MLB 2009 Season

[63dot]

I think that the Phillies will win tomorrow's game but ask yourself if that team can take three games in a row against the Yanks with two of them being in NY.

It is possible for the Phillies to take tonight at home and then two on the road in Yankee Stadium, but not probable. I can throw out some rare examples in baseball, but I won't since people will misinterpret those exceptions as the rule. Much of what I have heard on this thread are exceptions and strong personal feelings and not the norm.

How about the Celtics coming back 20 points down in the late in the game in the NBA Finals, or the Bills coming from behind and outscoring the Oilers 35-3 in the second half of the game. There have been great comebacks in sports before and there will be in the future. Could this Phillies team be one of the great comebacks?

I think the Phillies coming back, if they do, would have to post a string of great hitting and even more phenomenal pitching comparable to the above two back from behind examples. I am a numbers guy and usually don't work with instincts or passion, but statistics. Being down 3-1 against this version of the Yankees is a terrible place to be. This version of the Yankees has an old Jeter, but still hitting over .400 in this World Series. CC proved himself last night after losing the first game. A-Rod and some others woke up. And yes, after tonight, this all goes to New York.

I wish if it were the Phillies going down in the WS, it would be to the Red Sox or the Angels, but not the Yankees. It's clear the Yankees in this postseason and in the regular season have shown they are the best team in baseball, again.

 

[MacNut]

If Damon didn't double steal last night I would say the Phillies still have a shot. After that play and the runs that followed I think it took all the wind out of the Phillies sails. If the Phillies won last night we still have a close series. Now it is just a matter of time. I thought Lee would win it for them in game 5 but now I'm not so sure. The Yankees are on a magical ride now and nothing can stop them.

 

[aloofman]

The solution is not those silly Billy James rules but umps learning how to properly call a strike. The high strike should be the easiest to call because you don't have to look over the catchers' shoulder. It is just a fact that umpires have become lazy in this sport. Now even the best gets at least one play a game wrong.

That wasn't a solution to the strike zone issue. It was to speed up the game. I was saying that I think games that take too long to play are a bigger problem than bad strike calls.

I don't think Andy really cheated because he took PEDs in the off season to heal faster.

I wasn't aware that it mattered. If you fail a test, then you fail a test. At least be smart enough to leave enough time to get them out of your system before you were tested. Then knew ahead of time when they would be tested! Sometimes I think players should be suspended just for being stupid.

and Joe buck needs to seriously needs to fall of a bridge or something he's been so anti yankees this intier post season its not even funny he's always got to critize something of the yankees even when he points out something good.

we all know Buck dislikes the Yankees. He's a born and bred Cardinals fan. I will say that he and McCarver are good at what they do if you can push past McCarver's when he sometimes has incessant babbling.

Please. The two of them spent years fawning over everything the Yankees did. I think McCarver might have proposed to Jeter twice in 2000. And both of them will take a bullet for Rivera. They'll have to bash the Yankees for a few more years before we can call it even.

day-um....... when was the last one? (what year?)

The last was the Kansas City Royals in 1985 vs. St. Louis. They also did the same 3-1 comeback against Toronto in the ALCS that year. Other teams to do it in the World Series: 1903 Red Sox, 1925 Pirates, 1958 Yankees, 1968 Tigers, and 1979 Pirates.

 

[str1f3]

It is possible for the Phillies to take tonight at home and then two on the road in Yankee Stadium, but not probable. I can throw out some rare examples in baseball, but I won't since people will misinterpret those exceptions as the rule. Much of what I have heard on this thread are exceptions and strong personal feelings and not the norm.

How about the Celtics coming back 20 points down in the late in the game in the NBA Finals, or the Bills coming from behind and outscoring the Oilers 35-3 in the second half of the game. There have been great comebacks in sports before and there will be in the future. Could this Phillies team be one of the great comebacks?

I think the Phillies coming back, if they do, would have to post a string of great hitting and even more phenomenal pitching comparable to the above two back from behind examples. I am a numbers guy and usually don't work with instincts or passion, but statistics. Being down 3-1 against this version of the Yankees is a terrible place to be. This version of the Yankees has an old Jeter, but still hitting over .400 in this World Series. CC proved himself last night after losing the first game. A-Rod and some others woke up. And yes, after tonight, this all goes to New York.

I wish if it were the Phillies going down in the WS, it would be to the Red Sox or the Angels, but not the Yankees. It's clear the Yankees in this postseason and in the regular season have shown they are the best team in baseball, again.

LOL, anything can happen. We could all die in a nuclear Holocaust or be wiped out by flesh-eating zombies. It doesn't mean it will happen. Bringing up different sports does't help your case. Basketball and baseball are two very different sports. Unlike any other sport, in basketball, the ball is always in the stars hands. It is the most "selfish" of all the team sports.

After tonight Lee, who is their only good pitcher(with an old and worn down pitcher in Martinez), won't pitch again. Meanwhile you have Petitte, Sabathia and Rivera to deal with.

