Holy Cats, What A Comeback

The seventh-inning post from this morning proved to be prescient.

Around The Blogs: Colorado Rockies

We go from the strong blog world of the Dodgers to the emerging yet distressed blog world of the Colorado Rockies. The fans of the defending National League champs are in a funk. How big a funk? I ran across at least five blogs that have stopped posting in recent weeks.

So what does that leave us?

Well, there's the obligatory SBN blog known as Purple Row, the MVN blog known as Up in the Rockies, some that are never updated (including this one that apparently quit after a post called "Uninspired", and some that are just a series of links.

Keeping at it, a site called Rox Head that all of the Rockies are disposable except pitchers Jeff Francis and Jhoulys Chacin and everyday players Troy Tulowitzki, Chris Iannetta, Hector Gomez and Dexter Fowler. That's it. No Matt Holliday. No Garrett Atkins.

Bad Altitude is looking forward to ... well, not the rest of the year. "May is almost over. That leaves... let's see, June, July, August, and September. This is going to be a long summer."

Go Cubs.

A Fearless Prediction

The Rockies gave up 33 runs in three games in Philly this week - and now face the best offensive team in baseball. Which of course means the Cubs will be shut out at least twice.

Some Shortstop Questions

The Orioles are interested in meat carrier Clint Barmes? Is this a backup to Ronny Cedeno, in case of the Brian Roberts trade? Has anyone else noticed how much more palatable Ronny has become, in light of the fear of Ryan Theriot being the everyday shortstop? Can this post be all questions? Yes it can?

Glenallen Hill Is Very Sorry

He apologizes to just about everybody (including the Baby Jesus, since he - Glenallen, not Jesus - is a member of the Colorado Rockies) for using performance enhancing drugs:

"Late in my playing career, I made mistakes and poor decisions in my personal and professional life. I, and I alone am accountable for them. Simply put, I was not as candid as I should have been regarding my use of performance enhancing substances late in my playing career. My brief use of performance enhancing substances embarrassed me, both personally and professionally, and it was something that I did not want to discuss with anyone. After much thought and reflection, I felt that I owed it to God, my family and the Rockies' organization to be completely forthcoming and truthful. I would like to extend my deepest apologies to the Rockies organization, to my family and friends, and to baseball fans across the country."

Glenallen, I forgive you.

Which, Precisely, Is The Good News?

This from the Denver Post on Kaz Matsui:

The Rockies' final day of exclusive negotiating rights with their free agents ends Monday. It would be a surprise if their top three targets - Matsui, catcher Yorvit Torrealba and reliever Matt Herges - sign without fielding other offers. The Chicago Cubs are prepared to go three years on Matsui. That's the bad news. The good news is Matsui said at season's end he would make his decision on comfort, not just business.

Sweep 1, Sweep 2, Sweep 3?

So, let's see here ... the Cubs were swept by the team that was swept by the team that is about to be swept by the World Series champs?

No shame in that.

Is Rudy Rooting For The Sox Kosher?

Some are atwitter over noted Yankees fan Rudy Giuliani saying that he is rooting for the Red Sox in the World Series, setting aside the animosity between the two teams' fan bases for a couple weeks.

Is he pandering to New Hampshire voters, or does he have a good reason?

“I will be rooting for the Red Sox because I’m an American League fan, and my tradition has been to root for the American League team, particularly if it’s a team that beats the Yankees. And in this case, you won the division and we lost. Somehow it makes me feel better if the team that was ahead of the Yankees wins the World Series, because then I feel like, well, we’re not that bad.”

I buy this. I almost always root for National League teams in the World Series. In fact, I even wanted the hated Cardinals to win last year - and especially against the Red Sox in '04. However, I am torn when the Yankees are playing (because the Yankees are my dad's favorite team and happily remember watching the '77 World Series with him).

Compare this to the answer Hillary Clinton gave in a debate in New Hampshire on whether she would root for the Cubs or Yankees in a hypothetical World Series:

"I guess I would have to alternate," she said.

Barack Obama, on the other hand, said yesterday he is proudly a White Sox fan - in Boston no less.

Want Mailbag Mockery? Go Elsewhere

Maddog beat me to the Mailbag this week. I may have to retire.

Meanwhile, the Rockies can't figure out how to sell tickets to the World Series.

Red Sox, Rockies In World Series

Fox salvages a small number for the Fall Classic with the Red Sox win. My household won't be included, most likely.

Rockies Seek To Trademark "Rocktober"

Back to the drawing board. I guess I have to cancel my order for a very special Wrigleyville23 Rocktober line of specialty clothing, commemorative plaques and beer mugs.

Are Dem Governors Better At Sports?

