RIP 2007

It's over. Boston won. I have many a friend who had a spring in their step this morning (albeit a tired one), relishing the Boston win combined with enjoying the arrogance of A-Rod and that Scott Boras character.

Nonetheless, one of my favorite people in the office (our intern), asked me today if I thought the outcome was an indicator of the dominance of the American League over the National League. I had to weigh the facts. While last year was an NL victor (the Cardinals), the last 10 years have been dominated by the AL. But what I decided is the Colorado Rockies probably didn't represent the best the NL had to offer. Why you ask? They were good, but not the best at anything. The best hitting in the NL? The Phillies. The best pitching? San Diego.

It's not that I don't like the Rockies; I'm just not sure they were the best team in the NL in 2007. Oh well, is the WS about the best team anyway? Not necessarily. Sometimes these types of contests are not indicative of the best in show. Look at some of the past Presidential races.

Gone Baby Gone

At first, I missed the Mets. Then, I missed baseball. Now, I miss my blog.

I suppose it is like a drug, this blogging thing. I found it cathartic, I found it enjoyable. But now, it has gone the way of bike riding and summertime strolls.

I am watching the World Series tonight, but it's hard to watch and not root for anyone. I am not going to pull a lame Rudy Giuliani on all of you and feel some burning loyalty to the National League (although I do think the DH is the ultimate in wussy).

No Mets, no rooting. No Mets, no blog. Gone Baby Gone.

Baseball, I Miss You...

I'm still watching, but it is not the same. Not the same at all.

I gotta like the spunk of those Rockies, I mean who doesn't like an upstart? It's all kinda Ron Paulish, who while crazy, once in a while says something that warms your heart. I like that Holliday guy, I wish that Matsui would've been half as good as a damn Met. I kinda like 'em.

My heart is too heavy to even THINK about rooting for someone else. Could I? Can I? No, I can't. But I still like baseball and I miss baseball so I'll keep on watching.

A New Boyfriend?

Tonight, the Times is reporting that A-Rod is going to opt out on his contract with the Yankees. This may seem a little bit like suggesting to a Chilean socialist in the 70s that they should go out on a date with Pinochet's best marksman, but A-Rod is one of the Yankees best weapons and one strategy to beat them is to disarm them.

The bigger problem? What about my first love?

Slasher

Who doesn't love a little irony? The knife that slashed the Phillies throats last night came from none other than Kazuo Matsui. For those of you who read this because you love me and find me funny, but don't know a damn thing about baseball, click here. For those who love me, blah, blah, blah, but are too lazy to click anywhere, Matsui was once a Met, came to us with the pomp and circumstance (but reduced cost) of Dice K, and delivered worse than our bullpen this September.

And last night? A 5th inning triple that helped to get the Rockies on high. And the Phillies to go down.

Hangman

Tonight's games are the NL's version of hangman. You know who's leg I am hoping to draw on tonight? Yes, you guessed correctly.... Jamie Moyer. And I'll take Jimmy Rollins too if I can.

We'll see later. But for now, it looks like its may be Rich Hill, Lou Pinella and the Cubs.

Lovin' No One

You know I am happy about the Rockies pounding the crap outta Philly. I am working through my feelings about the 2007 baseball season. I am over sadness, now I am into anger. Not anger at the Mets, but anger at the Phillies. This has been a recurring theme throughout the season, depending on how close on our tail they were. But now, full on rageahol.

Another thing pissing me off? People trying to convert me to their teams. I have been pitched Boston (very aggressively, BTW), sometimes the Yankees (trying the you're a New Yorker kinda logic), even the Indians (this was someone preying on my anti-Yankees sentiment).

I heart no one. And if I was going to remotely heart anyone right now, it would be the Rockies for taking those Phillies down and TBS for being so beautiful in HD. I'm watching right now and it looks like the pitching disease is ravaging all of New York.

Fairytales Do Come True

Yes, I am still sitting shivah for the Mets (which means that you can't make mean jokes for a little while), but I am kinda, sorta watching playoff baseball.

I am not rooting for anyone, but after seeing the preview coverage, as well as stuff about last night's games, it's clear the story of baseball is alive and well. In the political world, all flacks want a consistent story to tell in order to create loyalty, action, a whole host of things. It is no different in baseball. The title of this season? Fairytales Do Come True.

I'm not sure who is a bigger fairytale team: the Rockies, a non East coast team that was nowhere near first place and had a blazing fall, a crazy duel against the Padres (which they won); the F*#cking Phillies (don't need to fill you in on that one); the Cubs, who came back to bite the Brewers in the butt; and of course, the Yankees, who I poked fun at all summer (who I don't like, won't root for, but have to admire their determination).

The only hard part in the fairytale is that nearly all of the teams are in the NL. Oh well, at least MLB will have one fairy to get us to watch the WS.

Sitting Shivah

It's dead. Over. And I did not really talk about it today and asked everyone in the office (the boys really), to not talk to me about baseball today. They didn't.

The rabid NY media have already started feeding on the corpse of the 2007 Mets, so I won't be too harsh as I join the group 'o buzzards. But what I will say is that I don't think Willie deserves to be fired. I think the end result was a team that had a lot of talent, but ravaged by injuries could never again quite find the full glory of those sweet spring days.

Pitching was always a nagging problem and in the end it took us down. Aging pitching, along with young pitching with tons of potential proved to be the wrong combination for a long season. The older bodies couldn't hack it, the younger ones proved to be too inconsistent to deliver every time (although I think both John Maine and Oliver Perez were highlights of this team and will deliver for years to come).

Oli and Johnny were not the only highlights.... David Wright was spectacular all around and we'll see more of him next year. Mosies Alou, at 41, was key to keeping us even half alive in the second half of the season. The youngins' --- Endy, Anderson, and Milledge all have lots of potential.

Just a bit on attitude: Post All Star Break there was definitely a slide in the attitude of some of the players. And this is the thing that lost it for the Mets. They collapsed on themselves.

It doesn't change how sad I am. I will watch the playoffs and will occasionally post my thoughts about them. But I won't be rooting for anyone, my season has passed.