** The Offical 2008 MLB Thead!!! **

[sonny10305]

With Hamels on the mound I expected the Phillies to take Game 1.

"King Cole" pitched beautifully, keeping the Rays off balance, I know I could not keep up with those pitch selections. He worked himself out of a couple of sticky spots. throwing seven strong innings. Allowing two runs on five hits while striking out five.

So much for the home team advantage.

Former Met Scott Kazmir ( I’m still not to sure about that Zambarano, Fortunato trade) wasn’t all that sharp to start but after he settled in and kept his team in the ballgame

What happened to the heart of the Rays lineup,? Upton, Pena and Evan Longoria were all hitless. Upton grounding into two double plays, he picked a bad time to show off that lack of hustle that has gotten him benched in the past.

Scrub was right about the down time the Phillies had, cause there sure was not much of a rust factor here.I guess we need to add the Cole factor to that rust factor.


Despite the dominance of Hamels, this was an exciting game that could have gone either way, The Phillies pulled a Mets, by leaving soooo many men left on base, and oh those sweet clutch hits by the Rays.

Still, other than Iwamura and Bartlett, none of the Rays hitters could hit against Hamels, I think they had only five hits all night.
But while the Phillies were stranding runners every inning, Tampa Bay missed out on a key chance to tie the game in the sixth when a questionable call cost them.
Speakin of which, now I don’t wanna sound petty, but when Pena reached on an error by Howard and then was picked off Hamels, THAT was clearly a bulk, just watch it again. The Phillies caught an important break there.

I guess I gotta admit the Phillies pen was awesome…..as usual.

Let’s not forget, the Rays lost the first game of the ALCS, too, and we all know what happened after that.

Lastly, WTF is up with those freakin cowbells.
More annoying than Atlanta’s war chant.

 

[Scrub]

Okay so the Phillies let Tampa win one at home.

But now they are coming to the Phillies turf

GO PHILLIES

see, not hiding Sonny

 

[sonny10305]

Okay so the Phillies let Tampa win one at home.

But now they are coming to the Phillies turf

GO PHILLIES

see, not hiding Sonny

Ahem, won’t do em much good if they continue to strand runners

At least some of the big guns got a few hits off but when are theses teams gonna bust out and start producing runs. It’s the WS for Gods sake.
The Rays scored runs but missing is that longball barrage we are expecting to see.
At least the Rays pitching is doing really well, Shields pitched like an ace.

I am still miffed by that ump, I think his name is Danley, what was he thinking with that Baldelli call? I dono what he was doing with that call, was it a strike, a ball, or maybe he was checking the wind direction. Clearly Baldelli checked that swing and should have walked, but I think Danley still does not know what happened. But it was all good cause Baldelli got the base and it lead to a Rays run. But then Danley totally messed up call on Jimmy Rollins in the 9th which for sure could have changed the game. How can that senile ding bat fuck up those calls in a WS game?. Ridiculous.

But with all that help the Rays win was helped by Philadelphia’s inability to drive in runs. They stranded another 11 men and I read they are now a horrid 1-28 with runners in scoring position in the two games.
How bad are things when your #9 man Ruiz was the hitting star 2-2 with a pair of doubles and a pair of walks.

But the Rays offensive has not exactly been on fire either, nothing like they were in Boston for example sending shots over the green monster.
Not to take anything away from the Rays. They did what they had to do tonight and played well enough to win, but Imagine how awesome it will be if both teams start to hit.

Keep the rain away tommorow Scrub

 

[Sausy]

Shields did great.....terrific for baseball fans to see some great young talent who could well be future legends in Shields,Garza,and Scott Kazmir,Cole Hamels.

All those runners left in scoring position sonny brings back memories(not very good ones)of this year's Mets.And New York Yankees.But don't forget the playoffs don't tend to be slugfests,though of course there have been notable exceptions.The old adage good pitching beats good hitting...and you tend to get some good pitching staffs making it into the playoffs.Odds favor lower scoring games.It's just who can make the most of their opportunities,who makes their own breaks.

Though it's fun to see the occasional run scoring fest!

It's all tied,Scrub...yes!!!

 

[sonny10305]

Shields did great.....terrific for baseball fans to see some great young talent who could well be future legends in Shields,Garza,and Scott Kazmir,Cole Hamels.

All those runners left in scoring position sonny brings back memories(not very good ones)of this year's Mets.And New York Yankees.But don't forget the playoffs don't tend to be slugfests,though of course there have been notable exceptions.The old adage good pitching beats good hitting...and you tend to get some good pitching staffs making it into the playoffs.Odds favor lower scoring games.It's just who can make the most of their opportunities,who makes their own breaks.

Though it's fun to see the occasional run scoring fest!

It's all tied,Scrub...yes!!!

Yup, they sure remind me of our Mets

I like that feisty Rays team. It is loaded with young raw talent with a ton of energy peppered with just enough veterans like Cliff Floyd
(I still miss cliff out at left field)

 

[Absolut]

Seriously - what was that "Strike thr...I mean what do YOU say first base ump?" in that Rocco Baldelli at bat?



That amused me.

It's SO good to be back home. Fuck you Liberal, KS. I swear I'll be around more often, since I'm working in STL for the next three weeks


Oh and GO RAYS!!!!!! It's nice to see it tied up! Try not to let the Philly fans throw rocks n dirt n spit n shit at you!


