Again, loyalties?

by fischean on Oct 26, 2009 12:25 AM EDT Comment 47 comments

So, the Yankees are ALCS champs. Again. Aren't we all thrilled?

I personally now have zero interest in watching baseball any longer. I could not care less about either team playing in the World Series. As much as I would like to see the Yankees lose, I really don't want to see the Phillies win either. Such a quandry, right? Anyway, now that it's determined who will be playing in the World Series (for all the glory, etc etc), where do your loyalties lie? The Evil Empire or the Other East Coast Team? Do you even care anymore? And why, Angels, whyyyy?! :(

P.S. How much do you miss Twins baseball already? It's only a couple weeks into the offseason and I'm already jonesin' for some Baby J, Cuddy, and Big Game Blackbeard.

Poll

Who would you like to see as World Series champs in 2009 (or possibly 2010 with all these crazy off days)?

New York Yankees

37 votes

Philadelphia Phillies

213 votes

The umpires

56 votes

Baseball is dead to me

155 votes

461 votes | Poll has closed

0 recs | Comment 47 comments

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Comments

The only vote so far! 100% Just like the old CCCP!

Nobody left to root for. I’ll wait until spring training and watch the Twins again!

"Don't take life for granted, because tomorrow isn't promised to any one of us." -Kirby Puckett  
—Hasta la victoria siempre ¡Patria o Muerte! –Ernesto "Che" Guevara

by less cowbell, more 'neau on Oct 26, 2009 12:32 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I love baseball...it's a real problem, actually.

So I’m cheering for the Phillies. TAKE DOWN THE YANKS!

by Jesse on Oct 26, 2009 6:46 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

my other favorite team

My other favorite baseball team is whoever is playing the Yanks. So I guess that leaves the Phils….What I want to know is if there was some sort of conspiracy to get them into the series with all of the bad calls by the umps. I hope we get instant replay for the playoffs next year….

Doofenschmirtz Evil, INC.
Phineas and Ferb

by doofus on Oct 26, 2009 7:52 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Being in NY,

I’ve grown closer to friends who are Mets fans. So… I don’t want to see the Phillies win. But of course, I never want to see the Yankees win. So I voted for the umpires.

My greatest hope, actually, would be either team in 4 games.. in and out, get it done, end this season and let’s get on to next.

by Neil on Oct 26, 2009 8:14 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

That really would be best.

How sad that that’s the case.

by fischean on Oct 26, 2009 12:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Gotta say the Phils.

I kinda like Cliff Lee, what can I say.

By the way, I couldn’t watch the game last night, but is it true what they’re saying at Halos Heaven — did the Yanks have a totally different strikezone than the Angels?

http://www.realityfish.com

by Robin G on Oct 26, 2009 8:58 AM EDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs

It certainly looked like it

but I like Joe Saunders’ reaction after the game. “Maybe if I had thrown a few more strikes early in the game, I might have gotten the calls later…” I don’t like the fact that balls-strikes for some umps vary based on the batter-pitcher stature and whether the pitcher has good command. A strike is a strike. Looked to me like the Angels pitchers were squeezed, but they did themselves no favors with the fielding and running blunders this series.

by Adam Peterson on Oct 26, 2009 9:22 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

agree - with everything you said, and what Saunder's said.

But it wasn’t all Saunder’s/ump’s fault either. When Vlad complained bitterly in his second at bat, he would have been ejected in any regular season game. After that outburst by Vlad the ump seemed to expand the zone a little for Pettite. At the very least he expanded it for Vlad. To Vlad’s credit he still got some hits on balls that were well out of the zone.

by montanatwinsfan on Oct 26, 2009 10:53 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

that pitch

was only 24 inches below the zone

by Milt on Tilt on Oct 26, 2009 2:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

For the Twins Geek!

He is the first blogger I read. So because of his Phillies love, I am pulling for them.

by clutterheart on Oct 26, 2009 9:00 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Phillies

I’ve got to go with the Phillies, not so much out of Yankees hate, but I like the way the Phillies have built their team from the ground up, J-Roll, Utley, Howard, Victorino, Hamels and supplemented with smart trades and free agent signings. What disturbs me is that I actually find this Yankees team more likable than in years past. Although we’re probably talking about going from a 1 to a 3 on scale of 1-10.

