Someone Buy Back The Rights...

to the divisional series and the one league championship series that Turner Sports bought. TBS is in the first year of their seven year contract that allows them to air the division series of the playoffs.

The announcers in the Los Angeles Angels-Boston Red Sox series have been horrible. Their East Coast bias and obvious love for the Red Sox should not be aired on television. In the first game of the series they were already talking about the prospect of a New York Yankees-Red Sox matchup in the ALCS, in the SECOND inning.

I do not know where they found these guys, but they need to slapped around. They obviously do not watch any West Coast teams based on their gushing for the Red Sox.

They are not the only guilty party. The production team is favoring the Red Sox as well. I cannot even count on my hands and feet combined the amount of times that they did not show their "pitchtrax" when Angels pitchers got a questionable call from the homeplate umpire (a whole other issue that makes my blood boil).

But they conveniently continued to show the "pitchtrax" each time the Red Sox pitchers were on the mound.

I do not think I have seen a more screwed up strike zone than the one lat night. I understand that the first couple of innings has a loose strike zone, but later in the game it is supposed to tighten up.

Homeplate umpire, Dan Iassogna, was the second Red Sox player behind the plate. His strike zone mysteriously turned to the size of DVD case when Angels pitchers were on the mound. Yet, somehow when Red Sox pitchers were pitching, the strike zone became the size of a oversized beach towel.

It was the worst pitch calling I have ever seen. In a key at-bat, Kevin Youkilis got away with five strikes looking and ended up drawing a walk on balls. A ball thrown to Chone Figgins that was clearly outside the strike zone (they actually showed this one on "pitchtrax") was called a strike, and would have issued a walk to Figgins.

And now onto the devil... I hate you forever Danny Vinik


Jeff Mathis would have caught that ball if it weren't for the extra wall made for the photographers in the playoffs.

Tomorrow its on.

The MLB Playoffs Are About To Begin...

Guess who made it.....

The New York Mets completed their choke job and the Philadelphia Phillies allowed my dream to become a reality .

Who is to blame? Mets Willie Randolph, the GM Omar Minaya, or the team? It was a collective effort, so all sides are guilty. They had a seven game lead in the NL East on September 12, only to be caught by the Phillies. The 1995 Anaheim Angels are thanking the Mets for taking over the top spot of the "biggest choke jobs" in MLB history.

Randolph could have managed his bullpen more efficiently and could have thrown coffee and gatorade in the clubhouse to pump up his players. Minaya could have given Randolph more to work with, mainly his pitching staff. And the players could have responded to the fast-charging Phillies, especially since they still had a chance to avoid the worst finish ever.

I would hate to be those players wives. Women want to talk about your problems, and there is no way the Mets' players will want to discuss what went down in September 2007; a lot of frustrated ladies.



That is a video of Boston's closer Jonathan Papelbon dancing in his underwear after the Red Sox clinched the AL East. You can also see other Boston players doing ridiculous dances in the video. Jeez, they act like they have not been there before... maybe it is because it was their first division championship since 1995. Or it was because the Yankees had taken the division every year since 1998.

I really do not understand why Boston took the longer series in the playoffs. Or do I? Here is my theory:
I think they took the longer series because the Yankees are in their head. Let me explain... in a shorter series you have to use more pitching, both starters and bullpen help. Two aspects that are not real strong points for the Yankees.

Granted, the Yankees have starting pitchers in their rotation with plenty of playoff experience (Roger Clemens, Andy Pettite, and Mike Mussina) but they all have struggled this season; especially with Clemens plagued with a hamstring injury. I just think the Red Sox want the Yankees eliminated in the first round.

The longer series in the Red Sox-Angels could come back to haunt the Red Sox. This allows the Angels to pitch their two aces, John Lackey and Kelvim Escobar, twice in the series on regular rest. But, maybe the decision was based on allowing Red Sox relievers to get rest during the series.

And tonight the San Diego Padres-Colorado Rockies one-game playoff will be played in Colorado. I picked the Rockies to win the wild card before the weekend started so I am taking them tonight, even if they face the Padres ace Jake Peavy.

If Colorado wins, my picks for the NL teams in the playoffs would be 100% accurate. Boo ya.

Division series picks coming tomorrow once the field is completely set. Also, the times for the games will be announced at 4 p.m. EST today.

Baseball - Playoff Time Almost Here

The Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers are tied for first with 19 games to go after the Cubs beat the Cards 12-3 and the Brewers dropped one to the Pirates 9-0.
Good thing Jim Hendry signed Ted Lilly from his hospital bed, because the Cubs and Lilly are now 9-1 when he starts the day after a loss. The victory improved his record to 15-7 and made me look a little smarter as I drafted him in two of my fantasy leagues.

I like the Cubs chances in taking the NL Central division; just based on the fact that the Brewers end their season with four games against the NL wild card leading San Diego Padres, no bueno. Plus Zambrano will beat up his players if they do not make it into the playoffs.

In the American League, the Seattle Mariners continue to go down the wrong path, as the Oakland A's beat the M's on two grand slams. Which is good news for me, since I have season tickets to the Angels and picked up the playoff package for the whole postseason. If the Yankees roll into my area for the postseason there will be plenty of chaos to look forward to. Tailgating for everyone.

Oh, and as for the Yankees in the East; the Red Sox dropped one to the Tampa Bay and the gap closed to five games in the AL East with a three-game series coming up this weekend at Fenway Park between ESPN's beloved teams, the Yanks and Red Sox. I am sure they will remind all you sports fans that they play this weekend.

Lastly, MLB officials have added Jay Gibbons to their interrogation list, a day after SI.com reported that Gibbons received steroids and HGH from a pharmacy after they were both banned. Oye Ve. This list is just going to get longer and longer. Maybe Mr. Bonds was just keeping up with his fellow players...

More baseball tomorrow.