MLB Playoffs

[ScoopBrady]

All this bickering, and I'll still root for the Astros if they beat the Cards in the series. This year's version of the bandwagon fans clearly goes to the White Sox. In the three years I lived in Chicago ('96 to '99), they rarely drew over 20,000 fans a game. Now, all of a sudden they're in the playoffs and World Series and there's avid White Sox fans everywhere......riiiiiiiiiiiiight.

The Sox are getting a ton of people jumping on their bandwagon. In the past 5 years I've been to about 15 Sox games. Of those 15 games the park was packed only once. That was because the Yankees were in town. Hell, even the last series at home this year had a lot of empty seats.

[catskinsox]

All this bickering, and I'll still root for the Astros if they beat the Cards in the series. This year's version of the bandwagon fans clearly goes to the White Sox. In the three years I lived in Chicago ('96 to '99), they rarely drew over 20,000 fans a game. Now, all of a sudden they're in the playoffs and World Series and there's avid White Sox fans everywhere......riiiiiiiiiiiiight.

I think we can both agree on this.. chicago sucks!!!!

Of course, my hatred is with the Cubs. I have no opinion of the White Sox... I mean, that's American League ball. ugh.

[ScoopBrady]

They're calling the Cubs fans that are jumping on the bandwagon bisoxuals.

[catskinsox]

All this bickering, and I'll still root for the Astros if they beat the Cards in the series. This year's version of the bandwagon fans clearly goes to the White Sox. In the three years I lived in Chicago ('96 to '99), they rarely drew over 20,000 fans a game. Now, all of a sudden they're in the playoffs and World Series and there's avid White Sox fans everywhere......riiiiiiiiiiiiight.

It's good natured bickering, though.

Saw this posted on another board....

As the plane carrying the Astros reached cruising altitude on Tuesday morning, this announcement was made over the cabin intercom; "Ladies and gentlemen, we're at our cruising altitude of 30,000 feet. If you look out the left hand side of the plane, you'll see the ball that Albert Pujols hit off Brad Lidge on Monday."

(reported by Milo, I fixed the language a little.)

general manager Tim Purpura revealed, it wasn't the pilot.

"Let's just say, it was the veteran guys, with the approval of management," he said.

[XXXIV]

Now, all of a sudden they're in the playoffs and World Series and there's avid White Sox fans everywhere......riiiiiiiiiiiiight.

I sorta noticed that too...I was always so lonely now I have alot of new Sox friends ...

The same thing happened with the Rams...I went for about 25 years thinking I was the only Ram fan east of the Mississipi...Then all of a sudden in 99-01 I had a bunch of new mates...They have vanished though...and good riddance...

[XXXIV]

They're calling the Cubs fans that are jumping on the bandwagon bisoxuals.

I deal with them everyday at work...

[sportdan30]

All this bickering, and I'll still root for the Astros if they beat the Cards in the series. This year's version of the bandwagon fans clearly goes to the White Sox. In the three years I lived in Chicago ('96 to '99), they rarely drew over 20,000 fans a game. Now, all of a sudden they're in the playoffs and World Series and there's avid White Sox fans everywhere......riiiiiiiiiiiiight.

I think we can both agree on this.. chicago sucks!!!!

Of course, my hatred is with the Cubs. I have no opinion of the White Sox... I mean, that's American League ball. ugh.

Agreed. I definitely don't have the hatred for the White Sox that I do the Cubs. In all honesty, if the Cards don't make it I'll be quite disappointed but at least we'll be getting a World Series from two franchises who haven't had much success in the postseason and are both well deserving. Plus, how can anyone dislike players such as Biggio, Bagwell, Berkman, Lidge, Buerhle, Dye, Crede, Garland, Contreras, etc. etc.....and coaches Garner and Guillen?

[sportdan30]

Catskinsox,

Did you happen to hear the radio call by Milo Hamilton of Pujol's homerun? My goodness, the man sounded absolutely monotone on that call. There was no excitement in his voice which of course I wasn't expecting any, but you would have thought he was calling a tennis match.

Btw, I heard it on Sportcenter.

