First Two World Series Games

[andyfox]

-Juan Pierre was annointed as Maury Wills, Rod Carew and Mickey Rivers rolled into one after game one. Well, Maury Wills and Mickey Rivers weren't very good leadoff hitters. Pierre is a good player, that's all. He had a good game in game one, but the Marlins only scored 3 runs. It was their pitching that won them the game, not Pierre's bunt single.
If stolen bases are so important, why is it that the last time a team led the majors in stolen bases and won the World Series was 1965? And that team had two pitchers who won 49 games.

-Every time a team doesn't hit and loses a game the pundits say they didn't play with any intensity. A team always looks bad when they lose 3-2 and don't hit much. In game one, the Yankees got ten hits, but only one with men in scoring position. This wasn't because they didn't have intensity, it was beause the Marlins pitchers pitched well.

-While it's a pleasure not to have Brett Boone's "analysis," Fox still remains almost unwatchable. The incessant close-ups on the player's faces, and tracking all the Fox TV "stars" in the stands . . . feh. BTW, is it me, or is Billy Crystal starting to look like Muhammed Ali?

-Jack McKeon made a jerk of himself when asked, postgame tonight, who wouldn't play with no DH in the Florida games. He first said if you watched the team all year you would know. Then, when asked for clarification, he said he wasn't in a position to make any changes from what they've done all year. How about a name? Or a simple, "I'm not sure yet."

-Aaron Boone can't possibly be as bad a player as he's looked for the last three months, can he?

-The Marlins have a great fielding team. Very few errors, great range, especially where it counts, up the middle. If the series is close, the Yankees' poor fielding might be the difference.

-I predict the TV ratings will be very low. The "curse" aspect is gone with the Sox and Cubs eliminated, and the first two games have been pretty boring.

[Clarkmeister]

"the first two games have been pretty boring"

Granted, game 2 was a yawner from start to finish. But Game 1 was a very exciting, intense game from the first AB to the last. I was rivited the whole time.

[adios]

"-Juan Pierre was annointed as Maury Wills, Rod Carew and Mickey Rivers rolled into one after game one. Well, Maury Wills and Mickey Rivers weren't very good leadoff hitters. Pierre is a good player, that's all. He had a good game in game one, but the Marlins only scored 3 runs. It was their pitching that won them the game, not Pierre's bunt single.
If stolen bases are so important, why is it that the last time a team led the majors in stolen bases and won the World Series was 1965? And that team had two pitchers who won 49 games."

Not many teams play very much "small ball" now. In 65 that team was extended to 7 games and if memory serves it look a truly heroic effort by some guy pitching a 3 hit, complete game shutout on 2 days rest on the road no less in game 7.

"-Every time a team doesn't hit and loses a game the pundits say they didn't play with any intensity. A team always looks bad when they lose 3-2 and don't hit much. In game one, the Yankees got ten hits, but only one with men in scoring position. This wasn't because they didn't have intensity, it was beause the Marlins pitchers pitched well."

Yep I agree with you there.

"-While it's a pleasure not to have Brett Boone's "analysis," Fox still remains almost unwatchable. The incessant close-ups on the player's faces, and tracking all the Fox TV "stars" in the stands . . . feh. BTW, is it me, or is Billy Crystal starting to look like Muhammed Ali?"

Was Brett Boone a bust or what in the booth.

"-Jack McKeon made a jerk of himself when asked, postgame tonight, who wouldn't play with no DH in the Florida games. He first said if you watched the team all year you would know. Then, when asked for clarification, he said he wasn't in a position to make any changes from what they've done all year. How about a name? Or a simple, "I'm not sure yet.""

He probably didn't take game 2 very well, Marlins were never in it.

"-Aaron Boone can't possibly be as bad a player as he's looked for the last three months, can he?"

I think his stats were ok in Cinci weren't they?

"-The Marlins have a great fielding team. Very few errors, great range, especially where it counts, up the middle. If the series is close, the Yankees' poor fielding might be the difference."

Again I have to agree about the Marlins. The Marlins don't seem to be doing that much up at the plate against the Yankees though. We'll see how things develop.

"-I predict the TV ratings will be very low. The "curse" aspect is gone with the Sox and Cubs eliminated, and the first two games have been pretty boring."

Probably so.

[Sooga]

I think the rise of Matsui has been a bigger story than that of Juan Pierre. Matsui started the season slooooow, hitting .250something with only a couple homers through June. Then he finally started to figure things out and ended up at .287 with 16 homers and 106 rbis. Sure it's not 50 homers like he had in Japan, but he definitely was getting things figured out. Now in the postseason he's hitting .327 with 10 rbi in just 13 games. I don't know what to expect for 2004, but I'll be shocked if he doesn't do a lot better than .287/16/106. A .300, 30HR season definitely wouldn't surprise me. Or do you guys think Matsui is just getting lucky this postseason?

