Fun with SimMatch Baseball

Let your mind rush back to your childhood. It's a cool October. In a month our parents will collectively elect Ronald Reagan to his first term. The Phillies have taken the NL pennant from the Astros in typical "Cardiac Kid" fashion. But here's the switch. The Royals haven't beaten the Yanks 3-0 for the AL Championship. Instead, the Yankees prevail and now, with home field advantage, they take on the the Phils in the 1980 World Series!

Game 1 - Yankee Stadium






With two outs in the first, Michael jack Schmidt stepped to the plate. With a 1-1 count, Schmidt cranks a Tommy John fastball toward left field. The frozen rope shot barely clears the wall, giving Schmidt his first World Series homer and the Phillies a 1 run lead.

The lead was to be short lived, however. Will Randolph's double coupled with Reggie Jackson's walk gave the Bombers 1st and 2nd with one out. Oscar Gamble's lined one to left center for a single that scores Randolf and moves Jackson to 3rd. Bob Watson lines his own to center, scoring Jackson. Then, with runners at 1st and 2nd again, Graig Nettles launches a towering shot over the right field wall, clearing the bases and giving the Yankees a 5-1 lead at the end of the first, Bobby Brown having been caught stealing for the final out.

The bottom of the second sees Greg Luzinski score from third on a line drive single by Maddox. 5-2 Yanks, after 1 1/2.

Things settled down considerably for awhile. With the score still 5-2, the fifth inning saw Schmidt get to first on what could have been called a throwing error by Randolph after a slow roller. Schmidt was safe at first, but more importantly, Pete Rose scored from second, beating an excellent throw by Brown who charged in after the errant throw. Later in the frame, Schmidt scored from second on a left field shot by Lonnie Smith. McBride, on 2nd after a single of his own, ended up on 3rd after Smith's hit. A Luzinski sac-fly brought McBride home. The game was all tied after a 1-2-3 Yankee at bat that featured Jackson's second K of the game.

Several more 1-2-3 at bats brought both Phils and Yanks to the bottom of the 9th still tied at 5. With two outs, Rose found himself on second after his second double of the game. McBride, looking at a full count, lined a Ron Davis offering to left center. Rose was already eying home plate as soon as he left the 2nd base bag. Bobby Murcer made as good a throw from center as any Yankee fan could have hoped for, but in the end, Rose was too quick. He slid under the tag for the go-ahead run!

Tug McGraw came in to relieve Carlton for the bottom of the ninth. Things looked hopeful when he walked Cerone, but Brown grounded out to Manny Trillo on the first pitch of his at bat. The Phillies took game one with a score of 6-5.









Check back soon for Game 2 recaps!

Labels: baseball, Fake Flashback, Phillies, World Series, Yankers

Boston.com reported a story about kids in Denver who requested the name of their little league team be changed from the Red Sox to, well, anything else. In the aftermath of the Rockies demise on the World Series, the lads just cannot stomach the reference to the team that humiliated their hometown club. I certainly feel sorry for the kids. Having rooted for the Phillies as a kid and sitting through the '83 and '93 WS losses, I can relate. Sort of. Things were a little different for me because Philly won in '80. The Rockies still do not have a championship. They have only been around sonce 1998, and tha t is the issue.

See, the Phillies began their franchise in '83. 1883, that is. The were the Philadelphia Quakers until the 1890 season when they became the Phillies. 1980 was their first championship. Do tha math and you see that they had to wait 97 years for a world series title. They were the last non-expansion team to win one. The Rockies have been waiting for nine years. That is, truly, a weekend compared to the wait Phillies fans endured. This is not even mentioning the long wait to repeat that franchises like the Indians and Cubs are enduring. Not only is there no shame in the Rockies not winning the 2007 series, by historical standards they are nearly ready for such an honor. Sure, it would have been grand to have gotten it. No one would begrudge them the early success. But not having gotten it should not be leaving such a bad taste in their mouths.

