On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing baseball matchups
It's been a week of change for Mr. CC Sabathia. Not only did he decide that former Cy Young Award winners don't need to subscribe to the rules of the english language and drop the periods from his initials, but tonight he'll also be taking a pitchers mound in a Brewers jersey for the first time.
Whether or not this move ends up in a playoff appearance for the Brewers this season, it was a move they had to make. After deciding to stand pat at the trade deadline last season--save for adding Scott Linebrink--the Brewers faded down the stretch before losing the division to the Chicago Cubs. To not make a move this season would have told the fans that while they don't mind winning in Milwaukee, it's really all about making a profit.
Now everybody knows that the Brewers only have on goal, and that's to win a championship.
Will CC be the man to help them get there? I'm not sure, but we'll start to find out tonight. Really, the only thing I'm truly interested in during tonight's game will be whether or not Sabathia can restrain himself from trying to eat any contestants in the sausage race.
On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing baseball matchups
Texas Rangers (19-21) vs. Seattle Mariners (15-25) - 8:05PM Est.
Let's start today's On Deck by taking a trip in the FanHouse Time Machine. We're going to go all the way back to May 8th, 2008. The world was a different place back then. Ok, so the world was really any different as all, as it was just five days ago, but it was sort of exciting!
That was the day when Richie Sexson threw his helmet and charged Kason Gabbard after taking exception to a pitch. Sexson thought that Gabbard's eye-high fastball was meant for his face even though it was over the heart of the plate, and he took umbrage. Of course, had Felix Hernandez not plunked Ian Kinsler earlier in the game after Kinsler homered, none of this would have happened.
Now, here we are five days later, and Gabbard and Hernandez are set to face each other one more time. Will we have an encore?
While Clint Hurdle was steadfast in assuming all responsibility and not assigning blame for his team's poor performance in the World Series, I will go ahead and say that the layoff did hurt his team. I would not go as far as to say that the Rockies would have beaten the Red Sox in the series without a layoff, but there's no doubt that they were not the same team that reeled off 21 wins in 22 games.
In Game 1, Colorado did not fare much better than any other team against Josh Beckett. On the flip side, Jeff Francis and Franklin Morales both got bombed despite pitching well in the NLDS and NLCS. Sure, the Rox got some runs on the board in Game 3 and Game 4, thanks to home runs from Matt Holliday and Garrett Atkins that brought them within one run, but Brian Fuentes only followed by allowing the Red Sox to increase their lead. The big hits from Kazuo Matsui and Yorvit Torrealba that were there earlier in the playoffs were nowhere to be seen in the World Series. Fuentes failed on the biggest stage, as did Francis, Josh Fogg, and mostly everyone in the Rockies lineup. Clint Hurdle began to panic, playing musical center fielders, and pretty much every move he made looked bad because his players didn't perform.
I don't know if the Rockies became rusty, or if they let the attention and reality sink in, but I do know that the layoff did not help them. Whatever momentum they had from sweeping to the National League pennant was lost in the layoff, while the Red Sox carried the momentum of returning from a 3-1 ALCS deficit against Cleveland. I don't think the Rockies would have beaten the Red Sox otherwise, but being off for eight days certainly did not help their case.
We've already asked whether or not the Rockies can rebound tonight. We've spent our share of time first, second, and even third guessingClint Hurdle. Well guess what Rockie fan, I'm hear to say that even if you guys go down 0-2, it's not the end of the world. Why? Let's not forget that the Rockies get to return to Coors Field in Denver for three straight games starting on Saturday, where they could easily run the table.
Even with the addition of the humidor, the Rockies still hold one of the greatest home field advantages in all of baseball. Sure, their home/road splits this year won't knock your socks off, but there's no denying that Coors Field is a difficult place for visiting pitchers. In short, it will be much more difficult for the Red Sox to adjust to Coors than it is for the Rockies to adjust to Fenway.
