More Notes From A Hospital Waiting Room
Just briefly… I hope the Yankees volunteered to fly the Twins in on a private jet for Game One tonight. Detroit would have upset New York, but Ryan Rayburn made absolutely the worst defensive play I’ve ever seen in such a vital game (anybody ever mention anything about keeping the ball in front of you — or if you decide to risk it, about putting the glove down rather than just sliding purposelessly?) and so it is Minnesota. The storybook Twins have been utterly stumped by the Yankees for six years and should remain so.
Instead the Red Sox could knock off the Angels, another team that would handily dispatch New York. And the Yankees continue to match up well against Boston. Thus a team with dubious starting pitching and nightmarish outfield defense is the favorite for the World Series (unless the Angels fend off Boston – I’m not convinced Brian Fuentes will come up big for the Angels, not a guy who once lost a closer’s job to Manny Corpas).
The Dodgers won a bad division badly and Manny Ramirez was, for some unknown reason, just not the same after returning from suspension. The Cardinals might roll right through them, though Joel Pineiro, nearly flawless until September 1, has looked like a tired tanker since. As to the other NL Series, it’s possible neither team (Phillies: no closer; Rockies: no De La Rosa, and Marquis being skipped) will win. Thus are the Phillies favored solely for hosting the 5th Game and the fact that their key lefty sluggers are now facing an all-righty rotation. Either winner of the Cards-Dodgers series will handle either winner of the Phils-Rockies clash.
So the Series looks like the Yankees and the Cardinals, but we’ll get to that if and when any of these predictions accidentally come true.
And, yes, my Dad is, as of tonight, still holding a grudge against the Yanks for trading his favorite player, Steve Souchock, in the off-season of 1948-49. However, he has advised me that the “check, please,” moment was actually the day a year later when they then shipped his next-favorite, second baseman George “Snuffy” Stirnweiss, to the St. Louis Browns. I hadn’t known that. Dad hasn’t forgotten.
Baseball Nerd 
Go Rockies! Or go Cardinals/Dodgers! Should the Phillies beat the Rockies, that is. Have I mentioned that I’m not fond of the Phillies? Oh, yeah…ad nauseum. “Sorry about that, Chief!” (spoken in Maxwell Smart voice)
As always, best wishes to your dad, you, and your family. Good to hear that your dad is so forgiving! LOL! 😀
Am looking forward to the Special Comment (supersized edition) tonight. Come out swinging! Thanks for doing this for all of us whose voices aren’t being heard.
I love ya, Keith but you are wrong about the Phils.
Can’t wait for your show tonight…I’ll be watching it when I get home from the Phillies game today. Go Phils!
Go Phils!
I am still a huge hold out for a Sox & Rockies world series! (stranger things have happened!)
I, too, will be glued to the show tonight. Go get ’em, Keith!
Glad to know your dad is pulling through with thoughts of baseball!!!! Praying for you and your family, still…
Wow, we totally disagree. http://borntobeblue.mlblogs.com/
Pass along our best wishes for your dad. Hope you both get out of there, soonest. Baseball takes second chair to that.
>>The Dodgers won a bad division badly…
Hmmmm… While it used to be the NL Worst, I don’t think that’s true any more. The West had 2 teams with over 90 wins. The only other division with that distinction was the AL East.
SF finished in third place with 88 wins. That bests every other division’s second place finisher, with the exception, again, of the AL East and the Red Sox’ 95 win Mild Card entry.
Both the AL East and NL West fourth place teams had 75-87 records, and the NLW last place team (AZ) had 6 more wins than the ALE last place team (BAL).
Oh, yeah… The NL West also produced the best second place team in the league, the Rockies.
So, maybe not so bad after all.
Keith, thank you for an absolutely fantastic show tonight. I know this is a baseball blog, but… I just had to say it.
Your Special Comment on the health care system tonight was one of the best things I have ever seen on television. Seriously.
Best wishes to you and your father, and I hope he gets to move closer to you very soon.
Thank you Keith for all that you do! You and your dad are in my thoughts. Despite the darkness that is out there right now, at least there is post-season baseball. For some folks there are many reasons to cheer… and for us Mets fans there will always be next year… Ha! 🙂
second comment…just finished watching your show! Bravo! thank you for being a for those who don’t have one!
Best to your father and to your family, as always! keep hanging in there!