Sunday, November 01, 2009

Crux of the matter

When the Phils took a 3-0 lead in the second inning last night, with Cole Hamels seemingly in full control on the mound, I briefly entertained the thought that my Phils might take Game 3 and build up momentum for a successful World Series.  Twas not to be, unfortunately, as ARod doinked an opposite-field homer off a TV camera—yeah, I think the umps got that one right, and yeah, I think instant replay is useful for very, very limited situations such as that one—and the slumbering bat of Nick Swisher came to life.

The defeat, by an 8-5 margin, cranks up the pressure on the Phillies for tonight’s contest.  For all intents and purposes, they must win tonight.

As I related last year, a 3-1 lead in the World Series is very difficult to overcome.  It’s only been done five times; the other 36 times a club has led the Series after completing four games, that club has eventually won it all.  That includes, happily, last year’s Phillies.

If C.C. Sabathia (and relievers) beats Joe Blanton (and relievers) tonight, it’s still possible for the Phils to join:

• the 1925 Pittsburgh Pirates, against the Washington Senators
• the 1958 Yankees (grrrrrrr), against the Milwaukee Braves
• the 1968 Detroit Tigers, facing the St. Louis Cardinals
• the 1979 Pirates, defeating the Baltimore Orioles
• the 1985 Kansas City Royals, against the Cardinals

If the Phils lose tonight, they can take heart in the fact that three of the above comebacks were completed on the road.  The ‘58 Yanks, ‘68 Bengals, and ‘79 Buccos all won Game 5 at home and then Games 6 and 7 before the fans of their shocked opponents.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves here.  The Phillies can still win Game 4.  Which would make Game 5 tomorrow night the crux of the matter.

[UPDATE, 8:48pm]

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr…

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Seeking just retribution

On October 4, 1950, the Philadelphia Phillies took the field at Shibe Park, hosting the New York Yankees in Game 1 of the World Series.  It was the first postseason appearance for the Phils in 35 years, and only the second time they’d won the National League pennant in their 68 years of existence as a franchise in the City of Brotherly Love.

On that day, I was nine days old and lying in a bassinet in Woodbury NJ, about 15 miles away from 21st & Lehigh.

A third of my lifetime (to that point) later, the Yankees were back in the Bronx and celebrating their thirteenth World Championship after sweeping the Series.

Now, 59 years later, the Phils and Yanks are meeting again to determine the World Series victor.  I’ve been waiting my whole life—literally—for the opportunity to get back at the loathesome Yankees for their dismissal of the Whiz Kids.  As I write this, the Phils lead Game 1 of the 2009 Series in the top of the 6th inning, 2-0 on a pair of solo homers by Chase Utley.  In a sense, then, my guys are already ahead of their 1950 pace ... they were shut out 1-0 in the 1950 Series opener.

Scoring in Game 1 is the first milestone in this quest for retribution.  The next one—not yet accomplished at this writing—would be winning a game against them.  The ultimate, of course, would be repeating as World Champions by defeating the Yankees.

I don’t want to make too big a deal of this.  I’m not seeking closure in the sense of loss/win, birth/death.  It’s just that winning the World Series by beating the embodiment of pure evil that is the New York Yankees would be so absolutely sweeeeeeeeeeet!

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

On to the World Series ... again!

Can this be the Phillies?  The horrible team of my childhood?

As a Phan for over half a century, I still can’t quite get my hands around all this success.

The next goal is repeating as WS champs.  If they can do it, they’ll be the first National League repeaters since the Big Red Machine in 1975 and 1976.

[UPDATE, October 22]

Since I’m getting a whole lot of hits because of the amazing success of the Phils, I suppose it’d be smart to get those people to look for the team logo here instead of last October’s posts.  Here ya go, folks:

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Election thoughts, 2009

Has it really been almost a full year since we elected Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States?

Apparently so.  This year’s election concentrates on local offices—King County officials, Seattle leadership, and the like.  I’ve placed icons representing a number of the important issues and people I’m supporting over on the sidebar.  Though they’re listed in ballot order, they’re also generally shown in descending order of importance.

Even more troubling than the danger of Susan Hutchison being elected King County Executive—this is a person who makes the similarly wingnutty fundamentalist Sarah Palin look like an experienced, competent public official—is the possible success of Tim Eyman’s latest and most invidious state initiative.  I-1033 will do more than just hamstring essential state, county, and municipal programs.  It will do more than just screw over the low-information voters who’ll support it while further enriching Eyman’s treacherous cronies.  What’s especially insidious and evil about it is that it will continue to ratchet down state revenues year after year after year without even the slightest possibility of catching up in good times.

