The Yankees are in the playoffs. Rejoice.
In lesser news, NCAA football is being played.
And in the who cares category, there is NFL football as well.
Talk amongst yourselves.
About Dave Miller
Dave Miller serves as senior pastor of Southern Hills Baptist Church in Sioux City, Iowa, and editor of SBC Voices. He served as President of the 2017 SBC Pastors’ Conference. He is a graduate of Palm Beach Atlantic College (now University) and SWBTS. He served churches in Florida and Virginia before returning to Iowa, where he grew up, in 1991, and has served two churches there. Twitter
THE YANKEE EMPIRE WINS!!!! THAAAAAAAAA YANKEES WIN!
Starting next Friday, all we need is 11 wins and all is right!
I knew there was something wrong with Dave Miller. I just couldn’t put my finger on it … Now I know. It’s because he’s a Yankees fan. Makes me throw up a little in my mouth. 😉
Liberal. heretic.
You beat me to it!
Don’t talk about yourself that way, Dave. It’s demeaning.
I’m rubber and you’re glue. whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you.
Love being on the playground.
There was a day in the South, when most southern gentlemen followed followed the St. Louis Cardinals. Thanks to Harry Carry’s broadcasts throughout most of the South. And the Yankees was not a term to use in polite company. Then my son came along and went bonkers over them uncivilized folks….
A friend of mine has a son who finished a stint last year at manager of the Astros and is now on the coaching staff with the Angels. He was a second baseman during the Pittsburgh Pirates win of the World Series back around ’79 or ’80. My friend and his wife attended the University of Tennessee ceremonies in which they retired the number of Phil Garner last year. My present pastor preached the funeral of Catfish Hunter and is, like our son, a gung ho Yankee fan. Sigh!
That punt returner for Alabama needs a salary increase.
And I’m sure glad the Yankees didn’t trade Jesus.
Well, the forces of good triumphed once again over the forces of evil. In other news, the Yankees also won.
Watch USC get pummeled was also a joy. Just wish Notre Dame hadn’t made that comeback!
The Swamp was washed away tonight by a Crimson Tide.
Can you hear it?! I can!! It is ROLL TIDE ROLL!!!!
Who cares about penny-ante stuff like NCAA football when the Yankees are beating the fool out of Detroit?
Dave,
I started to call you last evening to make sure you were able to fill the pulpit after the Tigers had the Yankees for lunch. Then I decided against it. I guess I am becoming more compassionate in my old age.
Will you be watching tonight? Is you heart up to it? Do you have you cardiologist on speed dial?
5 – 4 Tigers. That’s Tigers 2, Yankees 1.
cb, did you say the Tigers were winning this series? Who are they beating?
Thanks for helping a guy out.
Wow, I didn’t know that.
Always glad to help, Dave.
BTW, they play again tonight and if the Tigers win, it is over for the Yankees.
And one other thing. Did you know the SABANATION is undefeated?
Can you hear it Dave? I can! It is ROLL TIDE ROLL!!
BTW Dave,
Is it true that the Buzzard-Eyes have a long standing curse upon them anytime they play a “state” institution such as Iowa State, Ball State, North Carolina State, and the upcoming opponent, Penn State?
The only curse on the Hawkeyes this year is a defense that can’t stop anyone and a quarterback who can’t throw to an open receiver.
Dave,
I have a question. Is your number 2 QB a transfer student from Miami, LSU, or Auburn?
Our second string quarterback committed to Michigan but came to his senses and became a Hawkeye. Actually, he was third string until our second string quarterback got arrested for public drunkenness. I don’t think he is a transfer though.
Dave,
I am sorry I did not make myself clear. For that I apologize in sackcloth and ashes.
My question question was in reference to your original number 2 QB. I had wondered if he was a transfer from any of those three NATIONS. if not, was he a transfer from any of the Texas FOOTBALL NATIONS? Maybe the BAYLOR NATION perhaps or most certainly from the LONGHORN NATION?
Dave,
I will check in with you just moments after the Tigers win their Division Playoff Game.
I trust you are cheering Philadelphia on right now? Maybe this is going to be their year. Ya think?
On the other hand, watching Nebraska get pummeled by a real Big Ten team was joyous.
Someone needs to fire up those Yanks. Let’s haul Don Zimmer out of where ever he is, having him wear bloody socks and charge the mound before getting tossed to the turf by someone 1/10 his age. Yeah!
Jeremy Parks,
Don Zimmer is, I think, with Tampa Bay.
That was one weird moment, Jeremy.
Despite being a NY native, I must join with my Southern brethren and say death (metaphorically speaking) to the Yankees!