[Leebo33]

Plus, how can anyone dislike players such as Biggio, Bagwell, Berkman, Lidge, Buerhle, Dye, Crede, Garland, Contreras, etc. etc.....and coaches Garner and Guillen?

Yeah, the banter is fun but there are a lot of deserving players on all sides. I'm really enjoying this relatively Yankee and Red Sox free post-season. I'm mainly rooting for the Astros because Phil Garner was one of my favorite players as a kid, but there are a lot of players on the Cards that I like (Eckstein, Pujols, Edmonds, Carpenter, etc). I'm not a big fan of LaRussa, but he's a darn good manager.

[Leebo33]

Milo Hamilton was only the Pirates announcer for 4 years, but I can still hear his voice in my head calling some great moments like it was yesterday.

[catskinsox]

Catskinsox,

Did you happen to hear the radio call by Milo Hamilton of Pujol's homerun? My goodness, the man sounded absolutely monotone on that call. There was no excitement in his voice which of course I wasn't expecting any, but you would have thought he was calling a tennis match.

Btw, I heard it on Sportcenter.

Well, given that I haven't watched ANYTHING about baseball since the "slam," no I didn't hear it.

But don't get me started on a Milo rant. He's more senile than Harry Carray was in his last few years.

Then again, anything would have been better than the idiots on Fox. "By the way, did you know Eckstein led the league in 2 strike batting average????"

[webdanzer]

Milo Hamilton was only the Pirates announcer for 4 years, but I can still hear his voice in my head calling some great moments like it was yesterday.

So which of the two calls was better?

[Toper]

Speaking of announcers, the Bay Area lost a great one yesterday when Bill King passed away yesterday. He was the voice of the A's, Warriors, and Raiders, and he will surely be missed.

It's gonna be weird hearing someone else call the games, since King was the only voice I've known since growing up in the area...RIP.

Toper

[catskinsox]

Milo Hamilton was only the Pirates announcer for 4 years, but I can still hear his voice in my head calling some great moments like it was yesterday.

I wish I had heard him back then. He was still lucid when I was living in Houston (until around '88), but I've tried listening to him over the last few years on internet radio, and if you're not watching the game, you can't figure out what the hell is going on.

[catskinsox]

Agreed. I definitely don't have the hatred for the White Sox that I do the Cubs. In all honesty, if the Cards don't make it I'll be quite disappointed but at least we'll be getting a World Series from two franchises who haven't had much success in the postseason and are both well deserving. Plus, how can anyone dislike players such as Biggio, Bagwell, Berkman, Lidge, Buerhle, Dye, Crede, Garland, Contreras, etc. etc.....and coaches Garner and Guillen?

Biggio and Bagwell are the two I really want to see with a ring. My favorite player of all time is Nolan Ryan, but those two are a VERY close 2 and 3. Just flat out class acts.

[sportdan30]

I truly believe there is a misunderstanding about LaRussa. It took a long time for Cardinal fans to embrace him. Myself included. I'm talking a good four or five years. I think people were turned off initially because he was replacing a legend in Whitey Herzog. In addition, he refused to make St. Louis his permanent home. He also brought a different brand of baseball that the fans of St. Louis were not accustomed. Gone was Whitey Ball, and here was swing for the fences. Here was making 8 pitching changes over the course of two innings. Maybe an exaggeration, but you get the point. Plus, he was still learning National League brand of baseball.

On the exterior, he comes off as arrogant and cocky. But, until you compare him to Martz, you don't know what arrogant and cocky is. LaRussa and Pujols are similar in one aspect that quite obvious. If you watch Pujols bat, he NEVER appears to take an at bat off. With LaRussa, he's involved in every aspect of the game. He takes it so serious that you'd think it was life or death. If you haven't had a chance to read "Three Days in August", I urge to read it. It's a great introspective of Tony LaRussa.

Finally, how can you dislike a man who puts his heart and soul in to raising money year after year for neglected animals? In the offseason, he devotes a considerable amount to this charity.

[sportdan30]

Don't recall the name, but the Blue Jays long time announcer also passed away within the past couple weeks.

KMOX, the radio voice of the Cardinals has been playing old classic games in honor of Busch Stadium's last season. Listening to Harry Carey call games back in the day had to really be something special. He was unbelieveably good in his prime.

