Cleveland Indians versus the Boston Red Sox. Tris Speaker vs Cy Young. Bob Feller vs Ted Williams. Jim Longborg vs Luis Tiant. (Of course, El Tiante was an ace for the Red Sox after the Indians let him go. Also, Dennis Eckersly was on both teams as well.) And now it's: C.C. Sabathia vs Tim Wakefield, Fausto Carmona vs. Josh Beckett, Paul Byrd vs Daisuke Matsuzaka.
Colorado Rockies versus Arizona Diamondbacks... D'backs have one World Series ring in their short history...Rockies have never advanced as far as the Championship series.
The team in the rarified air back in the days of the Blake Street Bombers: Dante Bichette, Andres Galarraga, Larry Walker and Vinny Castilla were quite a lineup. But today's lineup of Matt Holliday, Todd Helton, Garrett Atkins, Troy Tulowitzki, Yorvit Torreabla, Kaz Matsui, Willy Taveras and Brad Hawpe now have some pitching to go along with their limitless hitting. Jeff Francis, Josh Fogg and Aaron Cook get the Rocks into the late innings for the bullpen to hold down the fort.
But Arizona has a steady corps of hot prospects showing they belong in the majors. BJ Upton's little bro, J.D. Drew's little bro, El Duque's little bro all belong on the D'back roster. They also have the best story without steriod implications...Micah Owings. A left-handed pitcher who hits like Babe Ruth. And one cannot say anything about the Arizona Diamondbacks if they don't tip their caps to Eric Byrnes. A player of such effort that it has spread throughout the clubhouse as well as between the lines. Arizona leads the league in beating out infield hits, a bi-product of Byrnzie's hustle.
It is of interest that Game One at Bank One Ballpark is not a sellout. Probably because there is so much to do in the valley of the sun. If you figure baseball is one of man's favorite sports next to woman, this may help one deduce why there is a lack of attendance.
In this college environment there is a large contingency of the male population whose focus is on those hotties who kneel and bob versus being at the B.O.B. to watch the National League Championship Series. Or is it that they care more about the talent on-the-pole than between the foul poles? It's possible that there are as many people who could name the starting lineup of the D'baby backs as can name those baby's who got back at the numerous night clubs throughout the valley of the sun. A place that just may be hotter when the sun goes down!!
So sit back, grab a cold one and tune into these championship series games. They ought to be fun ballgames to watch. Not as fun as what is happening in the neighborhood of the B.O.B. but you always have spring training (Scottsdale, AZ) in March to make up for some time lost.
Kevin Marquez
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