Giants have already reached a unique level of come backs

Soon the Giants will be playing Game 7 of the NLCS.
And if you thought that was going to happen a few days ago, you are a liar.

Hell, if you thought that when the Giants and Reds were tied going into extra innings of Game 3 of the Division Series, I would demand evidence.

The Giants have played five games where if they lost, they would be eliminated.

And because they are still playing, they are clearly 5-0 in those games.

They surpassed the 1981 Dodgers, 2003 and 2004 Red Sox and last year's Cardinals who all won four do or die games.

(2003 was not a typo. The 2003 Red Sox won three elimination games against the A's and Game 6 of the ALCS against the Yankees. Had Grady Little managed Game 7 a little differently, they would have had five.)

Only one team ever won six elimination games in the same post season: The 1985 Kansas City Royals wiped out 3-1 leads against the Blue Jays in the ALCS and against the Cardinals in the World Series (with a little help from Don Denkinger.)

A win tonight would have the Giants match the Royals.
If the Giants go on to the World Series and fall behind the Tigers, 3-1, how could any Giants fan be nervous?




 

Derek Lowe = My Annoying Ex Girlfriend

Long before I met my wife, I dated a woman for a while. In retrospect it was one of the most annoying relationships I ever had because I could never get a handle of where we stood.

Sometimes things would seem wonderful, then instantly it would become miserable. Every time I said "That's it. We can't continue this! It's awful" it would suddenly get wonderful and fun again.

Then whenever I thought "Man, this is working out. This could be the one!" it would become miserable. And there was no transition period. It would just go back and forth between "floating on a cloud in love" and "I feel like I am stuck on Shutter Island."

The best way I could describe the roller coaster of dating this woman is to show you the career of Derek Lowe.

As a Red Sox fan, I remember him being a good middle reliever, sometimes starter and sometimes closer between 1998 and 1999. That was the flirting and getting to know you part of the relationship.

Then he became an All Star lights out closer. He led the league with saves in 2000 and was super reliable. That was the whirlwind beginning of the romance where everything was new and exciting and sexy.

Then in 2001 he began to crash and burn as the Red Sox closer. He lost his first few games. By the end of May, he had as many losses as he had saves. He was no longer effective and lost his closer job, all the while fighting with pitching coach and eventual manager Joe Kerrigan. That was the "Why are you acting so crazy? Everything was so nice before you lost your mind" part of the relationship.

Sox fans had all but written Lowe off when he was put into the rotation in 2002. Then on April 27, 2002, he threw a no hitter in Fenway Park against Tampa. The place went wild and Lowe acted humble and apologetic to the Red Sox fans for his subpar 2001. The one time closer became an ace along side Pedro and won 21 games in the process and finished third in the Cy Young vote.

That was making up with her. And it also was her admitting that she was acting crazy and she changed her attitude and became even more loving than before. And I felt "Wow, we went through a lot and we're stronger than ever!" Maybe it was time to start looking at rings.

In 2003, it was a little shakier with Lowe. Sure he won 17 games but didn't look as strong as he had the year before. The ERA jumped by nearly 2 runs and he didn't have the same swagger. But he did come out of the bullpen in the down to the wire Game 5 of the Division Series in Oakland. With the A's one swing away from winning the series he struck out Adam Melhuse and Terrence Long to clinch the series. He gave an obscene gesture to the A's and was piled upon during the clinching celebration. His great highlight was as a closer, NOT a starter.

This was when the two of us were getting a little tense. But then, out of the blew she did something that reminded me of those exciting first days and we stayed together.

In 2004, Lowe was a borderline disaster. Sure he won 14 games, but his ERA was more than double his 2002 numbers. He finished the year with a 5.42 ERA and was removed from the rotation, all the while feuding with Francona. But, amazingly, he found his groove in the playoffs. He won the clinching Game 3 of the Division Series out of the bullpen. He threw 6 innings of 1 hit ball on two days rest in the clinching Game 7 of the ALCS and threw 7 shutout innings to win the World Series clinching Game 4. He went from being the odd man out to being the ace clinching the Championship.

Likewise, me and the unnamed girlfriend squabbled, fought, couldn't stand being in the same room with each other and I couldn't wait to see it end. Then she took me on a weekend trip that was the most romantic and fun time of the entire relationship. (Unlike Lowe, I didn't get a ring.)

Over the next few years, Lowe fluctuated between really effective years (including 2006 when he led the National League in wins with the Dodgers) and less than stellar years (like last year when he led the league in losses and posted a 5.05 ERA with the Braves.)

And I kept bouncing between fun moments and agonizingly petty and passive aggressive crap with my girlfriend. Eventually I got out of it. She broke up with me and found a new guy to torment.

After last year, I thought Lowe was at age 38 done.