We're blessed to still have Mike Shannon call Cardinal games although he's no Jack Buck. But he has a great voice for radio.

[Leebo33]

Milo Hamilton was only the Pirates announcer for 4 years, but I can still hear his voice in my head calling some great moments like it was yesterday.

So which of the two calls was better?

LOL. Here is one of the two. It still ranks as my most memorable sporting event ever (I was there!) and I've been to some big games:

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B08051PIT1979.htm

[Jayhawker]

Milo Hamilton was only the Pirates announcer for 4 years, but I can still hear his voice in my head calling some great moments like it was yesterday.

So which of the two calls was better?

LOL. Here is one of the two. It still ranks as my most memorable sporting event ever (I was there!) and I've been to some big games:

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B08051PIT1979.htm

Looking at that boxscore reminds of when baseball was king. Those are the names I remeber form my earliest Strat-o-matic days. Both the Phillies and Pirates had tons of players that were among my favorites.

Back then we kept boxscores as well as updated statistics of our strat games in notebooks. I wrote all of those names down hundreds of times. Actually, I even remeber what all of those baseball cards looked like as well. For some reason, I always liked Dave Parker's card, as it wasn't a pose, or an action shot.

[DivotMaker]

As the plane carrying the Astros reached cruising altitude on Tuesday morning, this announcement was made over the cabin intercom; "Ladies and gentlemen, we're at our cruising altitude of 30,000 feet. If you look out the left hand side of the plane, you'll see the ball that Albert Pujols hit off Brad Lidge on Monday."

(reported by Milo, I fixed the language a little.)

general manager Tim Purpura revealed, it wasn't the pilot.

"Let's just say, it was the veteran guys, with the approval of management," he said.

Actually, this is somewhat encouraging. The best way to get over something like what happened on Monday is to get your sense of humor back up...keeps you loose.

[sportdan30]

Perhaps for the last time Cardinal fans can be hopeful:

The Mighty Pujols

The outlook wasn't brilliant for the Redbird nine that day
The score stood four to two, with but one inning more to play.
With the season on the line, the manager makes the call
Lidge trots out from the pen, and confidently takes the ball.

His fastball clocks at a hundred, his slider can't be hit
And Redbird fans do cry and swoon, as his warm ups hit the mitt.
The Stroville faithful dance and scream, as one they raise their cheer
Their closer need but three outs, for this to be their year.

The first two batters took their cuts, but Lidge just mowed them down
And the building rocked and strangers kissed, in anticipation of the crown.
But one more out was needed, and the top of the order now due
As Eckstein walked up to bat, the fevered pitch just grew and grew.

Lidge pounded Eckstein with two strikes, he had his good control.
Then out of nowhere something happened; Ecky swung and found a hole.
He took second without a play; all that mattered was at the dish
"One more out" the fans cried out, only this their prayer and wish.

Jimmy Edmonds now dug in deep, his jaw was clinched and tight
And an edge crept into the stands; for they sensed they had a fight.
But Lidge glared in and took the sign, his stuff was such a lock
His pitches flew till the count went full; Jimmy finally coaxed a walk.

Eighty thousand eyes looked on deck, and there saw a famous number
For Pujols, mighty Pujols, stood there ready with his lumber.
He strode easily to the plate, and clenched his mighty fist
The first pitch flew and broke away; Mighty Pujols swung and missed.

And now Lidge gets the sign and now he winds and lets it go
Oh how the cheers are shattered, by the force of Pujols blow.
The silence becomes deafening, the air is all let out
For there is no joy in Stroville, the Mighty Pujols hit it out!

[ScoopBrady]

You Cardinals fans are acting as they've already won the series. It's still 3-2 in favor of the Astros if I'm not mistaken.

[Danimal]

I didn't care either way, but I think that dumb ass poem might have been the last straw.

Go Stros!

[dbdynsty25]

I didn't care either way, but I think that dumb ass poem might have been the last straw.

Go Stros!

I'm with ya...f*ck the Cardinals. I thought most of their fans were pretty good until this thread came about. Now I hate them as much as the Yankees and Red Sox.

[MizzouRah]

Don't you have a Bobby Cox in '06 thread to start?

F*ck the Braves!