The San Francisco Giants knocked off the Texas Rangers to win the World Series last night.  The Giants win their first WS in 56 years!  Can't believe the Giants haven't won since 1954. 

 

Anyone remember the 1954 series?  The Giants beat the Indians.  That was the series when Willie Mays made "The Catch" against Vic Wertz of the Indians.  That was when Wertz smashed the ball at least 420 feet, only to have Mays make a spectacular over-the-shoulder catch.  1954 was so long ago that the Giants where the New York Giants and the catch occurred in the Polo Grounds. 

 

Scratch the Giants off the long-suffering list.  The Indians still hold a 62 year series draught and the Cubs a 102 year draught.  Although the Rangers still have a 49 year draught with this series loss.

Anyone else hear folks in the media complaining about the small markets infesting the World Series this year?  I thought they were joking until I kept hearing it.

Anyone else hear folks in the media complaining about the small markets infesting the World Series this year?  I thought they were joking until I kept hearing it.

 

What "media" companies/people are you speaking of?

Sports analysts I know I saw it on ESPN.  I heard it on the radio a couple times but I've never paid attention to the affiliations on sports radio.  Saw it again today on ESPN discussing the ratings.  Apparently the second lowest rated WS ever.  My point being that it's just odd to me that Dallas and San Francisco also apparently don't fall into big market in this context.

Sports analysts I know I saw it on ESPN.  I heard it on the radio a couple times but I've never paid attention to the affiliations on sports radio.  Saw it again today on ESPN discussing the ratings.  Apparently the second lowest rated WS ever.  My point being that it's just odd to me that Dallas and San Francisco also apparently don't fall into big market in this context.

 

That is because you're confusing what the MLB defines as a "Market" to be equal to what the Metro population is.  What the population count is and what they're definition of what a market is, are two different things,yet there are a lot of variables.

 

You could have a team in a city with a large metro population, yet they can be considered a small market team based on ad sales, marketing and broadcast numbers/yields.  Example the Expos (now the Nationals) or the Toronto Raptors (NBA), San Diego Chargers (NFL).

I would have thought this series would have pretty good ratings, because Texas and the Bay Area have pretty large populations, but I think MTS is right.  Also, these teams don't really have many big stars (Hamilton, Lee, and Lincecum aside).  Philly and the Yanks have more household names per team than both of these teams combined.  Also, the games were mostly blowouts...

And it doesn't help that the MLB is falling by the wayside compared to other sports at this point because of the no salary cap thing....  Damn people ruining my hometown sport!

I think that even if "big market" teams where in the World Series it still would of had poor ratings. I believe the MLB have lost the respect of many of their fans. The problem is that so many teams aren't able to compete year after year which then makes those fans stray away from their team and baseball in general.

Hall of Fame manager Sparky Anderson dead at 76

 

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (AP) -- Hall of Fame manager Sparky Anderson, who directed Cincinnati's Big Red Machine to back-to-back World Series championships and went on to win another title in Detroit, died Thursday. He was 76.

 

Anderson died from complications from dementia, family spokesman Dan Ewald said.  A day earlier, Anderson's family said he had been placed in hospice care.

 

Anderson was the first manager to win World Series titles in both leagues and the only manager to lead two franchises in career wins.  His total of 2,194 wins as a manager were the third highest when he retired after the 1995 season, trailing only Connie Mack and John McGraw.

 

MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/11/04/04-sparky.html?sid=101

^If the Reds and Tigers play this year, they definitely need to do something in his honor.

 

If those teams were to play baseball again, THIS YEAR, Hell I would do something in his honor!  ;)

After 161 games, the AL and NL wild card races are coming down to Game 162. 

 

Boston is tied with Tampa Bay in the AL.  Boston plays at Baltimore.  The Yanks play at TB.

 

Atlanta is tied with St. Louis in the NL.  The Phillies play at Atlanta.  St. Louis plays at Houston.

Pretty astonishing to have two big September meltdowns like Boston and Atlanta in the same year.  Makes for some exciting baseball though!

Go Cards!...and Rays!  8-)

Renewed push for the second wildcard slot proposed earlier this year in 5 ... 4 ... 3 ...

Like a freakin' lawn chair, Boston :D

^^Ha, no joke.  Not till the head banging against wall stops in Boston, though, which could take a few days.

 

That was one crazy night baseball last night.  The fangraphs.come site charts win probablilities for each game, play by play, from which they constructed this playoff odds timeline for the Sox and Rays last night which really illustrates how nuts and improbably those last 10 minutes were:

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/reliving-the-final-day-in-the-al-visually/

Go Cards!...and Rays!  8-)

Should've took bets on that! :wink:

 

That was one crazy night baseball last night.

 

Amazingly crazy.  More twists and turns than a soap opera.