[andyfox]

I think he's a good solid player, sort of Paul O'Neill. I would think 25/110/.300 looks about right. Right now, as a Yankee fan, I'd rather see him up there with two outs and men in scoring position than anyone else. He's a smart player: a good fielder (although I understand he had a reputation of not being a good centerfielder in Japan), a good baserunner, and an intelligent hitter. He also seems to have fit in well, a quiet leader rather than a loud follower.

[andyfox]

I think I saw a blurb in the paper today that the TV ratings were pretty good for games 1 and 2.

Combined, Boone ended up 24/96/.265. But he sure looks bad at the plate, and has for months. He looked pretty bad in the field last night too (up until the last play) and he made that terible cut-off in game one.

[andyfox]

Yes, game one was a close game, but there was no late inning comeback, no lead changes, and it was a pitchers' duel. Even the Yankees's threat in the 9th inning was two walks, followed by a called 3rd strike and a pop-up. A very well-played game by the Marlins, but I think people prefer a 8-7 extra inning game.

[Zeno]

[ QUOTE ]
-Every time a team doesn't hit and loses a game the pundits say they didn't play with any intensity. A team always looks bad when they lose 3-2 and don't hit much. In game one, the Yankees got ten hits, but only one with men in scoring position. This wasn't because they didn't have intensity, it was beause the Marlins pitchers pitched well.


[/ QUOTE ]

Remember the movie Fargo? Remember the part were one of the evil henchmen is, well - shredding up the evidence is a good way of putting it- don't you think? This should be the fate of all baseball pundits that jabber too much nonsense after a game.


[ QUOTE ]
-While it's a pleasure not to have Brett Boone's "analysis," Fox still remains almost unwatchable. The incessant close-ups on the player's faces, and tracking all the Fox TV "stars" in the stands . . . feh. BTW, is it me, or is Billy Crystal starting to look like Muhammed Ali?


[/ QUOTE ]


Agree 100%. I almost always have the mute on but now Fox is so addicted to the close up camera work that it makes watching the game nauseating at times and they are getting worse. You could count Pedro's eyelashes on some of the close ups in the last series. The tracking of "Stars" only adds to the distraction.

I want to see a baseball game with sound unassuming analysis and commentary, good camera work that shows what needs to be shown and no more, and if you must show people in the stands - make sure all are scantily clad large-breasted blonde women that will be worth fantasizing about during and after the game.


[ QUOTE ]
-The Marlins have a great fielding team. Very few errors, great range, especially where it counts, up the middle. If the series is close, the Yankees' poor fielding might be the difference.


[/ QUOTE ]

That and Juan Pierre's disruptive influence.


Tuesday's game in Florida should be a good chance for the camera crew at Fox to showcase their close up doctrine. I hope they do so on all the hotties that will be jiggling their breasts everytime the Marlins hit another home run. This is, after all, what Fox Sports is all about. Ratings.

-Zeno

[andyfox]

"That and Juan Pierre's disruptive influence."

I think his disruptive influence is, well, somewhat less than those jiggly things you seem to be fixated upon. (And there are worse things to be fixated upon.) If we give him an extra base for each successful stolen base this seaon, his slugging percentage becomes .470. And if we take away an "on base" for each unsuccesful stolen base, his on-base percentage becomes .333. This is not that big an impact player.

Now Jason Giambi is an impact player. Struggling as he did this year, hitting just .250, he walked well over 100 times and had an OBP of over .400. He also hit 40 home runs and knocked in over 100. Teams are well-advised to pay more attention to a player like Giambi's "disruptive" influence than a player like Pierre.

Did the Yankees play the infield in when Pierre lined one out of Jeter's reach? Sure. But they would have with anyone up in a 1-1 game with one out and men on second and third. Do other teams play their infielders in funny positions with Giambi up? Yes.

Pierre is a fine player. But little ball means less in today's game than ever. Big ball is where it's at.

[Clarkmeister]

"Yes, game one was a close game, but there was no late inning comeback, no lead changes, and it was a pitchers' duel. Even the Yankees's threat in the 9th inning was two walks, followed by a called 3rd strike and a pop-up. A very well-played game by the Marlins, but I think people prefer a 8-7 extra inning game"

I dunno, us NL guys far prefer a 3-2 pitchers duel (regardless of who wins) than a 8-7 runfest. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[andyfox]

No limit? National League? No leaks?

/images/graemlins/smile.gif