fall classic

[mittmutt]

It's playoff time, October, fall classic, the greatest time of the year. I've never been able to attend a playoff or world series game. Are there any fun stories out there that anyone would like to share to get a thread going on this suject? Also, what teams are people rooting for? It's hard not to have a least a few feelings for the cubbies but I'll have to admit I'm pulling for the Rockies. They are an offensive machine and fun to watch though pitching is a bit suspect. Talking a little smack here but anyone but those d*** Yankees.

[fuzzydogg22]

Personally, I am pulling for the Phils. I really think Jimmy Rollins is going to step up and solidify the MVP balloting. But yeah, it is hard not to root for the Cubbies to finially win the WS.

[BretMan]

As much as I would like to see the Cubbies pull one off, I've lived and died (mostly died) with the Tribe for years, so there's no way I can root for Chicago to win it all. Take the Indians out of the mix and Chicago would be my favorite.

I'm in Columbus, smack dab in the middle of Cincinnati and Cleveland, so those are my "hometown" National and American League teams.

[Bravosin99]

CUBBIES ALL THE WAY!!!!!!!!!! We deserve it...Trust me I know the whole live or die situation, being a Cubs and Notre Dame fan, and always seems like I am on the dying end with the Cubs but this year they have proved to be fighters....

On a second note, the talks of us getting A-Rod next year make me ill ....I know the guy is a great player blah blah but his attitude, actions and lack of sportsmanship really make me not want him on the team....A player like that will ruin the Cubs....He is a one man show in my book...Hopefully there is not enough money to pay his ridiculous salary....Guess it also doesn't help that I despise the Yanks....

What does everyone else think of A-Rod coming to the Cubs???

[fuzzydogg22]

I think your right, he would ruin the Cubs, and thats why the Cardinals should get him God knows we need another big bat!

[ebbets55]

This is my favorite time of year. There is no better time in sports. We have the baseball postseason and when it's over we can naturally transition into football and hockey. Football doesn't start for me until the World Series is over and basketball is not even on the radar so this is by far the best time of the year. I especially love not having to sort through basketball highlights on ESPN.

I have been to about 25 playoff and World Series games but my favorites were in 1977 and 1978 as an impressionable youth routing for the Dodgers against the Yanks. I'm going to the Angels Red Sox game on Monday (assuming the Angels don't get swept). Regarding memorable stories, I was at the Saturday night game 6 a few years back when the Angels were playing the Giants. That was the turning point in the series and the game to be at. Everyone in Southern California was sick that month. It was like an epidemic. Something was going around and I had it bad. I felt like I was near death. I had one of the worst headaches I have ever had and it was so noisy with those damn thunder sticks. I thought I was going to die but I wasn't going to miss the game after my brother-in-law got tickets on Ebay for $300 a piece. It was one of the best games I have ever seen and I would do it all over again. There is nothing in the world like postseason baseball.

As far as A-Rod coming to the Cubs, it's hard to dispute what he can bring to a team. He is single handedly the best player in baseball. Maybe he can learn the team player concept a bit better but I truly think he would be an asset to any team. I was in Chicago last weekend and went to Wrigley on Saturday and had rooftop seats on Sunday. I had the time of my life. The Cubs fans are some of the greatest fans out there. It would be so easy for me to be a Cubs fan. I will be routing for them every step of the way. Then again, if they win, the world might end.

JD

[Bravosin99]

Jim-

You have good points with A-Rod.....Wrigley is the best place on earth in my book.....Dad and I go to about three games a year....We refuse to sit anywhere else but the bleachers(left field)!!! It is a must for us, there is nothing like the atmosphere of the Wrigley Field bleachers.....We always show up early for BP...LOL Makes me feel like a kid again shagging BP homers...Caught two this year!!....Sluggers is awsome before the game for a beer and they also have batting cages upstairs....

Wish we would have known you were that close to us....Could have came to the house and seen the collection....Oh well....Glad you liked Wrigley....I told many people when I die I want my ashes spread where we vacation in Florida and the other half at Wrigley Field .....

[vintagebrett]

Never got to sit in the rooftop seats when we lived in IL but sat pretty much everywhere else in the stadium. Have to disagree with you guys about Cubs fans though. Well, not Cubs fans, the people at Wrigley pretending to be fans. In the 20 games or so that we attended I always found the people nearby to be annoying - you know the type, the 4 inning fans - they show up in the 3rd inning and leave in the 7th so they can get to the bars. I'm sure every stadium has this problem but I found it more pronounced at Wrigley than any other place I've been. Give me Fenway anyday (expect for the morons who can't wait until between innings to get up and go get their food!).

As for the playoffs, I think this could be one of the better post seasons we've seen in a couple years. Obviously, the AL teams are stronger on paper, but as the Cardinals proved last year, anything can happen. If Beckett and Webb continue to pitch like they did last night, their opponents are going to have trouble. Plus, the Cubs and Phillies big hitters went a combined 0 for big number with tons of K's - that's not going to win ball games.

[nygiants]

Go D-Backs!!! I have to say that as a co-worker's son plays for them (except he's on the DL) but I'm also for the Rockies. Love the underdogs and love to see the upsets as in Marlins & D-Backs in the past.

[Mike**Mize]

As much as they get slammed by folks outside NYC, some guys grew up Yankees fans. My Dad took me to my first game in 1957. The ironwork at the Stadium used to be painted this dark forrest green color. The place was electric. The second you walk through the tunnel and see the emerald green field there's an overwhelming feeling of pride and happiness. My Dad would tell me about Ruth and Gehrig and all the others. I'm hoping our time is now. I've also really enjoyed watching the Rockies play. I know they were very tough on us this year. By Yankees standards, it's been too long without a championship. I hope we go all the way this year.

