Baseball Playoffs Start Today

National League Race:
Phillies vs. the Brewers. OK, one team is named after making beer. the last time they made it to the playoffs, john McCain was a freshman Senator. the other team is from Philadelphia, the town with (collectively) the worst fans ever (even worse than new york?). how bad is Philadelphia? once Santa Claus was making an appearance at a Phila. eagles game, but had to walk the length of the field to get to his spot. the fans pelted him with snowballs! Phillies suck. Philadelphia sucks. a lump of coal to them!

LA Dodgers vs. Cubs.
The cubs have been around since creation but (famously) haven't won a world series since 1908. a century dry spell is pretty crazy and they're the best they've been in years this year. Growing up, basic cable had WGN and TBS. usually there was a baseball game on in the afternoon so most kids cheered for the cubs or braves. I liked the braves. I don't hate the cubs, but i don't like them. i do suspect their fans have more fun than most, so maybe i'm wrong. Manny Ramirez joined the Dodgers late this season and has been a homerun machine. it is scary everytime he bats, he's so good. I prefer the Dodgers.

that said, i predict the Cubs take it all and go all the way to the World Series.

American League Race:
Boston Red Sox vs. LA Angles of Anaheim. The Angels are Kroger of baseball. I don't even like their name. the Los Angeles Angles of Anaheim? Starkville Yellowjackets of Aberdeen! bah. what the hell ever. they have a cool outfielder from Arkansas named Tori Hunter. he's a great guy and has a good story in that his life took him out of a hometown life that saw a few of his buddies get killed. it ends there. Boston is good but not as strong as last year. they have a closing pitcher from MSU named Jonathan Papelbon who's outstanding and, as you may recall, struck out a former Ole Miss batter last year in the last out of the 2007 World Series. He lives down from JasN when he's not in Boston. that's neat. I hope the Red Sox win.

Tampa Bay vs. Chicago White Sox. as a boy i liked the white sox before i knew they were a baseball team. i thought the logo was cool. I liked their players as i got older and i kinda thought liking the white sox (as opposed to the Cubs) was like liking State as opposed to Ole Miss. My favorite player of all time (and the reason i'm a Mariners fan) is Ken Griffey Jr. He plays for the White Sox now. Tampa Bay is a team i have a soft spot for. they've never had a winning season...ever. let alone a season where they won the division or were considered one of the best in baseball (the best?). Their stars aren't super stars and several have been hurt. it didn't matter becuase they win as a team and the stats show it. no big star, just one big team. any team that goes from "Worst to First" is amazing to see. I like the White Sox better in this match but i don't think they're the better team. critical injuries and a hit and miss record will make it tough to beat the Rays who have some crazy lopsided home recrod.

Oh, and the fans swing cowbells at the games.
I pick the Rays to go to the World Series...and win it. They're that good and the Cubs fan whine too much to deserve it. ha!

Mets up 8-3 iin the 7th 3inning!

The view from the Mayor's box at Nationals Stadium.

Mets Batting Practice

Rain delay at the Last of the Season

We have the worst grounds crew ever.

Martian Umpire...

...finally starts to clean off home plate!

Separated at Birth?

For years now, i've thought that Tom Collichio (famous chef and judge on the Top Chef TV show) looks JUST LIKE Baseball hall of famer Cal Ripken Jr.

Kenji JOHJIMA on the case!!

my favorite player, Kenji Johjima, STOLE HOME PLATE today! woo hoo! i couldn't be happier (Tulane advances in the NCAA tournament today and that doesn't HURT!). the saturday is better than it started by a LONG shot!

More Pics from the Baseball Weekend.

Now, this is the good stuff. it was taken by my pal, Dr. Wagner. click the link above. he did some fantastic shots! I will post some from the Mississippi State game we saw the next day. I actually took some of the photos that day. well see if any are as good as these Dr. Wagner took Saturday!

MSU Ahead!

After a scary bad first inning, we are ahead 3-2 in the bottom of the 4th!

At the MS State Game

And they are asleep! 3 errors in the top of the first inning. Ugh

Fw: After the civil rights game....

After the game we went to the rendezvous BBQ. Say down with some folks from new jersey. The gentleman across the table in the picture was from Birmingham. He attended the 16th St Baptist church as a child. 40 years ago he was 30 minutes late arriving on the day a bomb exploded and 4 little girls died in that Alabama church. I expected to are a great game, but What a great day for baseball and a great conversation after the game. I couldn't be happier.

Mets win it!

Now you can't see it...

But here are the mets starters in the dugout as they are about to win it in the 9th!

I know it is the 7th inning...

But should the bathroom line be this long?

For All the David Wright Fans

David Wright singles to First!

And Beltran knocks him in!

At the game!

Finally no rain and in the good seats! 5 rows from 3rd base!

Rainy day

But they are still playing!

David Wright at 3rd

Finally at the park.

Finally on the Way

Go mets!