NLCS Recap/World Series Preview
First, some notes about the game last night:
- Normally I’m a big Joe Buck fan, and he’s great at staying neutral in big games, but last night was disgusting. I thought he was going to run out of the booth and give Suppan a hug when he walked off the mound. But when Heilman gets out of the 8th, all he says is “and Encarnacion strikes out.”
- Speaking of Heilman, I agree with sticking with him in the 9th. He might have made one BIG mistake pitch, but Wagner couldn’t be trusted in that situation. Here’s what I don’t agree with: pinch hitting Cliff Floyd. I know he struck out, but if he hits a ball on the ground, that’s an EASY double play.Willie Randolph had visions of Kirk Gibson a la 1988, but that was just stupid. Bring up somebody who can lay down a bunt. Make Wainright throw a strike, and then lay it down.
- If anybody told me that the Cardinals would win and Pujols would have 1 RBI, I’d ask what they were smoking.
- Endy Chavez’s catch was the best of the year not even considering the situation. He’s like Coco but he can catch.
- I blame Sweet Caroline for the Mets loss. They already stole a World Series from the Sox, now they want their music too? They got greedy. Why not just play Dirty Water when the Mets win?
- I was rooting for the Mets the whole way, but I’ll admit that I didn’t feel quite as bad after hearing the Mets announcer say “the Mets will need a Buckner-sized miracle to win this one” at the start of the 9th inning.
And as for the matter of that pesky World Series:
- I’m looking forward to Zumaya vs. Pujols. Here’s my prediction, 1-3: 1 K (swinging), 1 line out, 1 470 ft HR.
- A quick statistic about NLCS MVP Jeff Suppan: the last time he pitched in the AL (2003) his ERA was 5.57. His last WS start (2004)? 4.2 IP, 4 ER.
- Suppan also proved last World Series that white men shouldn’t dance…especially off of 3rd base.
- Fox has got to be pissed. You can probably fit all of the people in California who are going to watch this Series in my apartment.
Either way, I’m hopeful this series will be as good as the NLCS, but I kinda doubt it: Tiggers in 5.
You have got to be kidding! Joe Buck biased? All Buck and McCarver– and especially the FOX production crew– did was slobber over Endy Chavez, Joe Maine, and Oliver Perez. After Suppan spun the game around in the bottom of the sixth by working around Rolen’s error, and erasing the momentum of Chavez’s catch, we came back in the top of the 7th inning to a video montage of Oliver Perez. The Mets were held hitless between the first and the ninth innings, yet I counted exactly one mention of Suppan’s two hitter during that interim.
The whole series narrative was written around the “magical” Mets, right down to the final out when Buck had the option of either going with “The Mets are down to their final out,” or “The Cardinals are one out away from the pennant,” and of course he chose the former probably because he’s aware of the New York dominated stage on which he makes his living.
It was a clever move by FOX, though, to cross-promote “Dancing With the Stars” with all those shots of Jose Reyes in the dugout.
And I thought Cardinals fans were sensitive. Isn’t it enough that the Eastern seaboard controls 99 percent of the national sports media, you have to perceive slights from an ultra-professional like Joe Buck.
– Great blog, though. Keep it up. You and your father are the internet’s ultimate 1-2 punch.
Comment by Chris Moeller — October 22, 2006 @ 9:51 am
I guess that just shows that rooting for different teams can greatly alter your perspective. However, McCarver is always and idiot.
Comment by Matt — October 22, 2006 @ 8:55 pm
Well both have strong ties to the Cardinals. Joe’s dad was an announcer for them and McCarver an ex-player. I thought it was pretty obvious in the first 2 games against the Tigers.
Comment by D — October 23, 2006 @ 9:40 am
More than that, Joe Buck is the Cardinal announcer when he’s not doing a Fox game.
Comment by Matt — October 23, 2006 @ 11:39 am