 

In the NL - STL got the first result with an 8-0 win over Houston.  Ironically, the last of the four games to start play but the first to finish.  Then they had to wait for the ATL vs. Philadelphia result.  ATL took a 3-2 lead into the 9th.  The Braves rookie closer (who had been having a great season) can't hold the lead.  Philly gets the tying run and the 3-3 game goes into to extra innings.  ATL almost wins it in the 10th.  With two outs and a runner on, Chipper Jones blasts a ball to left-center.  But a speedy reserve center fielder tracks down the ball at the warning track.  Philly ends up winning in the 13th inning, 4-3.  STL advances to the playoffs.

 

Meanwhile in the AL - BOS holds a 3-2 lead into the 7th at Baltimore, when an hour long rain delay halts the game.

 

At the same time in Tampa Bay - TB trails the Yankees 7-0 going into the 8th.  TB scores 6 runs in the bottom of the 8th to cut the lead 7-6.  But they're still one run down in the bottom of the 9th.  The Yanks get the first two outs and the Rays are down to their final out.  Pinch hitter Dan Johnson hits a line-drive down the right field line which barely goes over a lower section of the outfield wall inside the fair poll.  The game is now tied 7-7.

 

Back in Baltimore - the BOS/BAL game returns from rain delay.  BOS holds its slim 3-2 lead and takes it into the bottom of the 9th.

 

And thus is the prologue for the fateful three minutes that determined the AL wild-card.

 

BOS brings in closer Papelbon to finish the game and he gets the first two outs.  Then Baltimore gets a double.  Then another double to tie the game 3-3.  Then Baltimore lines to left.  Crawford almost catches it, but it lands just short of his glove.  The winning run for Baltimore scores.  BOS loses 4-3.

 

In Tampa Bay, the game grinds into the 12th inning.  The crowd cheers the news of the Boston loss.  Evan Longoria steps to the plate with one out and nobody on.  He hits a line-drive down the left field line which barely goes over a lower section of the outfield wall inside the fair poll.  TB wins 8-7 and advances to the playoffs.

 

Four pivotal games and three amazing comebacks in one night! 

 

Two record setting collapses too.  Atlanta lost a 8 1/2 game September lead to St. Louis.  Which was only exceeded by Boston's 9 game blown September lead to Tampa Bay!  WOW

An ESPN writer explained it even better:  Rays, Sox and a night you won't forget

 

And the actual timeline from last night from the same link at ESPN:

 

Four cities, two playoff spots and one epic night. Within 89 minutes, Atlanta and Boston collapsed as St. Louis and Tampa Bay completed two unimaginable comebacks.

 

10:26 p.m. ET -- Cardinals win 8-0

 

11:40 p.m. ET -- Braves lose 4-3 in 13th, are eliminated

 

12:02 a.m. ET -- Red Sox lose 4-3 on walk-off single in 9th

 

12:05 a.m. ET -- Rays win 8-7 on walk-off home run in 12th, eliminating Red Sox

 

no question the last night of the season crazy and exciting, however i dont like the realignment and wildcard team additions and that tempers it a bit for me. drags the season out, its just a money grab and it just aint right.

 

wait! otoh any extra chance for the yankees to get ko'd...lol!

Without the playoffs / wildcard structure, you wouldn't have had Wednesday night. I think the playoffs are the best thing baseball's done in a long time.

 

And how dare you slander my Yanks  :-P

Really glad the Tigers dropped the Yanks. Hope they make it all the way!

 

I'm pulling for the Tigers and the Brewers.

 

I'm pulling for the Tigers and the Brewers.

 

Me too. Go Midwest!!!

Go Phillies!  Sorry, but family roots take precedence over Midwest pride.

I can't stand the Cards, but I'm hoping they keep their lead over the Phillies. I prefer a Midwestern team over a major market team, even if the MW team is the Reds' bitter rivals. Especially in Baseball, where the roster budgets get so crazy.

 

Detroit so deserves to take it all.

w00t. Sorry, Hts. (Phillies are out!)

Is anyone really watching?  I'm just glad the Stankees were eliminated.

Is anyone really watching?  I'm just glad the Stankees were eliminated.

I watched last night, but prior to then I hadn't watched any full games. Two games in a row where the losing teams would be eliminated was interesting enough to watch. And obviously I had opinions about who I wanted to win, so that makes watching easier.

 

Cards-Phillies was pretty boring, as the only run occurred in the top of the first. Then...crickets. I was surprised when Halladay intentionally walked Pujols to load the bases in the 8th.

 

I agree with your Yankees sentiment. Seeing them snuffed out early was satisfying. (Though not as satisfying as if they hadn't made the post-season. At least it was via wild card.)

I watched the game 5s.  But I thought Cards-Phils was great last night.  It just felt like every man on base and every warning track fly out was really important.