Bill Mac,
I have always thought of you as a man of wisdom.
Napoli ever after
C’mon, Cardinals…defeat the evil, dark forces of Muldorf. Defeat the Borg of the NL. Destroy the wicked forces of the dark world, which some call Philly Land.
Vol,
Surely you jest. “Philly Land” as you call it is a place of brotherly love for one and all.
Also, if the Yankees do get into the World Series, no team in the NL currently in the Playoffs stands a chance against them other than Philadelphia.
Certainly a man of your breeding and upbringing in an SEC NATION will desire to see the Yankees be beaten in the World Series. The Cardinals would not stand a chance. They would be swept in four.
Therefore, I know you just had a laps in your thinking because you have not had enough B-B-Q in your diet lately. Come on down to Birmingham tomorrow and I will cure what ails you with a good feed at Dreamland B-B-Q.
The only hope for any team against the Phils is to have their pitchers pitch out of their heads and get the game to the bullpen. The Phillies are designed for postseason with two aces. You have to beat either Cliff Lee (which the Yankees can’t do) or Roy Halliday and then win every other game.
I wish I could go to Dreamland BBQ with you CB. I’m sure that would cure a lot of what ails me….lol
David
CB, in case you didn’t get a chance to check the score, the Yankees are up 10-1 right now. Just thought I’d help you in case you didn’t get a chance to check the score.
I’m just wishing that this was like a soccer series, where they keep a cumulative score. The Yankees would be ahead by 12 runs now.
Curtis Granderson wins the “Wizard of the Glove” award. He also should be credited with the save. Those were rare catches indeed.
He gave the Yankees a couple more days of hope. Of course, if Rodriguez gets hot now along with Jeter, you may be dancing in the street again this year. I will confess that.
Let’s compare notes again Thursday night. You may not be so happy if the ghost of Sparky comes a callin’
I won’t lie to you, I really want the Yankees to win.
But I’ve not really had a lot of confidence in this team all year. I never thought we were a championship caliber team. So I’m not going to be apoplectic is the Yankees lose.
Plus, watching Boston and Atlanta fold in September made this a great year whatever happens in the playoffs.
Simple fact is, if anyone beats the Phillies, it will be remarkable. Halliday. Lee. Hamels. Hard to beat that.
We’ll see what happens on Thursday.
Will the d%$# yankees pull it out tonight?
As a huge Ranger fan I have mixed feelings, on the one hand I dont think the yanks scare the Rangers, especially after last year and I would hate to face Verlander three times. On the other hand I would rather have home field advantage – for what thats worth, over the Tigers. Both teams owned the Rangers in the regular season, but I dont think that counts for a thing in the playoffs.
Cliff Lee only pitched once in last years Rangers/yanks tussle and Napoli and Beltre make the Rangers a stronger team overall going into the ALCS. Rangers starting pitching was very strong this year and the GM of the year, John Daniels, put together a much better bullpen – especially now with Ogando going into the pen for the 7th or 8th.
Love Wash as the manager, his players would walk over hot coals for him, and even though I second guess some of his decisions he is the perfet manager for this team.
I guess at the end of the day – bring on the d%^$ yankees
Dave when you go to bed at night just think of this – Napoli ever after
Dave,
I case you are blogging and not watching the game–After one inning of play it is Tigers 2, Yankees 0.
The score remains after four, Tigers 2, Yankees 0.
Go Tigers. I don’t care if they win another game after this.
At the end of six, it is Tigers 3, Yankees 1.
Dave, are you there Dave?
The Cardinals are holding their own against the forces of evil…the place of darkness….the wizards of Muldorf…formerly known as the Phillies.
It’s also really good to see the Tigers defeating the Borg…formerly known as the Yankees…in the 7th inning….its still 3-1! Go Tigers….destroy the Borg!
David
Also, do not diss the Cards…if you do, then we’ll sick Buschie the Squirrel on you!!!
Vol,
The Boys from Philadelphia will come home with the bacon tomorrow night. And speaking of bacon, you do need to get on down here for some Dreamland B-B-Q.
CB,
Does Dreamland use bacon on their BBQ? Everything is better with bacon on it…..
David
Vol,
If it comes from a pig, Dreamland can B-B-Q it and make it goood!
BTW, tell Dave that the Tigers won.
I guess I will see you tomorrow night for the “Redbird” thrashing by Philadelphia.
The seventh shall always be known as the “Band-Aid” inning.
was there even a sore, or scab, underneath that band aid?
David
Vol,
One of us will play the Brewers. Why don’t you just come on over to my side, cheer for Philadelphia and then we can both watch them win the World Series when they play the Rangers.