And here we sit in 2012 and Lowe entered today's game with the most wins and the lowest ERA in the American League with Cleveland, a new fan base for him to tease.

When Lowe had marital problems a few years ago, I read the story with great interest.
I had to see if Lowe was involved with my ex.

It wasn't her.
It's too bad.
They'd be the perfect couple.


  

Daisuke Matsuzaka is Japanese for Derek Lowe

One game Daisuke Matsusaka is coughing up 5 runs in the first to the Yankees… next thing you know he’s throwing a no hitter into the 8th inning in Philadelphia… next start he can’t get out of the 5th against the Royals.

Isn’t that a microcosm of the Dice-K era in Boston?
Every time you say “I think Dice-K is going to pitch like an ace now” he wets the bed.
Every time you say “Oh man, it was a huge mistake bringing him here” he throws a great game.

Sound familiar?

That was Derek Lowe to a T!

Remember how he blossomed and became a great reliever for one season in 2000? We all thought “Holy Cats! We’ve got a classic shut them down closer!”

Then the next year he was so bad he nearly torpedoed the season all by himself.

Then the next year, 2002, he threw a no hitter in April, became a 20 game winner and nearly won the Cy Young Award.

Then his ERA jumped nearly 2 runs the next year. Man you can’t rely on him in the big game.

But he came out of the bullpen and shut down the A’s in that amazing Division Series. He’s back!

Then he lost 2 starts against the Yankees in the ALCS. He’s done.

Then 2004 he was so awful that his ERA was over 5 and he wasn’t even in the post season rotation. He sucks. He’s a mop up man.





Then he won all three clinching games in the 2004 playoffs, including 6 innings of 1 hit ball in the Bronx to win the pennant and 7 shutout innings in St. Louis to win the World Series.

He left perfectly. He left with everyone remembering him as a playoff hero. He got the wild standing ovation during the ring ceremony in 2005 even though he had split for the Dodgers.

It’s like people remembering the Belushi/Chevy years of SNL. They only remember the good parts… not the many unwatchable episodes.

And so it is with Dice-K.

We’ve got the next great pitcher in baseball!

Oooo. He’s not that good. He might suck.

Oh my God! He clinched the pennant! And he got 2 RBI in the World Series and won his game!

Holy Cow he’s an 18 game winner and nearly threw a no hitter in the ALCS against the Rays!

Oh man, he blew his arm out pitching in that stupid World Baseball Classic.

He stinks, he let up 5 runs in the first.

Holy Crap! He’s throwing a no hitter! He’s awesome again! Who needs Beckett?

He’s walking the Royals with the bases loaded… why did we sign this guy?



Going up and down that fast will usually give a guy the bends!

Rooting for these guys was kind of like yelling “No Whammys!” while playing Press Your Luck. There’s no rhyme nor reason and you are either going to be thrilled or incensed.

Let’s hope Dice-K has another string of post season luck in him.
There’s only 14 more years left on his contract.

Sully Baseball Salutes NOMAR GARCIAPARRA

I have a hunch that Nomar Garciaparra has probably played his last game in the big leagues.

He hit for a decent average last year in Oakland, but with very little power and he of course got hurt. And he can't play the field.

I can't speak for every GM, but I can't imagine too many wish lists include "A punchless injury prone DH... who is right handed."

So his 13+ year career is probably kaput... his final game was on October 4 (my anniversary) in a 5-3 A's loss to the Angels.

Nomar went 2-3 with a run scored and struck out in the 8th in his final at bat.

Kind of anti climactic, huh?

Every year the free agent market plays a very cruel trick on a number of players. Their contract runs out and they see other players sign with other teams... and like a brutal game of musical chairs, spring training rolls along without an invitation.

And they find out their career has ended because nobody wanted to sign them. No farewell tour. No bows. Just a phone that doesn't ring.

Last year players like Ray Durham found themselves scrambling for a seat.

The year before Kenny Lofton and others saw productive careers unceremoniously end.

Even Hall of Famers like Rickey Henderson and Steve Carlton saw their careers just fade away, and not on their terms.

And now it seems like Nomar is the latest player whose career will probably end because nobody wanted him.

But let's not forget how great Nomar was...
For 6 out of his 7 full seasons in Boston he looked like he was going to be one of the great figures in Red Sox history.

He came out of the gates blasting, hitting a homer in his first at bat as a call up in 1996.
He was the 1997 AL Rookie of the Year and with Mo Vaughn put together an MVP caliber 1-2 punch that looked like it was the foundation of a potential World Series winner.

In 1998 he was the runner up to Juan Gonzalez for MVP. His power blossomed. His OPS soared to .946. His average finished off at .323 and was a 35 homer 122 RBI guy.

