ChiSox Have The Look Of A Champion
DIVSION SERIES NOTES
While it didn't surprise The T, the Chicago White Sox have the look of the past three World Series champions while throwing the defending champs to the side.
The unifying aspect of the 2002 Angels, 2003 Marlins and last year's Red Sox was an ability to get the clutch hit and a penchant for applying the most pressure on the opposing team. As if the Fall Classic wasn't enough of a pressure cooker.
The White Sox did all of these to the Red Sox. A.J. Pierzynski knocked two homers in game one and delivered an important double in the decisive Game 3. Paul Konerko delivered clutch homers. Tad Iguchi delivered and most stunningly, Orlando Hernandez delivered at the entire series' most pivotal moment.
El Duque wriggled out of base-loaded jam with nobody out and quite possibly shutdown the beginning of the momentum shifting to Boston despite Chicago leading the series 2-0 at that point. It was that type of stirring rally that turned around the Red Sox season last October.
Of the eight in postseason, Chicago has rid itself of any lingering questions. Despite a lack of playoff experience, the entire team has played hard-nosed and gutsy ball while playing sterling defense and an ability to play long and small ball. It also doesn't hurt to have your second-year manager making all the right moves, either.
The rest of the Division Series:
The Cardinals have dominated the Padres as predicted, but, in doing so, they seem to lack any edge. Like they're going through the September motions with the division in hand...Their middle relievers--Brad Thompson, Randy Flores--are going to get them in trouble when the competition heats up...What were the Padres going to do? Assembling a team with Moneyball theories but money to burn gets you what everybody saw in St. Louis this week--a team that can't get that hit when they really need it. It wasn't any surprise that ex-Athletics backstopper, Ramon Hernandez, chased ridiculously at three straight pitches with the bases loaded in the ninth....These Braves do look like a completely different bunch than the previous 13 playoff editions of the Braves. Catcher Brian McCann has showed some guile in this season. It wasn't his homer in Game 2, but his fully extended dive near the Braves' batting circle to just miss Wily Taveras' foul bunt. Rookie catchers usually don't want it that bad...If it does come down to Houston and St. Louis in the NLCS, the bottom line will be can the Cardinals avoid the Astros stopper, Brad Lidge. The Cards are going to rely on scoring as many runs as they did against San Diego to minimize that possibility...Houston's Craig Biggio doesn't really have Hall Of Fame credentials?
The Angels look like a more mature version of those wide-eyed, thunder stick thumping in 2002...Pitcher John Lackey looked easily flustered in Game 2 against New York...The Yankees finally revealed their regular season form in Game 3. Their defense was laughable and their pitching is out of sorts. 2B Robinson Cano looks like a player in the Alfonso Soriano mold and also fields like him. His two errors were the victims of a lack of concentration. All of the criticism against Bernie Williams' defense in center is so warranted. It isn't possible for him to snag any flyball that isn't hit to medium centerfield...If you were to spend $200 million on a baseball team, don't you think you could find a way to someone better than the washed up Al Leiter pitching two of the three games?...Boston played the same as last year. The difference? Pedro is in New York. Derek Lowe is in L.A. and Curt Schilling sat on the bench in Fenway without making an appearance.
While it didn't surprise The T, the Chicago White Sox have the look of the past three World Series champions while throwing the defending champs to the side.
The unifying aspect of the 2002 Angels, 2003 Marlins and last year's Red Sox was an ability to get the clutch hit and a penchant for applying the most pressure on the opposing team. As if the Fall Classic wasn't enough of a pressure cooker.
The White Sox did all of these to the Red Sox. A.J. Pierzynski knocked two homers in game one and delivered an important double in the decisive Game 3. Paul Konerko delivered clutch homers. Tad Iguchi delivered and most stunningly, Orlando Hernandez delivered at the entire series' most pivotal moment.
El Duque wriggled out of base-loaded jam with nobody out and quite possibly shutdown the beginning of the momentum shifting to Boston despite Chicago leading the series 2-0 at that point. It was that type of stirring rally that turned around the Red Sox season last October.
Of the eight in postseason, Chicago has rid itself of any lingering questions. Despite a lack of playoff experience, the entire team has played hard-nosed and gutsy ball while playing sterling defense and an ability to play long and small ball. It also doesn't hurt to have your second-year manager making all the right moves, either.
The rest of the Division Series:
The Cardinals have dominated the Padres as predicted, but, in doing so, they seem to lack any edge. Like they're going through the September motions with the division in hand...Their middle relievers--Brad Thompson, Randy Flores--are going to get them in trouble when the competition heats up...What were the Padres going to do? Assembling a team with Moneyball theories but money to burn gets you what everybody saw in St. Louis this week--a team that can't get that hit when they really need it. It wasn't any surprise that ex-Athletics backstopper, Ramon Hernandez, chased ridiculously at three straight pitches with the bases loaded in the ninth....These Braves do look like a completely different bunch than the previous 13 playoff editions of the Braves. Catcher Brian McCann has showed some guile in this season. It wasn't his homer in Game 2, but his fully extended dive near the Braves' batting circle to just miss Wily Taveras' foul bunt. Rookie catchers usually don't want it that bad...If it does come down to Houston and St. Louis in the NLCS, the bottom line will be can the Cardinals avoid the Astros stopper, Brad Lidge. The Cards are going to rely on scoring as many runs as they did against San Diego to minimize that possibility...Houston's Craig Biggio doesn't really have Hall Of Fame credentials?
The Angels look like a more mature version of those wide-eyed, thunder stick thumping in 2002...Pitcher John Lackey looked easily flustered in Game 2 against New York...The Yankees finally revealed their regular season form in Game 3. Their defense was laughable and their pitching is out of sorts. 2B Robinson Cano looks like a player in the Alfonso Soriano mold and also fields like him. His two errors were the victims of a lack of concentration. All of the criticism against Bernie Williams' defense in center is so warranted. It isn't possible for him to snag any flyball that isn't hit to medium centerfield...If you were to spend $200 million on a baseball team, don't you think you could find a way to someone better than the washed up Al Leiter pitching two of the three games?...Boston played the same as last year. The difference? Pedro is in New York. Derek Lowe is in L.A. and Curt Schilling sat on the bench in Fenway without making an appearance.
Enjoyed a lot!
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Monday, November 27, 2006 6:20:00 PM