Anyone watching MLB Postseason?

[epigene]

I'm watching the game between Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians at the moment. Any fans out there?

Although I'm a Red Sox fan (NOT because of Dice-K, I've rooted for the team long before Babe's Curse lifted), I'm very impressed by the large number of young, talented players (and their teams) reaching the postseason.

Let's hear some comments!

 

[Geostigma]

I've been a huge baseball fan for as long as I can remember. Although I am mainly a Seattle Mariners fan, I've been following the Colorado Rockies since they won that amazing game against the Padres to get into the playoffs.

I'm also currently watching the Red Sox/Indians game. Curt Schilling got roughed up a bit, but the bullpen, especially Hideki Okajima certainly has shut down the Indians line up so far. Maybe some 9th inning heroics are in order for the Sox again.

I'm hoping for a Red Sox/Rockies World Series. That should prove quite interesting.

 

[epigene]

Wow, the Rockies seem unstoppable!! Another win and they're in the World Series!!

I'm glad for Kaz Matsui finally making it in the big leagues. I've seen him interviewed in a Japanese sports news program for the first time since God knows when...

I'm anxious whether Matsuzaka will do well tomorrow against the talented Cleveland lineup...

 

[Geostigma]

The Rockies are going to be riding an enormous amount of momentum going into the World Series if they win their next game. They've got a real chance to win it all. I remember watching them play the Phillies about a week ago and Kaz Matsui was up to bat with 2 outs and the bases loaded. All the Phillies fans were cheering for them to get out of the inning and then all of a sudden he blasts a home run in the right field stands! I was like -

Matsuzaka has had a bit of trouble lately keeping the runs down, but I hope he finds success tomorrow. It will be very difficult especially since they will be in Cleveland.

I'm curious, how much publicity is the World Series getting in Japan and is it followed by a lot of people there?

 

[epigene]

Matsuzaka has had a bit of trouble lately keeping the runs down, but I hope he finds success tomorrow. It will be very difficult especially since they will be in Cleveland.

According to the very optimistic sports commentators here , Matsuzaka likes the pitcher's mound in Cleveland and was effective there. Hope it's true!

I'm curious, how much publicity is the World Series getting in Japan and is it followed by a lot of people there?

I think people who "really" love baseball as a game watch the World Series, but the problem is that these night games in the US are broadcast in the morning hours here. So, a lot of people must watch the games taped.

But, if there is no Matsuzaka or Kaz Matsui in the World Series, I'd bet the number of viewers will drop dramatically.

Not my husband and I! We follow the entire season through October every year!!

 

[DoctorP]

I've been watching, but the NL teams are not that interesting to me. Seems kinda like a blah year! I've been following the AL playoffs though. I'll be watching Daisuke pitch to see if he does well or not. That was a tough loss for the sox the other night. Losing at the hand (bat) of a former long time teamate!

 

[Geostigma]

I love the headline on MSN for tonights Red Sox game - "Red Sox roll the Dice-K in game 3."

Matsuzaka didn't pitch badly at all tonight from what I saw. He had like 8 strikeouts and if not for that homerun and a couple bloop singles, he would have had a shutout going in the 6th. The Boston offense is what killed them tonight.

But I'm more impressed by the Rockies. They simply cannot lose! It wouldn't surprise me at all if they actually won the World Series, although they would have their work cut out for them no matter who they play. And to think, they've only been in the playoffs once before in their short history.

 

[epigene]

Boston finally managed a second win with Josh Beckett!! Whew!

 

[Geostigma]

Beckett is a machine. 3-0 now in the postseason and there's no way he won't win the Cy Young Award this year. They'll need a major team effort to get through Fausto Carmona though.

 

[epigene]

I admit I was surprised to see the Boston Red Sox win the AL pennant! I'm in awe of Fenway Park and the fans doing magic to the team!

And Becket wins again today!! Looking forward to a strong outing from Curt Schilling tomorrow!!

I wonder how the weather will be in Denver?

 

[Geostigma]

Josh Beckett is unstoppable right now. He won the ALCS MVP award and he's probably going to win the World Series MVP too unless someone else single handedly powers them to a victory. From what ESPN says, Schilling got hit pretty hard earlier in the season by the Rockies. Should be interesting to see how he responds. And they'll have Matsuzaka ready to go after that, I'll be very surprised if the Rockies win the series.

