre middle reliever known for eating up innings.
Kile had done nothing wrong. He simply had a heart problem that had gone undiagnosed. Hancock was the victim of his own foolish act, getting behind the wheel after too much drinking.
I felt the death of each pretty intensely. Tears welled in my eyes multiple times, and still do as I recall those moments.
Tears welled in my eyes once again this week for Adenhart. The 22-year-old had just pitched the best game of his young career, and showed tremendous promise. He was not guilty of anything. He simply went out, and another driver, with an impressive track record to put it one way, took away the lives of him and two of his friends (with another still in the hospital and possibly the next to go).
I won't spend any more time passing judgement. I won't spend any more time eulogizing the dead, whom I know nothing of personally. I won't try to offer condolences to the family, friends and teammates of Adenhart. It would only come up short of its mark even if they were to read this. That's not what I can offer.
In 2002 and 2007, I read the online message boards. I listened on the radio and on TV. I heard a nation of fans speak of how saddened they were by the deaths of Kile and Hancock.
Mostly, I heard the fans of other teams, particularly the Cubs, put aside trivial rivalries and reach out to those whom they would normally detest. It made a difference.
So if you speak to an Angels fan this week, and wonder why they are truly, deeply hurt on a very sincere and heartfelt level, offer condolences. I cannot explain it fully. I cannot understand it any better myself. But I know their pain.
I weep, this week, for them.

see you at the stadium

It's almost 4 in the morning, and I just got back from the gym. I recently joined a 24 hour gym (Cardio Express in Wethersfield if anybody's wondering) to suit my nocturnal lifestyle, and so far it's working out well. But that's not the point of this post.
I'll be covering my first game of the spring in less than 12 hours, and I'm very excited about it. I was stuck in the office most of the winter due to drastically early deadlines and our desire as a staff to continue to get results from as many games as possible in the paper. That meant I was on phone duty most nights. Now with games in the afternoon, I get to go back out in the field most days.
I'll be at the Berlin-New Britain border war baseball game at Beehive, and with a pair of good teams (one looking to be among the elite in the state) it should be exciting.
I figured now is a good time to share some of my "preseason" thoughts (the season is actually two days old) on the spring sports in the area.
Predicted top team: Berlin baseball
If anybody is going to win a state title this season, put your fake money on the Redcoats. They return a team loaded with talent. In fact, when contacted about previews, two opposing coaches had the same comment. "They're [expletive] loaded."
Think about it. Last summer both the Berlin Legion team and Jaycee-TD Banknorth League team made it to their championship, the latter winning. The teams both had players from the current high school squad, though the Legion team had more. This team returned most of its key parts, including a pitching staff coach Leo Veleas says is deeper in talent than he's ever coached. That's saying a lot.
Team on the rise: Newington softball
I have a feeling this could be a very special year for the Indians. They went 13-7 last year, losing a number of close games that they should have won. Experience is the greatest teacher, and with all six players back in front of the outfield grass (and in softball that's what matters most) the talent is there to be among the best in the CCC and possibly the state. Now, Masuk looks extremely tough to beat for a state title (and it's way to early to talk about that for this team), but the Indians held them scoreless in a 0-0 scrimmage. Keep an eye on this team.
Bounce-back year: Rocky Hill softball
The Terriers have had a few bad years and are looking back at the golden days when they had pitchers like Natalie Tine and Ashlee Teraila leading them deep in the state tournament. Well, look out for Megan Ruonavaara, a player who will terrify hitters in the coming years as much as her name terrifies sports writers. Rocky Hill is back.
Most likely to defend a title: Berlin boys golf
The Redcoats golfers will try to steal some attention away from the baseball team, and with Ryan Lee, Kevin Jud, Mike Scheyd and others back, this team has a very good shot to defend its Division II state title. Scheyd, typically their No. 3 guy, shot even par in his first round of the season. Not a bad way to start.
Best local athletes you've never watched: Farmington tennis players Mark Kahan and Monica Szwed
Kahan lost the state open final last year, but bounced back by winning the New England title instead. Szwed, as a sophomore, went deep in the girls tournament, and with a little added muscle to her precision shots should go further. These two are fun to watch, no punchers here. Of course, I speak as a varsity letter earner in tennis, so maybe I'm biased.
Best rivalry: It may be more media driven than anything (guilty as charged), or maybe not, but the three-way rivalry between golfers Sarah Sideranko (New Britain), Kirsten LaPointe (Newington) and Erica Barnes (Berlin) is always fun. Sideranko and LaPointe have been dueling it out in the spotlight since being named all-state players their freshman season. They have such contrasting styles of play on the course, it's fascinating to watch them head to head. Sideranko will invariably outdrive LaPointe, but the latter seems to know exactly where to hit it with the strength she has to make an approach shot possible.
Meanwhile, Barnes spent two years just trying to get noticed and did so in a big way by finishing tied for second at last year's state open, on a day when the other two weren't quite as sharp.
They all face off against each other, and to add to the fun, Sideranko and LaPointe will be college teammates at Hartford next season.
Some upperclassmen to watch (in no particular order): Spencer Parker, Newington volleyball; D.J. Voisine, Plainville baseball; Matt Carasiti, Berlin baseball; Chris Linares, New Britain baseball; Amanda Palmieri, Southington softball; Kelly Paterson, Southington softball; Felicia Leone, New Britain softball; Josh Edelson, Farmington golf; Chris Kelly, Southington track; Jackie English, Wethersfield softball
One other storyline: baseball dominance
I predict, for the second year in a row, that area baseball teams will finish much better than local softball teams. Looking around the towns, it's hard to find a bad baseball squad. Rocky Hill might be the weakest, but I have a feeling the Terriers will challenge people. Southington and Newington don't look as strong as they've been, but there's always talent at those two schools. I wouldn't be shocked if all these teams make the postseason, with Farmington appearing ready to bounce back this season, and teams like New Britain, Berlin, Plainville and Wethersfield possibly among the best.

That's about it for now. Come out to the Hive Friday at 3.

MLB season preview

OK. Spring is here. That means I will get out of the office and back into the field after a long winter which forced me to miss a lot of the action on the basketball court.
But, before we get to local high school stuff, I want to share my thoughts on the MLB season, and make my predictions for each team.
Now, as I did last year, I will make predictions on records for all the teams, but I will be doing this totally off the top of my head. The numbers will not add up to a possible outcome. But last season, I was relatively close on most teams, and actually quite proud of myself.
I am more excited than ever for baseball season. I think the birth of mlb.tv on the mlb.com Web site has allowed me to watch more baseball than ever, and I feel really well informed on the sport as a whole. So, with that in mind, expect my picks to be terrible. But here they are.

American League East
1. New York (95-67)- I've gone back and forth on this, and honestly, I think the top three teams in baseball are in this division. But one won't make the playoffs and another will need to win the wild card to get there. So, this is key.
The Yanks lineup is flawed, with Jeter getting old, Matsui not nearly what he used to be and Posada and Damon both reaching their final years. But, how can you beat the rotation with Sabathia, Burnett, Chamberlain, and Pettitte?
Well, the answer may be injuries, but until that happens, this is the team to beat if you ask me. They need A-Rod back desperately, but should be good when that happens. If they slip at all, they'll be caught.
2- Tie- Boston/Tampa Bay (94-68)- It's so close, let's just get a one-day playoff for the wild card. That would be fun.
The Sox's rotation looks stronger than expected. Penny is pitching well, and is healthy so far. Beckett, Daisuke and Lester are all very strong (again, if healthy. That seems to be a trend). Somebody will fill the last spot and at worst, Wakefield isn't a bad option.
The lineup post-Manny is still quite strong, though not as intimidating. Drew needs to get healthy, and I think Pedroia will come back just a bit from his MVP season. But I think Papi will pick up the slack.
As for the Rays, I can't figure out why David Price is starting the year in the minors, and if he weren't I'd probably have picked them ahead of New York. Bad move by the team if you ask me, because one or two games in the regular season could mean they don't get to October, so resting him could be a moot point.
But, this team still has a very strong rotation and bullpen from last year, Carl Crawford is poised for a big bounce-back year, and the rest of the team is young and improving. What's not to like?
4. Baltimore (75-87)- The rest of this division will suffer the consequences. The Orioles have some nice young pieces though, such as Adam Jones in center field. He's going to be a stud. The pitching staff has decent promise too, so I pick them barely ahead of the Jays.
5. Toronto (72-90)- I don't know why I'm quite so down on this team, but after Roy Halladay, I don't like much of what they have. Vernon Wells is getting old. Alex Rios is good, and Scott Rolen should do better than last year if he's healthier for once. But not much else.
I will be watching New Britain native Jesse Carlson closely as a reliever. His father is a great person and he's done well in his time so far.
American League Central
1. Minnesota (89-73)- Love the former Rock Cats in the rotation. And in a division with no great teams, consistency wins out. Nobody's staff is as balanced as the Twins, even if Scott Baker misses a bit of time at the start. But Denard Span needs to do better than he did in the spring and Mauer must get back healthy before too long. That could be a downfall.
2. Cleveland (85-77)- I could get laughed at for this, but I think this is a sleeper team. Here's why.
There's a lot of potential for surprise performances from the pitching staff. Cliff Lee and Fausto Carmona need to perform up to expectations. Jake Westbrook needs to return from Tommy John surgery healthy and before July. But there's hope behind that. I expect big things from Carl Pavano, getting out of New York, and Anthony Reyes, who has as much talent as anybody when he screws his head on correctly.
Plus, I like Victor Martinez to bounce back, Sizemore to improve and others to do well. I like this team. I could eat these words in September.
3. Chicago (82-78)- An up and down club headed for another "down" year. Good pieces. Alexei Ramirez is a rising star. But I expect dropoffs from Carlos Quentin, Jermaine Dye and the rotation.
4. Kansas City (78-82)- Much improved, but don't buy the hype that this team could contend in this division. The young pitching staff is solid, but the offense has no big bats to get the job done. Simply put, who's driving in the runs? Alex Gordon's not that good yet, and Coco Crisp is no savior.
5. Detroit (72-90)- Bad times ahead for the Motor City. This pitching staff, injured and declining in a hurry, is bad. The offense is weaker without Sheff and Pudge. Granderson, Magglio and Cabrera can't score enough to overcome the deficiencies. Horrible year.
American League West
1. Anaheim of LA in the Valley [or something like that] (90-72)- Smoke and mirrors, and good coaching, are enough to win this division. This isn't nearly as good a team as it used to be, and there are some early pitching questions. But in the end, who's beating them. Nobody else is very good. And Scioscia is one of the best in the game at getting the most out of a roster.
2. Oakland (84-78)- Still don't think this team is very good. This might even be a bit high for them. Holliday's numbers should plummet in the Coliseum. The pitching staff is mediocre. The rest of the lineup strikes out too much. But look for the return of Giambi, back to folk legend status by the Bay. He was never comfortable in New York.
3. Seattle (83-79)- The Mariners weren't a good team last year, but they weren't as bad as their record. Or at least shouldn't have been. Look for Bedard to do better this year, and the team to get a serious emotional boost from that Griffey guy. Some guys are just meant to be in certain cities. Junior never should have left. He belongs to Seattle.
4. Texas (80-82)- Teams still getting better, but there still isn't enough pitching to go with stud hitters like Kinsler and Hamilton.

