The thing that impressed me about Philadelphia’s celebration of the Phillies’ second straight NL pennant was that it seemed so exuberant, as if they hadn’t even won the World Fuggin’ Series the year before. But then these gentlemen decide that they’re ready to go home and they decide to actually get ON the cab instead of IN it. But then those two hotties pull him out of the street, and I think, “Hey, maybe this guy’s onto something here.”
More badass Philly vids at The Fightins.
Major League Baseball recently concluded an investigation regarding an SB Nation report that Yankees pitcher Mariano Rivera was caught spitting on the baseball during his appearance in Game 3 of the ALCS yesterday. Rivera was seen spitting in the general direction of the ball before the camera cut away to Angels manager Mike Scioscia. Emphasis added:
he initial reaction by the league had been that the video plus still pictures they have of the incident were inconclusive if Rivera actually spit on or near the ball. But after further review of what it had, the Commissioners Office determined that Rivera was not spitting directly on the ball.
On still pictures in MLB’s possession, it apparently looks as if Rivera is spitting near, but not on, the ball. Also, as even the league office is aware, Rivera is a player who spits constantly while in action. NYPost, via SB Nation.
Whatever. Pitchers that cheat are the ones that really do a disservice to the game. You think I want to spend three hours watching a 1-0 game? Actually, I do like those, but the girls I take to the game can never sit still through them. I blame the lack of offense. Or maybe it’s crabs. vid from Deadspin.
Somebody on Twitter this morning alluded to the notion that the MLB playoffs were too good for TBS, which, as far as I know, is the only cable outlet carrying the games. And baseball should be grateful that they even have that, because ever since MLB expanded to the 8-team postseason format, playoff baseball has been a gigantic cluster…bomb. Let us count the ways.
The first round best-of-five series are a joke. Seriously, when the worst team in baseball wins 60 games a year, how much less variance does a series like that have than, say, a single game? The team with the better record in Divsion Series advances only 48 percent of the time. The first round of baseball’s season is, almost literally, a coin flip. Some people will say that such a format adds to the drama. I say it makes a ridiculously long regular season even more trivial and–when you consider baseball’s unbalanced scheduling–patently unfair.
The start times of these games make them virtually unfollowable to the casual fan. Scheduled first pitch times for yesterday’s games (all Eastern): 2:30, 6:00, and 9:00. The Phillies “drew” the 2:30 game. I guess being the defending World Series champs means that your fans can get by without watching you on TV that night.
Eight teams in the playoffs, along with the WBC, will The World Series into November this year. Big deal, it’s just another month on the calendar, right? Wrong. November is football time, and baseball better recognize. But seriously, either can it with the crammed traveling and just play baseball until Thanksgiving, or wrap that sucker up before Halloween.
The WNBA Finals, by the way, were nestled comfortably in prime time last night on ESPN2. I guess one league with an exorbitant regular season plagued with mainstream fan apathy is plenty for that network. Wait, which sport were we talking about?
The Twins beat the Tigers in that thrilling 12-inning playoff game to decide the AL Central yesterday, but not without controversy. En route to his team’s 6-5 loss in the Metrodome, Tigers batter Brandon Inge took a pitch in the top of the 12th with the bases loaded that brushed up against his jersey, which legally counts toward a hit-by-pitch. Inge headed for first base, but was called back to the batter’s box by home plate umpire Randy Marsh. As one might guess, Mr. Inge was not pleased.
“I want a hit as much as the next guy, but when it’s that important, it hit my shirt,” Inge said of the first pitch he took from [Twins reliever Bobby] Keppel, thrown with the bases loaded and one out in the 12th inning. “I’m not going to lie.”[...]
“It hit my shirt, period,” Inge said. “I don’t lie about things like that. I’m not going to try to weasel my way on base.”
Tigers manager Jim Leyland immediately ran out of the dugout to challenge the call. Read the rest of this entry »
Get a room, queers
Weather on the Eastern seaboard finally cleared up enough to allow three and a half innings to be played, and the Phillies seized the opportunity to win Game 5 by a score of 4-3, securing the World Series title and Philadelphia’s first sports championship since 2008, when the Soul won the ArenaBowl. So hooray! No baseball in November! Now I can focus on mailing in basketball recaps!
Rather than talk about clutch hits or the Series MVP, I’d like to take this opportunity to address this notion that “long-suffering” fans “deserve” for their team to win a championship. Specifically, it’s bullshit. As a fan, the only things you’re entitled to are drunkenness and disappointment, and in that regard Philadelphians have gotten the max return on their investment. You know who else doesn’t deserve shit? Cleveland. Seattle. Cubs fans. Everyone can just go to hell, because none of this means anything anyway. Enjoy your fleeting moment of happiness before you go back to your dead-end job and loveless marriage. Up next: taxes and death.
The baseball season’s seemingly endless trudge to completion slowed to a complete stop last night, as Game 5 was halted due to rain during the sixth inning. Both teams have already lifted their starters, so the game will fall on the shoulders of the bullpens when it finally resumes. Whenever that will be.
Dear sweet Jesus, this is a miserable slog. I understand the need to try to play through the rain during the regular season, when teams play 162 games in a row with one day off every two weeks. But this is it for the season. The Rays don’t have another series they have to rush off and play. So just call the game if there’s rain. Call it right away. Let the fans go home, and set the next game for when there’s no rain in the forecast. What’s the freakin’ rush? The season’s been going on for seven months, what’s another two days while we wait for the skies to clear?
Baseball is like your grandpa with Alzheimer’s. Yeah, you love the guy, but mostly for memories from your childhood. Now he just wanders around talking to appliances, and you show up partly out of a sense duty, partly out of curiosity, and always mildly drunk in order to tolerate the experience.
