I can’t say I’m happy, but the Phillies won the series. They did it with two fantastic pitchers (Cole Hamels and Brad Lidge) and a whole lot of the right people getting hot at the right time (the rest of the pitching staff). Here are my comments:
Why is Ryan Howard even in the same sentence as the other greats in the game? 200 strikeouts is an embarassment to baseball, let alone the names of Albert Pujols, Alex Rodriguez, Manny Ramirez and company.
Brad Lidge had an UNBELIEVABLE season. Honestly, having no blown saves, and helping your team go like 79-0 with a lead after 8 is incredible. Unfortunately, your career will always be remembered by a soul crushing home run you gave up to Albert Pujols in 2005. I’m glad you finally got over it, no one else ever will.
I still wish it had been Boston vs. Los Angeles. Can anyone honestly say that even one moment of this series was as interesting as it would have been watching Manny Ramirez return to Fenway the very same year he was sent packing? I’ll take one game in Fenway or the Chavez Ravine over like 10,000 in the Trop or Citizen’s Bank. I predict it will take approximately two years until no one can remember who played in 2008.
Baseball needs to ensure that the umpiring situation that occurred in this series never happens again. There were so many missed calls that it became quite embarrassing.
Fox’s “pitch track” is a blatant lie. I would be very interested to see the results of an independent study of the correlation between an umpire’s call and the location “calculated” by the pitch track. I am amazed that Joe Buck is able to keep a straight voice when he analyzes where some of those pitches were or weren’t in the zone.
To the Rays: I’m sorry you missed this opportunity. Sure, your team is in an incredible position, but you play in the AL East. You compete every year against the Yankees and Red Sox. Good luck. That’s all I can say.