Dave Miller, You can watch with us too. That is, if you get back from Walden Pond, looking at leaves and going all Henry David Thoreau and stuff.
after 1….Cardinals 1 Phillies 0…..
CB? Do you believe yet?
Yanks go down! The Tigers were able to overcome all of the media, the megabucks, and the history of the Yankees and win it!
Thank you, Tigers, for keeping us from having to hear about the history of the Yankees 3 million times, as they played in the AL Championship series and World Series…thank you…
Sincerely,
David
Let us celebrate the Yankees now.
Great job! You have returned balance to the universe. Enjoy the World Series like you did last year, I believe: at home, like the rest of us.
Amazing, isn’t it, how much more they get paid to watch the World Series than I do?
ARod going 0-4 in the losing cause…with him being overpaid by millions of dollars…was pretty sweet.
David
Dave “Huggy Bear” Miller,
You need to check in. We all want to know you are OK.
Dave, don’t harm yourself in any way. There’s always next season….or the season after that…..or the one following….
Besides, The SABANATION is 5 and 0. All is good in the world. So cheer up.
CB— did you see the WSJ article about College Football surrendering to the SEC and how the national championship game will be November this year when LSU-Bama happens?
I’ll try to find you the link. Looks right up your alley.
Doug,
It is true. The SEC is superior in all ways to the lesser conferences. The advantages the SEC has over the “Lessers” is unfair, I realize, but nonetheless, I do enjoy our vaulted and elite position.
I heard that freshman registration for next fall rose 687.08% at TEXAS A&M since the AGGIE-NATION was permitted to come among the ranks of FOOTBALL royalty.
I also heard that the SEC bought the AGGGIE-NATION a real FOOTBALL field to play on. Getting out of a cow pasture will surely help. I would not doubt that the LONGHORN NATION and the BAYLOR NATION will be trying to get into the SEC next. I would imagine that playing all these years in a borrowed cow pasture has affected the morale for those two “lessers.”
It is also going to help the AGGIE-NATION to get to use real, regulation footballs in practice now that they can afford them. It must have been hard all these years having to practice with used soccer balls they got on sale at the Railroad Salvage Store in College Station.
If I were a Detroit Tigers blogger, I’d probably point out that Detroit played three series against Texas in 2011, winning two games out of three each time. Moreover, each of the three Rangers victories were earned by Alexi Ogando, who won’t be part of the club’s rotation for the ALCS.
I probably wouldn’t point out that, in the clubs’ first series in April, Josh Hamilton was around for the 2-0 Texas win (contributing a single, walk, and run scored against Justin Verlander) but missed virtually all of the two Rangers losses, breaking a bone in the back of his shoulder on a slide home five minutes into the first of those two games.
I would ignore the fact that in the June series, the Rangers’ relief work was provided by Michael Kirkman, Yoshinori Tateyama, Arthur Rhodes, Dave Bush, Mark Lowe, Tateyama again, Darren Oliver, and Feliz. (Though to be fair, in the two Texas losses, Colby Lewis and Matt Harrison were knocked around, prompting the back of the bullpen to get the game completed.) Mike Adams and Koji Uehara and Mike Gonzalez weren’t around yet, and Ogando wasn’t a bullpen weapon at the time.
Stunningly, when that June series ended, Mike Napoli was hitting .213/.344/.504, having played in 43 of the Rangers’ 63 games. From that point forward, he hit .376/.453/.698 over 70 games.
I’d also fail to mention that Adrian Beltre was out with a hamstring strain when Detroit took two of three in August, taking both of its wins by a margin of one run.
I’d note that Detroit hit .317 against Texas in 2011, slugging .486, while the Rangers hit only .275 against the Tigers and slugged .396.
Detroit ERA against Texas this year: 3.71.
Texas ERA against Detroit: 4.96.
But I’m not a Tigers blogger, and I’m not going to break this series down position-by-position or dive any further into the statistics or make any predictions.
Detroit had an insanely hot September and continues to play well.
Texas, same thing.
And the Rangers will show Detroit a different team from the ones the Tigers saw in April, June, and August.
This ought to be a fantastic series of playoff baseball games.
Eric
after 3…the glorious and good Cardinals 1….the rotten, low down, bums, Phillies 0!
Believe CB….believe!
It can happen.
BTW, in the above comment, I wasnt trying to make any non-Calvinist statement about the spiritual condition of man….you know, when I called the Cardinals glorious and good….
David 🙂
We will overcome in the sixth. That was a health and wealth prophesy. 🙂
Vol,
Well, I guess we have learned two things tonight.