So here's my thinking: Josh Fogg and Aaron Cook pitching at home can easily beat Dice K and Jon Lester who have never thrown at Coors Field before. Then, you figure as much of a lock as Josh Beckett has been, pitching in Colorado can be somewhat of a neutralizing factor, evening out his match up against Jeff Francis. Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, Boston will be without either David Ortiz or Kevin Youkilis in their lineup, and they would be disadvantaged on defense with Ortiz at first. it's not a stretch to think the Rockies could sweep at home, meaning they would need to win just one of four games at Fenway.
So like I said, even though falling down 0-2 in the series would be a disadvantage, it does not put them at a point of no return. Tonight is not a must-win game for the Rockies.
You know all those freaking Dane Cook commercials that have driven us halfway up a wall and mildly insane since, oh, I dunno, like the All-Star break? I wonder if Clint Hurdle's ever seen them. The entire point of the marketing campaign is that the playoffs and the World Series happen but once a year which, for all of the commercial's annoying qualities, is true. So why do I feel like Hurdle came out on the field waving a white flag at Josh Beckett before things even started last night?
I understand how good Beckett has been in these playoffs. I've watched all of every single start he's made. Still, this is the World Series. The Rockies went into last night as one of the hottest teams ever, and yet after the Sox three run first it seemed like Hurdle threw up his arms and said, "Well, that's more than we're getting off of Beckett tonight." He left Jeff Francis in an inning too long and watched while he gave up the fifth and sixth runs in the fourth inning instead of yanking him to try and stay close. He then when to Franklin Morales, which was a strange choice because Morales had just been taken out of the playoff rotation the day before. I don't know whether he was supposed to keep the game semi-close or eat innings and save the pen, but he did neither and I wasn't really surprised.
Yeah, it's only one game. And when players are doing things like walking three straight batters with the bases loaded (all you, Ryan Speier) and Josh Beckett's on the mound, maybe there's not a lot you can do. But throwing up the white flag in the fourth inning of the first game of a best of seven series isn't a great idea because, well, there's only one World Series. Sorry, No Photos
Todd Helton and his sexy goatee saunter into second base with a double. (Seriously, look at the fullness on that thing. Rahr.) There have been a ton of hits off the Green Monster tonight.
Beckett records his sixth strikeout of the night against Garrett Atkins. Your turn Brad Hawpe.
And you strike out, too. I Hawpe you do better next time, sir.
It's still 4-1 Boston.
Bottom of the 4th:
Tim McCarver and Joe Buck are just fawning of Troy Tulowitzki. His parents must be proud. McCarver referred to his arm as a "Howitzer" or something like that. I don't know what that means. Someone smarter than I, please enlighten. (Update: Commenter Joe alerts me a howitzer is a type on cannon. Thank for that.)
Also, this just in from the wisdom of Tim McCarver: David Ortiz = clutch.
How long do you think it takes Manny to do his hair in the morning? Speaking of Manny, he smacks a double into right-center. (It actually looks like he hustled to second!) We got Big Papi on third, Manny on second. Two outs.
This little spoons game thing in the Red Sox bullpen: does this annoy anyone else?
Jason Varitek rips one down the line. Papi and Manny score. It's 6-1 Boston. It's looking bad for the Rockies. Very, very bad. J.D. Drew strikes out. Inning over.
One of the many questions heading into the World Series -- pitting the red-hot Rockies against the plodding monster that is the Red Sox -- was how the Rockies would handle the adjustment to American League play. How would the DH affect each team's bench? How would Clint Hurdle manage? Perhaps most importantly, how would Rockies pitchers handle a Red Sox lineup that pounded home 30 runs in its last three games?
If Jeff Francis' first inning against the Sox is any indication ... not well. Not well at all.
Francis gave up a leadoff home run to Dustin Pedroia, a first-pitch double to Kevin Youkilis, a single to Manny Being Manny, a line drive single to J.D. Drew. He got pounded into every area of Fenway Park, from above the Green Monster to the gaps to down the right field line. He really never settled down, and even needed a great play from Todd Helton at first just to get out of the inning.