National League East
1. New York (91-71)- I know the rotation depth is weak. I know you're counting a lot on John Maine and Oliver Perez to do well. But I believe in both of those guys and the Mets have found success at the front of games with mediocre talent in recent years. It's been the back end that's caused problems. Now they've got that settled with two top level guys in Putz and K-Rod.
Now, the runs that this lineup scores will hold up, and with Sheff added yesterday, the lineup looks even a bit stronger.
2. Philadelphia (89-73)- Here's where I see pitching problems. Hamels is hurt. Moyer is a human wonder, but can't do everything. Myers is never happy. What else is there. I saw Happ in person last year. He's not that good.
Great bullpen, great offense (even better with Utley back at full strength). But pitching will be the downfall for the champs.
3. Florida (86-76)- This is another sleeper team. Most in the division consider the Marlins rotation to be the best of the bunch, though almost completely unknown. Chris Volstad is the next guy to get recognized, the way Hamels has over the past three years. Hanley Ramirez is a star.
But overall, not enough depth in the lineup.
4. Atlanta (83-79)- This team could also sneak into the playoffs, if Francouer bounces back, Chipper stays healthy and other things go right. The rotation will have trouble staying healthy, even if it is good when the guys take the mound. So that will keep them back just a bit.
5. Washington (71-91)- You know, I think this team is much improved talent-wise. But the record won't get much of a boost playing four legitimately good teams in the division. Love Elijah Dukes. Love Dunn to get the fans excited. Don't expect to be in the race.

National League Central
1. Chicago (96-66)- Best team in the NL is back. They choked in the playoffs, but they're built for regular season greatness. Zambrano, Harden, Dempster (and Peavy?). That's tough to beat. The lineup is balanced and better with Milton Bradley. Let's see how they do when they get to the playoffs this time.
Only minor question for me is will Gregg and Marmol be as strong as Wood was last year. That could effect things.
2. St. Louis (93-69)- Homer pick. But seriously, I love my team this year.
STAT TIME!
Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright combined for 23 starts last year, going 11-4 (Carp was 0-1 and never got past the fifth inning). That team won 86 games.
Now those two are back healthy and should start, at a very conservative guess, 40 games at least. Thats good for five more wins. Add in an offensive upgrade at short, a plethora of outfield talent and a bullpen that will now be an asset as opposed to a detriment. Josh Kinney will be a great reliever, Ryan Franklin will be at home in the setup role and Jason Motte will close games out with pure power. Mark it down. This team makes the playoffs barring injuries.
3. Cincinnati (86-76)- Everybody's favorite to be this year's Rays looks good on paper. Volquez, Cueto, Harang, Arroyo and Owings in the rotation: good stuff. But...
After Joey Votto (who I love), Jay Bruce (who I like) and Brandon Phillips (who everybody should know more about) the offense is full of unproductive outs and little power. This offense can't score enough to take pressure off the young arms. That's a recipe for disaster.
4. Milwaukee (81-81)- Braun is awesome, and I hate him for that. Fielder is dangerous. Other guys can hit for power, though not as much for average.
But the team's best pitcher might be Jeff Suppan, three of the other starters are constantly hurt, and Braden Looper is a solid pitcher. That's not a lot of depth, and no ace. Remember, before CC got there last year, this team was not headed to the playoffs. He won't save them this year, and Sheets is gone, too.
5. Houston (74-88)- This is a team where the sum of the parts is greater than the whole. Somehow these guys won't blend. Good pitching performances will go wasted. Good offensive days will be ruined by poor starts. And Carlos Lee is so bad in left field it's worth about 20 runs over the course of the season to opponents. I like what they did adding Pudge, and Berkman's still the quietest great player in the game. But this team is destined to hit the skids.
6. Pittsburgh (66-96)- In contention to be the worst team in the league, if only San Diego weren't so bad it would be a landslide. They have a rotation of guys who could never live up to potential. Maholm, their best chance to break that chance, is pitching poorly in spring.
The offense is hideous and the defense even worse. Beautiful park. Ugly team.

National League West
1. Los Angeles (88-74)- I don't love any of these teams, and I've flip-flopped on this several times (like the AL East). But Manny is a difference maker and makes that offense the best in the division (not that that says much).
I don't like the pitching staff. There's too much riding on young guys, and guys who may have had career years last year. We'll see. This team still has the most upside in the division.
2. San Francisco (86-76)- Combine the Giants and Dodgers and you'd have a great team. Cause Lincecum, Cain and Randy Johnson is a fearsome top three in the rotation. But who will score the runs. The offense is better, but still bad. Nonetheless, I think this team fits its park very well and will post a very good home record.
3. Arizona (85-77)- This could change if a lot of the young hitters step up. Webb and Haren are still great, but the rest of the rotation isn't as good as before. But if Stephen Drew and whichever Upton is on this team reach their potential, that could go a long way. Plus I expect good things from Felipe Lopez at second, and Eric Byrnes could see a big bounceback year, if he ever gets to play.
4. Colorado (74-88)- Who's still on this team from the 07 World Series? Spillborghs. Tulowitzki. Ummmm???
Alright, Todd Helton's still there, but far too much of the team salary is tied up in an aging hitter with bad home and road splits. Pitching staff is suspect. Offense has noticeably less pop without Holliday.
5. San Diego (65-97)- Bad, bad, bad, bad, bad. Look out 62 Mets. This team might challenge you, although that has proven harder and harder to do. Even the awful teams get some wins these days, and Jake Peavy's still a Padre for at least a couple months. Chris Young could bounce back and be a very good pitcher. And Brian Giles is... well, he's still there for what it's worth. (Adrian Gonzalez is one good offensive player this team has. He's about it.)
The offense is god awful. It's a shame that the owners' personal issues (divorce) are forcing the fans and team to suffer. Hang in there Pads fans.

Enjoy the season, fans. I know I will.
And stay classy, San Diego. It's going to be a loooooooong season.

World Series preview

I don't care what anybody says. This is the matchup I want.
Who wants the Red Sox again, other than Sox fans? We've seen them. Just last year we saw them. Four years ago we saw them end the curse. It's over. The likability of the Red Sox is forever gone, and I'm not one of those people who needs a villain to make a sport interesting (not that it doesn't help sometimes).
No. I want a hero. I want something I can get caught up in even if it's not my own team. I need these Rays.
I remember 1991, when I was ten years old and learning about a new group of contenders known as the Braves. It's hard to remember that in the 1980s the Braves were the laughing-stock of MLB. Dale Murphy was about the only thing that made the team relevant, an eternally overlooked player (seriously, look up his career numbers), and for good reason. His team was terrible.
And then they became the Braves. They made it to 14 straight postseasons. They won the World Series once and got there five times.
But back in 1991 we were getting our first glimpse of them, and I can remember rooting hard for Maddux, Glavine, Smoltz and the wonder kid named Steve Avery. David Justice was a star on that team. Ron Gant breathed life back into his own middling career. It was special to see the team attempt to go from worst to first, and they nearly did it before the Twins took the Series.
So, now, 17 years later we have the Rays, another team attempting to do the same thing. No major American team has ever had the worst record in its sport one year and gone on to win its championship the next year. It's that hard to do.
And I'll be rooting for the Rays with almost everything I have.
On the other side we have the Phillies, a very talented group of players trying to end what its city feels is an overlooked history of woe. Theres some truth to that. The Phils have only one title in their 100-plus year history, which is fewer than even the Cubs. And the city hasn't won a title in any sport since 1983 (76ers).
Truth is, I just can't root for a Philadelphia team. Not if there's an alternative. Maybe it's just me, but my experience in Philly has always made me think of the fans in that city as simply miserable. They are mean on an equal-opportunity level: they boo their own team just as much as the opponents, and both loudly. They abuse fans of the visiting team. They are simply mean.
If New York fans are always criticized for their air of self-importance, they have never been as outright nasty as Philly fans can be.
I like some of these Philly players. There may not be a more important player to his team than Chase Utley. I truly enjoy watching Cole Hamels pitch. And Ryan Howard seems like a good guy and is a fun player.
But I just cannot root for this team. For me, they offer that villain.
So bring on the series.
For a good article about the series read this, by the ever-entertaining Jayson Stark.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs2008/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=3653757

