Intestinal Fortitude

I'm not sure what is worse, the Red Sox making eight errors in the first two games combined, or the Cardinals being unable to pull out at least one victory at Fenway after being given so many gifts. Pedro Martinez vs. Jeff Suppan is on Tuesday and that is followed by Derek Lowe vs. Jason Marquis (who will most likely be replaced after pitching relief last night) on Wednesday. As stated last night in the broadcast, the Cardinals are on a strange streak where the home team has won the last nine games they've played in. They won all four at home vs. the Astros and they lost all three when they played at Minute Maid Park. Now they lost the first two in Boston and will try and keep the streak alive by taking some games at home to get back into it.

I think everyone in Boston is going to have a shrine of Curt Schilling after this World Series. The blood seeping through his sock and Curt just going out and dominating batters without his best fastball just shows what type of competitor he his. It hurts to watch him pitch but the man is on a mission and that is what Theo Epstein brought him here to do. Win a World Series for the Boston Red Sox. The reason these Red Sox are going to pull it off is because they look like they want it more than anyone else. Matt Morris is making excuses about pitching on one day less rest than normal while the guys in Boston are getting it done pitching on two days rest and getting medical procedures done that have not been done before.

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In case any teams needed a reason to stay away from Matt Morris besides his 2004 performance of giving up 35 homeruns and 4.72 ERA, he just gave everyone else another one.

"I think the last time I pitched on short rest was a Wiffle ball game when I was 10," Morris said.

"It's tough leaving a ballgame in the fifth," Morris said. "But 90 pitches is a lot for me."

I shutter to think of the notion that a pitcher gives some extra in the World Series. It is not like they have many games after this. Derek Lowe went out on two days rest for game #7 and won the game in a clutch performance. Matt Morris is only 30 years old, and the fact that he is not resiliant enough to go on three days rest once in the year is scary.

"I believe when you sign a contract it doesn't say you have to pitch five innings," said the legendary Cookie Rojas, who played all nine positions in his career as a player before becoming a manager and a coach. "I think we have spoiled some of these pitchers by saying, 'All you have to give me is five innings, and then I'll have a guy in the sixth and seventh, a guy in the eighth inning and one behind him.' "

In the opposite dugout you had a guy who had his loose tendon sutured down so he can pitch.

Dave Del Grande from the Oakland Tribune thinks that Brian Cashman should be left out of the of the Yankee equation in 2005.

Label the Yankees' demise a fluke if you like. Blame Kevin Brown or the height of the right-field fence at Fenway.

You're wrong. All of you.

The Red Sox held one advantage the Yankees, even when they were up three games to none, couldn't overcome: Theo Epstein over Cashman.

With less funds to work with -- and perhaps because of it -- Epstein put together a team in Boston. The Red Sox had a man for every situation -- relief specialists, defensive replacements, pinch runners ... you name it.

The Yankees had ... well, Cashman had eight guys who could protect Barry Bonds, a Who's Who of recent Cy Young Award candidates and the best closer of all time.

But no leadoff hitter, no useful left-handed reliever and, for the most part, no reason for Joe Torre ever to switch out of auto-pilot mode.

I’d tend to agree that Brian Cashman has done nothing special. He may be a good GM, but he does not get the chance to show it because of the way Steinbrenner wants to build the team. The GM is the fall guy for failed moves and he should be on the hook for creating that ineffective pitching staff and that ineffective bullpen with that huge payroll.

In the article, Dave also asks that you never mention Alex Rodriguez’s name in the same sentence as Barry Bonds again. I’m not sure if any of you have, but I’d ask that you never do it again either.

This statement is not 100% proven and Gary Sheffield denies it, but if he did say it, it makes the biggest playoff collapse in the history of sports even that much sweeter.

Talking about the Red Sox:
"a walking disaster. They act like they're tough, how they care so much about winning, but it's all a front. They're just a bunch of characters."

Tony Massarotti points out that Curt Schilling is due to make $2 million more in 2005 and $13 million in 2007 if the Red Sox wins the win it all. As if players do not have enough incentive to win, he has a huge monetary reason to make sure they win. I do not think anyone had ever had that much cash on the line for a World Series victory.

The Colorado Rockies GM is shopping Shawn Chacon. Chacon is only 26 years old and has very good stuff despite having a bad season in his first year as a converted closer. Whoever takes a chance on him could get a flop or a solid player, but he will not cost that much money which certainly makes this an enticing risk. He is only due to make about $3 million dollars through arbitration next year and this would not be a salary dump and the Rockies will be looking for something of value in return.

FINALLY! Willie will interview today and we are another interview closer to getting the manager of the 2005 New York Mets named. I assume Willie is bit more prepared this time especially with the extra days he had to read up on the Mets organization.

I should have a post up later today on Carlos Beltran and the Mets.