Published November 9th, 2007
in Baseball.
As the Colorado Rockies http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=col got into ready to face the Philadelphia Phillies http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=phi in their opening game for the National League playoff series, most people believed the two teams would provide games with the most runs, having being placed in an atmosphere where two of the highest scoring teams in the league as well as being in the two most friendly ballparks in the majors was an added advantage, however in game one of their postseason match up all the two teams could do combined was provide six runs and ten hits.
This however did not stop the Rockies from taking down the Philadelphia Phillies 4-2 and providing a watch able game for the 45,655 fans on Wednesday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. Jeff Francis the Rockies pitcher provided the team with a magnificent game making eight strikeouts in six innings and only doing poorly in two pitches. The second game will be held on Thursday afternoon before the series moves to Denver for two more games of the best of five series.
The Rockies where making their second appearance in the playoffs since the team was started fifteen years ago and this was their second playoff victory, with the last being in 1995 and have won in sixteen games fifteen times.
Published November 8th, 2007
in Baseball.
Boston Red Sox players, Pitcher’s Hideki Okajima, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Curt Schilling.
Minnesota took down the Boston Red Sox 3-2 just a day after the Red Sox had made it into the playoffs and had achieved an American League East title as well as garnered the best record in baseball this year. The loss to the Twins has not stopped the Red Sox from heading to their postseason matches with the first match up being against the Los Angeles Angels.
The Sunday game had seen the Boston Red Sox dish out their substitutes saving their key players for the playoffs. This probably why the team did not perform at par but still hang on until Minnesota took the game. The game also so the departure of Minnesota Twins coach Terry Ryan who retired from Major League Baseball.
Players like Kevin Youkilis finished the series with a flourish record of one thousand and seventy nine errorless chances which is a record for an American League first baseman the highest before that had been .999 which had been previously held by Stuffy McInnis. The game which drew in 36, 364 Boston fans was one of four games that the Red Sox played against Minnesota in which Boston has won two and the Twins two as well.
Published November 7th, 2007
in Baseball.
Celebrations all around for the Philadelphia Phillies after beating the Washington Nationals and taking the National League East title.
After beating the Washington Nationals 6-1, the Philadelphia Phillies celebrated big time at City Hall on Monday their National League East title with thousands of their fans joining in the celebrations. This season the Phillies fought hard to catch up from a seven game deficit with just seventeen games at hand to earn a chance to go the playoffs. The team will end up facing Wild Card winners the Colorado Rockies who had faced the San Diego Padres in a Wild Card playoff on Monday and took home the title for the playoffs.
Fans were everywhere as the team celebrated its win and never had the city seen so many people at one place. Organizer of the event called it one of the biggest pep rallies that Philly had seen in years. Delirious fans came from all over the city shouting, “Fightin’ Phils” to the team while others shouted “M.V.P” for the Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins surrounded the cities City Hall as well as filled the streets in celebration. This was unforgettable day for the team as well as its fans.
Published November 6th, 2007
in Baseball.
Los Angeles Angels (Anaheim) Scot Shields (pitcher).
With the loss they achieved in game one of the best of five series of the National League division the Los Angeles Angels are hoping to make a comeback in game two of their playoff series against the Boston Red Sox. Los Angeles is now looking to make changes before the big game and Kelvim Escobar is it and he start on Friday nights game two.
However the Angels are worried about Boston Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, who the team has never faced and are hoping the video footage they have of him will help see his tricks but facing Dice-K is the only way they will know about him and that isn’t good enough for the Angels.
Anyway the Angels are hopeful and will be looking to bring the Boston Red Sox down on Friday.
Published November 5th, 2007
in Baseball.
INDIANS HAMMER THE YANKS AND MAKE IT 12-3
Cleveland Indians players, Jhonny Peralta and Grady Sizemore.
It has been a while since anyone had seen the Indians play with so much heart that when they played their American League Division Series opening game and won, no one loved it better than the Cleveland fans who had come in hordes to see their team take on the New York Yankees on Thursday night. The Yanks who game in the playoffs as the favorite felt the pitch when they where taken down 12-3 by Cleveland and looked shocked and surprised that the Indians where capable of taking them down.
Indians pitcher C.C. Sabathia only let in three runs in five innings and the Indians made four home runs which captivated them to take the game. Other keynote players where outfielder Kenny Lofton who drove in four runs and picked his thirty third career steal in the postseason, tying him with Rickey Henderson for the most in playoff history. Since its 2004 American League Championship series loss against the Boston Red Sox the New York Yankees have now earned themselves four straight playoff games losses and eleven of fourteen overall.
All hopes are high for the Cleveland Indians to win game two of this series, however we should not put the Yanks out of the picture yet they might just make a magnificent comeback.
Published November 4th, 2007
in Baseball.
DIAMONDBACKS BEAT THE CUBS AGAIN
Diamondbacks Doug Davis (pitcher) and Chris Young.