OK, so here's my prediction and on-field thoughts.
As I said about the NLCS, the best pitcher in the series is on the Phillies. Hamels is just that good, if you haven't noticed by now. But guys like Kazmir and Shields aren't far behind for Tampa, and the Rays have far more pitching depth. Sonnanstine and Garza are legit threats to shut a team down as well, and despite the blowup in Game 5, the bullpen is very deep and very effective.
In fact, I love that the group bounced back to essentially win Game 7. I'm sure many people thought they would not recover after having their first major gaffe of the year come in a potential series-clinching game, and in overwhelming fashion. That says a ton about the makeup of the team and pitching staff in particular.
Offensively, there's a ton of young star power here. Longoria, Upton, Crawford, Pena for the Rays. Rollins, Utley, Howard, Burrell for the Phillies. Role players like Shane Victorino and Akinora Iwamura who absolutely are the glue that make championship teams.
I can't decide which offense I think is better.
But here's the kicker. Tampa's still got that goofy stadium. They had an exceptional home record this year, and with good cause. Even teams used to playing there don't adapt enough all the time. The roof can screw things up in countless ways. The noise can get bad. Even the lighting can have an effect on things, not to mention playing on an artificial surface, even field turf as opposed to old-fashioned Astroturf.
Along with the pitching staff, I expect this to give Tampa an edge. And here's the other thing. Philly needs to get wins when Hamels is on the mound. If Tampa can steal a game against him at the Trop, this series could be over quicker than expected.
So while I think certain parts of this series are pretty balanced, overall I don't think there's much question that Tampa's a stronger team top to bottom. If the Rays win the first two games, and can come out firing in Game 3 in Philly, this could be over in four.
Or, if Hamels can get his team a win early on, and the Phils can go back home even, they could force the series back to Tampa.
But I don't see that happening. I see Tampa fever sweeping the nation.
And I see the Rays winning this, their first World Series title, in five games.
What a story that would make.

MLB playoff predictions (take 2)

Sometimes I feel happy getting things half right. The MLB playoffs are definitely one of those times.
After all, I was exactly right about the Rays and Phillies... in four games! That never happens. I was right that the Red Sox-Angels series would be tight, and don't be fooled that it didn't go five games. The Angels had a lead in Game 1 and were right in it in Game 4. That easily could have gone the other way, and sports editor Matt Straub almost had three cardiac arrests during the week.
And then there were the Cubs.
OK, I won't avoid talking about it. I was wrong about the Cubs, well, sort of. I said that at some point something would stop them from winning, as always. I just had no idea it would be so early on. I never would have predicted four errors in one game, all from the infield. I never thought their entire stacked lineup would fall asleep. I never thought Huroki Kuroda and Chad Billingsley would prove to be aces when it mattered most. So, I was wrong about that.
Time to regroup and go at this again. And I love both of these LCS matchups. This should be exciting baseball.
ALCS, Red Sox at Rays
The sad thing is, if the Sox win this, then the Rays year, and accomplishments, will go the way of many before them. Who remembers the 2001 Mariners? They went 116-46 in the regular season, but lost the ALCS to the Yankees. And it was in New York, not Seattle, that the President threw out the opening pitch. Maybe that was just fate. But those Mariners, one of the best teams ever, are largely forgotten, and it's only seven years later.
How about the 1995 Indians? Try 100-44 in a strike-shortened regular season. But they lost to the Braves in the World Series (ironic that the one Braves team that won in the end was the one that was a huge underdog). So, your average fan doesn't remember just how good that Indians team was.
The point is, the Rays won the AL East by playing great all year long and holding off the Sox in the last two weeks of the year. But if they lose this series, it won't matter. In the end, people will remember the Red Sox as the better team (whether they were or not) and the Rays will be something for the history books only, not baseball lore.
And it could easily happen. These teams both have three VERY reliable starting pitchers, and a fourth that isn't bad in a pinch. I give the Rays the edge in that middle game, but other than that, how can you pick against any of the six guys going?
How about offense? The Red Sox sure look a lot like they did this time last year, balanced and dangerous. Who wants to pitch to Pedroia, Youkilis, or that Ortiz guy? Not to mention Jason Bay is proving he's pretty good, J.D. Drew is always dangerous and you can expect somebody else to step up eventually.
As for the Rays, they just looked very good against the White Sox, and Carlos Pena (the pride of Northeastern University) didn't hit a single homer in the series. He did bat .500 in three games.
If B.J. Upton heats up, he's a series changer. Same goes for Longoria, and Pena. That's a VERY good lineup.
There's little question that these are the two best remaining teams, and many people believe whoever wins this is taking home the World Series. That will have to wait. For now, it's going to come down to those late-game situations, that the Red Sox have been so good at during their postseason success years.
But the Rays have the much deeper bullpen, aside from the Sox advantage in postseason experience the only big edge either team has anywhere. I think that's critical, and I'm not the biggest believer in the importance of a strong pen. Strong pens don't win games. But at this point in the year, when every game is so important, they keep you from blowing one.
I hope this goes seven games. I hope they're all close. I hope Red Sox fans have 1,000 heart attacks over the next week.
And in the end, I hope their hearts are broken, if only so that the Rays get to shine. This team deserves it, and I hate seeing the kind of things that happened in 2001 and 1995 (except when it comes to last year's Patriots).
I may be picking with my heart, but I am picking Tampa in seven games.
NLCS, Dodgers at Phillies
This is weird, because entering the playoffs, I thought the Cubs were so clearly the best team in the NL that I hadn't quite considered the possibility the Dodgers would be in this series. Of course, I knew the Dodgers COULD win that series, I just never thought about what it would set up afterwards, how they would shape up for a seven-game series.
Truth be told, they shape up pretty damn good. In fact, they have the biggest edge in this series: starting pitching depth.
True, the Phillies have the best pitcher in the series in Cole Hamels, and he seems prepared to be a star this postseason, unlike his one-and-done last year. But after that, the Phils rely on soft-throwing vets, and Joe Blanton, who's not good for much this year (although Milwaukee didn't solve him). Seriously, while I respect Brett Myers and Jamie Moyer and think both are great pitchers to have over the long haul of a regular season, they aren't the type I would rely on now. The Jeff Suppans of the world, guys like that who step up in the postseason, are few and far between.
Lowe is similar, but has a proven track record. Billingsley and Kuroda are more typical ace-types, even if they aren't to that level yet.
So, if the Phils want to win, they will likely need two wins from Hamels. Then if they can get one from either Moyer or Myers somewhere, it could leave an interesting situation. The pivotal matchup in this series could be Blanton against whomever the Dodgers pitch in Game 4. Strange, isn't it. But that's the matchup that doesn't seem to have a favorite.
OK, so now we look at the lineups, and it's like the exact opposite. The Dodgers have the top gun (Manny), but the Phils (Utley, Rollins, Howard) have three legitimate stars, all of whom can change a game. That doesn't even include Shane Victorino and Pat Burrell, Victorino a clutch hitter, and Burrell typically the opposite, but still very dangerous.
L.A. has Rafael Furcal back, a key piece to its success, and Russell Martin is a very good hitter, and Andre Ethier is far better than most people realize. But the rest of their lineup is inconsistent, like James Loney, Matt Kemp and Jeff Kent. Those guys could easily go cold.
So the offensive edge seems to clearly be on Philly's side.
The bullpens feel like a moot point, but the Phils could have a bit more trouble in the middle innings if the older starters don't go deep. If it gets to Lidge, you can pretty much count it in the books, despite his postseason history.
[A note on the infamous Albert Pujols home run that allegedly destroyed Brad Lidge's postseason mindset: What people don't realize is that Lidge wasn't pitching well in that postseason before the Pujols homer in Game 5, which was a bomb of epic proportions. He gave up an earned run in Game 3, and nearly blew a save in game 4, which had the Cardinals won, they likely would have won the series. The only thing that saved him was the final play, either a spectacular double play turn by the infield, or a blown call depending on your personal point of view. Either way, if John Mabry hustles out of the box, Larry Walker scores and that game is tied. But, I'm not holding a grudge or anything.
The point is, Lidge was just off that October, in general. The Pujols homer was waiting to happen. He's not off right now.]
So that could be a minor advantage to the Dodgers, or a major one depending on the series. I would prefer to see Philly win this one. I can't root for either Joe Torre or Manny Ramirez personally, or the team that would vulture Manny when he was intentionally tanking it for his previous team for no good reason.
But the more I think about it, the more I like L.A. to win this series, particularly if that middle game goes their way or Lowe steals one from Hamels (which could easily happen). I'm going to take L.A. in six games.


Of course, what I pick usually comes true about half the time. So take the above picks with a grain of salt. I could just be trying to manipulate it to go the way I want.
But, with my luck they'll both go the way I don't want, and I'll be forced to sit through a Sox-Dodgers series.