[burker72]

I know this will draw some disdain from people on the board, but I am a long time Yankee fan. I suffered through the years of Dennis Rasmussen, Steve Balboni and Rick Reuschel, and have enjoyed watching the likes of Jeter, Bernie, Posada, Cano and others for years (I do miss watching Bernie and don't care at all for Damon, but I do like Melky). BTW...if Robinson Cano is not the best 2nd baseman in the game I'll eat my zipper back Ken Wel catcher's mitt.

Anyway, I find it remarkable that there is so much dislike for ARod. There are things like the Arroyo arm slap in the ALCS and the "I got it" call in Toronto this year, that he gets plenty of bad press for, but I don't see any of those as issues. He is simply trying to win at all costs and doesn't put himself above that. In fact, about the Arroyo thing, I think a selfish player would have layed down and allowed himself to be tagged out, rather than inviting contact (yes, I know he is probably 70lbs heavier). He hustles all the time and is so remarkably talented that it is hard not to respect and even like him. For crying out loud, he still steals bases, who doesn't love to see that. Salaries are an industry wide issue which is the only thing about the game that I don't like, but someone has to be the highest paid player in the game, and this year he should have been the highest paid, no question.

I really liked the 96 Yankees team that feature no real all-stars, I hated the day Tino Martinez was replaced by Giambi, hated to see Scott Brosius retire, and will always have a soft spot for Joe Girardi. Shoot, I nearly cried when Yankee fans chanted O'Neil's name in the 2001 WS. So I too have an affinity for character guys and roll players, but there is no arguing ARod's value and talent. I think he'd be great in Chicago. He and Lou are pals from Seattle, and he'd hit about 110 HRs a year in Wrigley. And if you're thinking he is selfish, bad teammate, etc, how much of that is speculation versus fact, I don't think we really know. What a left side of the IF you would have, Aramis and Arod, it even beats Cey and somebody that used to play SS for the cubs.

[vintagebrett]

burker, better start chewing - I'll take Chase Utley over Cano!

[Bravosin99]

Burker-

I respect your thoughts on A-Rod and hope you don't take my comments as rude or disrespectful towards you I am just trying to make a point....

When you talk about him just showing hustle and wanting to win at all costs and doing the things he does for this sake I have to disagree....Most of the best players in baseball hustle and work hard and when they make a simple fly or ground out and don't say a word or take a cheap shot(especially at first base)....To me there is a big difference in showing hustle and sportsmanship and the desire to want to win, and taking cheap shots at someone...Taking cheap shots at opposing teams(yelling,hitting,whatever) shows your lack of respect for the game and everyone else in it....Could you imagine what it would be like if every player in the league did stuff like that...I have always been taught baseball as winning strategically and as a team, not as trying to knock the ball out of someone’s hand and yelling at people who are trying to catch the ball....

Also I always seem to love the fact the when A-Rod get hit he always wants to blow up about it like he is the only player that doesn't deserve to take a pitch.....How many greats out there other then A-Rod have taken pitches for being who they are and being able to do what they do and don't say a word...A lot....

Yes someone has to have the highest salary in baseball but how much is too much???....

On another note Webb pitched a killer game for the D-Backs last night...Still think old Lou should have left Big-Z in for longer....Now that guy has the right kind of desire I like to see when it comes to wanting to win at all costs!!!!

[fuzzydogg22]

Brett,

I know exactly what you are talking about with your description of some non-fans in Wrigley. To me, the best fans I have ever been around were in the old busch stadium. My dad and I went to the 2004 NLCS game 4 when Jim Edmonds and Scott Rolen homered back to back for the walk-off win and the atmosphere was electric. Now, after a few visits to the new Busch, it seems like the fans are different. They have these air conditioned rooms avaliable, and no one spends time watching the game from their seats, they would rather go to the bars in the air conditioned rooms to watch the game on tv! Sad as it may seem, I think "real fans" are becoming extinct.

[Cowboy7130]

... without a home team, for whom should I 'root, root, root?' The Strangers and Disastros will be watching from the comfort of their own living rooms AGAIN this year ...

I respect the historic, traditional Yankees of Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, and Mantle, but being a Texan by birth and God's grace and favor, I am genetically predisposed to hate the contemporary Yankees.

I can't root for any team with Manny Ramirez on it, so there go the BoSox. Manny is probably a nice guy, but I can't stand looking at his hair flopping around and his pajama-style pants flopping around when he runs!

So I will yell for the Angels, John Lackey being an Abilene boy and a financial supporter of Abilene youth baseball. He did take a whuppin' yesterday, though ...

In the NL ... Rockies are my underdog longshot pick. My ex is from Denver. When we visited in the summer we got to see a few games at Mile High and then at Coors Field. I have an old football buddy that is a VP of Promotions or Marketing or something like that for the Rox, and he got us freebie seats several times.

Part of me would like to see the Cubs win, although I believe that such an ocurrence would set off a cosmic chain reaction that could implode the universe.

Now then, about A-Rod ... have you noticed that he is almost universally regarded as the "best in baseball," yet no team for which he plays has ever won the World Series? His October performance is sorely lacking. Only two Gold Gloves with Texas, when they didn't matter much. No Gold Gloves at third base, where he now plays. I am sorry ... you say he is a natural shortstop? Well, his coaches and managers say he is the third baseman for the New York frikkin' Yankees, so he needs to play like they pay him. Sure he hits lots of home runs, and rakes in a bunch of rib-eyes, but might that be only one facet of the game of baseball? Might the most highly-paid athlete in pro sports be expected to play the best defense on the field, too? I think TEAMS are better than PLAYERS. A-Rod is a player. Your team would probably be better off without him.