It's never over til it's over but this has only happened five times in the history of the sport. The question to you is whether the Phillies are this kind of team. Last year was as easy a year to win the title as their ever was because anyone would tell you that for the past decade the three best teams in the AL are the Yankees, Red Sox, and Angels. The Phillies are actually a better team on paper than they were last year but find themselves down 3-1.

 

[sysiphus]

Last year was as easy a year to win the title as their ever was because anyone would tell you that for the past decade the three best teams in the AL are the Yankees, Red Sox, and Angels. The Phillies are actually a better team on paper than they were last year but find themselves down 3-1.

Not sure what you're saying...are you trying to discount last year's playoffs because the Yankees weren't in it? In case you forgot, they missed the playoffs because they weren't very good...not because they forgot to sign up or something. Team performance from any year other than 2008 did not and does not reflect on 2008.

 

[MacNut]

Not sure what you're saying...are you trying to discount last year's playoffs because the Yankees weren't in it? In case you forgot, they missed the playoffs because they weren't very good...not because they forgot to sign up or something. Team performance from any year other than 2008 did not and does not reflect on 2008.

The Phillies beat a team that was not as good as this years Yankees.

 

[sysiphus]

The Phillies beat a team that was not as good as this years Yankees.

True. But the implication in his post was that it was an easy year to win because the Yankees weren't in the postseason--which is a very flawed argument.

 

[MacNut]

True. But the implication in his post was that it was an easy year to win because the Yankees weren't in the postseason--which is a very flawed argument.

I think his argument was that there are only 3 strong teams in the AL. The Yankees, Red Sox, and Angels. Everyone else is fairly easy to beat.

 

[sysiphus]

I think his argument was that there are only 3 strong teams in the AL. The Yankees, Red Sox, and Angels. Everyone else is fairly easy to beat.

Which is a silly argument. In many years, that is true...but try explaining away the '95 Mariners, the late 90s Indians, the Orioles in '97, the '01 Mariners (116 wins, anybody?) the 2001 Athletics, etc. Doesn't matter if they won it all or not...they were still VERY strong competition.

 

[MacNut]

Which is a silly argument. In many years, that is true...but try explaining away the '95 Mariners, the late 90s Indians, the Orioles in '97, the '01 Mariners (116 wins, anybody?) the 2001 Athletics, etc. Doesn't matter if they won it all or not...they were still VERY strong competition.

I am talking about today, not 10 years ago. This very moment there are only 3 great team in the AL. If the A's or Mariners somehow made it into the World Series this year the Phillies would kill them.

 

[sysiphus]

I am talking about today, not 10 years ago. This very moment there are only 3 great team in the AL. If the A's or Mariners somehow made it into the World Series this year the Phillies would kill them.

Agreed, this year, the M's and A's would get killed by the Phillies. And if you're only referring to this year, then I'm inclined to agree. But let me go ahead and requote the comment I was originally responding to:

Last year was as easy a year to win the title as their ever was because anyone would tell you that for the past decade the three best teams in the AL are the Yankees, Red Sox, and Angels.

(emphasis mine)

 

[MacNut]

Agreed, this year, the M's and A's would get killed by the Phillies. And if you're only referring to this year, then I'm inclined to agree. But let me go ahead and requote the comment I was originally responding to:


(emphasis mine)

Lets look at the past decade, 96' 98' 99' 2000 Yankees won. 97' 03' Marlins won. 01' Diamond Backs. 02' Angels. 04' 07' Red Sox. 05' White Sox. 06' Cardinals. 08' Phillies.

 

[sysiphus]

Lets look at the past decade, 96' 98' 99' 2000 Yankees won. 97' 03' Marlins won. 01' Diamond Backs. 02' Angels. 04' 07' Red Sox. 05' White Sox. 06' Cardinals. 08' Phillies.

First off, not sure why you included '96 and '98 in the past decade OK, I did it too, but can we agree from now on that the past decade doesn't go earlier than 1999? Cool.

Second, you're again missing the point that just because a team doesn't win the World Series doesn't mean that they didn't provide good competition.

 

[MacNut]

First off, not sure why you included '96 and '98 in the past decade OK, I did it too, but can we agree from now on that the past decade doesn't go earlier than 1999? Cool.

Second, you're again missing the point that just because a team doesn't win the World Series doesn't mean that they didn't provide good competition.

The 99' 2000 Yankees and really the 01' Yankees were better teams. Arizona got good hitting in the 9th of game 7 and won.
Angels in 02 played the Giants and were the better team.
Marlins out pitched the Yankees in 03'. Red Sox beat a horrible Cards team in 04'. White Sox beat up on the Astros in 05'. Cards killed the Tigers in 06'. Red Sox murdered the Rockies in 07'. And the Phillies went after a Rays teams that got in over it's head.

The only series to go more than 5 games were 01' in 7, 02' in 7, 03' in 6.

