Playoffs Days 2.5, 3 and 4

Basically, the four teams playing in the National League Division Series are: 1) Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels v. the anonymous Reds and 2) Potential NL Rookie of the Year Buster Posey v. Potential NL Rookie of the Year Jason Heyward.

Buster Posey and Jason Heyward (with Buster Posey)...
Here's a cool New York Times story about them playing against each other as "schoolboys."

These West Coast games end so late and I owe you two stat lines on the Giants-Braves series in San Fransisco.

NLDS Game 1: Giants 1, Braves 0
W: Tim Lincecum (1-0), L: Derek Lowe (0-1)

NLDS Game 2: Braves 5, Giants 4 (in 11)
Series tied at 1
W: Kyle Farnsworth (1-0), L: Ramon Ramirez (0-1)
HR: ATL Rick Ankiel (1), SF Pat Burrell (1)

Most notably, Tim Lincecum struck out 14 batters in Game 1, and Fatty Panda Pablo Sandoval collided with baby Buster Posey in Game 2.

NLDS Game 2: Phillies 7, Reds 4
Phillies lead series 2-0
W: Jose Contreras (1-0), L: Aroldis Chapman (0-1)
HR: CIN Brandon Phillips (1), Jay Bruce (1)

I didn't watch this game either, but I heard it was sloppy. Here's fastest-pitch-ever-throwing Aroldis Chapman feeling sad about his first postseason appearance. He's only 22 and is listed as from "null, Cuba." What is "null, Cuba???"

Onto today's games...

ALDS Game 3: Rays 6, Rangers 3
Rangers lead series 2-1
W: Benoit (1-0), L: Oliver (0-1)
HR: TB Pena (1), Crawford (1), TEX Kinsler (2), Cruz (2)

Top: Texas closer Neftali Feliz after giving up a home run in the 9th inning
Bottom: B.J. Upton alone is 65% of why I can't stand the Rays

It looked, for a while, like Texas would win this game and sweep the Rays, but then that didn't happen. Bah Rangers. Boo Rays. I'm not cheering for either of these teams on principle, although it should be pretty obvious by now which team I REALLY hate.

ALDS Game 3: Yankees 6, Twins 1
Yankees sweep series 3-0
W: Phil Hughes! (1-0), L: Brian Duensing (0-1)
HR: NYY Thames (1), Swisher (1)

The Yankees come home.

Did anyone think that Minnesota could win at Yankee Stadium? I felt so sad for their starting pitcher, Brian Duensing (see below).

Sometimes, I think that it's not fair for the Yankees to be so successful and feel like it might be nice to let another team win the World Series this year. But then I remember how long the baseball season is and how sweet it is to spend all winter knowing that your team is #1. SORRY OTHER TEAMS. GO YANKEES!

Remembrance of Things Past

Last year, during our blog's rookie season, Sam and I co-hosted a trip to a Staten Island Yankees game. We made t-shirts and ate a lot of hamburgers.


This year, we're upgrading to the big leagues (if it doesn't rain). I'm sorry that we didn't have time to invite you. After future podcast producer and longtime reader Phil wouldn't pick up his phone, we got discouraged and bought the e-tickets alone. White Sox-Yankees! Buehrle v. Hughes! This game was made for us!

I spent approximately 10 minutes this morning trying to rationally dissect my love for Burls and Hughes and decided that I like them for the same reason: they both look like they spend a lot of time thinking about dogs and Proust. Me too! Dogs and Proust and baseball. Why do dogs exist? Why do people read Proust? WHEN CAN I WATCH MORE BASEBALL? This blog post has put me behind schedule. Sam, wait for me at Union Square! Forever 21, second floor?

I Saw the Sign

I absentmindedly paused Game 6 of the 2009 World Series to make dinner and when I came back to my computer, this is what was on the screen:

If you haven't watched the World Series multiple times, you might not know that this is an image of crazy Joba Chamberlain striking out Phillies outfielder Ben Francisco so hard that stars appeared. Never mind that Fox Trax says it's a ball. Do you think that this means that Joba will finally have his BREAKOUT year as the Yankees' fifth starting pitcher?

Personally, I prefer the equally unpredictable Phil Hughes because I think he looks like a movie star:

Also, he's able to breathe with his mouth closed while he pitches. That's class.