Bring on October

Back in March I made my predictions for the baseball season, and very unscientifically even guessed at win totals for all 30 MLB teams, without adding up to see if those numbers were even possible until afterwards.
Well, now it's time to bite the bullet and go back and see how I did. And this is the first time I've looked at the numbers since making those picks, so this should be fun.
Let's see how many games off I was for every team.
Team ..............actual finish......predicted.................difference
AL East
Tampa Bay ..97 wins............84 (3rd place)...........13 games
Boston...........95.....................98 (1st)......................3
New York.....89.....................93 (2nd).....................4
Toronto ........86....................82 (4th)......................4
Baltimore......68....................66 (5th)......................2
AL Central
Chicago.........88.....................87 (3rd)......................1
Minnesota....88.....................75 (4th).....................13
Cleveland......81 ....................95 (1st)......................14
Kansas City..75.....................68 (5th)....................... 7
Detroit..........74......................94 (2nd).....................20
AL West
L.A..............100......................92 (1st)..................... 8
Texas...........79.......................77 (3rd)......................2
Oakland.......75.......................72 (4th)......................3
Seattle..........61......................90 (2nd)...................29
NL East
Philadelphia.92......................91 (2nd)....................1
New York.....89.....................94 (1st)......................5
Florida..........84......................64 (5th)..................20
Atlanta.........72.......................86 (3rd)..................14
Washington..59......................82 (4th)..................23
NL Central
Chicago.........97......................89 (1st)....................8
Milwaukee...90......................84 (3rd)...................6
Houston........86......................73 (5th).................13
St. Louis........86......................87 (2nd)..................1
Cincinnati......74......................78 (4th)..................4
Pittsburgh....67.......................70 (6th).................3
NL West
LA Dodgers..84.....................90 (2nd)..................6
Arizona.........82.....................95 (1st)..................13
Colorado.......74.....................86 (3rd).................12
San Francisco.72..................68 (5th)...................4
San Diego.....63.....................85 (4th).................22


Whew! I'm glad that's over. I forgot some of those picks (Washington 82 wins!, San Diego 85 wins!). As you can see, I did very well on some things, and very bad on others. I did not foresee Tampa being this good, but I thought they would be competitive. I had a hunch that pre-season favorites like Detroit, Seattle and Colorado would not be quite that good, but in the case of the first two, I never imagined they would be that bad.
I also had a hunch on the White Sox, as I wrote. And I'm proud to say I was only one game off on my Cardinals, who surprised just about everybody else with their 86-win year.
Now, as for the bad, Washington was a very dark horse pick to get that high, and in retrospect I was dead wrong. San Diego struggled with injuries such as Chris Young missing over half the season and nobody could have foreseen Jake Peavy struggling like he did. That's just part of what makes this so interesting.
I got two division winners correct, two other eventual winners were my pick to finish second and two other winners I picked to finish third. That's not too bad. Of course, Cleveland, my pick to win the AL Central, finished far behind in third, and Arizona, which I thought was the best the NL had to offer, finished with only 82 wins.
I am not at all surprised that one division I was very close on was the NL Central, missing by only an average of fewer than six games per team. I follow that division like a hawk.
Being in New England, I was also very close on the AL East, missing by a mere 5.2 games per team, most of that a 13-game gap when the Rays exceeded any kind of expectation. I missed the other four teams by a miniscule 3.25 games each. I'm proud of that.
I was surprisingly closer on my AL predictins (8.64 games off per team) than NL (9.68 games per team). Overall I missed by an average of 9.26 games. It's hard for me to say if that's good or not, with nobody else to compare to, but with the unpredictability of a long baseball season, I'd say its not too bad.



AND NOW... FOLLOWING THAT PERFORMANCE... I AM COMPELLED TO GIVE YOU MORE PREDICTIONS GUARANTEED TO BE PARTIALLY TRUE
Time to predict the 2008 playoffs
American League
Chicago at Tampa Bay: I love Ozzie Guillen. I don't know what he's doing most of the time as a manager, but it somehow seems to work more than it doesn't. Well, his team came up with some clutch wins Monday and Tuesday, and that reminds me at least a little of last year's Colorado team.
On the other hand, Tampa is the real deal, and one of the more complete teams in these playoffs, particularly with Longoria back and if Percival can stay healthy.
One thing that worries me about the Rays is their imbalanced home and road record. They rely a lot on The Trop to win, and one slipup there in the playoffs could hurt them a lot. Consistency wins this time of year.
But, overall, I just think Tampa is a significantly better team than Chicago, more rested, better equipped to handle pitching matchups, and of course, they do have home field.
Prediction: Tampa Bay in four
Boston at L.A. Angels: At the beginning of the season, I thought the Sox were the best team in baseball, but it's been quite an up-and-down ride. No more Manny, but Jason Bay is about as good a replacement as they were going to find. A battered Josh Beckett not pitching until game three. Next to nothing from wunderkind Clay Bucholz, and likely an end to Schilling's career.
But here the Sox are, with Daisuke improving from last year as predicted, Lester suddenly a star and Pedroia the favorite to win the MVP.
On the other hand we have the definition of consistency in the Angels. After Vlad, how many guys in their lineup can you name. But they are all solid players, and if Garrett Anderson is healthy and gets hot he can be a series changer.
Plus their pitching always surprises, and they have that lights-out closer (of course, so do the Sox most of the time).
This one is tough. Something is still making me lean toward Boston. I think it's that deep down I think the Sox have more talent. This should come down to a couple things though, that don't favor the Sox:
1. Lester's youth
2. Beckett's spot in the rotation
3. No Manny
Lester was great this year, but I'm not sold he'll be unhittable as he might need to be in the pressure of October. I think he'll pitch well, but can he win a 2-1 game if needed.
Beckett will only get to pitch once, and how will that go coming off an injury.
And while Manny could tear apart a team over the haul of a season, and getting rid of him was absolutely the right move, the Sox will miss having that kind of an impact player now, when every at bat becomes critical.
Prediction: Los Angeles in five
ALCS, Tampa Bay at Los Angeles: What a strange matchup this would be, and many think that it would garner no TV ratings. But I have a feeling that fans will follow Tampa for the novelty of the team.
I can't think of two more balanced teams. Their pitching staffs look almost identical: no huge names, but guys who can pitch a shutout going every game.
The lineups have a few stars, but only one superstar (Guerrero). Still, they play smart, fundamental baseball.
It's Tampa's youth against L.A.'s experience. Usually experience wins, but this Tampa team is very similar to Detroit in '06, Chicago in '05 and yes, Anaheim in '02. Things have just seemed to go their way most of the year.
Prediction: Tampa Bay in six
National League
Milwaukee at Philadelphia: Before I begin, I must say that you couldn't hand-pick a batch of teams I root against more than this year's NL crop. I have nobody to root for. It will be painful.
That said, they are some pretty good teams, but mostly flawed.
These two are very flawed. They both strike me as incredibly immature squads, who tend to think they have earned respect that they don't deserve yet. Each of these teams acts like they are the best, but they've never proven it.
Both rely on the home run, have very inconsistent starting pitching at this point, and are impatient at the plate and error-prone in the field. This series will be all about who steps up with a big play, and I expect to see many of them.
In that regard, I like Philly's stars, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins, a LOT more than Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder.
I also like Philly because of Brad Lidge, who has been lights-out again this year, although he has a history of blemishes at the wrong time.
The one thing that would have made me say Milwaukee could win this is C.C. Sabathia, but after working him into the ground the last two weeks, I don't know that he can take anymore, and he has a history of bad playoff games as well. With Ben Sheets a big question mark due to injuries in September, things look bad for Milwaukee. But Philly won't run away with it either.
Prediction: Philadelphia in four
Los Angeles at Chicago: There is no question that the Cubs are the best team in the NL, and I don't think it's even close. Their pitching staff is unreal, particularly when weak-link Jason Marquis doesn't have to pitch. Their lineup is dangerous top-to-bottom, and their manager is one of the best.
Only the Cubs bullpen, and 100 years of history, can keep them from the World Series.
Los Angeles is a trendy pick because of Manny, but I just don't think the Dodgers team is good enough for him to make a difference. They have, at best, only one pitcher that I would guarantee a good performance from, and I'm not even sure I can say that about Derek Lowe. In fact, Chad Billingsley may be their top guy. Maddux is not the same pitcher he used to be.
Every postseason the team that wins is the one that has role players make big contributions, guys not expected to do so. The Cubs have more of those guys than anybody else, like Geovany Soto, Kosuke Fukudome, Jim Edmonds, Ryan Theriot and Mark DeRosa to go along with stars Derrek Lee, Alfonso Soriano and Aramis Ramirez
Prediction: Cubs in three
NLCS, Philadelphia at Chicago: I definitely don't think Philly can stump the Cubs in a 7-game series. Pitching depth will wear them down, along with immaturity. I expect the Phils to suffer a huge hangover after celebrating their win in the first series. It's been their M.O. for several years. Every time they achieve something, they think they've won it all, and suddenly they are sent home.
I think we will see that again.
Prediction: Chicago in five
WORLD SERIES
Chicago at Tampa Bay: Damn that All-Star game if you're a Cubs fan. 14 innings gave the Rays four home games, and how crucial are those going to be.
Last year, I predicted the Cubs would win when the playoffs began, ending a 99-year drought. This year, I'm not so sure. If I pick them to win, I'm sure they won't, and as a Cardinals fan I should probably do that.
But I can't pick them to win two years in a row and look stupid, and besides, I just think Tampa's going to get it done somehow.
I don't know if the curse will take over. I don't know how Tampa will win. I can't believe I'm not hedging my bets by picking the Cubs to win, thereby balancing out how upset I would be if they did.
Prediction: Tampa Bay in six, and Lord help me if the Cubs actually win because of this

