Playoff Pulse is our morning rundown of the night that was and the night that will be during the MLB postseason.Looking Forward ...
Let's keep this section short, since there will be plenty of looking ahead here over the next few days. TBS took a hit in the first round of the postseason, with three sweeps robbing the network of a more dramatic finish to the Division Series.
The League Championship Series ought to make up for it.
Two teams from Los Angeles, the defending champion from a rabid East Coast market and, oh yeah, the Yankees. Save the Red Sox in place of the Angels, this is a perfect foursome for the television networks. And for impartial observers who love good baseball, this is a pretty hard group to beat.
| In Their Own Words |
|---|
| "If you watched these games, some of the best baseball that I've been around in quite a while." -- Phillies manager Charlie Manuel on his team's NLDS against Colorado. |
| By the Numbers |
Career postseason hits by Rockies catcher Yorvit Torrealba, a Colorado record. Rookie Carlos Gonzalez could catch him quickly. He had 10 hits in the series. |
| More From FanHouse |
| Tomasson: Phils' Grit Wins Out Piliere: Scouting Notes |
What will we remember the 2009 Division Series for years from now?
How about all of the goats?
Each of the four teams that bowed out in the first round didn't just lose, they had one or a few specific culprits to heap blame upon.
There was Matt Holliday, of course, who dropped what would have been the final out in a Cardinals' win in Game 2. Let's not forget his teammate Ryan Franklin, who melted down from that point on.
There was Jonathan Papelbon, who went from bulletproof in the postseason to bullet-riddled in Game 3 against the Angels.
And Twins closer Joe Nathan, who melted down in similar fashion against the Yankees in Game 2.
Let's not forget Huston Street who lost the last two games for the Rockies in their NLDS defeat at the hands of the Phillies.
And finally, there were the umpires, who, from one end of the country to the other, made a mess of things over and over again. There were heroes in the first round too, but let's hope there are more of them as we head
Scout's Eye View ...
It might be a good time for any baseball fans looking ahead to next year to highlight the name Carlos Gonzalez. With a skill set, stance and swing at the plate that resemble Carlos Beltran, he appears poised to have a breakout season in 2010. Few things are better for a young player than to finish a season strong and as all viewers of this NLDS could see, finish strong he did.
Gonzalez has an outstanding swing path in which he keeps the barrel of the bat in the zone extra long, allowing him to cover a variation of speeds and locations. He creates a lot of loft in his swing, so it would not be shocking to see him put up 25-30 home runs as soon as next season. With skills that impressive in just about every tool category, this series may have given fans a sneak preview of a future star.
-- Frankie Piliere (Full Scouting Notebook)
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
I don't recall the opening round ever going so fast. Was it three 3-0's and one 3-1?
Shoot me if I'm wrong but don't call me a 'bean counter.' I am an operational and fraud auditor. I don't sit at a desk with a green eyeshade on my head and crunch numbers. However, I do like baseball stats.
The best pure hitter in the MLB is Ryan Braun. Just wait until his career continues. No one hits outside pitches to right field better than Braun. No player hits bad pitches better (or worse) than Braun. If there ever is another .400 hitter it will be Joe Mauer or Ryan Braun.
Anyhow, back to the playoffs.