And in the playoffs, he homered 3 times in 4 games,driving in 11 and posted a slugging percentage of 1.000 in the Sox loss to the Tribe.

In 1999 the Sox were supposed to take a big step back when Mo Vaughn left for the Angels. But Nomar (and Pedro) carried the team on their backs. Nomar became a batting champ and continued to put up power and run producing numbers. His OPS rose to 1.022 and again he produced big in the Division Series and also the ALCS against the Yankees.

In 2000 he won another batting title and was intentionally walked a league leading 20 times.

At that point he was approaching legend status.
His first name was a rallying call for Red Sox fans. Just scream "No-MAH!" and you knew you were amongst friends.

As if his first name wasn't enough of a challenge for Native New Englanders, try Gah-Cee-Ah-Pah-Rah!

He was the heart throb before Johnny Damon (and the pink hats) started showing up.

He was the Red Sox answer to the shortstop debate of the late 1990s/early 2000s. Jeter was the winner, A-Rod the best all around player, Vizquel the best defender... but Nomar was the best hitter.

And he got what it meant to play for the Red Sox. He got close with Ted Williams, knowing that if all went well, number 5 would hang on the right field facade.

When he came back from a injury plagued 2001 season to regain his All Star stroke in 2002, it looked like he was going to lead the Sox to the promise land... especially after the Yawkey family finally gave up control of the team. In fact going into the last month of 2003, Nomar seemed like as good a choice as any for AL MVP... and the team looked destined to win the AL Pennant.

If you stopped time right there in September of 2003 and I told you the Red Sox were going to win the World Series in 2004 and 2007, you would only assume that Nomar was not only going to be on the team... but be one of the heroes.

If I told you that the trading away of Nomar was going to be the turning point of the 2004 season for the better because injuries, the botched trade of Nomar in the off season and his souring attitude made dealing him imperative, you'd commit me to an insane asylum.

If I told you then that he had only one All Star caliber year left in him... and that would be as a first baseman for the Dodgers in 2006, you would say "Yeah right. And Johnny Damon is going to the Yankees!"

Alas Nomar won't be among Yaz, Williams or Rice.

His legacy will be more like Fred Lynn or his teammate Mo Vaughn... an MVP while with the Red Sox but whose post Boston career literally limped along with injuries.

His timing is along the lines of Don Mattingly, who missed one Yankee World Series run by a year at the start of his career and missed another by a year at the end of his career.

So let's forget all of that now.

Let's just go back and remember Nomar right up until his slump at the end of 2003...
Let's freeze him in time and remember the charismatic player who wanted to win in Boston so badly.

If his career is over, I hope Francona hires him as a coach. If the Sox ever win another World Series, it would be nice for him to be on the field as a champion.

And maybe he and Mia can have a boy one of these days that the Sox could sign.

But don't think of him sulking in the dugout while Jeter flew into the stands in 2004.

Think about the post season homers and the clutch hits.

And think of those crazy tics and rituals in the batters box, tapping his feet and pulling at his gloves.

Come on... you used to imitate him. Admit it.

What is it with folksy good ole boy managers and Pedro Martinez in Yankee Stadium?

I don't think there is a Phillies fan alive who wouldn't have taken 6 innings 2 runs by Pedro Martinez in his Game 2 outing. Especially with a completely rested bullpen to throw innings 7, 8 and 9.

So when Pedro came out to start the 7th, I was surprised.

This isn't a second guess. I sat on my couch in South Pasadena and said "I can't believe he's staying in... take him out if he let's up a batter."

Do you know when I said that exact same sentence regarding Pedro Martinez in Yankee Stadium?

Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS.

I remember when he came out to throw the 8th after an entire season of going 7 innings tops, I thought "Odd... they haven't hit Williamson, Timlin nor Embree all series... take him out the second he lets up a hit."

With 1 out Jeter doubled and I said "Take him out now!"

And we all know what happened.

Well tonight I said the same thing... and when Jerry Hairston Jr singled I said out loud "OK, go to the pen."

And another gray haired good ole boy manager let him in a hitter too long.

The Yankees eventually scored that insurance run that gave the Yankees breathing room they would need.

Imagine the 2 runners on base in the 8th for the Phillies with only a 1 run deficit.

Imagine Ryan Howard coming to the plate representing the tying run... or Matt Stairs coming up with Ibanez at second as the tying run.

Well it is too late now...

The Phillies got the split in New York but on Halloween, the pressure falls back on the Phillies shoulders. They can't fall behind 2-1 and face Sabathia.

I was going to declare this is the beginning of a great series... but 2006 began with a split. The Cardinals won game 1, the Tigers won game 2 and it looked like it might be a long series.

Nope done in 5.

Last year the Rays and the Phillies split and it looked like the series was going to go on for a while. It did, but that was because of the rain delays and suspended games!