Sadly, in this low-turnout odd-numbered year, an Eyman initiative is really difficult to defeat.  Perhaps the urban turnout in support of R-71 will spill over to help us with I-1033.  But I’m not all that optimistic.

You’ll notice that I haven’t displayed an icon for one of the candidates for Mayor of Seattle.  That’s because I still haven’t made up my mind.  I voted against Greg Nickels for Mike McGinn in the primary, and I’ve been leaning toward him throughout the post-primary campaign.  But I don’t feel strongly enough about it yet to make a final decision.  I worry that he might be too quixotic, too my-way-or-the-highway on some issues.  With Joe Mallahan, my concern is mostly that he believes his experience as a T-Mobile manager can guide him in running city government.  However, private sector management principles simply don’t translate directly to the public sector.  In addition, I still don’t get a picture of what compelled him to run in the first place.  I’ll make my choice before November rolls around, but it’s more likely to be a nose-holding decision on which one I find less unappealing, rather than a positive vote for a mayoral candidate.

There are other races on the ballot, but I just don’t find them all that compelling.  For instance, I don’t particularly want to vote for either Bagshaw or Bloom in their City Council race, and don’t know all that much about the School Board races.

All in all, I don’t have a good feeling about the outcome of this election cycle.  I expect the horridly destructive I-1033 to pass, and I’m concerned that the incompetent, reactionary, oblivious blow-dried TV newsreader will take over Ron Sims’s former position.  Either of those eventualities would be highly deleterious; the combination could be disastrous.

Friday, September 25, 2009

"...It's my birthday too, yeah!"

Today is the birthday of Catherine Zeta-Jones.  I doubt it has anything to do with their marriage, but it’s also Michael Douglas’s birthday.  Barbara Walters was born on this date in 1929, as was the taller of The Two Ronnies.  That same day, Dmitri Shostakovich celebrated his 23rd birthday and William Faulkner turned 32.  Shel Silverstein was born on Barbara’s first birthday, Glenn Gould on the day she celebrated number three.

Will Smith, Fletcher Christian, Cheryl Tiegs, Doris Matsui, Thomas Hunt Morgan, Ian Tyson, Felicity Kendal, Christopher Reeve, Mark Rothko, Robert Gates, Juliet Prowse, Heather Locklear, Robert Bresson, Aldo Ray ... September 25 babies, one and all.

September 25 is the birthdate of 50 Major League Baseball players, from George Cobb in 1865 through Brad Bergesen in 1985.  By far the most famous is (undeserving, IMHO) Hall of Famer Phil Rizzuto, who leads the birthday boys in most offensive career totals.  Interestingly, Scooter was born in the same year (1917) as the winningest September 25 pitcher, Johnny Sain.  Beyond those players, fans may recognize such September 25 birthday boys as Glenn Hubbard, Rocco Baldelli, Joel Pineiro, Geno Petralli, Tony Womack, Sal Butera, Steve Arlin, and Pat Malone.

The list of pro football players born on September 25 totals some 65 men.  Maybe it’s because I’m less than completely knowledgeable about football, but I recognize very few of the names.  Just about the only ones worth mentioning at all are Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck and All-Pro safety John Lynch.  In contrast, the September 25 NBA list is short but sweet—only seven players, but it includes HOFer Bob McAdoo, future inductee Scottie Pippen, and All-Star Chauncey Billups.  Only longtime defenseman Carol Vadnais stands out among the 16 NHL players born on this date.  Finally, aside from the aforementioned Pippen, I can identify only four of the 288 Olympians whose birthdays are celebrated today—American pole vaulter Jeff Hartwig, sprinter Marshevet Hooker, and long jumper Grace Upshaw, along with Canadian figure skater Tracy Wilson (only because she’s now a skating analyst on CBC).

Mark Hamill, Hubie Brown, Aida Turturro, Red Smith, Jean-Phillipe Rameau, Paul MacCready, Feroz Khan, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Bell Hooks, Francesco Borromini, Eugenia Zukerman, Michael Madsen, Sir Colin Davis, Anson Williams, Erik Darling, Robert Walden ... all were born on September 25.

As was I, 59 years ago in Philadelphia.