Page 44 - Phoenix2003

CMeR mffjJr Volume XXVIII Number 4 SPORTS Wednesday, October 22, 2003 - Page 8 The Better Fan- McDaniel's own l?TI- Volupte Two- World Series will be a letdown after historic league championshjps series, the Marlins are a great tomatic. Rivera shut the door on the Sox and RYANBROD story. Early in the season they fired their deserved the award. Sports Editor v. manager and hired 70+ year-old Zalis: Finally,aboutthisWorld WALTER ZALIS Jack McKeon who was at home playing golf. Zalis: How about the first Pedro vs. Series ... Seriously, who is going to watch the Yankees and Marlins? This, in my mind, Senior Writer Now he's led a young but impressive pitch- Clemens 'in Game 3? How funny was it to was the worst-case scenario. Baseball is in ing staff and a gritty offense into the World watch Don Zimmer rot! across the infield? such a fix right now with its fan base prob- Series. (By the way, Pedro shouldn't be It's time for round two of the Phoenix's lems. 'know Bud Selig [baseball's commis- own P.T.1. column. This time, Zalis: The ALCS was a soap opera of an blamed for stepping aside of a crazed old man sioner] was praying for a CubslRed Sox se- with a head shaped like a attention must be switched from the NFL ries. If anyone should be blamed season to the M.L.B. playoff picture. As athletic event. This is no surprise however, balloon.) it should be Manny for that That would have been one for the ages, incident, feud has been a for the Red Sox/Yankees of October 17th, the World Series is set with long-lasting and bitter one. Ramirez. one that would have had viewers and maybe the Yankees representing the American even some drama. The Marlins and Yankees knows he doesn't have one of Everyone This was one amazing series, every game League and the Marlins representing the coming down to final at-bats and closing the best-kept tempers, and he really shouldn't will be void of any drama. I say Yankees in National League. Needless to say this has four. The Marlins luck can only last so long pitches. have mouthed off after Clemens pitched him been a postseason to remember, for several Anyone could have won at any time. The inside. and against a franchise like the Yankees, this incidents and uncommon match-ups. Let's final game seven even went to 11 innings He was pitching inside the entire game series is already over. It's too bad that after start with the NLCS- such an exciting ALCS and NLCS, fans get before Aaron Boone's walk-off homer. Many and without Ramirez causing the benches to treated to a World Series that will be forget- would like to argue that if Pedro were clear, the Zimmer incident would have never Zalis: First off, who'd have ever thought yanked in the 8th inning, that perhaps the occurred, and perhaps even that brawl in the table. the American public would be Sox could have pulled it off. It seems un- Penway bullpen would have been prevented. watching a heated series between the Chi- likely however, for much like the Cubs, the Jeff Nelson (who oddly enough is the son of Brod: The ratings for this Series will be cago Cubs and the Florida Marlins in 2003? astronomically low. 'mean, most R,d a high ranking Maryland state trooper), re- It was shocking enough to watch these un- Marlin's fans are retired, elderly folks in derdogs make the playoffs, but even more Sox are cursed. liever for the Yanks, ended up fighting a Florida and they rarely stay up shocking watching them knock off the I am usually one to never believe in su- member of the Fenway grounds crew. past 8 p.m. I'm sure the Yankee fanbase (in- Braves and the Giants. The Cubs had only perstition, but these clubs should really try Tension was building from the above oc- cluding the gigantic bandwagon) one .300 hitter and he only had three hom- re-locating to Mexico or something. If the currence, and without I doubt such a shock- will be watching the games, but not many water down there can't break this, nothing ing event would have taken place. In any case, ers and 38 RBI's. That alone made this se- can. other sports fans will care. I don't think ries worth watching. the Yankees won. the Marlins stand a chance in this series. The main headline in the NLCS of course As far as MVP's for this series, it is in- Their speed on the baseparh will was the so-called "Cubs Curse." The Cubs credibly hard to choose. Mariano Brod: Don Zimmer, at 72 and at least be hampered by the excellent pick-off moves have not won a World Series in nearly a cen- Rivera was selected, but I find that tough to 250lbs. should never run across a of the Yankee lefties and Posada's accurate tury and haven't even been a part of one for agree with. For all four teams in these cham- baseball field to attack a player. What the arm behind the plate. nearly 60 years. I'm not one to believe in pionship games all players did an even heck was he thinking? I know he The inexperience of the Marlins will superstition, but this curse just may have amount of work. There was no standout, the was hit in the head as a player and 'subse- show and I predict the Yankees will be hang- same amount of guys were doing their job quently did not regain his full something to it. Game six had the Cubs two ing championship banner number 27, in five and not doing their job. Manny Ramirez had ability to play, but his actions were inexcus- innings away from the World Series, with a a great series, but Nomar Garciaparra did games. 