Despite a deep field of 14 teams and a formidable challenge by the Cubs, the New York Giants and Bombers will meet next weekend in a rematch of last year's 45 Division Final.
The defending champion Giants got there by winning the Regular Season at 14-2, dispatching the Golden Marlins in 2 games, and this weekend sweeping past the Blue Jays, winning 8-3 and 6-0. The Jays couldn't mount much offense against Giants pitching and defense, and the Giants strong lineup did enough to win by comfortable margins. One of the few Blue Jays highlights was that we threw out a runner at the plate from the OF in each game--always an exciting play (says this outfielder). Too bad we couldn't throw out the 14 guys who scored! Good luck to the Giants next weekend.
The Bombers earned the #3 seed with an 11-5 Regular Season mark, bested the Royals in 3 games after dropping the first, and this weekend eliminated the Cubs in 3 games, again after dropping the first. The Bombers-Cubs series couldn't have been much better. Game 1 went 12 innings. Tied 4-4 after regulation and 5-5 after the eleventh, the Cubs seemed to grab hold of the series with a run on a couple solid hits in the 12th. But the Bombers took game 2 fairly easily, and game 3 was another nail biter. In the latter, the Cubs hit in the bottom of the 7th, down 6-3. They scored 2, and had the tying run at third and winning run at second with 1 out. But Lex induced a pop out and finished it with a strikeout to send the Bombers into the finals. Congratulations on a fine season for the Cubs! As expected, they turned this division into a 3-horse race.
Watch for next weekend's schedule, and, if you can, get out there and watch some of it. If it's anything like Bombers-Cubs, and I expect it will be, it will be some fine October baseball! Unfortunately, I will be in Alabama, so I hope someone else posts some reports.
We deserved to be playing the Giants and although they won we didn't give them much time to relax. They are the champions for a reason and they played like champions. Great pitching starting with a gem by Jimmy K and ending with the shutout by Steve Lounello and Joe Burns. They didn't give up many free passes and they played solid defense. Mark Dabney, in center, seemed to stabilize it all, making a couple hard plays look easy. It was a fun 2 games even though we lost. Our victory, though slight,was to be able to play a team like the Giants and actually compete. We we're solid, as Mario stated, but solid doesn't beat the Giants.The finals should be interesting baseball, with the two most deserving teams going at each other.
-- Edited by wanewcomb on Monday 28th of September 2015 12:38:56 PM
A huge shout-out goes to John Weber of the Jays. With both starting catchers for the Jays out for Game 1 on Saturday, Web grabbed some gear and caught his first game since Little League. Speaking of solid, John was just that and more. Talk about gutsy. Then he goes out and pitches his heart out in Game 2 on Sunday and never allowed the Giants to muster a consistent attack.
Wayne is right: the Jays deserved to be in the semis. They have a solid lineup top to bottom. After Game 1, I thanked Pat Alston for not killing me. He hit a shot up the middle about three feet over my head. Had it been lower, the baseball would have replaced my head atop my shoulders. I heard the sizzle and felt the heat as it headed into center field. Talk about exit speed ratio!
Hats off to Curt. He has done a tremendous job replacing Artie as the Jays skipper. That team rallied behind his leadership. Curt pitched very well in Game 1. More importantly, Curt has a team of class guys and competitors. Great season guys.