04 sweep, 05 sweep, 06 4-1, 07 sweep, 08 4-1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Series_Winners

 

[sysiphus]

The 99' 2000 Yankees and really the 01' Yankees were better teams. Arizona got good hitting in the 9th of game 7 and won.
Angels in 02 played the Giants and were the better team.
Marlins out pitched the Yankees in 03'. Red Sox beat a horrible Cards team in 04'. White Sox beat up on the Astros in 05'. Cards killed the Tigers in 06'. Red Sox murdered the Rockies in 07'. And the Phillies went after a Rays teams that got in over it's head.

The only series to go more than 5 games were 01' in 7, 02' in 7, 03' in 6.

04 sweep, 05 sweep, 06 4-1, 07 sweep, 08 4-1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Series_Winners

First, I think it's a bit rich to write off the '01 Diamondbacks as "getting good hitting in the 9th"--they were at very least an even match with Schilling/Johnson. You don't WIN in 7 games because you got hot for one inning. And don't forget who they got hot against--Rivera in his prime.

Second, you're ignoring the fact that in '05, none of your "best" AL teams made it to the Series...same story in '06, and '08. Pretty hard to explain away those three years. And if that's not good enough, what about in '07, when the Indians nearly blew away the Red Sox in the ALCS? Yes, they collapsed, but they a) beat New York to get there, and b) looked for all the world like they would win the ALCS for several games. If in '08 the Rays were "over their head", care to explain how Boston lost to them? Don't forget that Boston already took out the Angels that year...so somehow those "over their head" Rays were demonstrably better than all three of your "best" teams.

 

[63dot]

It's never over til it's over but this has only happened five times in the history of the sport. The question to you is whether the Phillies are this kind of team.

Like I mentioned, possible but not very probable. It's all the Phillies can pin thier hopes on. Anyway, I hope they win tonight and we will know in a few short hours.

The only reason I mentioned another sport is because it's hard to see in the context of this series with NY completely dominating the series. NYY are actually mortal, even though they don't look like it right now.

 

[sysiphus]

Like I mentioned, possible but not very probable. It's all the Phillies can pin thier hopes on. Anyway, I hope they win tonight and we will know in a few short hours.

The only reason I mentioned another sport is because it's hard to see in the context of this series with NY completely dominating the series. NYY are actually mortal, even though they don't look like it right now.

No reason to think that the Phillies can't do it...after all, remember how people were talking after game 1? They've already beaten the seemingly invincible CC once, and there's no reason to think that Lee can't win again tonight. No way I'd bet on the Phillies here, but I wouldn't count them out just yet.

 

[ucfgrad93]

No reason to think that the Phillies can't do it...

A Philadelphia paper seems to think that the Phillies already have won the World Series.

A Philadelphia newspaper has apologized to readers for mistakenly running an ad congratulating the Philadelphia Phillies on winning back-to-back World Series titles.

The three-quarter-page Macy's ad is on the back of the front section and features a T-shirt with the Phillies logo, the commissioner's trophy and the phrase "Back To Back World Series Champions."

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/...ets-ahead-of-itself-on-World-Series?GT1=39002

 

[aloofman]

The question to you is whether the Phillies are this kind of team.

The only reason I mentioned another sport is because it's hard to see in the context of this series with NY completely dominating the series. NYY are actually mortal, even though they don't look like it right now.

If they come back from 3-1 to win the Series, then they will have been that "kind of team." If they don't, then they weren't. We won't know until it's over. You really can't tell what will happen in the next possible three games based on what happened in the first four.

There have been some weird years were the series inexplicably turned around. In 1996, the Braves won the first two games at Yankee Stadium by a combined 16-1. At the time it looked like the Yankees were finished, but then the Yankees won the next four in a row. In 1960, the Yankees scored almost twice as many runs as the Pirates in the seven games, but still lost because the New York wins were all blowouts, while the Pittsburgh wins were fairly close. Those were unusual years, sure, but it just goes to show you never know.

I'm not arguing that the Phillies have reason to hope, just that fans shouldn't assume that the series is over already. Heed the wisdom of Yogi Berra.

 

[swiftaw]

Alanis Morrisette singing the national anthem - weird choice.

 

[Decrepit]

Well, go Phils. It sure would be nice if they won a game at home.

I'll be in Philly on Wednesday for a funeral. So moods are somber to begin with. At least the Flyers/Eagles gave us a lift.

I am not getting my hopes up at all. Unless the entire lineup gets back in their regular season form to put 10 runs up, it's going to be a long night.

 

[macfan881]

1-0 already lets go Yanks I want them to win tonight but part of me wants them to win in in there new stadium nice way to break in the new park

 

[MacNut]

Another blown call, he was in the act of bunting.

 

[gauchogolfer]

I'd like to have a little of what Chase Utley's got, please.

 

[macfan881]

wow Joe buck never sounded so happy in any of the calls in this series than tonight in that homerun