3-0 lead ... and they blew it. Mark Prior was not. It was a couple of series [the NL and able. Pedro Martinez is a very on the mound, one of the two aces Chicago ALCSI that came down to whether or not fiery individual and he may have been out of Big Finish- Hopefully the World Series will has to offer and they could not pull it off. players did what they were paid to do. line throwing at Garcia. bring some of the same excitement that the Many blame the fan up in the stands for But hedid a good thing by tossing Zimmer league championships offered. It's going to aside, rather than knocking him out. I standing in the way of Moises be a battle of a young, gritty franchise ver- Alou and a homerun ball for the loss. Bred: I agree that this was an absolutely would have expected Zimmer to have the sus the baseball giants. If the Marlins are to I think it's more just to blame Alex amazing series- so much at stake and such baseball savvy and experience to stay stand any chance, they need to score early bitter rivals taking pan. But if Martinez was in his own damn dugout during a brawl. Gonzalez and his error. For these incidents runs and get pulled after the 7th, the Sox would be in the Ramirez did take the high pitch over and the failure of the Cubs to consistent work from their bullpen. series. He had thrown a lot of pitches and the plate from Roger Clemens the wrong way. advance after having a series lead, I have to With home field advantage in the Yan- was obviously tiring. He had no business The pitch wasn't even close to say this curse had to do them kees favor, the Marlins need to come out pitching to Matsui, let alone Posada in those him. in. Errors, fans catching homerun balls and situations. Grady Little blew the game and This being said, it doesn't surprise me that strong in the first two games or else they the Marlins hitting off Kerry Wood could be headed back to Florida in a hole there's no way he'll be back in Boston next emotions were running so with ease in game seven shows that the Cubs never had a chance. They were year. high. 'think the incident was overplayed and cursed from the start. The Red Sox are not cursed, they've just blown out of proportion by the yet to field a complete baseball team, man- Fox Network and the media (what a shocker). agers and players alike. Tim McCarver, possibly the worst commen- Brod: The fact that the Marlins and Cubs Manny Ramirez did hit the ball well in the tator ever, made false acquisitions towards made it to the NLCS is great for ALCS, but failed get the big hit Martinez and continued to press the subject baseball. I figured the Giants would be in when it mattered most. when all baseball fans wanted was to focus the Series this year, considering The Red Sox ALCS and postseason MVP back on the actual game rather than repeat- they had a strong pitching staff and a solid was without question Todd Walker. He hit edly relive the incident. lineup of run-producers. But I .370 and led the Sox offense. His impres- The incident in the bullpen had a lot of was pleasantly surprised with the underdog sive defense, which had been suspect against grey area. No one is for sure who performances. Oakland, prolonged the final game of the attacked whom. 'don't blame Nelson for The NLCS did not disappoint: unless ALCS. being upset at being taunted, but he had no you're a Cubs fan. And don't give me that Regarding the MVPofthe series, how could right to kick the guy (unless he was attacked www.teamblanketstore.com curse crap- the Cubs just choked. I feel for you NOT give it to Mariano Rivera? He's first) The Marlins will have their work cut out Kerry Wood, who had a rough o~ting but the best closer of our generation, especially Also, !t's a~solutely ridiculous that Yan- for them when they take on the New York helped out the offense by blasting a l1ark in the postseason .. ! J' kees officl,a!ssaJ~ ~tsuch an incident would Yankees in the 2003 World Series. stands. As, r Redman'intothe lUcli " i .IJ11! /./), He,had ~..ro.u~~,,st~;pl the se~QlJ!letgl~,'ip~~eJ ~~~~~;rlat'{lankee Stadium. You've • as I'd have liked to'see the Cubs maKe;the in pressure games after September hels au- got to ~ taddmg me.