Saturday, November 12, 2005
What A Girl Wants
A few days ago, birdbrain asked for my help in settling a debate: which was better, Jim Edmonds' Game Six home run last year or Albert Pujols' home run this year? Well, that's like Sophie's Choice, so we got together to debate the merits of each. Because Jimmy is my guy, I took that side, birdbrain took Albert's. Now, both were tremendous, so this is a purely academic exercise.
Ever wonder how girls talk about baseball? Now you know.
birdbrain: All right, well, at least Rooney does a great Harry Caray.
bellyscratcher: I heard he also does Vin Scully.
birdbrain: Should be interesting, anyway. I'm intrigued.
bellyscratcher: I'm really encouraged. Hagin was kind of bland. Rooney seems more...excitable. Plus, he should hate the Cubs.
birdbrain: I never warmed up to Hagin, either. There was only one moment when I thought I might form an attachment - during his first season Jim Edmonds hit a walk-off homer in the tenth inning of a day game and Hagin said "See you in traffic!"
bellyscratcher: Nice.
bellyscratcher: Well, we have more to talk about than the original topic. Rooney, Carp, the upcoming MVP...
birdbrain: I know, there's loads of interesting things going on.
birdbrain: Btw, I just decided that since I was drunk during Jimmy's homer, and Albert's homer, I just open a beer now. To recreate the mood you know.
bellyscratcher: It's a little too early in the day for me. Plus, RHM accused me of being a drunk :-(
birdbrain: Well, I don't usually during the day, either, but such are the benefits of unemployment.
bellyscratcher: Not necessarily untrue, but I was trashed during the roundtable so...
birdbrain: heehee
birdbrain: You were a riot.
bellyscratcher: I feel like I should redeem myself with some actual baseball insight.
birdbrain: What, now?
birdbrain: Ok, let's go!
birdbrain: The thing is, of course, that both were awesome, so though I'm pumping up Pujols, may I just say again that Jimmy's home run was AMAZING.
bellyscratcher: Of course. Pu's home run was one of the better moments of my life, but I'm on Jim's side today.
birdbrain: Same.
birdbrain: Ok, well, ultimately what it comes down to for me is that Pujols HAD to hit that homer. If Jimmy grounds into a DP last year, we go to the next inning. If Pujols doesn't come through, the season is over.
bellyscratcher: But Jimmy's was at home, after Izzy blew it.
bellyscratcher: Also, so many things had to go right just to get Pujols to the plate. Eckstein gets the hit, Jimmy walks.
birdbrain: Yes, but it was against Miceli, whereas Pujols hit one against Lidge - I'd say last year's Lidge drama added to the shock and amazement of the Pujols homer.
birdbrain: True, very true.
bellyscratcher: Jim's ended the game. Albert's just send the game to the bottom of the ninth. And no one can ever say they are comfortable when Izzy pitches against the Astros, and that was his second inning.
birdbrain: Pujols' moment was more of a team moment (because Izzy still had to get three outs), which made it really something to behold.
birdbrain: Geez, it was fun.
birdbrain: Yeah. I agree. There's something special about a walk-off home run.
birdbrain: BUT
bellyscratcher: Which is why, on pure "which hr is better" Jim's gets the nod.
birdbrain: No, I don't think so... Because we were down by two runs when Albert came up to bat, though! Against Lidge! Even if there DID need to be two men on, it was still so unlikely.
bellyscratcher: Albert's was amazing, a bomb, and the Lidge thing adds some. But the Cards had been getting to Lidge all series, it was just a matter of whether there would be enough games in the series for him to blow a save.
birdbrain: But Miceli, too, had already given up homers to Cardinals earlier in the series (Rolen and uh... I forget who else, I think in game 2). So once he came in, we were in good shape.
bellyscratcher: Everyone says Albert broke him, but you could look back to the RBI Mabry (!) had off him in Game 3 (I think) as a big chink in the armor.
bellyscratcher: Sure Miceli sucked, but I've seen Edmonds swing and miss against that high fastball plenty of times. It was no sure thing.