I watched the game 5s.  But I thought Cards-Phils was great last night.  It just felt like every man on base and every warning track fly out was really important.

True. That kept it watchable. Still, I like to see some ups-and-downs in runs! :)

I agree with your Yankees sentiment. Seeing them snuffed out early was satisfying. (Though not as satisfying as if they hadn't made the post-season. At least it was via wild card.)

 

Not that it matters now, but the Yanks won the division. TB squeaked out the Red Sox for the Wild Card spot. And how awful a sports town is TB that they can't sell out a playoff series? Probably a bunch of NY'ers rooting for the Yankees!

 

With the Yanks out I'm all in for the Brewers. Small market team having a heck of a season.

^ Oops. Thanks for the correction. Damn Yankees.

This Texas-Detroit game is ridiculous. I haven't been watching it but I happened to check the score...15-4? What??? Bottom of the 7th. Texas is clearly going to eliminate Detroit.

It's been a great World Series so far between Texas and St. Louis.  Both teams traded well-pitched one-run wins in games one and two in St. Louis.  Back in Texas in game three came an offensive explosion that the Cards won 16-7.  Albert Pujols goes 5 for 6 with 3 HR's and 6 RBI's.  Pujols becomes only the third player in baseball history with 3 HR's in a WS game.  The other two were Babe Ruth (twice in 1926 & 1928) and Reggie Jackson in 1977.

 

Then, in game four last night, the Cards get shut down by wispy stached Rangers starter Derek Holland (who is from Newark, Ohio).  Holland goes 8 1/3 innings, giving up zero runs and only two hits.  The series is tied 2-2.  Both teams will have their aces pitching tonight in a crucial game five.

Texas wins last night to lead the series 3-2 going into the final (one/two) game(s) at St. Louis.  That Texas won game five at home was not unexpected.  But the way they won was.  It involved some strange late-inning strategy from the Cardinals.

 

With the game tied 2-2 in the top of the 7th:  St. Louis outfielder Allen Craig walks with one out.  Albert Pujols is up next.  During Pujols at-bat, Craig tries to steal second and is thrown out.  With two outs and first base open, Pujols is intentionally walked.  After a hit and another intentional walk, Texas gets the third out and no runs score.  The bizarre part is Craig trying the steal with the Cardinals best hitter at the plate.  Trying the steal essentially takes the bat out of Pujols hands, even if he does steal second.  Later we learn that it was a hit-and-run called not by Cards manager Tony La Russa - but by Pujols!

 

With the game tied 2-2 in the bottom of the 8th:  Texas has the bases loaded with one out.  St. Louis has a left-handed reliever in the game.  Right-handed batting catcher Mike Napoli is coming to the plate.  Normally, a right-handed reliever would be brought in to face Napoli.  But Cards manager La Russa had failed to get their right-handed closer warmed up and ready to be brought in!  So the left-handed Cardinal reliever had to pitch to Napoli.  Who slammed a double to deep right, scoring two runs!

 

With Texas leading 4-2 in the top of the 9th:  Allen Craig once again reaches first.  This time on a hit-by-pitch to start the inning.  Once again, Albert Pujols comes to the plate.  And once again Pujols calls a hit-and-run!  This time with two strikes.  Pujols swings and misses for out #1 - Craig is thrown out at second for out #2.  Texas then gets the third and final out.  And with that strange STL strategy, Texas is now in control of the series going into St. Louis.

 

BTW - the Texas hero in all three innings was catcher Mike Napoli.  He got the game-winning RBI's with his double in the 8th and he threw out Craig at second in the 7th and the 9th.  And Napoli had a 3-run HR in game four and 9 RBI's for the series.  If Texas wins, he's the MVP.

I wish this game would end so I can go to bed!

Woohoo! tied up again, sorry Cygnus.

 

... but yeah I could live with the game ending with this inning :)

 

... alas we're onto the 11th

What an amazing game six!!!

 

Texas takes a 7-5 lead into the bottom of the 9th. Only three outs to the first WS title ever for the Rangers.  One out.  Pujols doubles.  Berkman walks.  Two out.  Only one out away from the title for Texas.  David Freese comes to the plate.  One strike.  Two strikes.  Only one strike away from the title for Texas.  And then Freese triples off the right field wall!  Pujols and Berkman score!  Game tied 7-7!  Texas gets the third out to end the inning and its extra innings.

 

Texas retakes the lead 9-7 in the top of the 10th on a 2-run HR by Josh Hamilton.  Texas is again only three outs to their first ever WS title.  In the bottom of the 10th, the Cardinals first two batters single.  The next batter sacrifices them over to second and third.  One out.  The next batter grounds out for the second out, but the runner from third scores and its 9-8.  Pujols is intentionally walked - runners on first and second with two outs.  Berkman comes to the plate.  He gets two strikes on him and Texas is again only one strike away from winning the World Series.  And then Berkman singles to center!  Game tied 9-9!  Texas gets the third out and its on to the 11th.