and down the stretch they come

One week left before the high school tournaments get underway, and there's a lot at stake this week. So let me review some of the things most worth watching.
Most importantly, I feel like I've overlooked the Berlin softball team. During preseason previews, I spoke to coach Jason Pires and felt the Redcoats could be a good to very good team. Then I watched them in an ugly loss to NFA and put them in the back of my mind. It seemed all season like every time Berlin would start to string together wins, a bad loss would pop up. RHAM: 4-0, making RHAM look like the easy favorites in the conference race with probably the best pitcher in the league. Farmington: 4-1 followed by East Catholic 6-5.
Well, here we are. And if the Redcoats top St. Paul on Monday, they will win the conference race outright with a 13-3 record. They could also do it if RHAM loses at Middletown.
I should have more on this team later in the week in The Herald, but I'll say this is storyline number one to watch this week.
Number two: Can New Britain beat Southington? The Hurricanes have probably the best team they've had since I've been watching them, the Knights have struggled more than they ever have in that time. This is up in the air. Southington's still favored Monday at Chesley Park, but don't be shocked either way. What a win it would be for New Britain.
Number three: Can the Southington volleyball team go undefeated? Two to go on the road at Fermi and Maloney. They beat both 3-0 earlier in the season. The Knights have far bigger fish to fry down the road (state title anyone?), but a perfect regular season would be nice.
Number four: The NWC baseball race. Berlin played itself out of this. But Plainville's still alive.
East Catholic: 12-2, at Rocky Hill, at Middletown
Plainville: 13-3, with only non-conference games left.
Berlin: 10-4
Plainville will be rooting for the Terriers and Dragons. But they'll probably be more concerned with three good non-conference warmups, which will have a huge bearing on their tournament seed.
Number five: Speaking of tournament seeds:
BASEBALL
Newington: currently fourth in LL with four games this week, three against tough opponents (Fermi, Bristol Eastern, Maloney)
Southington: currently 12th in LL and needs to do well this week to get better than that. Games against New Britain, Manchester, Simsbury, all very tough.
New Britain and Farmington both in at 9-9, and hoping to avoid play-down games as 34 teams have already qualified.
Wethersfield: Can clinch a tie with Guilford for the top spot in L with a win over Weaver Monday. Eagles are the lucky team that had almost no rainouts, and have a lot of rest time here.
Berlin: Currently ninth in L, with games against St. Paul and Rocky Hill left. Redcoats would love to move up and get a bye (of which there should be seven or eight in Class L).
Plainville: currently fifth in M, with a chance to move to third if they can tie East Catholic and Lewis Mills. But the Devils have to make sure they don't drop lower with losses. (There will be no byes in M, but rather play-in games, as 32 teams have already qualified for the postseason.)
Rocky Hill: looking to get one of those play-ins, but needs to win two of three against East Catholic, Portland, Berlin. No easy task.
SOFTBALL
Southington/New Britain: amazingly tied for ninth in LL. Could that game have any more implications. Probably only two byes available in LL, so that won't matter for these teams. But second round seeding could be big for either one, and of course a first round home game.
Newington: Clinging to home game status at the 16th seed. But a game, and likely loss, against Bristol Eastern looms, meaning these Indians could be forced to travel again. They also got a bad draw on the "by lot" number, which decides between tied teams.
Berlin: currently third in L, with a good lot number, and playing to stay there if they can beat St. Paul and Coginchaug.
They should get a bye, as there will be a maximum of 27 teams in the L tourney.
Wethersfield: currently 17th, and has games against Windsor, Weaver and Conard remaining. A home game is at stake.
Farmington: needs a miracle four-for-four week.
Plainville: 15th in M, playing for a home game with games left against Middletown and Suffield.
Rocky Hill: currently the last team in the M bracket, but in. There is no risk of a playdown game, but they will have to play somebody good on the road.

So that's it. That's what everyone is playing for. We will have some bracket coverage on Friday or Saturday. And then the long weekend to relax before the craziness. And that's not even to mention the tennis, golf and track action as well. More later.

not sure what to think

Man, a couple local teams have been struggling lately. It's getting late in the season, close to playoff time, and I hope its just a blip on the radar for them, but it makes me wonder.
First off, the Berlin baseball team has lost four in a row. Now, to be honest, at the start of the season I did not expect them to be as good as they seemed when they were 12-0. But by the same token, I would never have guessed they'd lose four in a row. I can't even imagine when the last time Berlin baseball lost four in a row was. They've all been close, and I assume the Redcoats will start playing better again. I'll say this, history shows us that Leo Veleas gets his team ready for the postseason, and playing the best at that time.
I'm most confused by the play of the Southington softball team. Coming into the season, most people figured the Knights would struggle a little bit pitching. Nothing against the pitchers they have, but it is tough to replace somebody like Niki Davenport. But the pitching's been pretty solid, not just Sarah Lempicki, but Brittany Volpe as well.
What's shocking is the way the Knights defense has played, making sloppy mistakes, and costly ones in a couple of losses. Perhaps just as surprising is how the offense, once imagined to be a juggernaut, is failing to score runs, such as in a 2-0 loss to Simsbury on Tuesday. There are simply too many good, experienced hitters for this team to get shut out like that.
Up until now, I was willing to give the Knights the benefit of the doubt. While they had three losses, two of them were to Bristol Eastern, and one was to Rockville, a team they should have beaten, but a very good team. Simsbury is slightly below Rockville based on what I've seen, but still a good team. Yet, these are the kind of losses that great teams don't accumulate.
Maybe this Knights team simply isn't great. There's not much shame in being very good, but this team has the talent to be great and just hasn't lived up to it.
It will be most interesting to see if they wake up before the end of May, or it could be their shortest postseason in a long time.

Meanwhile, a couple other teams just keep winning. And since I'm talking softball, it's time to give the New Britain Hurricanes their due. For several years the 'Canes have beaten up on a soft schedule that coach Mimi Parks wishes they didn't have to play. She knows it gets them nowhere, and just gives a false sense of security, not preparing them for when they play even average opponents. They have posted some good records in the past but have been average against good teams.
Well, this year, they have made the next step. No, I don't consider them a true title contender in Class LL, mostly because of the depth and talent at the top of that class (Masuk, Cheshire, Trumbull, etc.). And they did lose 3-0 to Southington earlier, so they haven't been able to overtake their rivals just yet.
But, the Hurricanes have some solid wins against teams like E.O. Smith, Simsbury, East Hartford and Glastonbury. They also close with a good set of challenges, with G-Bury, Manchester, Simsbury and Southington a second time each.
I'm interested to see how they deal with Manchester, who's pitcher (Leone) shut them down last time around. If they get through that, why not take a good shot at Southington. If Simsbury can beat the Knights, New Britain's got the talent for it.
(But know that the Knights will do whatever they can to prevent that from happening. Despite the lopsided nature of it, this is the rare rivalry that still means something to both teams.)
Then there are the Wethersfield and Newington baseball teams, both with only two losses, and neither of whom I expected to do this well before the season. Both have had their share of good fortune, but both have also played well and had some surprise players step up and be very good. The most telling thing about each team is that it is hard to say who the best player on each team is. There are several candidates but none stand out definitively.
It's gotten to the point where these teams seem blessed. Perhaps it will continue.

a bit disappointing

There's a HUGE high school baseball matchup on the horizon for Friday, and I'll be there, weather permitting as always.
The Berlin Redcoats and Plainville Blue Devils face off in Plainville with the Northwest Conference title on the line. The Redcoats are currently one game ahead of their arch-rivals, and both suffered surprising losses this week, so nothing is set in stone, regardless of who wins Friday.
Now, the last time they met, Berlin came out on top led by ace Matt Carasiti. Plainville's D.J. Voisine, a very good pitcher, went in that game, but I was surprised the Devils didn't go with their arguable ace, Andrew Perbeck. Perbeck is at least the most experienced pitcher on the team.
I was hoping we'd get to see that matchup this time around, with Plainville appearing to save Perbeck for the big game. But Carasiti probably will not pitch much after throwing four-plus innings in a surprise loss to East Catholic on Wednesday.
Whoever goes on the mound, these teams are not built around one player. This should be a fun game, and I can't say I have any clue which team will come out on top. Now, I have my opinion of which team is better, but it's just that, an opinion. It's very close, either way.
And there's something fun about rivalries.


On a side note, for anybody who is a fan of these teams or Wethersfield, all of whom have had some upset losses lately, don't panic. It just goes to show that baseball is a fickle sport. These teams are all still title contenders when the state tournament starts (along with another surprising season from Newington) and the key to getting there starts by getting a good seed, so that you get a couple home games and theoretically get a slightly more winnable game in the opening round.
But anything can happen so long as a team is decent. Remember, this is the sport where the best professional team wins about three out of every five games. Asking a high school team to go undefeated is not fair either. The best teams get it done over the course of the full season.
Still, it makes for a nervewracking postseason, which takes quite a bit of luck as well as skill.

quick post on the spikers

I wanted to quickly share some of my thoughts from Friday night before a busy sports Sunday (MLB, NBA and of course the women's final four).
Friday I was out at Southington for the first glimpse of the Knights volleyball team, which lost in the state championship match last year to Staples. During that match, me and my fellow writers felt the one thing missing for Southington was a true hitter, who could put points away against an elite defense. The Knights played defense well already, had an elite setter (who coincidentally was their best hitter as well last year) and served well as a unit.
Well, I'll say this. If Southington doesn't win the title this year, it WILL be a disappointment. This team is loaded. It simply has all the weapons it needs, including an elite coach in Lou Gianacopolous.
Watching the Knights dismantle a good Greenwich team (good, but not great), it was difficult to find a weak spot on the court. And as for that hitter...
There's plenty. Setter/right side hitter Brendan McGourn is back first off, and seems to keep getting better. Mariusz Kurzatkowski, who played as a sophomore, is back after focusing on soccer alone for a year. Mariusz is a leaper, with a high ability to place his shots between blockers and defenders. Rob Palko looks like a hitting machine right now, so much more confident than he's been, and more powerful. And Dave Taricani, who would be a top hitter for a lot of programs, might be the fourth option for this team, if its possible to put any of these guys above the others.
Where does a defense look to defend? To make matters harder, McGourn, who might be the top all-around player in the state, isn't the lone setter. Gianacopolous will employ the two-setter rotation with sophomore Nick DeFeo in the first slot, leaving McGourn to be a hitter as well. DeFeo isn't as experienced, but is certainly talented and learning.
And as for that defense, which most coaches will tell you is the biggest key to winning, Brendan Charmut looks like a potential all-conference player (or better down the road) as a middle blocker.
My apologies to the other Knights who I haven't noticed enough yet. This is a deep team as well, and how role players perform will be key in its success.
I have no doubt this is the most talented volleyball team I've covered. I can't wait to see if they are the best.