A few days ago I saw on the weather channel that Denver got about 2 feet of snow. Should be very cold come game time.

 

[DoctorP]

Shilling usually pitches big in big games. Also, as was mentioned on many shows today, this will most likely be his last game at Fenway, and perhaps his last as a BoSox. He will be pumped for the game. He doesn't have the power he used to have, but weather permitting, he can have some great control!

 

[Geostigma]

If Hideki Okajima continues to pitch the way he is now for the rest of the series, there's a real chance he could pass up Beckett for the World Series MVP. (Which would be pretty impressive for a relief pitcher in his first MLB year.)

Good luck to Daisuke on Saturday! Hope he goes out there and throws a real gem.

 

[DoctorP]

The only way I see Okajima winning MVP is if he appears in each game played. Beckett would only win MVP if he pitches another game and wins because of his pitching (not offense). It would more than likely be a position player.

Nice game today though...and Okajima was lights out!

 

[epigene]

Yes, Okajima was great! So was Papelbon!

Now feeling secure about Red Sox performance, I'm starting to root (secretly) for the Rockies! Those young faces! A lot of them are in my kids' generation! Yesterday's starter Jimenez is even younger than my youngest one!! I'm feeling like their mother!!
I don't want to see them eliminated without a win!!

 

[DoctorP]

Yeah, My wife is torn between the teams because of Matsuzaka and Okajima on the Sox, and Matsui on the Rockies. She saw some documentary about Matsui the other day explaining the troubles he's had in recent years with his daughter, and her struggles to make it in America attending American schools, and the recent moves because of his trades/releases.

 

[epigene]

Yeah, My wife is torn between the teams because of Matsuzaka and Okajima on the Sox, and Matsui on the Rockies. She saw some documentary about Matsui the other day explaining the troubles he's had in recent years with his daughter, and her struggles to make it in America attending American schools, and the recent moves because of his trades/releases.

Oh, I missed that!

I'd probably be cheering harder for the Rockies if I did!

BTW, I am pissed that the only way I can watch the World Series in Japan is via NHK and its lousy camerawork. I very much prefer the American broadcast on SkyPerfect TV, that zooms into superb and trick plays and player movement in the field with excellent timing. I'm not interested in looking at Matsuzaka's face staring absentmindedly into the field (or camera following Ichiro's rear end in the regular season) when the game is in progress!! :auch:

 

[Elizabeth]

Yeah, My wife is torn between the teams because of Matsuzaka and Okajima on the Sox, and Matsui on the Rockies. She saw some documentary about Matsui the other day explaining the troubles he's had in recent years with his daughter, and her struggles to make it in America attending American schools, and the recent moves because of his trades/releases.

I'm not really a baseball fan but I have read a few interviews with Matsui. He always comes across as a very upbeat guy with a whacky sense of humor who has definately found his niche with the Rockies organization and put the Mets experience completely in the past. He also never mentions having a family and I don't think they live with him during the season.

Another reason to support the Rockies making a series of it is the city of Boston has a reputation for being quite elitist, snobbish, very upscale, even racist which is well-deserved and quite the opposite of Denver based on the times I've visited...

 

[DoctorP]

I'm not really a baseball fan but I have read a few interviews with Matsui. He always comes across as a very upbeat guy with a whacky sense of humor who has definately found his niche with the Rockies organization and put the Mets experience completely in the past. He also never mentions having a family and I don't think they live with him during the season.

He does have a family, and they are in the US. Do they live with him during the season? Not exactly sure, since he plays 162 games during the season...even if he were home, not sure that would be considered living together!

The documentary talked about her going to US schools, and how she had encountered tough times during his moves from the Mets, and eventually going to the Rockies...changing schools and friends, it even said that she began losing some hair due to stress.

From watching how Matsui has played so far, I think it is safe to assume that he has found a home for a while. He has a .989 fielding percentage, which is much greater than what he had with the Mets (I remember him having a bad rep as a fielder there). And he has shown during the playoffs that he can continually hit and reach base safely.