1. Health and Wealth theology is false.
2. You can’t beat a Carpenter.
Hey Cliff Lee, guess who is in the ALCS while you enjoy watching the team and city that wanted to take you into it’s heart
Enjoy Philly
Well Dave,
Wherever you are tonight I just want you to know I understand. I had my hopes for Philadelphia. They lost.
I don’t think I am going to go look at leaves though like you did when the Tigers crushed the life out of the Yankees.
I think I shall go south to some lonely beach and look for the perfect shell. Being a baseball fan is really a hard life.
Big win for the Cardinals…Carpenter is a tough, tough pitcher. Furcal had an exceptional game….Way to go, Cards! Now, lets go get the Brewers…
CB, you’ve gotta believe….it could happen!
🙂
I am now 0-3 in the playoffs. First, the Rays lose, then the Yankees and now the Phillies… anyone want to pay me to NOT pick their team? It looks like I picked a great week to quit gambling.
Tom Bryant,
Based upon your comment above, I would consider it a personal favor if you would pull for St. Louis against Milwaukee in the National League Championship Series.
Being a National League fan, I really don’t want to have to pull for the Nasty Redbirds against the Rangers.
St Louis it is!
Thank you Tom.
Now if I can ask one more favor of you for tonight, it is this; Please cheer for the VANDY-Nation tonight when they face the SABANATION.
I realize that in all probability, there is absolutely no hope that VANDY will even score against the mighty TIDE, but I always like to be sure to tie up any loose ends in things of such great importance to the world as ALABAMA FOOTBALL.
It is true that the GATORNATION and the LSU-NATION are both part of the SEC. Of course that makes them members of the most elite sports entity ever constituted in human history. Therefore, all who live among any of the SEC NATIONS are privileged either by birth or relocation.
With this reality in mind, let it be known that I ask nothing of anyone who lives in the SEC today. But if you are so unfortunate to live among any of the LESSER CONFERENCES, I ask of you a favor. Please cheer the GATORNATION to victory against the LSU-NATION. it will very helpful to the SABANATION if the LSU-NATION gets beaten today. And certainly it will make all of you “LESSERS” feel better, just knowing you cheered for a real FOOTBALL NATION today.
The SABANATION wins again! That’s 6 and 0.
Can you hear it? I can! It is ROLL TIDE ROLL!!
Today’s Newberg report on all things Texas Rangers – follow the link to the sports illustrated column about Ron Washington – the best manager in baseball
Seven things:
1. Alexi Ogando the win, Justin Verlander the loss, Neftali Feliz the save. It happened on April 11, the Rangers’ 9th win of the season, and last night, the club’s 100th victory in 2011.
Billed, as it should be, as Number One starter vs. Number One starter, it turns out neither Verlander nor C.J. Wilson was great last night. Texas worked Verlander for more than 20 pitches per inning, with Ian Kinsler setting the tone brilliantly. The Rangers didn’t chase his filth out of the zone (he threw a hair under 60 percent of his pitches for strikes), making him come back in with fastballs. They shortened up when it was called for (particularly Mike Napoli on a 2-2 single to lead off the second and Kinsler on a 1-0 single the other way to score David Murphy, who had tripled, later in the inning).
For all his considerable greatness, Verlander hasn’t been very good in his last four starts, three of which have been post-season efforts. In those four games, he has a 1-3, 5.85 record, surrendering 19 hits (three home runs) and eight walks in 20 innings.
(You can bet Verlander – who did say that he figured something out mechanically during the first rain delay and would have returned to the mound had Texas come back up to bat before the second delay – will be a strong consideration for a Game Four start on short rest now, maybe depending on how Games Two and Three go. Rick Porcello’s 22 pitches last night shouldn’t endanger his Game Four availability, but Verlander’s 82 ought to make it more likely that he’s brought back Wednesday, which would also put him in line for a short-rest assignment in a Game Seven.)
Wilson threw an even lower percentage of strikes (57 percent), issuing five walks (one intentional) in 4.2 innings, and while he had good stuff, especially with his breaking ball, he wasn’t sharp. He allowed six of the first 11 Tigers to reach base, couldn’t get 10th starter Ryan Raburn out – a crime considering he bats ahead of Miguel Cabrera, Detroit’s one mega-threat – and after walking Raburn and Cabrera to load the bases in the fifth with one out, he had an 0-2 count on Victor Martinez (a lifetime .176 hitter against Wilson) before uncorking a wild pitch to bring a run home and shave the Texas lead down to 3-2.
Including his six scoreless innings against Tampa Bay in his first career playoff start (Game Two against the Rays last year), Wilson has a 1-3, 4.76 record in six post-season starts.