On a side note, if the rain and snow lets up for a couple days, which I think it's supposed to, I'll be at the Newington vs. New Britain baseball game on Monday, my first baseball game of the year.
I love this matchup. Two big schools with a lot of baseball tradition. Two great coaches in Eric Frank and Brian Crowley. It's a minor rivalry despite not playing in the same division of the CCC. And I love getting out to the Hive to spend time with New Britain jokesters Paul Majewski and Randy Brochu. The New Britain sports staff is by far the most cohesive as a group. They all seem to enjoy working with each other and rooting for each other. That's what high school sports should be about.
Come on down and check it out if you're lucky enough to have afternoons free this time of year.

early season thoughts

I've gotten to see two local teams so far (Berlin and Newington softball) and I'm going out to see a very good Southington volleyball team tonight. So I don't have a lot to say yet.
The only thing I think I can say, and this really has nothing to do with the outcome of those two games, which were both losses against good competition, is that for the first time in a few years area baseball teams appear to have surpassed area softball teams in terms of quality. In fact, the girls have been dominating the landscape across all sports recently, from soccer to basketball to softball to tennis to gymnastics. But the guys on the diamond appear ready to make a ton of noise next month.
Plainville looks to be a legit M title contender, if not the favorite. Berlin is back as usual (coach Veleas always gets the best out of his players, as does coach Freimuth, who has had a couple down years before last year). Also in the NWC, Farmington looks like a potential surprise conference contender, and Rocky Hill appears significantly better, off to a 2-0 start against non-conference teams.
The CCC is as expected, a lot of talent in New Britain, Southington and Newington, all who may eventually have trouble in an always-loaded LL bracket. But all are good teams. And Wethersfield is poised for another possible run in Class L. I expect all eight teams to make the postseason.
On the girls side, Southington is back and has its best lineup since the team that won the state title in 2004 (at least in my opinion). It might be even better. Masuk has the best pitcher in the state, but if anybody can hit Fico it is this team. The Knights defense has to step up and help pitcher Sarah Lempicki for this team to stay in the top five all season as usual.
Newington, despite a loss yesterday, has a very good team, with a deep lineup. Now, LL is stacked of course, so a title is probably too lofty a goal. But these Indians could go deep if things go right.
New Britain is 2-0 and looks solid again. The Hurricanes are probably what they've been for a couple years, a good team that can upset somebody in the tournament.
I don't know what to think of Wethersfield. They've got most of the team back from last year, but they've always gotten a big boost from a weaker division, so you never know what to expect.
And then there is the NWC. The conference is balanced, but I'd say down a bit this year. Plainville's score against Cromwell, a 16-3 win, looked promising, and that lineup is potent. But Sara Forcella was an ace on the mound, and no slight to Missy Jandreau, but those are big shoes to fill. They're still a good team though.
Berlin could be good as well, but a very shaky opening performance means the Redcoats still haven't solved some of the problems that have plagued them for years.
I don't know at all what to think of Farmington and Rocky Hill. I'll have to see them play first. They could go either way.

But there's no question. The baseball teams are better as a whole.

I love spring season. So I'll probably be on here to post thoughts on tennis, golf and volleyball as more results start coming in. Now all we need is some warmth.

opening day memories

Well, I got out to St. Louis to be with my fellow Cardinals fans for Opening Day festivities, in a year fraught with fear and trepidation of just what may come. For the record, it appears Cards fans are torn between those who buy all the hype that has had them picked to finish last in the division by some outlets (Sports Illustrated among them), and those like me who believe there is potential for special stuff in this team. But that didn't stop the fans from coming down to the park, which is spectacular, for the opener.
Things were even going really well for the Cards, holding a 5-1 lead over defending NL champ Colorado in the third inning, with ace Adam Wainwright on the mound, and the bad taste of last year quickly leaving... and then...
Allow me again to be a fan, and inject some of my, shall I say, charming personality traits (superstition chief among them) into my otherwise well-grounded blog. The baseball gods struck again.
The gods just could not deal with a 5-1 Cards lead, obviously still mad that they allowed a mediocre-at-best team to win its 10th World Series title in 2006, and sent the rains. What was supposed to be a drizzle, or on and off showers, turned into a downpour, and I was treated to the sight of what 10,000 Cardinals fans look like huddled under the left field stands. It was a pretty beautiful sight, I must say, but the game, my pilgrimage to St. Louis, was rained out. (For the record I brought a sign to the game, and managed to get on the big screen as a part of the left field seating section known as "Big Mac Land", sponsored of course by McDonald's. The sign read: Connecticut Cards Fan on Opening Day Pilgrimage. But very few people seemed to understand or care.)
I had to fly back to Connecticut to prepare for spring season here, and did not get to go to the makeup game, but here's how it went. Kip Wells, the pitcher who destroyed the Cardinals' season a year ago by not just being mediocre, not just bad, but at times worse than some high school pitchers I cover, picked up the emergency makeup start for his new team the Rockies. Ironically, he pitched six innings and allowed only one run, and to make matters worse than ever for Cardinals fans, the Rockies came back to win the game 2-1.
Now, I'm left asking myself this question: Are the baseball gods merely playing a one-day trick, sort of a last laugh because the situation presented itself and they just couldn't resist, or is this a sign of what is to come the rest of the season?
Well, wins the following two days seemed to brighten the picture, and I don't care if it's April 4, I'm enjoying a four-way tie for first place. We will see.
But I have to give it to those baseball gods. They've got a hell of a sense of humor.

I hope I haven't taken up too much of your time.

the most wonderful time of the year

To say I love baseball might not express it enough. It's not even that I am so in love with the sport itself as the things it represents. Baseball is not only the game of our childhood (who doesn't remember having a catch in the back yard, or heading down to the field for a game on a warm spring or summer night?), but also the game of warm weather. It is the one major team sport that is played almost entirely during the summer in America. And I am definitely a warm weather kind of person.
So with the start of baseball season comes a promise that the mercury will soon be rising, and nothing makes me happier.
Baseball also has the appeal of being played almost every day. While we wait through days off during football and basketball seasons, our favorite baseball teams play at least six days a week. That means every day there is a game to look forward to each night. Enough said.
So, let me get into some of my thoughts on the MLB season. (As an aside, I am excited about getting to see some high school baseball and softball games too, but that's for another post.) First off, here's how I see each division going down, with a bit on each team. I'll also give estimated win totals, but I must admit I'm making them up on the spot, so don't do the math. It won't add up.

American League East
Boston (98 wins): The Red Sox are clearly the best team in baseball, and even with questions surrounding several pitchers (Beckett, Schilling, and the young guys), I can't see them not winning the division and finishing with the best record.
New York (93 wins): The Yanks lineup is still potent, maybe better than the Sox, but their pitching isn't close. And who knows whether Pettitte or Mussina have anything left. I think Joba should be starting, but I thought the same about Papelbon. Better to leave those decisions to guys who know better.
Tampa Bay (84 wins): Seriously. Don't sleep on the Rays. Kazmir and Shields are very good, the young hitters are better than you realize. But they're still not a contender.
Toronto (82 wins): I am not sold on this team... at all. It's hard to expect A.J. Burnett to be healthy for any length of time, and some people are starting to question Roy Halladay's stuff.
After them, what is the character of this team? A pretty solid lineup, assuming Alex Rios continues to get better. I don't know. I don't see it.
Baltimore (66 wins): Honestly, I could see them winning even less than that. This team lost Eric Bedard and even with a pair of young outfielders in Markakis and Jones (I think that's his name) they don't have anything to win. On top of that, the AL East has finally become the best division in baseball. Watch Peter Angelos squirm this year as Washington actually finishes with more wins.
AL Central
Cleveland (95 wins): Some still question this team. Nobody's really talking about them. But Sabathia is an ace, and might not be the best pitcher on his own team. Don't count Carmona out this year. I see improvement for Sizemore, Hafner had a very down year last year, and Victor Martinez may be the most unappreciated player in the game.
Detroit (94 wins): Yes, the lineup is the best in baseball. It's unfathomable how many runs they could score. 1100 is not out of the question.
But, the pitching staff is still holey. Verlander's great, but after him, who's a definite. Don't expect anything from Dontrelle. If you really look at his stats he had one-and-a-half good seasons. But people fell in love with his style and charisma too much to recognize he hasn't been that good since. They need their riflemen in the bullpen to get healthy.
Chicago (87 wins): I'm not sure why, I just think this will be a solid year for them. I can't even say why. Ozzie might be crazy, or he might be brilliant. Or both. We'll see.
Minnesota (75 wins): Don't count on Liriano after the injury. Oh, he has great stuff, but will he last for a full season. And will it matter. The lineup, other than two really good hitters, is pretty average, and even Mauer won't give you any power. The Twins are waiting for their new stadium to open, and I bet they'll try to make a splash in free agency leading up to that.
Kansas City (68 wins): Sure, this team has started throwing some money around, but has it improved the team. Count me in the 'no' category.
AL West
LA of Anaheim (92 wins): Any lineup with Vlad, and team with Mike Scioscia, has a leg up. Scioscia is a great manager at doing a lot with average talent. Vlad seems to be forgotten, but still put up monster numbers a year ago (.324, 27, 125).
Seattle (90 wins): I love the Bedard acquisition, but I'm still not sure this team has enough. King Felix has to stay healthy and avoid the lapses that have hurt him. If he becomes a true ace, this team will pass the Angels.
Texas (77 wins): I don't really know much about this team. But the AL should do very well in interleague, so I can't see them too far below .500.
Oakland (72 wins): The A's have looked 'OK' so far in their two games, but if Rich Harden isn't healthy, this team is very, very bad. They're bad even with him, and I think he's a top ten pitcher if he's healthy. But when you're saying, 'Well, Jack Cust is an underrated player', you have problems.