Also paining me is the idea that, in their fans' eyes, the onus falls on the Red Sox, not the Rockies, for the loss. I am not sure what to take from that. They are not saying that the Sox cheated. They have not even asserted that they played dirty (they most certainly did not) or that they got some sort of preferential treatment (they did not get that, either.) What would the Rockies fans have rathered? A team that rolled over so they could have a title in their team's infancy? There's not honor, or even fun, in that.

Perhaps they should blame the crazy changes in the post season schedule that added to the eight day lay-off they had to sit through. Perhaps they could simply admit that the National League is generally inferior to the American League. Lets look at the last few facts:

World Series matchups:

2000 WS - Yankees 4 games, Mets 1
2001 WS - Diamondbacks 4 games, Yankees 3
2002 WS - Angels 4 games, Giants, 3
2003 WS - Marlins 4 games, Yankees 2
2004 WS - Red Sox 4 games, Cardinals 0
2005 WS - White Sox 4 games,
Astros 0
2006 WS - Cardinals 4 games, Tigers 1

Totals: AL = 22 wins
NL = 16

All-Star Games:

Since 2000, the AL record in All-Star Games is 7-0-1 (There was that tie in 02 then Selig called the game in extra innings.)

Interleague Play:

Play began in 1997. Since then the AL has come out ahead on the deal 6 out of 10 years (I couldn't find the tallies for 2007, but if memory serves, the AL was on top.)

Runs Scored:

NL	AL	YEAR
11,995	12,976	2000
11,013	12,186	2001
10,892	11,516	2002
11,033	11,945	2003
11,358	12,018	2004
10,790	11,535	2005
11,262	12,337	2006
11,114	12,208	2007

Batting Average:

AL	NL	YEAR
.276 (.27565)	.266 (.26586)	2000
.267 (.26687)	.261 (.26137)	2001
.264 (.26378)	.259 (.25915)	2002
.267 (.26728)	.262 (.26152)	2003
.270 (.26991)	.263 (.26258)	2004
.268 (.26763)	.262 (.26166)	2005
.275 (.27481)	.265 (.26451)	2006
.271 (.27053)	.266 (.26591)	2007

Because of the Rockies improable and unsuccessful run to the WS, do the Red Sox now have to address the idea that they are going to be hated like the Yankees? I suppose if the Sox have to have something in common with the Yankees, it might as well be that they're hated. There'll still be one major difference...the Yankees suck!!!

Labels: baseball, Red Sox, Rockies, World Series, Yankers

BOSTON RED SOX
2007 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS!

Labels: baseball, Red Sox, World Series

Let's see...

The Phillies. They got swept. I truly believe that this has to be chalked up to the momentum of the Colorado Rockies. This momentum thing, should it last, will probably take them clear to the WS. The Philles bats took a major dump in this series. At one point, Chase Utely struck out four times on 13 pitches!

The Yankers? Gone! They lose their divisional series to Cleveland 3-1. For the most part, this makes me very happy. My first wish, as always, is for the Phils and Sox to play in the series. Since that won't happen, we go to my next wish, which is a resounding victory by the Sox in the WS over whoever they would end up with. If that cannot be, if the Indians are destined to go to the big show, at least I'll be able to live through the hot stove season with two facts: A) The Sox did not get knocked out by the Yankers. B) The Sox got one step farther than the Yankers.

All I can say is thank the Lord for Canadian Soldiers!

This loss by the Yankers could also bode well for next season. It looks as though Steinbrenner is going to fire Torre. While everyone who has a half of a brain knows that firing the manager that has taken you to the post season every season he's held the job is a stupid move. Not to mention the fact that even with the ALDS loss, this season can arguably be considered Torre's greatest managerial year. Has Georgie Boy forgotten the HUGE mountain that the team had to overcome to get into the playoffs? The Yankers without Torre are worse than the Yankers with him, at least in 2008. This is a good thing for Red Sox Nation. Also, if Torre is fired, I believe that the move will significantly reduce the chances of resigning Posada, Rivera, and A-Rod. More good news.

