Inevitable Since June

If you're a Met fan, this World Series matchup has been inevitable since June. The worst possible teams in the worst year in Mets' history, at least the most catastrophic and disappointing.

I thought I would be able to root for the Yankees, since the Phillies are my most despised team right now. What I didn't count on was the sheer weight of almost fifty years of rooting against the Yankees no matter whom they were playing against.

I've hated the Phillies--really deeply despised--for only about 49 months, since they knocked the Mets out of the playoffs on the last day of the 2007 season. I've hated the Yankees my entire life, which is getting longer by the second.

So, I'm left with this: do I root for a long, great series, which is good for baseball? Or do I root for someone, anyone, to win in five games, with no rainouts, so the series will end approximately midnight on Monday, November 2, so that my misery will be over as soon as possible? Tough choice. I'll let you know what I decide.


Caroms Off the Wall

I like Pedro pitching a lot better than Pedro talking. I'm glad he's not on the Mets anymore. If his ego were any bigger, he wouldn't fit under a mango tree.


© Judy Kamilhor 2009

Post-Season Observations

Since the Phillies, Yankees, and Dodgers are my three least-favorite MLB teams, it's been a little hard to get excited about this year's playoffs. Thank the baseball gods for my DVR, so I can skip through a lot of it.

I did watch most of the game last night between the Angels and Yankees, and have to say that the play by Maicer Izturis was about the stupidest big-time mental error I've ever seen. My immediate thought was, why isn't this guy on the Mets? The only possible reasons to throw to second on a ground ball to the second baseman in that situation are: to get a double play, or if the play at second is much easier than the play at first (in other words, the ball is hit up the middle). No way either of these is true, so the only play, as Tim McCarver said, was the play at first. Often, baseball instinct means making the less-flashy right play, instead of trying to make a spectacularly unnecessary attempt.

Between that game-killing play, and the Erick Aybar neglecting to touch second base on the phantom double play, I have to say that the Angels don't look anything like I expected. The only way they can beat the Yankees is to play flawlessly, and they are far from flawless right now. Maybe Aura and Mystique have finally arrived at the new ball park in the Bronx.

In any event, the Angels' only hope is the Rally Monkey. I don't think he will be enough this time. 2002 was a long time ago.

As for the NLCS, the guys on the MLB Network made a good case that Chase Utley's hip isn't 100% right, based on an analysis of his throws. If he can't turn the double play, he shouldn't be out there, as they pointed out. Tough choice for the Phillies, and could be the difference in the Series.

MLB will regret a NY-Philadelphia World Series, considering the weather in the Northeast right now. It would be miraculous to get through the whole series without at least one rain- or snow-out.


© Judy Kamilhor 2009