NL East
New York (94 wins): There's a lot of questions here. After Santana, the rotation is still very old, or very young. I like Maine, but Hernandez can't keep going and Pedro is an injury risk.
Then offensively, is Delgado done? Does Beltran have a star season or an above-average one? How about David Wright. When does he start hitting for more power. But, this lineup still has a lot of guys who scare you.
Philadelphia (91 wins): I am the biggest Cole Hamels fan on the planet, outside of Philly. And the three stars in the lineup are enough to make this a good offensive team. Also, look for Shane Victorino if healthy and playing every day to have a great year.
Atlanta (86 wins): Who knew Chipper Jones still had these numbers: .337, 29, 102? Not me. But I bet Braves fans like that.
Washington (82 wins): There is a mystical quality to opening a new park. And this team overachieved so much last year, I have to believe in their managing enough to think playing in front of fans could get them over 80 wins.
Florida (64 wins): I know about Ramirez and Uggla and the young guys. But seriously, who's going to pitch? I had to look this up, but apparently the answer is Mark Hendrickson, Scott Olsen, Andrew Miller, Rick VandenHurk, Ricky Nolasco. Eek.
NL Central
Chicago (89 wins): No closer (assuming Kerry Wood is still Kerry Wood), a shaky bottom of the rotation if Jason Marquis is starting, but a solid to very good lineup. I look for Derek Lee to be great, Soriano to be great and the others to all contribute. Please God, don't let the Cubs win two years in a row.
St. Louis (87 wins): I know you will call me a homer, or just plain crazy. I know that right now the pitching depth chart looks bad. And I know that Pujols could literally watch his elbow snap. But I am optimistic as a fan.
Adam Wainwright is a legitimate ace pitcher now (more on that later), and any lineup with Pujols is going to be dangerous. Of course a lot needs to go right, and if it doesn't it could be bad. But the 78 wins the Cards got last year were with just about everything going wrong that possibly could, and they got better as the year went on.
Kip Wells is gone, which has to be good for at least five more wins, and should Mulder and Carpenter come back healthy and effective, that's as good a three-man rotation as any in the game. I just hope we're not cursed. That '06 World Series probably pissed off the baseball gods something fierce when they came out of their drunken stupor.
Milwaukee (84 wins): I'm not big on this team either. And bad luck seems to be following them. Gallardo and Capuano hurt already, the latter out for the year. Sheets can usually be counted on to follow, and if Jeff Suppan has to be your ace, you're in trouble, as solid a starter as he is.
Is it just me, or are some people overprojecting Ryan Braun this year the way they did Sizemore last year? He should be great some time soon, but there's no guarantee it's this year. And Fielder is no guarantee yet either. But the upside for this team could be big, if things go right.
Cincinnati (78 wins): The best thing going for Cincinnati, for the first time in a long time, might be the top of its rotation. Aaron Harang and Bronson Arroyo should put up very good numbers in the NL. The lineup still strikes out too much, though, and the rest of the rotation doesn't overwhelm me.
Houston (73 wins): I expect a huge dropoff for this team. Age is starting to settle in, and I think management is slipping. Roy Oswalt is awesome, and Berkman has been nothing but great for a bunch of years now. But the team banked too much on Tejada, who has very little of his old power left, and is destined to fall off quickly.
Pittsburgh (70 wins): At least they still have the best park in baseball. The joke about the park itself refusing to open until the team is good is getting really old.
As usual the Pirates have a bunch of young guys with some talent who will underachiever individually and even more collectively. Matt Capps is the next guy to eventually be lost to another team.
NL West
Arizona (95 wins): Forget the Mets, I think this is the best team in the NL. I think they were last year, too. But one bad playoff series can kill that.
Dan Haren gives them a second ace, with Brandon Webb being arguably the best pitcher in the NL. If the Unit can do anything the rotation could be scary good.
Plus there are future stars all over the lineup, even though most of them aren't there yet. The D-Backs look like they should be the NL team that forces others to spend and catch up in the next few years, and finally bring back the balance between the leagues.
Los Angeles (90 wins): Torre is not my favorite manager, nor do I think he's the best. But he brings a calm that has been sorely missing for this franchise for years. And he's got a very solid team on both sides of the ball. Nothing spectacular, but very good.
Or, Brad Penny could get hurt as usual, and the team could fall apart, as usual.
Colorado (86 wins): I expect a dropoff here. The rotation is really not that good, even though they finally have guys whose home/road splits aren't dramatic. Todd Helton might have another big dropoff year, and Matt Holliday can't duplicate last year. Can he?
Tulowitzki is the player to build around.
San Diego (85 wins): This team should be great, but gets so little offense and seems poorly designed to deal with its park. Peavy and Young are a dynamic 1/2, so if they do overachieve and get to the playoffs, they are dangerous. But why, oh why, did they trade for Jim Edmonds, even if he was dirt cheap? Edmonds can still field with the best, but his offense is actually a detriment to the team, and he might not even be healthy, creating instability in both areas.
San Francisco (68 teams): No team will be out of the playoff race sooner than San Francisco with the balanced teams ahead of them. They won't finish close to fourth. And I don't want to hear how good Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum are. The offense is simply awful, and old, which means it should only get worse.

So, that's that. The reason I am doing this early (even if the season technically started) is that I am off in the morning to St. Louis, to fulfill a "religious" duty. I will be attending opening day with a good friend of mine, and it should be an experience to remember. It's tough being a diehard fan of a team that I so rarely get to see on TV, let alone in person. I managed to see the old Busch Stadium in September the last year it was open, and this will be my first visit to the new one, which was already underway at that time.
There's something about being able to spend time around a large number of fans in the same place. There's a comaraderie to it that I don't get to experience much. Only UConn basketball gives me that on a regular basis, and I regret that. But, I will stay loyal to the teams I chose to support as a young kid.
I get a chance to see Wainwright in his first opening day start. I expect there will be several more down the line, and it gives us a good chance to start the season off with a win against the defending NL champs. If not, I'll be a bit depressed.
Anyways, look for me in the left field upper deck on Monday.

an unwritten law

While it is most certainly bracket season, the MLB regular season is just on the horizon and I wanted to share an interesting story I read, as well as perform a small experiment.
The Tampa Bay franchise, formerly known as the Devil Rays, has officially changed its name to the Rays. The intention, or one of them, was to illicit thoughts of the Florida sunshine as opposed to the sea creature. I'm not sure how that will help them, but they apparently are quite serious about it.
As reported by ESPN's Buster Olney, team president Matt Silverman has begun issuing $1 fines to those who slip up and lapse into their old habits of "name-calling". So far, the team has raised approximately $100 to be donated to the team's official charity, collected from players, management, friends, and interestingly the media.
Tampa fans are asked to report instances of media across the country using the old moniker rather than the official one, and Silverman is sending out citations to them. Of course it is largely in good fun.
Now, I am curious about this. How big has my small blog become? To find out, I feel I'm going to have to make myself a fifth-rate criminal.
Now, the earlier mention of the name in this blog doesn't apply, because Silverman says that historical references are acceptable use of the old name. So I'm going to have to do this right. It's a perfect chance to talk about a team that several of us on the Herald staff believe will be greatly improved this year.
Seriously, if you are a Yankees or Red Sox fan, don't sleep on this team. Aside from the sad news about Rocco Baldelli's degenerative muscle disease, it has been a good offseason for Tampa. Good young pitcher James Shields could give a 1-2 punch to the rotation when coupled with Scot Kazmir, should Kaz remain healthy. The team's lineup is much improved, and management made a wise decision to turn off the Barry Bonds free agency trail.
A playoff spot seems unlikely with the competition in the division and across the American League, but if things go right this will be the first time the Devil Rays... excuse me, the Rays, enter the land of winning teams.
Now, Mr. Silverman, if you're really listening, I will be expecting my citation. Send it care of
The Herald
1 Herald Sq.
New Britain, CT, 06051

a lot of stuff has happened

So, yeah, I feel like I fell asleep in blogger-land over the past two weeks (not aided by the fact that I've gotten sick for the first time in two years this week), and a lot has happened on the national sports scene since then. I'll try to write a couple more of these this week to discuss some of the big events, including the NFL playoffs, UConn stuff, and of course MLB's disaster.

But the first thing I want to mention happened a while ago. Like I said, I fell asleep in blogger-land and when I woke up I found that Goose Gossage had gone from an eight-year Hall of Fame reject, much of that time not even coming close to the required 75 percent, to a shoe-in, earning 86 percent of the vote. Somebody explain this to me without it sounding ludicrous or making the entire voting process a sham.
Are we saying that since last year, Gossage's stats and achievements were re-examined by enough of the voters, who suddenly saw the error of their ways and voted for the man after not voting for him for eight years? This isn't a small number of voters. We're talking about around 50 votes that he never got before.
All this proves is that the HOF voting is more politically charged, and based on image, than anything else. The writers did not want to have an empty class, leaving the five veterans committee picks as the only inductees, and since no clear-cut first-timer showed up on the ballot (although Tim Raines should have gotten more votes) the writers went with the guy who was closest. A lot of guys voted for him for the first time rather than leave their ballot blank or risk nobody getting in. And quite simply that makes the whole process a joke.
For what it's worth, I will never agree with the writers who choose to delineate between a "first ballot" HOFer and a "subsequent ballot" HOFer. If a guy deserves to get in, he deserves to get in. The percentage of votes he gets above 75 will delineate who were clearer choices than others. Don't decline to vote for a guy one year and then vote for him the next year just so he won't get in on the first ballot.
And the fact that some guys go from getting about 30 percent their first year and then eventually work their way up to 75 (Jim Rice, I'm talking about your fate next year) is almost laughable. Sure, some voters will rightfully re-examine a player's impact and eventually decide he merits a vote, but it shouldn't ever be over half the voters. That's just HOF voters wielding their power, saying, 'Well, I think you're a borderline HOFer, so I'm going to make you sweat a little before you get my vote.'
This all makes me sick.
But, congratulations to Gossage, who probably does deserve to be elected and should have been long ago. I just wish it didn't have to be like this.