People often overstate the discrepancy between National and American League hitting, but in this case, the shoe fits. Eric Byrnes and Stephen Drew aren't anchoring Francis' opponents anymore; it's Kevin Youkilis and Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz and J.D. Drew. The Rockies' pitching staff better adapt, and quick, or the first World Series in franchise history will be a short one.
Update: That said, the Rockies just put one through on Josh Beckett. Maybe the adjustment works both ways.
Greetings, baseball fans. We've finally made it: it's time for the start of the World Series. All the grit, the hustle, the sweat, the homers, the foul balls, the fastballs, the curveballs, the goatees, the sideburns, the DUIs, the HGH, the, the, the ... you get the idea.
It's Mr. Domination Josh Beckett on the hill for the Red Sox and Jeff Francis toeing the rubber for the Rockies. I picked the Red Sox to win it all before the season started and I'm sticking with them. (Sorry, Colorado.)
Hey look: Eric Byrnes cut his hair! And he's talking about how good the Rockies are right now. (The lucky Rockies, as I recall him saying.) Man, he has to hate his life.
The World Series is the pinnacle of the sport we call baseball. It's the biggest event in America's pasttime, yet it's not a distinctly American game. Just look at the rosters of the two teams playing in tonight's game, we have players that come from everywhere. We have players from Latin America and the Caribbean, and we've even got a Japanese second baseman.
But this isn't the first time our World Series has had such an international flavor, and many foreign born players have won World Series games before. You know what hasn't happened in our grand game's history? No Canadian pitcher has ever won a World Series game.
Vancouver native Jeff Francis will become the second Canadian-born pitcher to start a World Series game, joining Saskatoon native Reggie Cleveland, who started Game 5 for the Red Sox in 1975. Three other Canadians - John Hiller, Johnny Rutherford and Ron Taylor - have appeared in World Series games, although no Canadian has ever won one.
"I think I can speak for every Canadian in that we're very proud to be Canadian," Francis said. "But I think more so than that, right now I'm proud to be a Rocky."
And I'm sure Canada is very proud of you, Jeff. Which is exactly why we need the Red Sox to win tonight. Canada already has us beat on the health care issue, and we damn sure can't let them take our baseball away from us too can they? If they do, what's to stop them from invading the country?
So while Francis pitches for Canada tonight, we Americans turn our lonely eyes to you, Josh Beckett. Our countries fate is in your hands.
Ignore for one second the fact that the Diamondbacks are only ten years old and the fact that the Rockies wear purple. Forget that they both play out west. Instead, imagine two division rivals that finished the regular season one game apart meeting up in a league championship series. Throw in two aces that combined for 35 regular season wins, an MVP candidate, a popular veteran who's getting his first shot at the playoffs, and some incredibly exciting young talent. You'd be freaking psyched for that series, right?
As always, Game 1 is a huge game in this series. The Rockies are incendiary right now, having won 18 out of their last 19 games. The D'Backs will trot out Webb, who's about as good as it gets in either league. Immovable object, meet irresistable force. Since Webb is far and away the D'Backs best pitcher (results against the pathetic Cubs' lineup notwithstanding) and their offense isn't particularly great, winning Webb's starts is a big thing for them. The Rockies would likely be happy with splitting the two games at Chase Field, but if they beat Webb tonight they're going to be feeling pretty close to invincible. Sometimes that's all that matters in the playoffs.
On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing baseball matchups
While 
We've already asked whether or not the 
You know all those freaking Dane Cook commercials that have driven us halfway up a wall and mildly insane since, oh, I dunno, like the All-Star break? I wonder if 
One of the many questions heading into the World Series -- pitting the red-hot Rockies against the plodding monster that is the Red Sox -- was how the Rockies would handle the adjustment to American League play. How would the DH affect each team's bench? How would 
The World Series is the pinnacle of the sport we call baseball. It's the biggest event in America's pasttime, yet it's not a distinctly American game. Just look at the rosters of the two teams playing in tonight's game, we have players that come from everywhere. We have players from Latin America and the Caribbean, and we've even got a Japanese second baseman.
