World Series Wrapup

I was hoping for more than i mere 5 game series from the 2008 World Series. Every game but one was decided by two runs or less, but i hoped it would be more than one team that would win all those close ones. Philly was that team. They just turned off the fountain of magic that was the Tampa Bay Rays season and beat the cinderella team in five games. The fifth game is one i will never forget being that it took over two days to complete. No they did not go one hundred innings but it rained for a day and a half preventing the game from being completed until tonight. And for Philly it was worth the wait. They got on the board in the sixth and seventh and prevented Tampa from getting any wind in their sails. Three players stuck out to me as to why the Phillies won. Starter Cole Hamels was big in his two series starts going 1-0 with a 2.77 ERA and 8K. He was the confidence booster in games 1 and 5 for the Phils that gave them two out of their four wins. Ryan Howard came through and some big situations during the series while hitting three home runs and six rbi. And Brad Lidge was lights out all season long by not blowing a save during the regular season and postseason. There was no doubt that if the Phillies had the lead going into the ninth he would get the win. Last year i was hoping the Phillies would win the World Series, so coming in a year short isnt so bad.

World Series Preview

The World Series. The fall classic. So many of baseball's great moments have come in the postseason. But lately, the fall classic has lacked that. Since 2004 only one series has gone beyond a four game sweep and it was only a five game series. There has been no drama. No nothing. Just four ordinary baseball games. This year we find two teams relatively new to the fall classic. The National League Champion Philadelphia Phillies, who have not been to the World Series since 1993, and the American League champion Tampa Bay Rays, who is making their first postseason trip let alone world series trip. Tampa has become the cinderella team of baseball. Since the team's entrance in the big leagues in 1998, this is their first winning season after taking the always tough AL east. They waited on their young players to just hopefully get the team in the right direction and they took one giant one. Meanwhile Philadelphia has gotten here by using their farm system and adding some all or nothing veterans to making them a contender for years down the road. I havent been this excited for a world series in a long time. This one will not go 7 games but it will go to six games and every one will go down to the wire. Tampa will take the series because of their power and speed and their exceptional play under the dome. I like both teams, but i have to side with Tampa just because they're the cinderella team. And who doesnt like cinderella teams.

Instant Replay..Coming tomorrow to a ballpark near you!

Well, not too long ago i was against this whole idea of replay in baseball. But now, after many botched calls by the umpires, i am totally for this idea. It has gotten so bad that I can't believe Major League Baseball has waited this long to install it. The umpires just cant tell a close one from all the way back in the infield, so this move to me, was imminent. Now I believe for their six figure salary they should be able to tell, but most of them are so old, they couldn't see their reflection in the mirror. So starting tomorrow, instant replay will become available in all 30 MLB ballparks, so down the stretch drive, they can get the call right. I cant believe im saying this, but this is one of Bud Selig's better innovations to baseball.