birdbrain: True about Lidge, but the slider before the homer pitch was nasty. Hey, weren't both homers on 0-1 pitches, come to think of it?
bellyscratcher: I don't remember for Edmonds, but that would be pretty cool. I'll have to re-watch that game.
birdbrain: See, I think you're giving Lidge's meltdown too much credit here. We were down by two runs, with a single out left. A single might have been expected - by that huge shot?
bellyscratcher: Lidge hung a slider, Miceli threw one right in Jim's wheelhouse. When pitchers make mistakes like that, good hitters take advantage.
bellyscratcher: What makes Jimmy's hr better isn't the pitcher, or the number of outs, but that it ended an extra innings elimination game at home.
birdbrain: But what makes Albert's homer better is that the Houston people had their banner all set to be unfurled and they shut up really fast.
bellyscratcher: Albert's home run staved off elimination for one game, but it was pretty clear the Cards weren't going to win the series. After Jimmy's hr, it was anybody's guess.
bellyscratcher: True, I very much enjoyed the silence in Houston.
birdbrain: Really? You didn't think the Cardinals would win? But even if I give you that point, there's the added emotion of giving us one more game at Busch.
bellyscratcher: I really hoped, but they had played like dog poo for four games. Albert's home run just covered that up for a night. It was great that they got to come back to Busch. And great that Albert did it, but with Oswalt going? Ick.
birdbrain: Ick is right. Why didn't we get World Series Oswalt? No fair.
bellyscratcher: Cause we had what BatGirl calls "ass bats."
birdbrain: But we had those last year too - during all three Houston games.
birdbrain: Effing Minute maid.
bellyscratcher: No doubt.
bellyscratcher: Trains, hills, roof. Not a real stadium.
birdbrain: Completely pathetic. I hear our new one is going to be bland, but at least there's no ridiculous gimmicks.
bellyscratcher: Busch II was so old it was no longer one of a thousand. Busch III will be like all the other new parks. And I'm pissed the scoreboard won't be hand-operated.
birdbrain: I'm testy about the whole thing, too.
birdbrain: One nice thing about both homers - last year we got Redbird Nation's EDMONDS!!!!! in about eighty-point font; this year we got "YEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" from Viva El Birdos. What a blast
bellyscratcher: I'm not all weepy over Busch; I'm very excited about the new park. Busch was rusty and crumbling.
bellyscratcher: Yeah I remember the EDMONDS!!!! vividly.
birdbrain: I guess so. It looked nicer than both Shea and Yankee Stadium, though.
bellyscratcher: Until you went under the stands. Poor La Russa, his office was full of groaning pipes. No wonder he looks so dour all the time.
Birdbrain: Yeah, but it will certainly be weird for awhile.
bellyscratcher: Holy god. 4 years, $52 million offer for Konerko from the ChiSox.
birdbrain: Whoa.
bellyscratcher: Yeah. Let the craziness begin.
birdbrain: Where did you find that?
bellyscratcher: I'm watching ESPNews.
birdbrain: So here's what I think. Albert's home run was completely unlikely with two outs against Lidge, and yet it's what HAD to happen for the Cardinals to get another game at Busch. Jimmy's homer, was obviously amazing (flair for the dramatic, indeed!), but it wasn't quite the same in terms of do-or-die moments in baseball
bellyscratcher: Except Albert's was likely. First, he's Albert Pujols. This is What Albert Does. Second, Lidge wasn't LIDGE. When there were two on for him, you knew what Albert was going to do. Or at least try to do. Jimmy's was equally likely, but the fact that it ended the game makes it a "better" home run. Also, I think it was the first time there had been back-to-back walks-offs in the NLCS.
birdbrain: Well, Albert does come through a lot. But that didn't mean he was going to hit a three-run homer - he could have just as easily singled Eck home, and then Reggie would have struck out (I'm guessing) to end the game.
bellyscratcher: Sure, and Jimmy could have grounded out, something else happens, Tavarez remembers his hand is broken and blows another game.
birdbrain: Well, yeah. See, what makes Albert's better is that Jimmy not hitting it wouldn't have ended the game.