My beloved Sox! They begin the ALCS against those Indians on Friday. Now, while rooting for Cleveland over the last week, it occurred to me that they share the best record in MLB with the Sox for a reason. Perhaps the Yankers were not the strongest team. Perhaps we have more to worry about facing the Indians than we would have with NY? In the end, though, reasons A and B above far outweigh the advantage. This will not be a sweep by the Sox, but I still have faith that we'll be watching them facing the NL Champ.

Labels: ALCS, ALDS, baseball, Indians, Phillies, Red Sox, Rockies, World Series, Yankers

With this summers huge increase in my baseball fascination has come a noticeable change in my behavior, or so it would seem. As a result, I’ve been getting questioned about it, both from family and friends. Most inquiries can be summarized into to main questions, so I thought I’d take some time to formulate answers to them, as much for ma as for anyone.

Q1: Why has my interest in baseball grown so much this year?

The most truthful response to this is simply, “I don’t know!” There are many smaller factors that I can point to, but nothing that jumps out as a cause, in and of itself. First, there’s my son, Steven. He’s three and a half and smart as a whip, so I’ve been talking to him a lot already about sports and the teams I like. He already has a handle on the evil versus the good. Penn State, evil. Notre Dame, good. Dallas Cowboys, evil. Philadelphia Eagles, good. I’m trying to keep him focused on the Red Sox and talk about how happy Yanker losses make us. I have told him about the evil Atlanta Braves (here on out, they shall be referred to as the Bravos) and why Mike Schmidt is the greatest third baseman ever! I’m also teaching him that the NBA should be disbanded.

There is my age. I’m now 36 and though I can’t say why, I believe that has something to do with why I’m in love with baseball.

There is MVP Baseball 2005, released the spring after the Sox took the series, with Manny as its main logo boy. That has helped me learn a lot of the nuances of the game. I also have a coworker who is a huge statistics nut and likes baseball a lot. The unfortunate thing is that he’s a Yankers fan, but no one is perfect, right?

Somehow this summer the magic of baseball has suddenly become clear to me. It has been years and years since I went to a game and I’m dying to do so. Even still, my mouth almost waters thinking about sliders and double-plays, and no-nos. I wish I could make it clearer, but I can’t.

Q2: Why the Phillies and the Red Sox?

I touched on this in the opening post of this blog, but let me recap. I grew up a Phillies fan, so they will always have a part of my heart. My father and grandfather were both Phillies fans. The cruel irony of life no more evident than in the fact that my grandfather died during the 1980 World Series! Talk about heartbreak. Obviously, it took all the joy out of it for dad, but I was young enough that I have clear memories of both things and they have somehow stayed separate.

As for the Sox, part of it will always be the under dog thing, although that really doesn’t apply like it used to. But there is just something about the Sox! Those white home uniforms, almost blindingly white! No pretentious pinstripes, no names, just the red and black on that white! The Green Monster! Pesky pole! Tessie! Sweet Caroline! Muddy Water! Talking about it makes we want to drive to Boston tomorrow. (Which would do me no good since they’re in Cleveland for four.)

In rooting for the Sox, there has to be some credit given to the Yankers. I can't stand them and I never could. There's no mystery here, I hate them for the same reasons that most people cite. They have an ass for an owner who not only vomits money out to lure high priced talent, then throws them away when he's done. He cares only about two things: money and winning. That leave out one very important thing...the game. He's borderline psychotic with his tyrranical rants and his obsession to hair (or having very little of it.) The league exists in spite of Steinbrenner, not because of him. So, that make the Red Sox all the more lovable!

I suppose it will become clear from this blog that although I have history with the Phils that began long before when I fell for the Sox*, I am, these days, a fledgling member of the Red Sox Nation and worry about them much more that Philly.

Sorry Dad. Sorry Pop-pop!


*As I mentioned in that opening post, I rooted vaguely for the Sox since just after college when I got the hat from Dad. But I really began to fall for the Sox in 2003. I don’t claim full pre-2004 bragging rights by any stretch, but I refuse to be called a band wagon jumper, either.

Labels: 1980, baseball, fan, Green Monster, Mike Schmidt, Pesky Pole, Phillies, Red Sox, Steinbrenner, Tessie, World Series, Yankers