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Tom Strange
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from the road--somewhere in Mississippi--

I hear vague rumblings about Ortiz ( being away from most media-for a week),I too hope he is OK. By a very strange quirk of fate I was in Columbus, Georgia yesterday while their team won the LL World Series in Williamsport against Japan. I honestly thought that it was the best game I had seen all year on any level, There is something about the purity of baseball at that level that always seems to restore the simple pleasures of the game to me.--It was agreat game that Georgia won 2-1 if you missed it

catch y'all in a week or so

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Well,I was flipping through the channels earlier today,and I thought I had tuned in to a rerun of one of the Little League regional games but it turned out to be the 11th inning of the Cubs-Pirates contest...Nothing more thrilling in baseball than watching two teams battle for last place in late August....A high chopper glances off the leaping Cubs' third basemen's glove,then he has to turn and run like hell to retrieve it because the shortstop mistakenly thought he had purchased a ticket to watch the game rather than back up the play...Of course,the Pirate player that hit it mistook 1st base for home plate and stayed transfixed on the bag,also watching the play,rather than easily waltzing to second base....

A couple of batters later,this same shortstop,on what should have been a routine game ending double play,scoops up the ground ball,double pumps (to get a better grip on the ball,I guess),throws low to the second baseman,who misses it,and the tying run scores and the winning run moves to third with one out...Intentional walk to load the bases...Then the most exciting ending one could hope for:one of those dramatic,walk-off five pitch walks...Seeing all four of those players,simultaniously trot to the next base as well as home plate,then high-fiving eachother,'though not quite sure who the actual hero was,in front of those 200 or so remaining fans,---well,like the commercial says:"I live for this"....

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so is everyone weary of the season ?

It's been pretty exciting in my neighborhood. The Dodgers are up by a game. One week they look like the '76 Reds, and the next they're the '62 Mets. In the National League Worst, anything can happen.

The AL central has become the best division in baseball. Tho I'm seemingly forever fated to root for the Yanks, I would love to see the Tigers in the Series.

The latest argument in Anaheim stems from a reporter hoping the Angels lose this year, which will 'force' Stoneman to get more hitting. This is based on his failure to ever make mid season moves. Now some Angel fans are thinking this is a good idea-rooting for your team to lose.

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The AAofLA want more hitting? ...where are they going to put them? what maroons... they've got plenty of hitting and pitching, too... still hoping for a freeway series there hiway?

"This is the best moment of my life,'' Sanchez said. ``You never think that's going to happen.''

Congrats to him... in only his 13th start... it's all downhill from here...

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it's all downhill from here...

The announcers on tv today were saying something like that about a September call-up who hit a grand slam homer on the very first Major league pitch he ever saw....

I was reading up on the Marlins---they're really something else....Of course,there's a lotta talk now about manager Joe Girardi feuding with the Florida owner and being heir to Dusty Baker's throne at Wrigleyland...

I sure ain't gonna make any more predictions...What I thought would probably happen after the all-star break certainly didn't happen....There certainly could be a subway series this year,as I see the Yankees and Mets as two very good teams playing consistent baseball throughout the year...Most every one else has been so streaky,if you don't check the sports pages for a week,a couple of teams will have moved up or down 6 games in the standings...It may come down to the NY teams,or whoever happens to be hot at the right time...

A couple of months ago,who would have thought the Twins or the Marlins would be battling for the wild card?...Or that the Red Sox would be more or less playing the 'spoiler' role?...A's and the Dodgers are starting to look like legitimate,deserving,division leaders,unlike the Cardinals,who are blessed(or cursed,maybe) to be in a division where even being one game above average is simply too much to ask...

Ok,I have a question for anybody that understands the playoff system...And I think it would be cool as hell if it actually happened this year...What would the playoff scenario be if the Tigers,Twins and White Sox all ended up with identical W/L records and were tied for the AL Central lead as well as the AL Wild card lead?

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That playoff question makes my head hurt.