Go over to redbirdbrain for Part II wherein we discuss free agents and trades and more!
Ever wonder how girls talk about baseball? Now you know.
birdbrain: All right, well, at least Rooney does a great Harry Caray.
bellyscratcher: I heard he also does Vin Scully.
birdbrain: Should be interesting, anyway. I'm intrigued.
bellyscratcher: I'm really encouraged. Hagin was kind of bland. Rooney seems more...excitable. Plus, he should hate the Cubs.
birdbrain: I never warmed up to Hagin, either. There was only one moment when I thought I might form an attachment - during his first season Jim Edmonds hit a walk-off homer in the tenth inning of a day game and Hagin said "See you in traffic!"
bellyscratcher: Nice.
bellyscratcher: Well, we have more to talk about than the original topic. Rooney, Carp, the upcoming MVP...
birdbrain: I know, there's loads of interesting things going on.
birdbrain: Btw, I just decided that since I was drunk during Jimmy's homer, and Albert's homer, I just open a beer now. To recreate the mood you know.
bellyscratcher: It's a little too early in the day for me. Plus, RHM accused me of being a drunk :-(
birdbrain: Well, I don't usually during the day, either, but such are the benefits of unemployment.
bellyscratcher: Not necessarily untrue, but I was trashed during the roundtable so...
birdbrain: heehee
birdbrain: You were a riot.
bellyscratcher: I feel like I should redeem myself with some actual baseball insight.
birdbrain: What, now?
birdbrain: Ok, let's go!
birdbrain: The thing is, of course, that both were awesome, so though I'm pumping up Pujols, may I just say again that Jimmy's home run was AMAZING.
bellyscratcher: Of course. Pu's home run was one of the better moments of my life, but I'm on Jim's side today.
birdbrain: Same.
birdbrain: Ok, well, ultimately what it comes down to for me is that Pujols HAD to hit that homer. If Jimmy grounds into a DP last year, we go to the next inning. If Pujols doesn't come through, the season is over.
bellyscratcher: But Jimmy's was at home, after Izzy blew it.
bellyscratcher: Also, so many things had to go right just to get Pujols to the plate. Eckstein gets the hit, Jimmy walks.
birdbrain: Yes, but it was against Miceli, whereas Pujols hit one against Lidge - I'd say last year's Lidge drama added to the shock and amazement of the Pujols homer.
birdbrain: True, very true.
bellyscratcher: Jim's ended the game. Albert's just send the game to the bottom of the ninth. And no one can ever say they are comfortable when Izzy pitches against the Astros, and that was his second inning.
birdbrain: Pujols' moment was more of a team moment (because Izzy still had to get three outs), which made it really something to behold.
birdbrain: Geez, it was fun.
birdbrain: Yeah. I agree. There's something special about a walk-off home run.
birdbrain: BUT
bellyscratcher: Which is why, on pure "which hr is better" Jim's gets the nod.
birdbrain: No, I don't think so... Because we were down by two runs when Albert came up to bat, though! Against Lidge! Even if there DID need to be two men on, it was still so unlikely.
bellyscratcher: Albert's was amazing, a bomb, and the Lidge thing adds some. But the Cards had been getting to Lidge all series, it was just a matter of whether there would be enough games in the series for him to blow a save.
birdbrain: But Miceli, too, had already given up homers to Cardinals earlier in the series (Rolen and uh... I forget who else, I think in game 2). So once he came in, we were in good shape.
bellyscratcher: Everyone says Albert broke him, but you could look back to the RBI Mabry (!) had off him in Game 3 (I think) as a big chink in the armor.
bellyscratcher: Sure Miceli sucked, but I've seen Edmonds swing and miss against that high fastball plenty of times. It was no sure thing.
birdbrain: True about Lidge, but the slider before the homer pitch was nasty. Hey, weren't both homers on 0-1 pitches, come to think of it?
