Collideoscope

Posted by: Bradley McDonald

Done. Four games and it's all over. One Astros fan held up a sign at the game last night that read "Gag the fat lady." Well, she sang loud and clear and may still be singing.

Game four looked like a rerun of the previous games for the Astros. The theme: missed opportunities. Just about every inning provided an opportunity for Houston to score runs and every inning ended without the big hit. It was frustrating to watch. In fact, I got so frustrated that when the White Sox scored a run in the eighth, I turned the TV off.

For about five minutes.

I couldn't give up on the boys. But then they left runners on base again in the bottom of the eighth. Hello, Frustration. Off goes the TV.

For about five minutes.

Bottom of the ninth inning. I thought that surely it was our time. So many games with the other team celebrating after a game-winning hit. Gotta be our time. Two outs. Tying run on third. He stays there. Sox win 1-0.

If the Astros could've gotten one more hit in each game at the right time, they could've won every one of them. Credit must be given to Chicago's pitching staff, though. They brought it.

These weren't the same Houston hitters that played over the last few months of the season, though. Their offense has struggled all year, but since the 15-30 start, someone always came up with the big hit when they needed it. Maybe it was nerves, but whatever it was, they looked terrible at the plate in the Series.

Nevertheless, what a ride it has been! The thrill of making it to the World Series outweighs any disappointment caused by being swept. I'm going to miss baseball. Spring Training can't get here quick enough.

I can also take solace in the fact that soon our beloved Kent Curry will post pictures in the Astros "attire" that I sent him. He has sent word that he's received one package, but there is still more on the way. I can't wait.

Posted by: Bradley McDonald

Well, It's over. Another great game to watch for White Sox fans or neutral fans. Not so great for me.

My boys squandered many chances, then a former Astro named Geoff Blum comes off the bench to hit a home run in the 14th inning. Two slow infield hits and two walks later and another run is in.

A walk and an error gives Houston hope in the bottom of the inning but a pop-up ends the game.

So many chances.

Unbelievable.

Posted by: Bradley McDonald

12th inning.

Tied 5-5.

Every inning takes another year off of my life. The way this game is going, I shall die of heart failure at 33. Make the Astros pay for my funeral.

Posted by: Bradley McDonald

Unbelievable.

That's all you can say when a guy who has no home runs in 507 regular season at bats, hits a home run to beat your team in the World Series. Against your best pitcher.

Unbelievable.

No, I wasn't throwing anything. I didn't even cuss. I even cracked a smile (OK, almost cracked a smile). Podsednik has never hit a ball that far in his life.

Unbelievable.

That game made me wish I wasn't an Astros fan, so I could sit back and enjoy it. Drama, drama, drama. Must be October.

If you look past the home runs for the White Sox, though, you'll see that the Astros gave away the game. Defensive miscues early on gave Chicago two runs. And then Wheeler walks two guys to load the bases for Konerko. You can't walk guys in front of the cleanup hitter in the postseason. Those guys are kinda good.

At least Roy Wonder is on the mound tonight and my boys are back home. They've played with their backs to the wall all year. Time to do it one more time.

Posted by: David Bunch

The weekend was packed with sports action, not the least of which was LSU Football and The World Series. I'm told by a very reliable source that our own Brad McDonald was in Tiger Stadium Saturday night watching the football game with his eyes, but listening to The World Series with his ears via a handy earbud and radio tuner. In fact, said reliable source indicates that matters got so tense at one point that she (ahem, the source) stated that if either the Tigers or the Astros did not win she (oops, the source) was not going to ride home with Mr. McDonald.

Well, the Tigers won.

Barely.

In over time.

But the Astros Lost. Twice.

Game 2 was played last night and there was no shortage of excitement. The Astros tied the game in dramatic fashion in the top of the ninth, but the White Sox came back to win it 7-6 on a home run by Scott Podsenik, who has hit a grand total of zero home runs this season.

This is the stuff dreams are made of.