But if the Yankees and Phillies exchange wins in Games 3 and 4... this might turn into a classic.

Just let's hope Charlie Manuel squashes the Grady Little within.

Hey Red Sox fans... let's not get carried away

Don't get me wrong... yesterday sucked.

It didn't just suck. It SUUUUUCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKED!

One strike from winning the game, putting Lester on the hill... and a Game 4 win would send the game back to Anaheim (sorry Angels, that's where you play) with the pressure on THEIR shoulders.

And instead we get a monumental collapse.

But some Sox fans are getting carried away.

Bob Ryan said this was the worst Red Sox post season loss since 1986.

Really?

It's not even the worst Red Sox post season loss in the last 12 months!!!

Game 7 of last year's ALCS was MUCH worse!

Come on... the Red Sox had the tying runs on base with nobody out in the 8th... heart of the line up coming up... just a few days removed from the mind boggling Game 5 come back... a trip to the World Series on the line... and they got a goose egg.

I'll think of J. D. Drew striking out against David Price a hell of a lot more than the Angels rallying against Papelbon.

Last year was a chance to make it back to back pennants... have a great shot to repeat as World Champs and maybe have the word dynasty mentioned.

Instead we got a World Series opening in the Trop!

This year? Holding off a Division Series sweep.

Not as much on the line.
And how quickly we forgot the devastation that was 2003!

Lest we forget the Sox had a 5-2 lead in the 8th inning... 1 out and nobody on.

The Yankee dragon was about to be slain by a gritty and lovable bunch.

Plus we all knew that the Yankees for what ever reason couldn't hit Embree, Timlin nor Williamson... and if Pedro let up a hit, Grady would have those three guys to record 5 outs.

And then the most agonizing inning since the 10th of Game 6 in 1986 happened.

We replayed that inning, batter by batter until Posada's little bloop tied the game... and a few innings later when Aaron Boone ended it.

In some ways that was WORSE than Game 6 in 1986.

We had felt we couldn't be burnt again after that... and then let us feel hope as the outs piled up.

And when the ball rolled through Buckner's legs, not only was the game already tied, but there was a Game 7 on the horizon.

When Boone's homer landed... that was it. End of season. End of hope. Many of us wondered if we should just stop rooting for the team.

It was time to buy a copy of Noose Making For Dummies.

A little less devastating than trying to prevent a Division Series sweep.

So folks, it hurt yesterday. But it doesn't carry the weight of "Will we ever see a World Series title in our life times?"

It doesn't have the "will we EVER beat the Yankees" question hanging over it.

Nor does it have the "I wanted to see a Dynasty!" possibility.

It was quite simply "I hope we don't get swept by a better team in the Division Series" situation.

Let's not go nuts folks.

(We wouldn't want Red Sox fans to be irrational!!!)

A few facts about David Ortiz

I am going to list a few facts about David Ortiz.

- He came up to the Major Leagues in 1997.

- Between 1997 and 2002 he was an adequate yet oft injured part time DH/1B for the Minnesota Twins. 

- In 2002, his sixth season, a 26 year old David Ortiz set a new career high with 20 homers as the Twins made the ALCS.

- After the 2002 season, the Twins declined to offer him a contract.

- He signed with Boston in 2003 and struggled at the plate, batting .208 with 1 homer and an OPS of .657 on May 13.

- Suddenly, the oft injured and struggling hitter exploded with numbers that dwarfed his best seasons in Minnesota. 

His previous career high in home runs was 20. 

He hit 31 in 2003.

His previous career high in RBI was 75. 

He drove in 101 in 2003.

His previous high in OPS was .839.

His OPS in 2003 was .961.

And he reached all of those new highs in only 3 more games than his previous season.

- He exploded into one of the most dominating offensive forces over the next four seasons.

- His physique was terrifying.

- The era was best described by Alex Rodriguez as "Loosey Goosey."

- Steroid use can lead to heart issues.

- Ortiz developed heart problems in 2006.

- His injuries increased and his bat speed decreased when testing became more frequent in the wake of the Mitchell Report.

- In 2009 he has as many home runs as Dr. Maya Angelou.

- He was great friends with Manny Ramirez.

- Manny Ramirez is serving a suspension for testing positive for a banned substance that is commonly used to help people coming off of a steroid cycle.

- Ortiz has made several strange "hedge your bet" statements about steroid use, including yesterday when he said:

 “It’s a little confusing, because there are guys out there taking things that sometimes you can buy it over the counter, and sometimes it’s banned and not on the list, I don’t know,” said Ortiz. “I don’t really know, but like I say, you definitely have to be careful.”

All I've done is list some facts.

I am not accusing anyone of anything.

I love David Ortiz and the wonderful memories he has given all of us Red Sox fans.

Just have your guard up.