The governor of Colorado (his name is Bill Ritter, for those of you - OK, everyone outside of Colorado - who don't know) has concluded that ... well, I'm not sure what he's concluded.

I'll let him explain:

"Of the eight Major League Baseball teams in the playoffs, seven come from states with Democratic governors," said Ritter, a Democrat. "Only California has a Republican governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and he's not really a Republican."

Well, then. So, Democrats are winners? Or does that tell us that there are more Democratic governors? Or are states with large metropolitan areas with baseball teams more apt to elect Democratic governors? Or is it simply a fluke that Ritter has noticed (seems his staff may have a little too much time on its hands)?

But since he brought it up, let's see how his little game of reflected glory translates to the rest of the sports world. A look back over the last 12 months, starting with the 2006 World Series, tells a different story:

2006 World Series - St. Louis Cardinals, (Gov. Matt Blunt, Republican) defeated Detroit Tigers (Gov. Jennifer Granholm, a Democrat who is actually a Canadian).

2006(7) NCAA Football - Florida Gators (Gov. Charlie Crist, Republican) defeated Ohio State (Gov. Ted Strickland, a Democrat who was sworn in on the day the Buckeyes lost to the Gators. Tough break, Gov. Ted.).

2007 Super Bowl - Indianapolis Colts (Gov. Mitch Daniels, Republican) defeated Chicago Bears (Gov. Rod Blagojevich, Democrat).

2007 NCAA Basketball - Florida Gators (Gov. Charlie Crist, Republican) defeated Ohio State (Gov. Ted Strickland, Democrat, again).

2007 Stanley Cup - Anaheim Ducks (Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Republican) defeated Ottawa Senators. Push.

2007 NBA - San Antonio Spurs (Gov. Rick Perry, Republican) defeated Cleveland Cavaliers (Gov. Ted Strickland, Democrat, for the dubious three-peat).

Strangely, Gov. Ritter didn't alert the media to all of these exciting developments. But we look forward to his insightful and trenchant sports commentary in the years to come.

Also, I hope the Denver Post plans to do a followup after the original odd story.

ALCS & NLCS, A Bloggy Perspective

In an attempt to stay engaged with the NL postseason (apparently Arizona is playing Colorado, albeit not well), I thought I'd link to some interesting things on the Diamondbacks and Rockies blogs.

No such luck. While not a perfect measure, it is telling: Striketwo shows five Colorado blogs that post 32 times a week, with one in the Bleed Cubbie Blue family of unreadability and another featuring zero posts a week. The Diamondbacks are represented by six that post 39.9 times a week, with another in the Bleed Cubbie Blue family of sanctimony and another on Arizona sports in general (including bingo and canasta, presumably).

On the AL side, the Red Sox have 39 (with 337.2 posts a week) and the Indians have seven with 23.3 posts a week (though five of those seven manage 0.2 posts a week). To be fair, Cleveland just got the Internet in 2005.

(For the record, the Cubs have 34 (with 186.2 posts a week). But 10 on the list never post, and the rest of us are left to interview each other and ponder who will buy the Cubs.

How To Build A Playoff Team

Which teams "bought" their way into the postseason and which teams grew from within? Scripps Howard has the details:

• Los Angeles Angels: 15
• Arizona Diamondbacks: 14
• Colorado Rockies: 14
• New York Yankees: 11
• Chicago Cubs: 9
• Cleveland Indians: 9
• Philadelphia Phillies: 9
• Boston Red Sox: 7

Quick, name the nine Cubs on the postseason roster who are homegrown. The first one to get all nine wins a free subscription to Wrigleyville23.

Colorado Rockies, Cheaters

Did Rockies reliever Manny Corpas throw a less-than-subtle spitter Wednesday against the Phillies?

PHILADELPHIA -- Rockies manager Clint Hurdle downplayed video that showed closer Manny Corpas pouring liquid on his body in the bullpen before pitching against Philadelphia in Game 1 of the NL Division Series. Corpas was caught by TBS cameras on Wednesday taking a sip of a liquid out of a cup and then pouring some down the back of his neck and all over the front of his jersey. Corpas, who earned the save in Colorado's 4-2 win, patted his chest and rubbed his fingers before throwing a pitch.

It was in the mid-70s and pleasant here in southeastern Pennsylvania yesterday. No need to drench yourself.

The Cubs, Tidying Up

I haven't been this pleased by sweeping since President Bush said of Laura, "It's been raining, so she needs to sweep the porch because the president of China is coming."

First the Sox, now the Rockies for six straight wins.

Next up: the equally hot Brewers.

LaTroy Hawkins Goes To Rockies

This seems to be a match made in ... well, not heaven. Do you think pitching at 5,280 feet will get into LaTroy's head? Just a little bit?