The World Serious

The Series

The Boston Red Sox were the best team in baseball with 108 wins and easily winning the American League Championship series as well as the World Series.  What is really amazing they won without Pablo Sandoval.  Remember they released him last year about half way through the season even though they are paying most of his salary while he is playing for the Giants.

One of the big stories was Dave Roberts being booed by Dodger fans for decisions he made during the series.  When he became manager of the Dodgers I wrote on this blog that I though they made big mistake.  Roberts philosophy of baseball was not mine. When runners were on first and second with none out he would always bunt putting all the pressure on the next batter.  I observed too many times that the runner on third never scored because the defense had all the options in their favor.

 I was wrong about Roberts.  He has become a very good manager because he is well liked and the players play for him 162 games a year.  In todays game, that is the most important attribute.

The biggest controversy came in game 4.  Not one Boston hitter got to second base against Hill during the first six innings with the Dodgers leading 4-0. But out he came and to the delight of most Giant fans the Sox won easily 9-6.  Kershaw was ready for game 5, Ryu would pitch game 6 and the real standout Walker Buehler would be ready for game 7. So Hill wasn't being saved  except for perhaps spring training.

I never was a believer for changing a players routine for the playoffs.  Kenley Jansen who always pitched in the ninth inning was asked twice to pitch the eighth.  In both cases he gave up home runs.

In game 1,  I watched Pedro Baez mow down two Red Sox batters with a blazing fast ball.  They didn't come closes to hitting the ball.  I could not believe Roberts took him out because a left handed batter was next to bat. He is another Bruce Bochy.  I could never take a pitcher out when he was looking so great.  I don't understand.  The inning concluded with Nunez hitting a 3 run homer off of Wood.  Remember Nunez was not good enough for the Giants who traded him to the Sox for two well known Giant players Shaun Anderson and Gregory Santos.  It was smart trades like this that made the Sox the team they are today along some selected free agency signings and having four first rounders and two second rounders on the team is also a great asset.

I give the Dodgers credit they did not take the easy way out and blame Trump.


Warriors

The Town is off to a flying start in its final year at Oracle.  Curry has been on fire along with Durant and now Thompson has shaken his early season slump.  He has had slumps like this in the past but usually during the middle of the season when it is not as noticeable.

What's the difference this year compared to last?  St. Jean says on the post and pre game shows that last year they were in slow motion.

The Warriors survived the pre season in September, made it through October and now we are just starting November and they are still healthy.  Lets hope they remain in relatively good shape through December, January, February, March, April, May and June.  Good luck!

Steve Kerr was quoted as saying that Cousins knows his deal with the Warriors is only for this year because of the salaries of the other players.  My question is --- What happens if Durant moves on?  That leaves a lot of bucks that could possibly sign Cousins. Durant has been rumored back to OC, Seattle, Los Angeles and New York.  Take your pick.


William McCovey

Like all Giant fans, I was saddened by the death of Willie McCovey. It wasn't a shock because we knew his health was failing.  What thrills he gave us with Russ Hodges calling "Bye Bye Baby" and Lon Simmons expressing "Tell it Good-bye".  One of the last times I saw "stretch"play was at Wrigley Field  Chicago in 1978 when I believe he was 39.  He was close to a grand slam record.  He came up with bases loaded in about the fourth inning of one the most exciting baseball games I ever saw and he skied a ball that unfortunately was caught again the ivy in right field.  It was still a thrill for us.  That game was marked by two rain delays in which the Cubs were leading after five and the umpires could have easily called the game and the Cubs would have won.  It was nerve racking because we never knew when the game was going to end.  But instead the game was called because of darkness (Wrigley had no lights).  There were different baseball rules for games called because of darkness which in this case allowed it to be completed the next weekend at Candlestick with the Giants winning.

The 49ers

Last Sunday in Arizona the 49er again showed that they know how to lose a game blowing a big lead in the 4th quarter.

The once great football 49ers-Raiders rivalry that began at the Oakland Alameda Coliseum on September 3, 1967 died at Levi Stadium on All Saints Day.  It was dying a slow death anyway but I know when the Niners play at Vegas thousands of San Franciscans will  flock to the gambling palace of the world.

The 49ers brought out their secret weapon to surprise the Vegas bound team.  Nick Mullens  a qb off the practice squad who finished 16 for 22 and had a 151.9 passer rating, the highest for a quarterback with at least 15 attempts in an NFL debut since the 1970 merger.  Let's not get too excited until we see how he does against the New York Giants next week.  The Raiders offered very little resistance.

It was reported that Mullens studied hard to prepare himself for this opportunity.  He was ready and made the best of it.  This is a lesson for backup qbs in college and pros to be ready to take advantage of an opportunity.

We wrote that Beathard was a disaster.  He made some nice plays but four or five turnovers a game just doesn't cut it.  So he got benched and made the 49er coach look like a genus.  There wasn't much interest left in this years 49ers but now with a future qb on stage, the fans are starting to say Jimmy who?

Pac 12 Football

Will the Pac 12 representative to the Rose Bowl have 3 losses this year?  I can't figure it out.


The Giants

The silence about the Orange and Black plans for next year is deadly.  I don't think they have a clue!