Yes!!! Alexei Ramirez single-SB.... and then the run-scoring double!!!

7-2 lead!!!

8-2!!! Wild pitch and error leads to run!

2 outs!!!

Sox looking good!

*hopes that provides the proper kiss of death*

1 out to go!!!! D.J. strikes out first two batters!!

YES!!!!!

WE MOVE ON TO THE ONE GAME PLAYOFF!!!!

It looks like your power can't by used for evil. ;)

dola: Anyone notice that sometimes when you edit it keeps the page the same and makes your post editable while other times it brings up the "old" edit screen where it reloads the whole page and looks similar to the add a new post screen?

Big time blast by Thome.

I screamed and jumped up and down in glee.

Hell of a play by Griffey to throw out the run at home plate and hell of a play by Pierzynski to get the out.

And then for Griffey to hit the double.... so awesome!

Hope we can keep this 1-0 lead and build on it, even..

Some of these pickoff moves by Danks are not legal, but regardless, great showing for him tonight. He's been very dominant through 8 innings.

Thome's homer looks to be the difference. We'll see if the Twins can get the meat of the order up in the 9th and watch them do nothing again....

Go Twinkies!

OMG!!! OMG!!

ANDERSON WITH THE FANTASTIC BEAUTIFUL DIVING CATCH!!!!

YES YES YES!!!

WE'RE GOING TO THE PLAYOFFS!!!! :) :) :) :) :)

I'm glad the White Sox made it.

Any post season with Ozzy and Griffey Jr. in it are good to me.

I'll be a sox fan the rest of the way.

The Twins deserve credit for playing one hell of a game. I was sweating until Anderson dove for the final out.

It was a fantastic game to watch and a thrilling, nerve-wracking season overall.

Chicago is going to be a fun place to be this October.

So will L.A.! :)

fixed ;)

It's sad when the Mets fans have to try to spread their misery... :D

You New Yorkers (or New York baseball team fans) can watch us on TV :)

You can even watch me on TV tonight!

Just checking to make sure CW didn't post something around the top of the 5th...

Phils win!

Lidge makes it a dramatic finish in Philadelphia! Phillies hang on to win, though, congrats to the Phillies who haven't see post season victory since '93!

I have nerves that are usually only felt during North Carolina final four games going into this NLDS series, my expectations(and hopes) are probably unreasonably high right now. Oh well, GO CUBS.

1993? Go Jays!

Lidge is really starting to worry me lately. He's been throwing more and more pitches with every save opportunity.

I really wish Charlie had kept Hamels in there for the 9th. At least we got a win, that's a good start. :)

Lidge is starting to remind me of Mitch Wiliams with his saves lately. Where I used to feel that t game was over when he came in now I am starting to wonder when the big blow to cost them the game is going to happen.

Also, why the hell was Hamels pulled? He was practically unhittable all day. Get the pen up in case it it looks like he is tiring but keep him in.


This move makes me think of Peter Griffin taking the mystery box over the boat because "it could even be a boat".

dola: What happened? I thought the Cubs were winning when I fell asleep. Of course I have been half out of it from working all night the last 4 nights so I may be mistaken.

dempster walked 7 heh. He walked the bases loaded then gave up a grand slam.

Jeff Kent, as big of a jerk as he is, is a future hall-of-famer.

That Manny HR was ridiculous. He just reached out of the zone and popped that thing out of there.

HOOOAH!

0-2 count to both Manny and...Ethier? before walking them with two outs. Then was 0-2 to Loney before a ball, foul tip, and HR

What a fucking catch by ELLSBURY!

edit: And what a fucking bonehead move by Vlad.

"Has not had a sacrifice in the last two seasons."

I can hear the FJM guys blogging right now.

I'm not sure I care if we win this series. I just want to win...ONE...FUCKING...GAME...from the these guys in the postseason.

Not to much to ask, you would think? I would hope $120 M would be able buy a few players with a sack for once.

Have to say this, Chief.. this was set up perfectly for the Angels to win.. Lester versus Lackey, Lackey having a pretty good game.. and if it didn't happen here, I'm not sure it's going to happen, especially with a completely fresh bullpen waiting to backup Dice-K game 2.

edit: Not over yet, mind you

No, it never was. You forget. You're the Red Sox, we're the sadsack, don't show up against you bleepin' Angels.

Damn I hate these 5-game series.

You should have to do more than win 3 games to knock out a 100-game winner. It's such a crapshoot in a sport like baseball. A 7-game series makes a huge difference.

Agreed on the Mitch Williams thing. I really don't like how he's thrown a lot of pitches in each of his last few save opportunities.


Again, agreed. The only plausible reason is that when Hamels starts to show fatigue, he visibly starts to show it. Perhaps Charlie wanted to keep Hamels mentally/physically sharp for Game 4.


Smoltz (who's an excellent commentator btw) pretty much hit it on the head with questioning bringing Lidge in. Why do you want to give the Brewers an opportunity to see Lidge's current stuff? I mean, they put Lidge in against the heart of the lineup against Milwaukee's best hitters.

Add in that the Brewers probably saw a lot of Lidge over the past few seasons (since he played in their division), and it really didn't make much sense.

Agreed

SI

I know it might be a day late at this point, but...

God Savoring Vast Array Of Cubs-Cursing Options | The Onion - America's Finest News Source


CHICAGO—God, the divine creator and omnipotent deity, held a press conference Tuesday to discuss the infinite ways in which He could curse the postseason hopes of His least favorite baseball team, the Chicago Cubs.

"I might go with an inopportune rainout or the classic error on a routine play. Or maybe I'll mess with the lights during a huge play in Game 7—that could be interesting," said God, who added that when it came to the Cubs, it was nice to stop moving in mysterious ways and take the direct-intervention approach for once. "My prophet Steve Bartman will certainly be a tough act to follow, but trust Me: Anything can happen. And let's just say that for the centennial celebration, it will be huge." When asked about His plans for mankind, God said He would "probably" allow our free will to decide the issue.

SI

Was there as well. It was a big pile of suck for the Cubs. They looked lifeless after the grand slam.

I know it was AWESOME! Can't wait till Saturday and Sunday, I'm going to the Dodger games.

Yep, and Loney looked pretty fooled on that foul tip. I thought it was strike three from where I was sitting, so was pretty disappointed when he stuck around long enough to hit the slam.

Dempster definitely seemed nervous. His pitches were way more up than they usually are ... when he is good he is getting strikeouts and groundouts galore. Watching it, it felt much more like a Jason Marquis start than what I've grown accustomed to with Dempster this season. The purported upside with Dempster over Z or Harden (who I would have picked, assuming he is healthy) as the Game 1 starter is that he was less likely to give up crooked numbers than anyone else on the staff. But obviously that was not the case last night.

finaly a Mets reliever mows someone down

ESPN - Mets' Burgos drove SUV that slammed into women who later died, police say - MLB

Surprised no one is commenting on games this afternoon. Longoria has gone yard in his first two at-bats, helping offset a 3 run shot by Wise. Rays 4-3 after 3 1/2.

Anyone watching the game, rather than getting updates online? What does the Rays crowd look like - sell-out?

Miserable, wasn't it.

Even the freakin' bleachers, which is where I was, was dead after that shot.

Nobody has really been commenting on any games. I'm having to watch the game on my computer via mlb.com so there's not much sound for me to listen to ;)

SI

I've been avoiding saying anything so I don't jinx the White Sox.

There's a lot more people in the stands to be sure, though I don't know i it's sellout or not.