Two Games In: All Tied Up
So, two games into the World Series from Hell, and everything is all tied up. As soon as I openly expressed my desire for a Detroit/Los Angeles World Series, I had a creeping suspicion this was the World Series I was going to get. The only way I was going to accept a Red Sox World Series was if I was going to get one vs the Dodgers, so I could see the big 2012 trade in direct contrast and see Puig hitting bombs over the Monster and blowing kisses to beard-os.
Yaisel Puig isn't in the World Series, but he did play Little League with some kids. "It was Puig! And we jumped the fence!"
Is that playing the game the right way?
Game 1 was nightmarish for the Cardinals. I think Wainwright wasn't getting his curve over for strikes and that was all compounded by the defensive miscues happening behind him. Jays fans are well aware of how stupid things can get in that ballpark, and things got really, really stupid.
Looking sharp, boys.
— Will Leitch (@williamfleitch) October 24, 2013
In the "really, really stupid" category: A Cardinal minor leaguer tweeted about Jon Lester doctoring the ball in Game 1. That story was talked about so much that Mike Matheny actually apologized on behalf of the Cardinals organization and Jon Lester said the words "green booger" in a press conference. Also, a statey sang "God Bless America", which is fine, except he did it wearing a Marine uniform. He's never been a member of USMC. They generally don't like it when people do that.
Game 2 was better for the Cardinals. Carlos Beltran, who left game 1 after he went where Torii Hunter couldn't, returned to the lineup and little rookie Michael Wacha (who was drafted in 2012, by the way) pitched like a boss. This discussion about Wacha took place via Twitter:
@HumandChuck he's a rare stud. The pitching version of trout.
— Tony_Rasmus_IV (@FlorenceFalcon0) October 25, 2013
That's some high praise.
Pitching is such a weirdly, freakishly beautiful thing to do:
I discovered Carlos Martinez, both on the field and off and I can't say I mind him.
This happened:
Which was nightmarish for Red Sox fans and funny for the rest of us. Come for McCarver's comments, stay for John Farrell's face.
And then this:
That's struck out the side.... on eleven pitches.
A lot of interesting baseball things have been popping up around.
Jonah Keri talked to Alex Speier about Sox team chemistry and Matthew Leach about the Cardinal Way.
The New York Times wrote about David Ortiz being the new version of "Mr.October". I love David Ortiz, but I would also just stop pitching to him. He is on some kind of fire right now.
On Getting Blanked, Dustin Parkes wrote about how the Cardinals got so damn good perennially. Grantland talked about it, too.
Jim Leyland's career is eulogized over on Sports on Earth.
Mariano Rivera talks to Charlie Rose. This guy is just such a gentleman.