The World Fishies
Sad as it is to report, the
better team won it all this year. The Florida Marlins are the World
Series Champs, taking 6 games to topple the favored New York Yankees in
the best of 7 series. The superior Marlins pitching quieted the bats of
the Bronx Bombers. David Wellsí back spasms may have been the turning
point, forcing him out of the game after pitching only one inning.
Perhaps it was Joe Torreís peculiar decision to put Jeff Weaver in a
game. Weaver, of course, has been the chump of the Yanksí pitching
staff all year.
It is a pleasure to see Marlins catcher Ivan ìPudgeî Rodriguez finally get his ring [1].
Pudge spent way too many years languishing his talents with the Texas
rangers. He had one bad year due to an injury, and Texas gave up on
him. Now look where he is, and look where they are. Pudge is one of the
gameís good guys. A fan favorite, and well-liked by his fellow players.
In addition to the Cinderella stories (Willis, Pierre, Cabrerra,
Castillo), the return of Conine, and the marvelous ìsenior-citizenî
Manager who took over a club that had been written off by nearly one
and all, the topper is the Pudge story. It takes the cake. He was the
NLCS MVP, and was behind the plate in every post-season game for the
Marlins. Kudos to the deserving Pudge!
Joe Torre, as the newspaper articles say [2],
is as classy in defeat as he always is in victory. Torre acknowledged
the great job done by the The Marlins in winning the World Series. He
also tipped his cap to Jack McKeon, the oldest manager in the game.
Torre is capable of more than the managing of the Yankees on the
playing field. He also deals with the distractions of the New York
media, the showbiz of being in NYC, and the meddlesome, irritating
nature of Yankee owner George Steinbrenner. It promises to be an
interesting off-season. Torre has another year on his contract, and it
would be a fitting and special way to make his exit: coming back next
year, overcoming all the odds, and taking the Yanks back to ñand
winningóthe World Series in 2004.
LAST TIME VERSUS THIS TIME
Two
years ago it was a different story when the Yanks lost the World
Series. Facing Arizona, even with those two great pitchers, the Yanks
didn't so much as lose to the Diamondbacks as they managed to beat
themselves. Errors and poor play was the culprit then. This time the
bottom line is more pure and simple: the Marlins were the better team
in the Series. And the better team won.
Will this Marlins team
stay together? Seven years ago, under different ownership, the entire
team was dismantled after they won the Series. Pudge is a Free Agent.
Marlins pitchers Helling and Urbina already filed for Free Agency, the
day after winning the World Series! There are always question marks
when the season comes to an end, but in the case of The Marlins there
is little history, but enough to drive fear into their fans. Current
Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria is the man who once owned and summarily
destroyed the Montreal Expos. And there seems to be less than zero
public support in South Florida for public funds to build the Marlins a
ballpark. So what sense does it make to pour money into a team that
wins the Wild Card, then both phases of the Playoffs, and even the
World Series . . . if it only draws 16 to 18,000 fans per home game?
A BOSTON STORY
Two boys are playing hockey on a pond near Boston Commons when one is attacked by a rabid Rottweiler.
Thinking quickly, the other boy takes his stick, wedges it down the dog's collar and twists, instantly breaking the dog's neck.
A
reporter who was strolling by sees the incident, and rushes over to
interview the boy. "Young Bruins Fan Saves Friend from Vicious Animal,"he starts writing in his notebook. "But I'm not a Bruins fan," the
little hero replied.
"Sorry, since we are in Boston, I just
assumed you were," said the reporter. "Red Sox Fan Rescues Friend From
Horrific Attack" he continued writing in his notebook.
"I'm not a Red Sox fan either," the boy said.
"I assumed everyone in Boston was either for the Bruins or Red Sox. What team do you root for?" the reporter asked.
"I'm a Yankees fan," the child replied.
The reporter starts a new sheet in his notebook and writes, "Little Bastard from New York kills Beloved Family Pet"