World Series Games 1 & 2 in Review

Watching the game with the intent of finding good topics, or an interesting angle to write about can cause one to pay, perhaps, too much attention to the details. For example when my family sang me happy birthday (yes the 25th was my 27th) I could of swore they were singing it in melody with the Ford truck commercial with John Fogerty. "This is my biiiiiiiiiiiiiiirthday!"

By the way, did Tim McCarver try to tell us that in his opinion the curve ball of Jimenez would break well in Boston? So, they've been playing baseball in Boston for 150 years, and McCarver still isn't sure if the law of physics apply? Please, if you have an explanation let me know what it is?

But I digress. Game one went much like we expected, with the Rockies showing obvious rust. There is a saying in baseball, usually spouted during the All-Star Break, that goes like this; You take one day off and nobody notices. You take two days off, and you notice. You take three days off and everybody notices. Well, the Rockies took 8 days off both Joe Buck and Tim McCarver noticed. Now that speaks to the truth of the expression.

In game two Ubaldo Jimenez pitched very well for the better part of four innings. And to be honest the case could be made that even though he was tagged with the loss, he may have saved the series for Colorado. Unlike in game one when the Sox pummeled the Rockies, they have to feel like they let game two get away. While any player will tell you its harder to get over losing a close game, it is also true the Rockies proved to themselves that they can play with Boston, in Boston. And heading back to what is sure to be the Rocky Mountain equivalent of hyphy inside of Coors Field on Saturday, this could prove to be just enough to get the Killer H's (or h sounds) Helton, Hawpe, Jimenez, Herges, and Howdoyou Getpickedoffthere in the win column.

Schilling is an absolute blow-hard, but he is one of the best competitors in modern sports. Less than a month shy of his 41st birthday (we're both Scorpio's?) he still has the guile, the intensity, and to be fair, the stuff to compete and succeed when the lights are shining the brightest. Do you think he will break out the bloody sock if he gets another start?

Now that Barry Bonds is semi "retired" and no longer at the top of his game, is there a better at bat to watch from a pure baseball stand point than Manny Ramirez? The man is severely locked when he is at the plate. Part of it is his "who cares" (quote intentionally taken out of context) attitude that keeps him from trying too hard. This is why he is so effective hitting with two strikes. While Big Pappi gets the lion's share of the attention from the media, which he is entitled to, why do you think teams continue to pitch to him in game breaking situations? That's right, because Manny is usually on deck. Ortiz is tremendous, but without Manny, there is no Pappi. Just ask him himself how good he was in Minnesota.

GAME 1 MVP: Josh Beckett

GAME 1 LVP: Jeff Francis. Still no Canadian born pitcher has one a Workld Sereis game. Take that Canadian Dollar!!

GAME 1 Turning Point: Dustin Pedroia's first inning homer. "I'm a Sun Devil Baby." Even though that was most famously uttered by Cuba Gooding Jr. I can imagine Pedroia saying it.

GAME 1 Biggest Question: Why did Beckett pitch 7 innings with a 13-1 lead?

GAME 1 Biggest Question Answered: Can the Rockies pick up where they left off? Answer: a resounding NO.


GAME 2 MVP: OkalBon. (apologies to Mike Lowell)

GAME 2 LVP: Holliday. Despite going 4-4 every little league coach is making sure the runner isn't picked off in that situation, except the little league coach usually isn't a former major leaguer.

GAME 2 Turning Point: Lowell taking third on J.D. Drew's single in the fourth, setting up Varitek's sacrifice fly.

GAME 2 Biggest Question: Can Hideki Okajima give Terry Francona 2 or more innings on Saturday if needed?

GAME 2 Biggest Question Answered: Can the Red Sox line up be held in check? Yes.