I was never hoping for an LA series , Tom, though it would be fun. The Angels are living on a prayer right now anyway. They DO need a consistant big time hitter to back up Guerrero though. Garret Anderson is not consistant or healthy enough anymore.

I already said that I always root for the Yanks ( because I've rooted for the Yanks since I was 5), but I'd really like to see the Tigers this year. The AL central has become an awesome division.

The Dodgers pulled it together this year, and noone knows how. Bringing up Russell Martin as catcher was not in their plans, and getting Andre Ethier for Milton Bradley didn't seem like anything except being glad to be rid of Bradley. It's still the worst division in baseball, though the NL central is fighting for that claim.

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The three teams would need to have some kind of playoff, I'd imagine. I'd do double-elimination, figuring you'd have to lose twice to be ruled out (that way you face both teams).

Game 1: Tigers v. Twins.

Game 2: White Sox v. Winner of Game 1.

Game 3: Loser of Game 1 v. Loser of Game 2.

Game 4: Winner of Game 3 v. Winner of Game 2.

Game 5: (if necessary): Rematch of game 4.

So, here's a hypothetical:

*Tigers win game one. They face the White Sox for Game Two and they win again.

*Now the Twins and White Sox have each lost one game. If you lose two games, you're out. So they face each other for game three.

White Sox win. Twins have now lost two games. Bye bye.

*White Sox face the Tigers for Game 4 and for their survival. If they lose, it's their second loss and they're out. But the Tigers have not lost a game yet, so if they lose, they still live to play another game: that would be Game 5.

I love double-elimination. No matter how you work it, it's four games at least, five games at most.

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That's a good breakdown,Raf... Now,in you're scenerio,the other playoff matchups would be a week or so ahead of these three teams...The other thing,is,I guess the second team with two losses,in your instance,the White Sox,would still then be the wild card winner and could play the Tigers again if both win their respective series'....

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I'm actually quite amazed that in the well over 100 years of baseball there's never been a 3-way tie for first place...Not that many two-way ties,either...I suppose if there was a tie for first as well as the wild card,they would still have a one game playoff to determine who was the division winner and who was the wild card winner...

The Chisox seem to do much better when I don't watch them...I turned on WGN today just in time to see Freddie Garcia run the count full to Adam Kennedy,then Kennedy line a 3-2 pitch into centerfield to break up Garcia's perfect game with two outs in the 8th...

Kudos to "Sarge" junior...He has been having a breakout year since he got that monkey(jr.) off his back....

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Im not sure exactly how it works but they have built in ways to break ties--If you remember last year The Red Sox and Yankees finished with the exact same record but the Yankees were declared the Division winners and the Red Sox the wild card, It may have been based on head to head games, or maybe Steinbrenners payoffs to the league Im not quite sure- but there is a system in place

Its strange up here, for three years at least the Red Sox have been in contention and fighting for something, so every game meant something and had larger implications. Its weird and unfamiliar territory to not have that connection right now as it doesnt really matter and the Red Sox are going nowhere. Most of my regular hard core sox fans friends are talking about the Patriots now and look as if they are drifting in any unfamilair sea---me included

Its an odd feeling-Ive taken about a three or four week vacation from baseball (excepting a few minor league games i ran into down south that were fun) to regroup on this.

I'll be back for the last few weeks and the playoffs Im sure, but the spell which has lasted awhile is broken

Edited by mstar1
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Kinda :offtopic: , but I've got a question. :wave:

Wednesday, myself and some of *my guys* from the house I work at, and some from the house I used to work at all went down to Minneapolis to the Metrodome to see the Twins play the A's, in the third game of their series.

We were sitting back in *home run territory* (is that what it's called -- way back behind center field seating?), and when the ninth inning rolled around, lot's of folks around us turned their ball caps upside down and put them back on their heads.

We (the Twins) were behind 1 to 0 at that point (due to a totally erroneous call at 2nd by the umpire there in a previous inning), and there wasn't much offense at all the entire game. This is the first time I have ever been to a baseball game, the first time I had ever been to the Dome, and it was hard to know where to look, who to watch, what to keep track of, and with the lights in the Dome (when a ball was hit high) -- I couldn't even see the dang thing.