 

Texas does not score in the top of the 11th.  David Freese, the Cardinals hero of the 9th, leads off the bottom of the 11th.  And Freese blasts a walk-off HR to center field!  Cardinals win 10-9!  Game seven tonight!

In game seven, Texas scores the first two runs of the game in the top of the 1st.  The Cardinals score two runs in the top of the 1st and add four more unanswered runs to win 6-2.

 

This is the 11th World Series title for St. Louis.

 

Texas is the World Series runner-up for the second straight year.

Talk about leaving on top.  St. Louis Cardinals manager is retiring after winning this year's World Series.

 

Tony La Russa announces retirement

ESPN.com news services

Updated: November 1, 2011, 11:19 AM ET

 

After 33 years as a manager -- the last 16 with the Cardinals -- in the major leagues, Tony La Russa announced his retirement on Monday.

 

MORE: http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/7173381/tony-la-russa-st-louis-cardinals-says-retiring

Mariano Rivera, the 42-year-old closer of the New York Yankees, suffered a freak injury in Kansas City before last night's game between the Yankees and the Royals.  Rivera was following his pre-game routine of shagging fly balls in the outside when his right knee buckled while trying make a catch at the warning track.  He went down in a heap and needed to be carted off the field.  The diagnosis was a torn ACL.

 

He will miss the remainder of the season.  And this might also be the end for his Hall-of-Fame career.  At 42, speculation was that this might be his final season anyway.  Now, with his season ended prematurely and a lenghtly rehab awaiting him, speculation is that we may have seen the greatest closer of all time pitch his final pitch on April 30 when he recorded his 608th save.

 

ESPN: Rivera suffers torn ACL

Mariano Rivera, the 42-year-old closer of the New York Yankees, suffered a freak injury in Kansas City before last night's game between the Yankees and the Royals.  Rivera was following his pre-game routine of shagging fly balls in the outside when his right knee buckled while trying make a catch at the warning track.  He went down in a heap and needed to be carted off the field.  The diagnosis was a torn ACL.

 

He will miss the remainder of the season.  And this might also be the end for his Hall-of-Fame career.  At 42, speculation was that this might be his final season anyway.  Now, with his season ended prematurely and a lenghtly rehab awaiting him, speculation is that we may have seen the greatest closer of all time pitch his final pitch on April 30 when he recorded his 608th save.

 

ESPN: Rivera suffers torn ACL

 

It was so sad to see him fall to the ground like that.  I'm not a Stankee fan, but I do like him.  My uncle is devastated by this injury.

Mariano Rivera is vowing to return next season.

 

Always liked Rivera.  Total class. 

 

I wouldn't have blamed him if he retired.  But even at 42 years old, he's still one of MLB's best closers.

Former Red Josh Hamilton went ballistic tonight hitting four home runs in one game.  One of the rarest feats in baseball.

In working to get ready for surgery, they found out Rivera also had a blood clot in his calf.  Scary stuff. 

so the yanks get ichiro for a couple minor leaguers? how does this happen? i know he is at the end of his career, but still, its ichiro!?!

 

 

http://m.nypost.com/f/mobile/blogs/yankeesblog/yankees_acquire_ichiro_for_mariners_MO41m3ABI4vxvBYc3Nhy2H

 

so the yanks get ichiro for a couple minor leaguers? how does this happen? i know he is at the end of his career, but still, its ichiro!?!

 

 

http://m.nypost.com/f/mobile/blogs/yankeesblog/yankees_acquire_ichiro_for_mariners_MO41m3ABI4vxvBYc3Nhy2H

 

 

I think you answered your own question.  His numbers have been abysmal since the beginning of last season...I wouldn't expect much.

^ Yeah, from what I heard he's batting 8th in the lineup. He's basically a role player on that team

The 2012 regular season ended yesterday and two things happened that haven't happened in a very long time.

 

1) Miguel Cabrera won the Triple Crown.  The last player to do this was Carl Yastrzemski in 1967.  Cabrera became only the 15th player to win the Triple Crown in baseball's history.  And he is the first Latino player to ever win it.

 

2) A Washington baseball team is going to the post-season for the first time since 1933.  Sure, Washington didn't have a team from 1972 to 2004.  But still, 79 years is a very long time to go between post-season appearances.

Now I know how fans of the Chicago Cubs must have felt after losing game 6 of the 2003 NLCS to the Marlins and then would go on to lose game 7, this after the Tigers 9th inning collapse courtesy of closer Jose Valverde who failed to get the job done. ARGH! Hoping the Tigers win game 5 tomorrow night, not going to be easy.

Yeah they have to use their ace instead of starting the first game of the next series.