Opinion

So.

Here we are again.

I just can't help it.

I promised that I wouldn't write any more nasty articles questioning the intelligence or motivations of the Toronto Blue Jays.

I also promised to up the dose of my medication so that I'd stop thinking that MLB was conspiring to get rid of the Blue Jays, a la Montreal Expos.

That's all done.

A-Rod delivered the big blow last night—but, was he more the hero or Lidge more the goat?

Let's build the case for each...


A-Rod as the hero

A-Rod hammered a fastball to left that was just one mile-per-hour and about three inches different then the pitch he'd just taken for strike one.

(Technically the pitch seemed to A-Rod about two to three miles-per-hour different given the three inches higher, but that's easy pickins for a decent three-spot hitter.)

Joe Girardi may as well change his jersey number to 30 right now.

Monday night, the Yankees have a chance to leave Philadelphia with their 27th World Series title in hand. Thus fulfilling Girardi's goal he set out to accomplish when he replaced Joe Torre, and intentionally wore the number 27.  

The rumors are out there. The free agent lists are nearly complete; only uncertainty over player and club option years remains. The trade market is beginning to rediscover itself, for the first time in six weeks or so.

And now, armed with all of that knowledge, we have an opportunity to begin the task of concretely formulating the best plan of action for the Chicago Cubs over the course of the upcoming off-season. It will be an imprecise science; it will also likely not come to fruition, whatever we may propose, because Jim Hendry's mind does not work in the same way as the average fan's...

Normally, loyal reader, this space is reserved for bone heads in the NFL. However, while watching the World Series I couldn't help but make an exception tonight.

In the top of the ninth with Brad Lidge on the mound and a 4-4 tie and two outs, the Philadelphia Phillies seemed to be cruising to a bottom of the ninth where they would only need one run to win it and tie the series at two games apiece.

Then Johnny Damon picked up a base hit for the New York Yankees.

An in-game analysis of Alex Rodriguez hitting approach:

In the second inning of tonight's game, Alex was hit in the upper back by a pitch from Joe Blanton. It was the third time in the last five at-bats Rodriguez was hit by a pitch.

After a conference between the umpires, they decided stupidly to warn both benches about retaliation. Alex exacerbated the situation by telling home plate umpire Mike Winters it was obvious the Phillies were throwing at him.

In the 8th inning of last night's New York Yankee victory, manager Joe Girardi summoned left handed reliever Damaso Marte to begin the frame. At the time, the Yankees led 8-4, so the game was still within reach of Philadelphia, especially with the middle, power-part of the Phillies hitters due up.

It was a good move by Girardi (one of many he has made this post season), getting the lefty Marte to face Phillies slugger Ryan Howard leading off the inning.

Mark McGwire is back in St. Louis. Big Mac will join the Cardinals' coaching staff as the hitting coach.

We've all heard the various complaints, criticisms, and even praise for the Redbirds' new hitting instructor, but how much of it is warranted? Should a player get a coaching job just because of his superstar status as a player?

Without a doubt, some superstars have gone on to excel as a major league manager—John McGraw, Joe Torre, and Frank Chance come readily to mind.

Many people just want to side with the winning team, many even skip Church on Sundays, because the game is on, and will feel more resolve in the fleeting of sports victory rather than the eternity of spiritual victory.

Some Florida Gator fans have even seen the spiritual meaning in the Tim Tebow led victory over the LSU Tigers at night, after Tebow had been injured with a concussion.

He was dominant in game one at Yankee Stadium, shutting down the vaunted New York Yankee lineup in a complete game victory. In going the distance, Cliff Lee struck out 10 hitters (including Alex Rodriguez three times), allowing only six hits and a single unearned run.

He is in his prime and is basically a win waiting to happen every time he takes the mound. The best bet for Philadelphia in winning this World Series is to have Lee pitch as often as he can.