W the F? Game one, 3–2, game two, 4–2? Are these the homer-record-settin’ Rays versus the be-boppin’ bandbox-inhabitin’ Phillies I see before me? Do you hope the ball starts flying all over the yard when the Series shifts venues tomorrow? I don’t, because I love them pitchers’ duels.
I was ever-so-slightly rooting for Tampa, but then I started reading about the Rayhawk–to-Vajay-hawk trend down in the nether regions of Florida, and I said to myself, Go Phillies, even though watching Pedro Feliz celebrate a Series victory will be a kick in the ‘nads.
Off-day today, so discuss anything World Series related.
I have a Jamie Moyer story (great guy who I've met many times). A couple of years ago I produced a sports show following MNF and guests were usually local Seattle athletes. I wanted the show to be different and not your run-of-the-mill sports scores and stats so I tried something different every week. We had Rashard Lewis trying to make a basket from 6 stories up OR an all american kicker trying to make a 50 yard field goal through our flag poles etc. Nasty Boy Norm Charlton was even throwing brush back pitches while playing wiffle ball. Anyway, Moyer is on the show and we set it up like this: "Your successful because of your location, location, location and you're fastball couldn't break a pane of glass BUT how are you when the pressure is really on and you're at the fair and have to win your daughter one of these (a hello kitty stuffed animal)?" Widen out and show the fair set up with the milk bottles and give him some baseballs. He throws probably 12-15 times AND NEVER HITS A ONE. NOT ONE SINGLE ONE. Surreal. Finally he runs up and kicks the bottles over. He's a great guy and it made for some great TV.
Lefty,
Your comment about Feliz surprises me. Watching him celebrate would be like a "kick in the 'nads"? Really? I've been feeling good for the guy as he's made some gems in the field, and even hit the ball hard some.
Don't get me wrong: the positive sentiment doesn't come naturally. I'm normally one of the first to label an ex-Giant a traitor and an scoundrel.
The truth is, I mainly feel bad for Feliz. He's sucked in Philly just like he did here - and I'm sure he heard about it there too - and it'd be sorta nice to see him get to be part of the ultimate prize nonetheless.
>>I'm normally one of the first to label an ex-Giant a traitor and an scoundrel.
Sorry, I should clarify. Watching Feliz celebrate would hurt not because I dislike Feliz, but because it's a reminder that he never got to do it as a Giant.
And for what it's worth, I don't automatically dislike ex-Giants. Just the ones with pornstaches.
Awesome. Jamie Moyer is one of the original Lefties Malos. Is that video on the Web anywhere?
No it's not on the web but I have it here at work. I'm reluctant to "post" videos that are work related and are the "rights" of the company I work for. Probably wouldn't be any big deal but I don't want to find out.
This gets to what I've been preaching for a while now, that it is pitching and defense that a team should be focused on maximizing, as that is what would get you more success in the playoffs, as shown by a BPro study.
And while it is not a surefire method in the playoffs, it clearly is a differentiator, even though both of these teams have good overall pitching and defense, and, frankly, the Rays had better pitching during the regular season, by many measures. However, the Phillies have been winning in the WS by defense and pitching (though hitting is finally helping).
And in particular for the Phillies is Cole Hamels, who put the Rays behind the 8-ball with a win to start the World Series. A team needs dominating pitching like his to win the games against the other team's aces.
This illustrates (just as it was shown to us in 2000 and 2002) that even the best offensive players can be shut down, but that defense is almost normally there and pitching, at the highest levels, is there as well. And on any day, an average pitcher can take down a high powered offense but a good pitcher usually can handle a good offense.
I'm rooting for the Phillies to win it, though like ELM it would be a kick in the nads to see Feliz win a ring, though in my case it is because it took his whole Giants career to finally figure out how not to strike out so much and to walk more, on a regular basis.
He actually was hitting well the Phillies most of the season before he somehow injured himself, and when he came back, he wasn't the same and that dropped his hitting way down. And as reported by Chris at his Bay City Ball blog, Feliz's defense went down a lot according to Dewan's Plus/Minus measure, though still good.