So --- like I said --- in the ninth inning I see all these folks in our seating area wearing their caps upside down. Assuming they weren't all drunk at the same time, I figured this must be some sort of *tradition* if the home team was behind.

So --- what's up with that? It must symbolize something --eh??

(PS --- it was fun getting out of town for the day, going to a game,

having company money to take care of all food and expenses,

and getting paid to do so on top of that!!)

:spy:

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Wow

First game? :eusa_clap::eusa_clap::eusa_clap:

Welcome to baseball!

(now if Minneapolis can get rid of that darn dome that no one can see the ball in-it would be a good thing

Hope that you had agreat time

The hat thing is the 'rally cap' one of a billion baseball superstitions to spur your team on when they are behind, Im not sure of its origins--I dont remember it when I was young--but its been around for years now...... at least you dont have the 'rally monkey' like they have in Anaheim

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(now if Minneapolis can get rid of that darn dome that no one can see the ball in-it would be a good thing

Hope that you had a great time

Well mstar -- we did (and we didn't).

Otho (one of *my guys*) from the house I work at,

and former resident at the house I used to work at, had an accident.

We drove down in my car (more comfortable than the company van),

and he was riding shotgun, in the front passenger seat.

The seat (tilted the way it was), cut off the circulation in his legs.

Duluth to Minneapolis is 150 miles. (plus or minus a few).

We got to the Metrodome, and when he got out of the car, his legs were so unsteady

(he's 68 years old), he immediatelly fell, right into oncoming traffic.

Luckily -- we were in a parking lot, so oncoming traffic was slow.

A BIG truck, stopped short inches from him, laying there in the the middle of the *drive-through*

in the parking lot. Passer-by folk were quick to help me get him to his feet, and acertain if he was OK, or not.

He said he was, but his legs weren't working like they should.

Had to walk him (myself and another staff person from the other house), arm in arm (me on one side, and she on the other) for two blocks, to even buy the tickets.. Once at the Dome, we got a wheel chair for him to get to our seating.

I think it ws in the 7th inning, (not sure), that the announcer came on over the inter-com, and said ---

"EVERYONE RISE, REM0VE YOUR HAT'S, AND LISTEN TO *GOD BLESS AMERICA*.

Well --- Otho heard that, he stood up, and tried to take off his hat at the same time -- and was weaving back and forth. I moved as fast as I could to get a row below him to catch him (if) he fell.

He looked like he ws going to, but by then, his leg circulation was working (properly).

YIKES!!!

So -- yes -- we had a good time, but it was a harrowing one also[ (Bullinger).

Welcome to my world. :)

Edited by dmiller
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Kudos to you Miller...You're a good man,...even if it took you all of these years to get to your first baseball game,...and on the company's nickel,no less...You oughta check and see if Duluth has a minor league team....The games are usually cheaper,the seats are closer and the baseball can be just as good...Although,I think the minor league seasons are just about over for this season...

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Kudos to you Miller...You're a good man,...even if it took you all of these years to get to your first baseball game,...and on the company's nickel,no less...You oughta check and see if Duluth has a minor league team....The games are usually cheaper,the seats are closer and the baseball can be just as good...Although,I think the minor league seasons are just about over for this season...

Simon -- yea. We have a team here (minor league) called the *Huskies*, and yes -- their season is over aready. We'll definitely check them out, next year!!

(Close to home, and the same *excitement*, without the big bucks, and travel.) ;) !

Edited by dmiller
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In my town there is a little tiny bookstore, and somehow they invited Fay Vincent a local summer resident to speak and hawk his new book at a reception they were to have tonight. If the place was packed it would hold 20 people. i was looking forward to meeting and maybe just maybe if the cards fell right getting a little one on one time with the former commissioner, but I got there and it was 'cancelled due to illness'.

O well

-no biggie, but it would of been sort of cool, as an outsider to get the perspective of the ultimate insider and hear a few stories closeup--- maybe they'll reschedule

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