Baseball Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous baseball thoughts and observations.

With the Padres and Rockies playing a 163rd game - I was reminded that in 1978 when the Red Sox went to a playoff - Jim Rice played in every game that season - all 163 of them. Adrian Gonzalez came close to Rice's mark by playing 161 games this season... I figured out who was to blame for the Mets' collapse - Mr. Met. Wally the Green Monster never would have allowed the Red Sox to fall apart like that... If I had a vote for NL MVP - I'd have to give it to Matt Holliday of the Rockies. Holliday was taken in the 7th round of the 1998 draft. In the first round the Rockies took pitcher Matt Roney with the 28th pick, outfielder Choo Freeman with 36th pick and catcher Jeff Winchester with the 40th pick. If I'm the Rockies I'm not sure how I feel about the success of those 3 first rounders... Prediction - if the Phillies go on to win the World Series then the number of people who die in the "celebration" will outnumber the US military deaths in Iraq for October... If I had a vote for NL Manager of the Year - I'd vote for Willie Randolph just to screw with people... The Red Sox having to carry 3 catchers on their playoff roster for the series against the Angels points out how much of an albatross Doug Mirabelli has become. His only skill is being Tim Wakefield's buddy. He's become Robert DiNiro in Bang the Drum Slowly. I understand the flexibility having 3 catchers give you in the late innings but come on - there's a reason no playoff teams normally carry 3 catchers...