You got to hand it to the Diamondbacks, they really want to be number one and they are not going to hide the fact that they can make it to the top. Being the underdog while coming into the best of five series the Diamondbacks have prove they got what it takes and nothing is going to stand in their way. This however does not look good for the Chicago Cubs who where beaten a second time in game two of the series.
The Diamondbacks who crushed the Cubs 8-4 where helped by Doug Davis who won his first ever playoff start and only allowed in four runs in five and two thirds innings while striking out eight Chicago cubs players. The Diamondbacks are now 2-0 in the best of five series and had been trailing behind the Cubs 2-0 before Rookie Chris Young hit a three run home run. Another keynote player was Stephen Drew who tripled in two more on Thursday night.
The Chicago Cubs are now trailing behind and have lost four straight postseason games and are 0-5 in the previous postseason series as well as fell to 0-3 in game two’s in the National League Division Series.
Published November 3rd, 2007
in Baseball.
Mike Rabelo and Nat Robertson (pitcher) of the Detroit Tigers.
It was like watching flashback celebrations to last year’s pennant celebrations as the Detroit Tigers < http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=det > drank their champagne in celebrations to taking the American League Pennant for yet another year. But this was not the only celebrations of the day; the Tigers were also celebrating a team mate’s milestone. Magglio Ordonez was celebrating reaching his personal milestone which was for winning the American League batting championship.
Magglio made three for four in his batting average and raised it to .363 making him the first Detroit player to be crowned the American League champion since Norm Cash who batted .361 in 1961. Through his participation and with the help of his team mates the Tigers were able to push their way through the Chicago White Sox < http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=cws > beating them 13-3.
This however has not been a great season for the team, having had a disappointing season. But this did not stop Magglio from performing magnificently and reaching his goal especially during this game where he hit every at bat. However, the Tigers feel they would have done more this season and would have had the chance to make to the World Series again like last year. Winning the batting title makes Ordonez the second Venezuelan to get the title.
Published November 2nd, 2007
in Baseball.
It was an amazing game, Monday night when the Colorado Rockies faced the San Diego Padres in an unforgettable National League wild card match up. The game which was one of the longest tiebreakers in baseball history would put the Rockies against formidable players like Jamey Carroll the all-time saves leader as well as Trevor Hoffman who would watch as the chance to make it to the playoffs slip through his hands.
The Colorado Rockies played a magnificent game and it was as if they wanted the season to keep pushing on. They beat the San Diego Padres 9-8 in the thirteenth inning, helping them advance to the postseason games. This would be the second time in baseball history the Colorado Rockies would be heading to the playoffs in its fifteen years in baseball and would be the teams first time since 1995 to advance.
The Rockies won for the fourteenth time in fifteen games and the game was the first of seven one game playoffs in Major League Baseball history to go to extra innings. The winning three run rally was provided by Kaz Matsui, Matt Holliday and Troy Tulowitzki. Other key players were Todd Helton who was intentionally walked in the game and Brian Giles.
Published November 1st, 2007
in Baseball.
Boston Red Sox Celebrate their win over the Los Angeles Angels.
The Red Sox where hot and ready for their first game of the series held at Fenway Park and nothing was going to stand in their way. Things did not look to good for the Angels as Josh Beckett was on fire and nothing the Los Angeles Angels did had any effect on the outcome of the game. The Boston Red Sox took it to the Angels and beat them 4-0 in this best of five American League Division Series.
Josh Beckett was definitely the star of this game as he brought a whole other level to the game. Beckett, who had been playing well all season long, proved that the Red Sox would be a team to be reckoned with. It was a pressure filled game yet Josh did not even flinch as he and his team mates like Kevin Youkilis who made a solo home run and David Ortiz who made a two run shot created an opportunity for the Red Sox to beat the Angels 4-0.
The ace right hander pitched a complete game shutout which made one of the best games a Boston Pitcher has had during this month and was the first for the team as well since the 1975 World Series when Luis Tiant did the same to the Cincinnati Reds in the first game.
Published October 30th, 2007
in Baseball.
Pitcher Jose Valverde celebrates and Brandon Webb pitches in the playoff series against the Chicago Cubs.
The Arizona Diamondbacks faced the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night in the National League playoff opener where the Cubs felt the hand of the Diamondbacks as they proceeded to crush the Cubs 3-1 in game one of the postseason. Brandon Webb provided the Diamondbacks the opportunity they needed and the Cubs could not handle the pressure.
Webb pitched all he had confusing the Cubs with his sinker and changing his style every opportunity he got with his curve balls and changeups. His first postseason game the quiet and laid back right hander pitched like an ace and out-dueled his opponents proving to them and his team mates that he could handle the big leagues. Brandon has garnered for himself a National League CY Young award and has also made an All Star Game appearance as well as achieved a forty two inning scoreless streak earlier in the series.
After a tight game facing Carlos Zambrano, Diamondbacks manager Lou Piniella pulled Webb out after seven innings, so as to keep the young ace good and ready for Game four. Arizona’s young guns provided the team chances to win his first game with two unflappable young men providing two home runs which captivated the team to win the game.