But for the most part on Saturday night, Wilson wiggled out of trouble, and that’s what rotation bulls do.
2. After that Wilson wild pitch, which was followed by an intentional walk and the second rain delay, the Texas bullpen allowed two more baserunners the entire way: 4.1 scoreless innings, one hit (a bunt single in the ninth), one walk, eight strikeouts. Verlander induced nine swinging strikes in his four innings of work. Wilson, six swinging strikes in his 4.2 frames. Rangers relievers: 15 swinging strikes in 4.1 innings.
Mike Gonzalez, Ogando, Darren Oliver, Mike Adams, and Feliz were each, in one way or another, absolutely dominant. (Detroit’s pen was tremendous, too: four scoreless innings, one hit, no walks, two strikeouts.) Baseball fans rarely credit their team’s manager for orchestrating his bullpen beautifully, but man, last night’s relief succession was brilliant stuff. . . .
. . . with an exclamation point from Good Nef shutting things down. A heavy dose of Closing 101.
Actually, 101.4.
Napoli, who has caught Feliz all year and was hitless in five trips against him (two strikeouts) as an Angel, said after the game that it was the best he’d ever seen out of Feliz.
Darren O’Day tweeted, after the game: “Feliz’s last fastball to Austin Jackson was the singular most impressive pitch I’ve ever seen. Painted down/away at 101 mph for the K. WOW.”
Wilson’s responsive tweet: “Wish I could do that.”
3. Texas has beaten the Tigers four times in 2011. Ogando has earned all four wins.
Not sure why he wasn’t getting loose the minute play resumed after the first rain delay concluded, but I’m not going to get too hung up about that. Especially because if Ogando (who did begin warming but only after Wilson had encountered trouble) had relieved Wilson somewhere in the double-groundout-double-walk-walk-wild pitch-groundout sequence before Magglio Ordonez was intentionally walked, then he’d have been the pitcher of record when the second delay halted action for more than an hour, and almost certainly would not have been able to come back to finish the fifth, and pitch the sixth, and pitch the seventh.
Different game, in that case? I don’t even want to think about that.
Ogando has now pitched in nine playoff games in his career, five last year and four this month: one run on six hits and two walks in 10.2 innings, with 13 strikeouts. He’s been extraordinary, one of the Rangers’ absolute weapons in this year’s playoff run.
4. While Raburn and Ramon Santiago were Detroit’s unsung heroes (yes, Delmon Young might have been Detroit’s playoff Napoli, but Raburn was outstanding last night in his place), David Murphy (what a sequence) and Nelson Cruz stepped up and punished Verlander from the bottom third of the order.
Meanwhile, Josh Hamilton does look “deliriously tired” at the plate, flicking at fastballs and refusing to lay off breaking stuff down and away, and you can bet Adrian Beltre will start to see fastballs above the zone, particularly when behind in the count. As Beltre showed in Game Four in Tampa Bay, though, things can turn around in an instant for guys like that.
On the other end of the defensive spectrum from Beltre (what a night with the glove, again), did Ordonez’s effort on the Murphy triple make anyone else think of Vladimir Guerrero’s right field work in last year’s World Series?
You almost can’t even think about taking Ordonez’s bat out of the lineup tonight, especially against a lefthander, but asking him to navigate a potentially puddled outfield could get adventurous. And DH belongs to Victor Martinez (who, by the way, ran like a hobbled Bengie Molina on a big 5-4-3 double play in the third).
5. I saw a “Napoli Ever After” sign in the Ballpark, and it seems Fox ran a graphic with that title during the telecast, too.
6. ESPN’s Howard Bryant wrote a sensational column yesterday describing Ron Washington’s influence on the mindset of this team, and you really ought to take 10 minutes to read it. It’s a tremendous piece of writing.
I participated in an ALCS preview with a USC digital news site called Neon Tommy: http://www.neontommy.com/news/2011/10/mlb-playoffs-alcs-qa-rangers-and-tigers-writers.
But read the Bryant column if you only have time for one.
7. Derek Holland vs. Max Scherzer vs. the elements tonight.
Rain delays bite, especially when you’re at the ballpark with young kids. Enough of those. The scene in the concourse during the two delays last night reminded me of Game Three against the Yankees in 1998, maybe the most depressing baseball experience of my life.
But this Rangers team, in so many ways, is completely different from those late-’90s playoff teams.
I’ll take weather concerns over worrying whether Texas could manage to get a baserunner to third base, or to get a big out from its bullpen, the things the first generation of Rangers playoff baseball gave us.
Sure hope we play tonight.
#CastleDoctrine