The good news for the Astros is that the series shifts to Houston, but as Dan Wetzel of Yahoo Sports says, they are going to have to figure a way to beat a team who has won 14 of the last 15 and 6 straight in the post season.

All that and Clemens is injured, too.

I'm calling on Brad to get the lucky cap, underroos, and tiger paw ready. Looks like they all will be needed.

Posted by: Bradley McDonald

This story should tell you a little more about the character of this Houston team. While I was in meltdown mode after Pujols home run, the team was laughing it off.

After Pujols put a dagger through their hearts with that ninth-inning, two-out, three-run homer against closer Brad Lidge to steal away Game 5 and prevent the Astros from clinching their first-ever World Series berth in Minute Maid Park, they boarded their charter flight midday Tuesday

Catcher Brad Ausmus had hatched a plan, obtained approval from Astros management and delivered it safely to their pilot.

While the rest of America talked about how devastated the Astros must have been and wondered whether they would appear on the Busch Stadium field for Game 6 disguised as a bowl of Jell-O, something entirely different was happening in the friendly skies.

According to Ausmus, several minutes after takeoff, the pilot said something pretty close to this over the plane's public address system: "We've reached our cruising altitude of 35,000 feet. I've turned off the fasten seatbelt sign and turned off the cabin lights. If you look to the left of the aircraft, in the next two or three minutes you might be able to catch a glimpse of Albert Pujols' home run ball."

If only the rest of us could have heard the roar.

Not to be outdone by Cardinal Curry, I bring to you visuals!




Roy Wonder












"The Great Pujols."
Strike Three.
Bye-Bye.
(He did hit a shot right at the shortstop in the late innings, although he ended the night 0-4. I'd still like to borrow him for a week.)

















My favorite picture. Biggio and Bagwell with the trophy.

Posted by: Bradley McDonald

No, Kent, we weren't kidding about the clothing wager. Since you've been a very graceful LOSER, I won't embarass you toooo much (ha!). Seems like there was a mention of a foam cowboy hat and cheap Berkman jersey in your cute little mock ad down below. That just may work. :)

What do y'all think?

Posted by: Bradley McDonald

It's been quite an emotional week. My grandmother, whose health had been slowly detoriorating over the past few months, passed away Monday morning. It wasn't unexpected, so our family was somewhat prepared, but it's always tough to say goodbye. I have a lot of good memories of playing at Grandma and Grandpa's house; they were everything grandparents are supposed to be and I'm very thankful for all the memories they've left me.

(I also had a mid-term exam and a project due in the two classes I'm taking, but since you probably don't care about finite state machine diagrams for validating floating point numbers, I'll spare you the details. Let's just say they took up valuable sleep time.)

It looked like the Astros would provide a pick-me-up Monday night when Berkman hit a three run homerun in the seventh inning to give Houston a 4-2 lead. Of course, we all know how that ended and we even have many pictures to prove it (thanks, Kent). I've never been so high then so low over one sporting event. It was heartbreaking, quite frankly.

Then I became nervous. Going back to St. Louis for two games didn't thrill me at all. And as Kent stated, "Mighty Mo swung red." But as I heard an announcer put it tonight: "Momentum is your team's next starting pitcher."

And, boy, did the Astro's next starting pitcher ever step up. Roy Oswalt allowed only three hits over seven innings to a team that averages 5 runs a game. He was just flat-out overpowering. His line in two games against the Cardinals this series: 14 innings pitched, 5 hits, 2 earned runs, and a 1.23 ERA. Not bad at all. Smells like an MVP.

After this week, I never needed a win so much. After 45 years and no World Series apearances, the city of Houston never needed a win so much. After a combined 33 years in the big leagues and not one World Series game, Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell never needed a win so much.

And they got it. Finally. Sweet Relief.

It's guys like Biggio and Bagwell that I'm so happy for. I feel like I grew up with them having followed the Astros so closely over their careers. You can tell what kind of person Biggio is just by watching an interview with him. He was choking up after the game tonight when he talked about how he just wanted to go home and give his boys a big hug.

I don't know whether to chalk this win up to experienced veterans or youthful exuberance. After Pujols demoralizing blast, I thought the 'Stros might come out nervous and flat. Wrong on both accounts. But was it because of calm leadership or did the young guys just not know they were supposed to be nervous?

All I know is that the team followed Roy's lead and competed. Competed their way to the Big One.

Thanks, boys. I needed that.

Posted by: kdc

Congratulations to Bradley and his ‘Stros. Once again the old baseball adage that “good pitching beats good hitting” was proven true. Houston got great pitching from Oswalt tonight.

Plus, Houston proved to be a team of great character, easily overcoming their worst nightmare on Monday night to win tonight 5-1. (Notice the severe lack of celebration in the Houston dugout until the very last out. :)

It’s been extremely frustrating to watch a team that won 100 games to struggle so mightily in this series – dumb decisions, sloppy play (Edmonds trying to one-hand a bounce without even looking at the ball) & anxious hitting did us in. As I always told my Bible Quizzers, it’s okay if they beat us (no one can win every game), just don’t lose it. In so many ways the Cards lost this as much as the Astros won it – proving that that Astros were the better team.

I wish them the best of luck in the World Series. (I always root for the National League team to win it.)

I’m sure Bradley will have just a few more details to share with you in a very few minutes.

Congratulations again!


P.S. We were just kidding about that clothing wager, right Bradley old buddy old pal?

Posted by: kdc

Posted by: kdc

This is why we follow sports – unexpected moments with everything in the balance. Later we realize that those moments don’t just define games, but careers and lives (as well as the alcohol intake of millions).

It was like a movie really: 2 outs, 2 men on base, Astros winning 4-2 in the top of the 9th. Lidge, the Astros (perhaps the game’s?) best reliever, was pitching, having just walked Jim Edmonds after David Eckstein had started a rally w/a poke single between shortsop and third. Minute Maid rocked. The Fox sports crew was already showing past footage of the Astros playoff futility in delightful counterpoint to the current moment anticipating World Series joy.

The only problem? Albert Pujols, the game's most dangerous hitter not on steroids, was at the plate. The Astros huddled at the mound w/manager Phil Garner. It had to be a simple conversation: Do we walk him to load the bases for Reggie Sanders? Lidge must've insisted he could get Pujols out & ensure a trip to the World Series. This is why we watch sports - the National League's best reliever against baseball's best hitter. How could Garner doubt him now?

Lidge blew a strike by Pujols.

Lidge threw a ball.

Minute Maid rocked. Just rocked. Everyone was on their feet, the Astros dugout rang out with gleeful players.

Then Lidge threw a slider down the middle.

And just like that, Mighty Mo swung Red.

It was like Pujols was hitting a tennis ball. It sailed higher and higher, eventually pinging above the railroad tracks over the left field wall. Minute Maid swallowed its collective tongue and
literally stood petrified in an awed silence.

Pujols savored this one, savored it a lot, ambling slowly down the first base line in a watchful gaze until it pinged, then ricocheted into the stands below the tracks. Like the total pro he is, he ran the bases w/out fanfare and touched home plate.

Cardinals 5, Astros 4

The baseball gods smiled and the Astros first two outs went to - who else? - Pujols, who beat each batter to first base. The final out was a fly to right field, but the game had been long over.

As the Cardinals congratulated each other, only a 3 man TV crew went onto the field for closer shots. The stands remained an unmoving forest. Fox's post game duo couldn't figure out what to say except the Astros still just needed to win 1 of 2 instead of 1 of 3. The script had been shredded.

During the congratulations, manager LaRussa cupped Pujols neck after the game and whispered in his ear. He just whispered 3 words: “The Great Pujols.”

*****

I would never presume that the Astros, a team of great character and superior pitching, are out of this series. I said all along this would go 6 (& now I plan on it going 7).

I do know that St. Louis will be The Red Sea on Wednesday, the likes of which few have ever seen. I am not a huge baseball fan (I prefer the manlier pursuits of football), but St. Louis is a baseball town bar none. In a metro area of 2.5 million people, it regularly draws over 3 million people a season. The call-in shows start discussing Spring Training immediately after New Year's. Expect Busch Stadium, one lose from the wrecking ball, to be rocking in Red.

And the one intangible the Astros have been able to leverage this entire series (and to their credit) - momentum - is now wearing Red.

As Pujols said, "We just need to win two before we lose one."

Only a fool would bet against him now.

*****

* Tip of the hat to the eloquent Lamont who mentioned the "tennis ball" analogy to me as we gushed about the new Great One.

Posted by: kdc

Did I mention Albert was 0-4 before that final at-bat?

1 for 5. I think we'll keep him.

Posted by: kdc

Saturday I was literally at a beautiful outside wedding all afternoon/evening & it was just as well, as my Cards lost Game 3 in ugly fashion evidently. Having completely missed it, there was nothing of insight to report (and we had company over until Sunday morn). Sorry, wasn’t dodging my commitments. (I hope this doesn’t blow my coming New York Times gig.)

Game 4
Frankly, between superior pitching and greater poise, the Astros have been impressive.

Sunday, they pieced together a win w/a variety of pitchers while the Cards again couldn’t get the hits when men got on base - & often in scoring position.

The last two innings were especially exciting, as with the score 2-1, 2 outs, 1 man on base, & a 3-1 count, Jim Edmonds argued strike 2 so vociferously that he was tossed from the game. (You aren’t allowed to argued strikes & balls, although umpires usually allow a complaint or 2. Frankly, it did look like a ball & w/Pujols on deck, I was dying to see what would occur.) In any event, it’s a nightmare for a pinch hitter, who wasn’t even warming up, to be put into a full count, 2 out situation & we couldn’t capitalize.

Ninth inning Pujols, who was a very human 2-11 in the series (if I remember correctly) before this bat, singled, Larry Walker singled him to third, then Reggie Sanders hit a one-hopper to the third baseman, allowing Pujols to get nailed at the plate. (Alas, Pujols should not have been running, as there were no outs & the 3rd base coach told him not to run.) However, Walker alertly got to third as the Astro covering 3rd comically starting calling time-out as he slid into the base. (It’s comic only because he obviously wasn’t prepared for Walker & so instinctively wanted to stop his advancement.)

So with one out and a man on 3rd, John Mabry hits into a double play, a hit that would’ve scored Pujols is he’d of just stayed at 3rd. Though honestly, the throw to the first baseman to complete a double play looked like a tie on the replay to me, though no one disputed it very hard, so maybe it wasn’t quite so close as the replays indicated…

To say that Cardinals Nation is in disrepair is an understatement.

The only good news, according to www.si.com:

Game 5 Cardinals starter Chris Carpenter loves Minute Maid Park. He is 4-0 with a 1.85 ERA against the Astros in five starts during the regular season, and at Minute Maid Park he was 3-0 with a 1.13 ERA. In four total career starts at Minute Maid, Carpenter is 4-0 with an 0.84 ERA. "I actually enjoy pitching here," Carpenter said on Sunday. "I think it's a nice place. I like the park. The mound is good. Everything about it is good. If you start concerning yourself with that short wall in left, the next thing you know, you go away from your game and they have still got to hit it out there."

Maybe it's time for me to set up a Rams-Texans wager?

Posted by: Bradley McDonald

I believe we had a game yesterday.
(Astros - 4, Cardinals - 3)

I wonder who won.
(Astros - 4, Cardinals - 3)

Maybe someone will write about it soon. :)
(Astros - 4, Cardinals - 3)

Posted by: Bradley McDonald

Very good writing there, Bro. Curry! And just think how good you'll be after writing three more game summaries. The NY Times just may come knocking!

Roy Oswalt pitched one of the best games I've ever seen him pitch, and he's thrown some good ones. Every pressure situation he found himself in ended with him making a clutch pitch. And Brad Lidge was Brad Lidge (you would think Kent would know how to spell his name since Cardinal hitters have about 4 hits in 39048 at bats against him now).

And under the category of "giving credit where credit is due..." I would rather have Jim Edmonds in center field than anyone else in baseball, except maybe Andruw Jones. The guy is a double-killer. I would, without a doubt, take Albert Pujols at the plate over anyone. He may end up being the best hitter to EVER play the game.

The characteristic I love about this Houston team is that they never lose their confidence. They may only get two hits in one game, but in the next game, they'll erupt for 15. They're a scrappy bunch and that's the way I like my baseball teams!

Posted by: kdc

Congratulations to the Astros for tying the series up 1-1.

Once again (& as always happens in baseball), superior pitching prevailed. Oswalt tamped down on everyone. The usually superior Jim Edmunds actually ended 3 different innings, so he’s got better days ahead of him I pray. Killer closer Linge is in the Cardinals' heads so deeply it isn't even funny – they were swinging at anything & everything. Even when we got a hit (& this wasn't Linge's finest night), it seemed obvious we wouldn't be able to string together enough to matter.

Some high/lowlights:

* Good defense on both teams, especially Edmunds highlight reel catch, but saving runs isn’t making runs.

* Houston's hitting continues strong & spread out except for that one guy (sorry, I can't remember his name, I'm not being disrespectful), who's having a career postseason.

* Cardinals may have lost their hottest hitter Reggie Sanders, on a poorly played fly to LF. Heard it was a strained back, but the fall he took trying to grab a long fly was nasty, cornerback to the wide receiver's feet type of fall.

* Give it to the Umps: 2 Well called games so far. (Some small quibbles, but they've been consistent.)

* True Story: Edmunds left 2 men on & died looking on a full count & one of our guests said, "I hate when Pujols leads off because when he hits one it’s only 1 run." The Astros go down & then it's our turn. Albert Pujols, a god among men, cranked Oswalt's first pitch out, barely moving after such an awful display of power. Just cranked it out. Even against Houston’s killer closer, he got w/in 10 feet of the wall w/out a full swing. What a joy to watch!

* Gotta like how those Astros - they never give up!

Like I said earlier - this one's going 6.

Posted by: kdc

What seems to have been forgotten by some (*AHEM!*)
commentators is though the heart of the Cardinals lineup
was only 2 for 11 last night (Of course Pujols got his one hit
when there was a man on base, thereby scoring him - but
then that’s why he’s otherworldly.), it is the defensive fundamentals
that ground this team in the success of 100 victories. It was
the near-flawless defense that kept “a clutch hit or two”
(as stated by one (*AHEM!*) commentator) from occurring.

These two articles back that up.

These skills are reminiscent of the 3 Cardinals teams that
went to the World Series in the 1980s. Those teams had
very little power, but they were defensed by numerous
Golden Gloves.

Strong defense gets even less attention in baseball than
synchronized swimming does in the Olympics, but it might
be more important than power hitting and just below
dominating pitching.

Watch and marvel at this underrated aspect as the Cardinals
go up 2-0 in the series tonight.

Posted by: Bradley McDonald

Cardinals - 5
Astros - 3

OK, here we go.

The astonishing St. Louis Cardinals defeated the poor and undoubtedly outmatched Houston Astros tonight, 5-3. Offensive support was provided mainly by the sturdy and stalwart Reggie Sanders, who hit a mammoth two run homerun. The inexorable Chris Carpenter, who should be the Cy Young award winner of the century, was too much on the mound. Houston should absolutely not play another game in this series or they will suffer unquestionable embarassment at the hands of the greatest team in the land!

Ha!

The game came down to Chris Carpenter pitching better than Andy Pettitte. Pettitte made some mistakes early and the Cardinals hitters made him pay. If the Astros could've gotten a clutch hit or two, they could've won the thing, though.

I will say this - there is no doubt who has the better offense and the better coach. But I still say...

ASTROS IN FIVE, BABY!

Posted by: kdc

Cardinals 5
Astros 2

Dear Bradley,
I was hurt by your many (rude) comments in your (rude) reply post that (rudely) tore into my quite-factual news and commentary.

I humbly await your synopsis of the great Pettitte's pitching in this all-important first game.

Your brother in Christ,
k

P.S. And if you keep inserting your comments into my posts, I may ship your beloved mother from our comfy Siberian 90&9 editing post to the less luxurious office in the Sudan.

Posted by: David Bunch

I'm loving this spirit of brotherly love that has taken root here at The Bench Warmers. The Curry/McDonald rivalry only serves to make the MLB post-season all the more interesting.

I must admit that I was secretly pulling for the Yankees. Since they were obviously not up to the challenge, I am now throwing my support behind the White Sox. Why, you ask? Well, simply because I want to see another team break the championship drought, much like the Red Sox did last year. Appears we're not off to a good start.

On the other hand, should the Astros win the big prize....well, they will be ending a drought, too, won't they....

Posted by: kdc

My how children prattle when they get excited. You’d think they’d never gotten to the World Series before. Oh wait! They haven’t!

While the Cardinals have won more World Series than any other National League team in baseball.

{Edited by BM: Yada, yada, yada. What have you done for me lately? (Besides totally CHOKE in last year's Series.) In the last three decades, St. Louis has exactly one more championship than Houston}

*YAWN* Here we go again.

As I recall, we had no pitching last year and still dusted the ‘Stros (what a cute nickname!) in 7. This year we’ve got our pitching back, so I don’t see this going longer than 6 games, probably 5 (luck probably going with the underdogs).

{Edited by BM: You don't want to talk about pitching. I'll take Clemens, Oswalt, and Pettitte over anyone. Note - over the last month of the season, Houston's top 3 starting pitchers garnered 11 wins; the top 3 from STL? A whopping 3 wins.}

Yep, I’ll happily write about the Astros 1-2 wins over the next week and happily agree to wear an Astros something-or-other all one day (with pictures as proof – I’m nothing if not a good sport), since it’ll never happen. I just want independent verification that Bradley enjoys wearing a sweatshirt of a winning team with a long winning tradition all day with the appropriate pictures. (Though why he’d be embarrassed to finally be associated with a winning team is beyond me.)

{Edited by BM: Since May 27, Houston has had baseball's best record (73-42). Need I go on? You're going to look cute in a pink Astros shirt, Curry!}

Let the games begin! I’m nothing if not a good sport! (Especially for a sure thing.)

{Edited by BM: Parting shot - Don't cheer for Kent's team! He runs a sweatshop to get his precious ninetyandnine.com up every week. There are at least 12 of us working 27 hours a day and all he does is send emails wondering why we're not working more!}

Overflowing with the Love of Christ,
k

Posted by: Bradley McDonald

In case you missed the comments section on the post below, Kris came up with some good ideas concerning a friendly "wager" between Kent Curry and I and the Astros/Cardinals series. Here's the dialog:

Kris, The Astro Fan said...

Let's see . . . you could do the classic - Kent has to wear an Astros jersey when they win - or Kent has to send you something specifically "STL" when they win - (if it was a WI team, we would send you cheese if we lose) - or . . . you could make him write the games review for us highlighting only the best Astro plays when they win.

What do ya think?

Bradley McDonald said...

I like the way you think, Kris!

Maybe we can do a combination of those things. Kent has to write about the phenomenal Astros players WHEN they win and I'll write about the sorry Cards players IF they win.

The winner could also pick out something the loser has to wear with the winning team's logo, etc. and a picture will be published in the blog.

What'cha think, Curry?

So, the gauntlet has been laid forth! The only question is whether our esteemed Bro. Curry accepts the challenge or tucks his tail between his legs and runs away. I would advise the latter!

Posted by: Bradley McDonald

What a weekend!

The Astros made my Houston trip a fun one by finding some offense to go along with another stellar performance from the pitching staff on Saturday night. The 'Stros pounded out seven doubles and scored four runs in the seventh inning on their way to a 7-3 win over the Braves.

Little did I know that Saturday's game would be a dim memory today thanks to one of the most remarkable games ever played.

On my way home from Houston on Sunday, I checked the score and the 'Stros were down 6-1 in the sixth inning. I'll admit that I didn't have much faith at that point, so I didn't check the score again. When I got home, my girlfriend told me they had lost so I flipped on the TV to catch some football. Well, luckily for me, the channel that came on had the Braves/Astros game playing and at first I thought it was just a highlight show. It turns out that my girlfriend was wrong about the game being over (boy, was she ever) and I had tuned in just in time to catch the ninth inning.

Lance Berkman had just hit a grand slam in the eighth inning to pull the 'Stros to within one run. The ninth inning didn't look promising, though, as Houston was near the bottom of the lineup. And after the first two batters got out, it looked like there would be a Game 5. But Brad Ausmus, who had hit a total of 3 home runs all year, had a different idea. He hit a shot that landed about one inch above the home run line and the outstretched glove of Braves outfielder Andruw Jones to tie the game!

I get a little excited/nervous when the Astros are in a close game (especially if it's the playoffs), so I was up pacing around once the game went into extra innings. Well, after about the fourth extra inning and no runs , I was worn out (and so was the carpet between my couch and the fireplace)!

The Astros had used all of their bullpen pitchers and I was wondering who was going to come in to pitch when Roger Clemens started stretching in the bullpen. The same 43 year old Roger Clemens that had pitched three days earlier. In Major League Baseball, most starters have five days of rest between outings. But Clemens came in on three days rest and pitched marvelously.

Finally, in the bottom of the EIGHTEENTH inning, Astros rookie Chris Burke put a pitch over the left field wall for a walk-off home run! The game lasted a grueling six hours, but to see all the players jumping around like kids after Burke's homerun, you would've never known it!

The game was just flat out unbelievable and people are already debating whether it's the greatest playoff game ever played. I would say so, but I'm a little biased. The amazing thing to me is that there are so many story lines from one game. Berkman's grand slam to give them a chance, Ausmus' solo shot to send it to extra innings, Clemens surprising appearance, and, of course, the rookie's winning shot.

It's a game that's going to put Houston on the baseball map for a long time. Check out Jayson Stark's article here. He's an excellent writer and this is the best article of the game I've seen.

Hopefully, that momentum will carry over into the next series. Next up, in a rematch from last year, is St. Louis. The winner gets a spot in the World Series.

The winner will also give bragging rights to either myself, or Kent Curry, our Executive Editor at 90&9 and a big Cardinals fan. We're trying to make things interesting by putting something more than bragging rights on the game (in a non-gambling, Christian-sort of way, of course). Anyone have any ideas? I'd like the wager to be something embarrassing, so Curry can suffer like I suffered last year!

Posted by: Bradley McDonald

Braves - 7
Astros - 1

I still feel pretty good going back to Houston with a 1-1 split. I have a feeling this series is going the distance, though, just like last year.

Other Score from Thursday
Cardinals - 6
Padres - 2

I'm off to Houston to cheer the Astros on. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Posted by: Bradley McDonald

Houston takes Game 1, baby! It was nice to see a little offense show up for a change. I will be making a trip to Houston this weekend to catch Game 3 on Saturday. It would be lovely if they finished off the best-of-five series that day. It should be a dandy of a game tonight in Atlanta where two age-defying wizards (Roger Clemens and John Smoltz) will be partying like it's 1989!

Other Scores
White Sox - 5, Red Sox - 4 (Boston down 0-2)
Angels - 5, Yankees - 3 (series tied at 1-1)

Posted by: David Bunch

I'm fascinated by the White Sox/Red Sox series, primarily because the White Sox are playing to end a championship drought from 1917. Plus, until last night, the White Sox had not won a playoff game at home since 1959.

The White Sox are trying to end a championship drought that's even longer than the one Boston faced a year ago. It dates way back to the days of Shoeless Joe Jackson and their most recent World Series crown in 1917, the last time they won any playof series at all.

One sign in the stands summed up hopes on the South Side:
``2004: Their Sox. 2005: Our Sox.''

Then again, Boston has done fine overcoming October deficits. The Red Sox rallied from 3-0 down to beat the New York Yankees in the AL championship series last year before sweeping St. Louis in the World Series for their first title since 1918.

Knowing that the Red Sox ended their 86 year championship drought last year makes this series all the more interesting.

I know baseball purists will think that this is no reason to cheer for a team, but how cool would it be if a team breaks a long term championship losing streak again this year?

Posted by: Bradley McDonald

If you've heard any baseball news over the last few days, you know that my boys from Houston made the playoffs. It wasn't easy and, in fact, made me quite nervous, but they clinched the spot with a win in the last game of the year. Now they go on to face the Braves, who won their division for the 394th straight year. I can't complain, though. The Astros have been in the playoffs 6 of the last 9 years and with the start they had to this year, I really thought they would have to rebuild the team and aim for the playoffs in 3-4 years. But, Bagwell (who is back pinch hitting after being out all year with a shoulder injury) and Biggio get another shot at making the World Series.

Lately, the statistical figure of 15-30 has become as much a part of Houston Astros lore as some of the other numbers that are so familiar.

Take the number 5 and the number 7, for example -- as in, the uniforms of Astros icons Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio. There is also 1962, the year the Houston franchise was born, 1998, the year the Astros won the most regular-season games, and 162, the number of games each Major League team plays every year.

And now, we have 15-30. As in, the Astros' record after 45 games, when just about everyone labeled them as the "Team That Would Trade Roger Clemens" by July 31.

But there is another number not so familiar, but much more poignant: 74-43 -- the Astros' record after that terrible start. And it's that number that makes May 24, the day the Astros flopped to 15-30, seem like years ago.

"It's such an amazing feeling to prove so many people wrong," closer Brad Lidge said after the Astros clinched the National League Wild Card on Sunday, setting up an NLDS meeting with the Braves. "To stick with the same team we had, and accomplish what we did, it's an amazing feeling. It just feels like we've proven so many people wrong, and it's a great feeling."

The road to this point wasn't easy. Every loss drew more criticism from media and fans, who chastised the club for letting go of Jeff Kent and Carlos Beltran. Critics noted that the best pitching staff this franchise has ever employed would go to waste because of one of the worst offenses it's had in 10 years.

In many respects, the jabs at the offense were warranted. This club was shut out 17 times, six short of the club record. Clemens was cheated out of at least eight wins, which would put him just over the 20-win mark. Every night, the pitchers took the mound knowing there was absolutely no margin for error.

Yet, as one coach pointed out over the weekend, the Astros are the third-best team in the National League. Record-wise, it's the Cardinals, then the Braves, then the Astros.

A lot of "experts" are picking the Astros over the Braves because of Houston's top three starters. Roger Clemens, Andy Pettite, and Roy Oswalt make up one of the best pitching staffs in the league and that's oh, so important in a short series.

In the other NLDS, it's the Cardinals against the Padres. The Cards are already up 1 game, and it should only take them two more games to win that division series.

As Bunch reported below, the Red Sox and Yankees both made the playoffs, but the Red Sox got pounded by Chicago yesterday in Game 1. The Yankees pulled out a 4-2 victory over the Angels of Anaheim yesterday in their first game.

Posted by: David Bunch

It's shaping up to be an exciting playoff season in the Major Leagues. Both Boston and NY made it (see prior blog), so the fact that the two rivals may yet meet again in the American League Championship series has many in the sports world buzzing.

Also note, you may have needed a calculus degree to fully understand all of the potential outcomes of last weekend's series, but the important thing to know right now is the play off matchups.