bellyscratcher: I don't remember for Edmonds, but that would be pretty cool. I'll have to re-watch that game.
birdbrain: See, I think you're giving Lidge's meltdown too much credit here. We were down by two runs, with a single out left. A single might have been expected - by that huge shot?
bellyscratcher: Lidge hung a slider, Miceli threw one right in Jim's wheelhouse. When pitchers make mistakes like that, good hitters take advantage.
bellyscratcher: What makes Jimmy's hr better isn't the pitcher, or the number of outs, but that it ended an extra innings elimination game at home.
birdbrain: But what makes Albert's homer better is that the Houston people had their banner all set to be unfurled and they shut up really fast.
bellyscratcher: Albert's home run staved off elimination for one game, but it was pretty clear the Cards weren't going to win the series. After Jimmy's hr, it was anybody's guess.
bellyscratcher: True, I very much enjoyed the silence in Houston.
birdbrain: Really? You didn't think the Cardinals would win? But even if I give you that point, there's the added emotion of giving us one more game at Busch.
bellyscratcher: I really hoped, but they had played like dog poo for four games. Albert's home run just covered that up for a night. It was great that they got to come back to Busch. And great that Albert did it, but with Oswalt going? Ick.
birdbrain: Ick is right. Why didn't we get World Series Oswalt? No fair.
bellyscratcher: Cause we had what BatGirl calls "ass bats."
birdbrain: But we had those last year too - during all three Houston games.
birdbrain: Effing Minute maid.
bellyscratcher: No doubt.
bellyscratcher: Trains, hills, roof. Not a real stadium.
birdbrain: Completely pathetic. I hear our new one is going to be bland, but at least there's no ridiculous gimmicks.
bellyscratcher: Busch II was so old it was no longer one of a thousand. Busch III will be like all the other new parks. And I'm pissed the scoreboard won't be hand-operated.
birdbrain: I'm testy about the whole thing, too.
birdbrain: One nice thing about both homers - last year we got Redbird Nation's EDMONDS!!!!! in about eighty-point font; this year we got "YEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" from Viva El Birdos. What a blast
bellyscratcher: I'm not all weepy over Busch; I'm very excited about the new park. Busch was rusty and crumbling.
bellyscratcher: Yeah I remember the EDMONDS!!!! vividly.
birdbrain: I guess so. It looked nicer than both Shea and Yankee Stadium, though.
bellyscratcher: Until you went under the stands. Poor La Russa, his office was full of groaning pipes. No wonder he looks so dour all the time.
Birdbrain: Yeah, but it will certainly be weird for awhile.
bellyscratcher: Holy god. 4 years, $52 million offer for Konerko from the ChiSox.
birdbrain: Whoa.
bellyscratcher: Yeah. Let the craziness begin.
birdbrain: Where did you find that?
bellyscratcher: I'm watching ESPNews.
birdbrain: So here's what I think. Albert's home run was completely unlikely with two outs against Lidge, and yet it's what HAD to happen for the Cardinals to get another game at Busch. Jimmy's homer, was obviously amazing (flair for the dramatic, indeed!), but it wasn't quite the same in terms of do-or-die moments in baseball
bellyscratcher: Except Albert's was likely. First, he's Albert Pujols. This is What Albert Does. Second, Lidge wasn't LIDGE. When there were two on for him, you knew what Albert was going to do. Or at least try to do. Jimmy's was equally likely, but the fact that it ended the game makes it a "better" home run. Also, I think it was the first time there had been back-to-back walks-offs in the NLCS.
birdbrain: Well, Albert does come through a lot. But that didn't mean he was going to hit a three-run homer - he could have just as easily singled Eck home, and then Reggie would have struck out (I'm guessing) to end the game.
bellyscratcher: Sure, and Jimmy could have grounded out, something else happens, Tavarez remembers his hand is broken and blows another game.
birdbrain: Well, yeah. See, what makes Albert's better is that Jimmy not hitting it wouldn't have ended the game.
Go over to redbirdbrain for Part II wherein we discuss free agents and trades and more!