a couple more baseball thoughts

Got a really good response from Tiffany regarding my last post. Look for it in the comments and don't be afraid to write as well.
I could have seen Papelbon getting the MVP award. He was key in the series, obviously. But I felt like the Sox won it equally with offense as well as pitching, and I still like Ellsbury as the spark that got them not only through that series but past Cleveland before.
Matt and I had a good debate over the virtues of the 2004 team versus 2007. I think for the most part we agree that while the 04 lineup was more balanced and consistent, this one had more dangerous hitters in it, and that includes what Drew can do when he gets hot (though those are my words, not Matt's). Remember, at times this season even Crisp and Lugo got hot, despite their overall inconsistency. And that 04 team only had Cabrera for about two months.
The real difference to me is that Lowell versus Millar is a no contest advantage to this team. That extra big bat in the middle is dynamic. Many times in 2004 the Sox relied too heavily on Ortiz and Manny for the big hits. That's an unspoken reason why Ortiz had so many chances to be the hero late in games.
But more importantly, the pitching on this team was better in my opinion, particularly in that the 04 team had no dominant guy like Beckett, but rather four very good options. Schilling and Pedro weren't quite dominant on that team.
Third point, and this is one I've been hearing a lot lately about how the NL needs to adopt the DH. I want to make this clear. The DH is not the reason the AL is superior now. The reason for that is that teams like Cleveland, Chicago, Detroit, Anaheim and Seattle started spending a lot of money to match the arms race started by New York and Boston. Thus the whole league got better. NL teams have realized they can sneak into the playoffs, and therefore win the World Series, without spending the money on as many big name players. But as soon as the NL's current crop of rookies (Tulowitizki, Hunter Pence, Ryan Braun, and a ton of others who I've already forgotten because their teams stopped playing a month ago) grows up, the other NL teams will have to do something to match that and the cycle will swing back, most likely with money clubs like the Mets, Cubs, Giants, Dodgers and Cardinals leading the way.
So, with that in mind, there is absolutely no reason for the NL to succumb to the foolish pressure and add a DH. The National League game, though not as offensively powerful, is more exciting, and for that matter IT'S BASEBALL. Every guy has to play both ways. You would never suggest putting in a designated foul shooter in basketball. So while watching Shaq take free throws is about as painful as watching Randy Johnson attempt to swing without hurting himself, it's part of the game, and we should not allow players incapable of performing certain aspects of the game to get a free pass.
On top of that, wasn't it exciting when Daisuke drove in two huge runs with a clutch single for the Sox? A team with a good hitting pitcher has a huge advantage over one without. Shouldn't we reward pitchers for being more complete athletes.
And just for added measure, David Ortiz showed that he can play first base. So put him there, and just make sure to get him days off once in a while.
I hate the DH, and if not for the MLBPA trying to sustain the careers of an increasingly large number of guys who can't be called athletes so much as mashers, I feel the DH would eventually be eliminated in both leagues. But that's not going to happen.
At the least we can keep it the way it is.

Series thoughts

I will regrettably say congratulations to the Red Sox and fans out there. There are some I am truly happy for.
As for the rest of you...
Ah, I won't go into it.
But in all seriousness, despite the sweep this was an interesting series. The Rockies were good, and never gave up despite the deficit. But in the end the better team won, and that's perhaps what was most interesting. Of the past ten World Series, in my opinion the better team won only half of them. We could debate that exact number for hours, but some serious underdogs have managed to win.
I'll get back to that in a bit, but first some of my other thoughts from the series.
1) The Rockies' mascot is my new favorite. I'm not sure why it is a triceratops with his crest bedazzled (remember bedazzler machines, kids?!), but during the ninth inning of Game 3 I stopped watching the game and could not stop giggling at the mascot in the stands behind the backstop. I think he was turning his head around and trying to psych out Papelbon. Either way, it was funny. Pure mascot greatness.
2) There was a funny moment during Game 4, which I'm sure many of you shared wherever you were. I was in a crowded place, and when the FOX cameras showed Eric Gagne warming up in the bullpen, a large number of Red Sox fans actually shouted "No!" instinctively. It was unrehearsed, and nearly simulataneous.
Why was Gagne even on the roster? The only situation anybody could imagine him coming in was about an eight-run Sox deficit or more. Couldn't Wakefield, who is the longest tenured team member, fill that role with just as much mediocrity and not have to be embarrassed by not being on the roster? Help me on this.
Still, it was classic.
3- and most significantly) Jacoby Ellsbury got robbed of his rightful MVP award. Not to take anything away from Mike Lowell and the wonderful series he had on both sides of the ball. But Ellsbury was the spark that got this team rolling at times.
He batted .438 and had four doubles. But more importantly, he sparked the rally in both games in Colorado. He led off the six-run inning in Game 3, and doubled twice in that frame. The Sox ended up needing all those runs. Then he leads off Game 4 with another double and scores the first run. Had the Rockies taken a lead at home, this series might be tied. Ellsbury was the most significant player, not to mention he allowed the Sox to take Coco Crisp out of the lineup when he was struggling terribly.
4) The streak is over at seven straight years with a different winner. Still pretty impressive, and it was a lot of fun while it lasted. The new streak is at three. Let's keep it going.
5) Back to those Red Sox. I would say this is the best, or at worst second-best team since the 1998 Yankees. The team went through some growing pains with Schilling and Wakefield struggling at times, Lugo hitting worse than me for several months, and then Daisuke wearing down and Gagne... well, doing his thing.
But in the postseason this team played like the juggernaut it was constructed to be, and looked like through mid-June. Lester arrived, Drew showed why teams have always been somewhat reluctant to let him go, and the rookies may be the two best all-around players on the team.
Since those 1998 Yanks, there are only a handful of teams that I would put in a league with this one, some that won the title and some that did not. The 2005 White Sox were legitimately dominant with their pitching (and a lineup that deserved more credit for its balance than it got), the 2004 Cardinals had the best of both worlds (the WS sweep was just their second THREE-game losing streak all season, the other coming after they had clinched the top spot in the NL playoffs) and the 2001 Mariners were awesome before slipping up in the postseason (116 regular-season wins!). Other than that... not sure any teams truly compare as a whole. I can think of flaws for just about every other significant playoff team in that stretch.
As for the 2004 Sox, it's not even close. This team is far superior in just about every aspect.
In fact, I'd only say that Mariners team was better, but they didn't get it done in the postseason.
Here's the scary part. These Sox are going to keep nearly all the significant parts and many of them can conceivably get better. That list of players potentially on the rise includes Ellsbury, Dustin Pedroia, Lester, Matsuzaka and "Sir Not Appearing in this Film" Clay Buchholtz. That doesn't include Josh Beckett, Papelbon and Youkilis, who are all relatively young but can't really get better than they were this year.
True, Manny, Papi and Varitek are probably on the back end of their careers, but they should still be productive and scary for another three or four years at least. Lowell might not end up back in Boston, and he is a key piece, but my guess is he'll return and in a couple years when he's getting up there in age, the Sox will find somebody suitable to replace him.
As much as I hate to say it, this is the team to beat for the foreseeable future. Baseball gods help us all.

World Series cop-out

I'm too scared to make a prediction on this World Series because I know just how little sense baseball makes. Cleveland gets a win in a game where Carmona pitches terrible, gets another two from Paul Byrd and Jake Westbrook, but then can't get one good start out of its two aces. That's illogical, and at the same time typical of postseason baseball.
Had the Indians made it to face the Rockies, we would have been guaranteed our eighth straight year with a unique champion. Of course, that can still happen if Colorado completes its incredible run, which just might be the most unlikely long-term winning streak in sports history.
For those of you who decry the lack of parity in MLB, consider this. That streak would be the second longest in league history without having a team win the World Series twice. The record is ten straight years from 1978-1987, starting with the second title in a row for the Yankees and ending when the L.A. Dodgers became the only team to win two titles in the decade of the 1980s. Other than that, no other stretch of years even reaches seven, as it is now, without a repeat champ.
The longest such streak in the NBA is six years, between the 1974-75 season and the 79-80 season (Warriors, Celtics, Blazers, Bullets, Sonics, Lakers for those keeping track).
Before the NHL was the lone hockey league challenging for it, Lord Stanley's cup changed hands for seven years in a row between teams, almost all of which no longer exist. Since the NHL's pre-eminence, there have been three streaks of six years, including the current carousel (Avalanche, Red Wings, Devils, Lightning, Hurricanes, Ducks).
Even the alleged parity of the NFL can't compare to baseball's recent run. The longest streak of new Super Bowl Champions, ironically, is six, and more shockingly took place between Bowls II through VII (Packers, Jets, Chiefs, Colts, Cowboys, Dolphins).
I'll be rooting for Colorado this week, just to keep this alive. These kinds of streaks don't happen often, and they are fun in my opinion. It's nice to see fans around the country get to celebrate for at least one year.
Now, onto what to look for. The Sox rotation is clearly superior, with Josh Beckett the newest postseason ace. On paper the Sox should win easily, with Beckett and Schilling leading the pitching and Manny, Ortiz and Lowell fueling the offense.
But Boston needs to get more hitting from the rest of the lineup, because top to bottom Colorado has a greater number of productive hitters in its batting order as of late, and you can't discount the star power of Holliday, Helton and Tulowitzki.
The biggest fear for the Red Sox would be losing Game 1. Not only would it be a Beckett start out the window and the loss of home field advantage, but it would eliminate the question of rust for the Rockies after a long layoff and would continue Colorado's epic streak.
Should the Rockies remember what it feels like to lose a game, the wheels might come off quickly. If they win game one as they did against Philly and Arizona, who can say definitively that they won't sweep through the whole series and postseason? This is a strange sport, after all.
I can't wait. Let's get it started.
Oh, and does anybody have tickets?