I can understand how the rest of the country could give a crap, but the NY-Philly matchup will also be intriguing. There’s a rivalry between the two cities, but not nearly the same as Boston-NY.

by Adam Peterson on Oct 26, 2009 9:27 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

no way.

I’ll take Paul O’neill and Bernie Williams over Nick Swisher and A-Rod any day.

by montanatwinsfan on Oct 26, 2009 10:55 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

also, Burnett

seems only slightly less offensive than Clemens. I hated Clemens as a sports persona, but it was hard not to admire his talent.

by montanatwinsfan on Oct 26, 2009 10:57 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I was more referring to the Yankees teams of 3-4 years ago

I agree, the O’Neill – Bernie teams were much more likable than any Yankee team since.

by Adam Peterson on Oct 26, 2009 1:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think it will actually be a good series. It looked like both the Angels and Twins were intimidated. (8 errors for the Angels!) It’ll be nice to see the Yanks play a team with some mettle. The Phillies will not crap their pants at the sight of the Yankees the way the Twins seem to do.

I’m looking forward to it.

by Dale on Oct 26, 2009 10:07 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Frustration........

Playoffs take three weeks to play. Max of 12 games if all were played. Jeez. Baseball needs to get its act together. Bang-bang-bang playoff games. Then a little rest…then make the World Series a true event.

If you’re going to stretch out the season, maybe have the World Baseball Classic happen at the same time. Truly make the baseball game a world event.

Yankees. Okay. They got there. Be interesting to watch. Will the announcers call the series after the first game, and continue calling it every game after that?

I miss Twins baseball. I miss Twins baseball. The fighters, the scroungers, the comebacks, the enthusiasm for play. It wasn’t pretty msot of 2009, but it was baseball…entertaining, fun and competitive.

Put a real roof on Target Field!

Visit www.TwinsCards.com and check out "rosters" to see my collection!

by rosterman on Oct 26, 2009 10:22 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Bigger problem

At bats take 3 weeks. Baseball must quit enforcing timeliness in the postseason. After every pitch they step out, go through 6 sets of signs, etc.

by DJL44 on Oct 26, 2009 11:32 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I lost count of how many times Pettite threw to first

there really should be a limit to how many times you can do that. It makes the game take ten times longer.

That said, I did enjoy Torii taking a time out to mess with Pettite’s head a little. Heh.

by fischean on Oct 26, 2009 12:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

They should also limit catchers' visits to the mound

In one of the Twins games, Molina went to the mount eight times in one inning.

"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot

by cmathewson on Oct 26, 2009 12:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yes, this too.

Maybe that’s their strategy…win by making their opponents lose track of what’s going on (a la Vlad’s premature walk last night). Hmmm.

by fischean on Oct 26, 2009 12:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

why

do you guys hate baseball? I ask this kidding of course, but seriously? You want to limit throwovers and mound visits? Is this really a problem we need to be discussing?

by Milt on Tilt on Oct 26, 2009 2:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't think it's really something that needs to be addressed

at least, not before the quality of officiating. ;)

I just think so many visits (like Cmath said, 8 in one inning) is a bit much. I understand you need to talk to your pitchers, but it takes away from the game. And no, I most definitely do not hate baseball.

by fischean on Oct 26, 2009 2:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not that I blame him

The Angels were caught on the basepaths enough that he probably thought it was easier to get one of their guys out on base than at the plate.

by DJL44 on Oct 26, 2009 2:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not much enforcing in the regular season

I suspect it’s more a matter of the situation and importance, so there’s more gamesmanship than you may see in a June game.

Also, when TV expands inning breaks to 2:30 or 3:00 (as opposed to 2:00 in the regular season) to accommodate an extra commercial or two (George Lopez!), the game’s flow is already disrupted.

by Adam Peterson on Oct 26, 2009 1:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I like to cheer for the team that always wins

So I voted for the umpires.

(Actually, I voted for the Phillies)

by what_would_gil_thorp_do on Oct 26, 2009 11:32 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Should have stuck with the umps

They're the real winners this year.

by fischean on Oct 26, 2009 12:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Its hateful to me to side with the disgusting Phillies fan base...

… but the Yankees must lose.

"You can't sit on a lead and run a few plays into the line and just kill the clock. You've got to throw the ball over the damn plate and give the other man his chance. That's why baseball is the greatest game of them all."
~ Earl Weaver
"In God we trust. All others must provide evidence."
~ Billy Beane

by AdamOnFirst on Oct 26, 2009 11:45 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs