Post Season discussion (beyond the Brewers)

[brewerjamie15]

That's a tough call. Howard has badly blown quite a few balls this post season.

[pitchleague]

and, again, there's Jenkins getting the screen time, fist-bumping Lidge following the contest. He's been a pretty big cheerleader this October.

[Patrick425]

I didn't realize that you couldn't argue a balk. Maddon made a statement in his post game conference that you can't argue a balk and can get thrown out for doing so.

 

I thought the audio was interesting for the in between innings discussion between Maddon and the umpire regarding the non-balk call. Maddon kept stating that Hamels was not a "reader". Joe Buck asked McCarver what he meant by that and McCarver answered by talking about the direction his landing foot went. I don't think this had anything to do with Buck's question. I'm assuming that Maddon was referring to the way Hamels takes signals from the catcher and that the fact that we was looking at 1st the entire time should not have been a factor in the balk call or no-call.

[jhart05]

Go Phillies!!!

 

Although I was rooting for them agianst the Sox, the Rays "fan base" doesn't deserve a World Series victory.

[mls4]

I want to say I really like how Joe Madden is handling the Rays' bullpen. He is not afraid to go against the "unwritten rule" that pitchers need to be locked into a certain inning. He is mixing and matching whenever he feels it is necessary.

[pitchleague]

Man, another fabulous game tonight! Too bad no one is watching. The way the Rays have turned the momentum around just by using speed on the bases (not to mention some more small ball RBI ground balls--although Howard made an unbelievable play [for him] on Gross' shot down the line) and then picking Werth off 2nd with your big bats at the plate.

 

Going to the 9th, tied at 4-4. Great game!

[Ennder]

I tried to stay up for it but it has been a long week and the game just started too late after the rain delay. Pretty funny to see a world series game end on a infield single by a pretty slow footed catcher.

[hawing]

Hmm, not saying the season's over or anything, but that home run by Joe Blanton certainly makes it feel more like it's the Phillies' year.

[valpocrewsader]

The umpiring tonight has been a joke. Third base ump gave the Phillies a free run early on, and the home plate ump has been giving Blanton an obviously wider and lower zone than Rays' pitchers for most of the game. Just makes me hate the Phillies more. Especially Blanton and his fat, fratty jerkstore punk look.

[Unstable]

I missed the entire game tonight (angry about that) so I can't speak to the strike zone. Regarding the blown call, this was something like the 4th HUGE one of the Series. The Rays got one if not two runs on a call like that in Game 3. Atrocious officiating all around.

[SeriesFinale]

Go Phillies!!!

 

Although I was rooting for them agianst the Sox, the Rays "fan base" doesn't deserve a World Series victory.

I don't agree with the whole "deserving" a World Series victory thing. Would you say the Cubs fanbase "deserves" to get there because most of their fanbase wasn't alive for the last one?

 

Beyond that, Philly fans are really hard to get behind:

 

http://www.sptimes.com/20...gles_fans_reach_the.shtml

 

http://www.tampabay.com/s...ll/rays/article873330.ece

 

Between these incidents and many others (battery-throwing, Mike Schmidt-alienating, etc), I'd argue that Rays fans deserve it more merely by generally not turning out in droves for a horrific product for ten years and not acting like animals

[Patrick425]

Between these incidents and many others (battery-throwing, Mike Schmidt-alienating, etc), I'd argue that Rays fans deserve it more merely by generally not turning out in droves for a horrific product for ten years and not acting like animals

I'm not sure that you can take the actions of some of the Philly and Chicago fans and attribute it to the whole fan base. I know several long time cub fans (including my dad) that are not obnoxious. They are just long time fans that desperately want to see their team win like a long time fan of any other team. I think there are lots of Cubs fans out there who are very deserving of seeing their team win a WS pennant.

 

I'm not sure I get the "Rays fans deserve it more merely by generally not turning out in droves for a horrific product for ten years" argument. So, do you mean because I attended faithfully attended Brewer games when they had one of the lowest payrolls in the league and were losing around 100 games a year that I'm somehow less of a fan?? I would tend to argue just the opposite. The Ray's fans were very slow to catch on that something special was happening in TB this year. Now they attend the playoffs because it's "the thing to do". I doubt that they will draw more than 30K/game next year and attendance will fall off dramatically if their on field performance slides. I don't see the majority of current TB fans as being very loyal.

[SeriesFinale]

I'm not sure I get the "Rays fans deserve it more merely by generally not turning out in droves for a horrific product for ten years" argument.

It was a joke.

 

I just think the concept of "deserving" it is kinda ridiculous to begin with.

 

(And no one is attributing these actions to the entire Philly fanbase...but it sure seems to happen there with more frequency.

 

As far as the Rays' attendance goes, we've been down this road before but I'm not sure why people were shocked and appalled that an area doesn't turn out for the worst first ten years of an expansion team ever, and were slow to come around when they finally became a winning team.)

[jhart05]

Would you say the Cubs fanbase "deserves" to get there because most of their fanbase wasn't alive for the last one?

 

Cub fans don't deserve anything except a bath and an AA meeting.

 

 

 

I'm also rooting for Philly because I just like the city and area.

[bucks2281]

So, just when you thought this World Series was over ... we're on the cusp of a two-day suspension. It doesn't look like they'll be able to play tonight, and tomorrow night's weather calls for continuous rain and temperatures in the mid-30s. Here's how I see it playing out:

 

Wednesday: Game 5 @ Philadelphia

Friday: Game 6 @ Tampa Bay

Saturday (Nov. 1 ): Game 7 @ Tampa Bay

 

Can you imagine if the game was called and Philadelphia won the World Series after a two-hour rain delay with a 2-1, 5 1/2 inning victory? Extremely lame for the Phillies and their fans ... and the Rays, too.

[hawing]

Move Game 5 to Miller Park.

 

I'd consider calling in sick to attend it.

[bucks2281]

I hope those Philly fans were able to salvage their tickets for tomorrow. They must be awfully soggy.

[pitchleague]

darn it, hawing! I was listening to the rain delay and the debate about it on the radio on my way home tonight and was all set to post that!

[Patrick425]

Can you imagine if the game was called and Philadelphia won the World Series after a two-hour rain delay with a 2-1, 5 1/2 inning victory? Extremely lame for the Phillies and their fans ... and the Rays, too.

Yes, and it would have been all Bud Selig's fault.

[hawing]

I'd been thinking last night, as the field got worse and the rain didn't stop...ah, great, another opportunity for Bud to display his talent for PR, this time on the biggest of baseball's stages (even bigger than the 2002 all-star exhibition/sham/game).

[SeriesFinale]

Old Bud getting absolutely excoriated in the press today...again.

 

The guy was between a rock and a hard place and would've satisfied no one no matter what.

[hawing]

Imagine the Rays winning game 5 Wednesday night, and then sweeping the remaining games in their home park. Phillies Nation, or whatever the group noun is, would want Bud's head on a platter.

 

And SeriesFinale is right; there's no way he could have proceeded without making someone mad.

 

Edit: Why does this picture of Bud...

 

http://cdntn.madison.com/images/articles/tct/2008/10/28/89584.jpg

 

...make me think of this one?

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/2002/allstar/news/2002/07/09/allstar_game_ap/t1_selig_ap.jpg

[BrewCrewForever]

Man Jenkins ripped that double. Balfour is awesome, but how do you not throw Howell or Price to start the bottom of the 6th when all of the Phillies good PH are lefties?

[BrewCrewForever]

That was awful. Iwamura should have had that, they always talk about how great his defense is but he has made some bad plays this series.

[giffted1]

Biggest hit of Jenkins's career?