Oh and - I think Albert completely and 100% deserved the POTY award. Good for him!

MVP will be next!

 

[Scrub]

It's SO good to be back home. Fuck you Liberal, KS. I swear I'll be around more often, since I'm working in STL for the next three weeks


Oh and GO RAYS!!!!!! It's nice to see it tied up! Try not to let the Philly fans throw rocks n dirt n spit n shit at you!

ABS

Just for that I hope you get sent back to Kansas



But you know I still love you

 

[Sausy]

Philly is 2 for 33 with runners in scoring position,but have a 2-1 lad over Tampa in the WS following a really messy,wild 5-4 ninth inning victory.You get breaks,you make breaks,you hit three solo homers,you win.

 

[Scrub]

PHILLIES WIN

What a wild late night game. At this point it appears both these teams deserve to be in the WS.

It is a shame only one can win as they are both deserving of the title.

 

[sonny10305]

Good grief what a tiring game, Rain delay, little league throws by catchers, wild pitches, sleepy base runners, weak base hits and yet another hideous call by an umpire. Just another night of bull shit WS baseball. Was that the WS or a Little League game, hard to tell the difference.

Still the Phillies managed to take Game 3, despite: blowing a three run lead with three innings to play; having another call go against them by a loser ump, and another base running fuck up by Werth, or should we start calling him Werthless. Dude ya gotta stop gettin picked off.
interesting how Philly actually had three home runs, and they still nearly blew this game thanks to all the messed up plays.

Yeah I know, they won the game, but come on this is not good baseball either team is playing.

So tonight the Phillies have Blanton on the mound.
What is that on the brim of your hat Joe?
Yeah, we know

 

[Scrub]

Blanton has me a little worried. I do think the Rays will figure him out and start scoring early.

If only Hamels could pitch every day.

Thanks Robert and Brad At least I have a couple of fans.

 

[sonny10305]

Thanks Robert and Brad At least I have a couple of fans.

Sorry hon, but I am sure you understand I can't be a Phillies fan.
Actually, when they played well I gave them their do, but these WS games are not being played very well by either team.
It has been for me a big disappointment for me and a lousy way to end the '08 season.

 

[Scrub]

Sorry hon, but I am sure you understand I can't be a Phillies fan.
Actually, when they played well I gave them their do

Yes you have Sonny so I'll give you a also

Maybe the games will get better for you

There is still some baseball to be played.

 

[sonny10305]

Yes you have Sonny so I'll give you a also

Maybe the games will get better for you

There is still some baseball to be played.

Well except for last nights finish (Phillies )
the games have not been very WS like.
I mean, this is supposed to be the best of the best.

 

[Absolut]

I mean, this is supposed to be the best of the best.

That's what everyone was saying in 2006. "The Tigers will win in three."

We all know how that turned out

I think Tony LaRussa said [and I'm paraphrasing] something like "It's not the best teams who make it to the World Series. It's the teams that are playing the best baseball at the time."

 

[Sausy]

I wish I cared about tonight's game.Right now,I don't care much about anything.

 

[Sausy]

Congrats Scrub....Phillies up now 3-1 and reallly poured it on tonight.Tampa was so mismatched it was sad....Blanton really showed a ton of grit and determination,he was outstanding.Philly just put some exclamation poins out iof the bsllpark in their eighth inning with two run hiomers by Jayson Werth and Ryan Howard,who had a monster night with two homers,five RBI.

Tampa's big guns proved as dangerous as water pistols tonight.Longoria,Pena were really ovematched.I have to give the Phillies my total respect...if they win,I'm fine with it now.They have the kid of make up I wish the Mets had,maybe why I'm jealous of them.I've been thinking lately as much as rivalries are fun,if you're empty inside it does not matter.When you have no real friends to speak of,no prospects for finding a soulmate....I'm just lost right now.Sorry to be a self deluded burden to anyone.

 

[Scrub]

PHILLIES WIN


1 more to go

 

[sonny10305]

I hate to see you felling down Sausy, take care babe
Scrib, it sure is looking good for your phillies

Finally a game worthy of a WS championship.

Of course I would have preferred the Rays to have broken out,
but the Phillies once again proved they are a team to be reconed with.
There were six home runs, and Blanton pitched a great game, and a got himself a homer to boot.
A pitcher hasn’t done that in a WS game in like 30 years.
There was drama, you remember in an earlier post I mentioned Blanton’s hat?, well Rays managerJoe Maddon told the home plate umpire that he believed Joe had pine tar on his hat. But the ump checked the ball and found nothing on it.
Blanton said the spot on his cap was just dirt from the ball. and that he hasn't changed the hat since he came to the Phillies. Good luck cap??
I'm sure glad they got that out of the way, cause I was only joking, I did not think Joe would cheat.

As for the rays It has been an organization-wide collapse, hitting, pitching, defense and managing has all fallen apart.

More good news for the Phillies, Hamels pitches tonight.
Check please!

 

[Scrub]

Blanton amazed me last night. He appeared to be so calm. I was really concerned he would blow it. He didn't and got a home run to boot.

I really am hoping they can win tonight in Philly. All their post season last wins have been out of town.

It's been fun posting in here these past few weeks. Thanks for having me.