Several readers have asked me to predict the outcome of this world series.
Now, I do dearly love the Yankees, and it is true that Hillary Clinton is no longer NY’s senator, (having moved on to become a truly DREADFUL SecState), so her “I’ve always been a Yankees fan” curse may have finally been lifted (we have not won the WS since she was sworn into the Senate in 2001), and of course, I am rooting for them.
But, the Phillies are a scrappy young team, and the defending champs. And the Yanks have a lot of people on the team who seem like they’re intimidated by the post season, and a few too many hothouse flowers who wilt in the heat.
Before last night, I was saying “Yankees in six.”
Now? I dunno. I am not as confident as others that we will win tonight simply because the Phillies are playing Pedro. AJ Burnett is such an emotional guy, I worry that he’ll curl into a fetal position with his thumb in his mouth in the third inning. Joba isn’t much better. Bring him in for relief if the situation is tough and we might have two basket cases. And Girardi, bless his heart, he’s really hung up on the scouting books.
Have you ever noticed that if you put a curly blonde wig on Joe Girardi, he’d look exactly like Harpo Marx?
So, I don’t know. I’m thinking it’s either going to be Yankees in 7 or Phillies in 5.
I’m hoping for Yankees in 7, of course. There cannot be too much baseball, and it’s nearly over.
My favorite player? Still Jeter, natch, but Tex is an awfully good first baseman, and Sabathia is truly a charmer. Nick Swisher -in our house- is referred to as the “Agent of Chaos,” because so often we just don’t know what will happen when he goes after a ball, or runs a base. His body often appears to defy the laws of physics. He makes the game fun.
Archbishops Justin Rigali (Phillies) and Timothy Dolan (Yankees) have a friendly wager in play:
A joint press release from the Archdioceses of New York and Philadelphia reports that Archbishop Timothy Dolan will send Archbishop of Philadelphia Cardinal Justin Rigali a dozen bagels if the Philadelphia Phillies win. If the New York Yankees win, Cardinal Rigali will send a box of Tastykake pastries to New York.
Hmmm…we want Dolan to live a good long time, so the Tastykakes are troubling.
And yet…I still want the Yankees to win.
Bless me father, for I have sinned…I’m putting baseball before the health of a favorite priest!
Last thought. Someone who remembered an old rant about A-Rod that I can no longer find, asked me what I think of him this year? I think his tough early season humbled A-Rod and made him remember what he loved about the game. I think it turned him into a better player and a better team mate. I think A-Rod is finally a Yankee.
For your viewing pleasure: Great plays in post season including Jeter’s famous “flip” to Posada.
For your reading pleasure: an all-time great baseball story. Enjoy.
October 29th, 2009 | 4:05 pm | #1
Where’s the “both mangled’n'killed*” option?
*figuratively
October 29th, 2009 | 4:32 pm | #2
Phillies in 5 – used to date a guy from Philly and he was awesome! Hey, I don’t have to have a logical reason. And being from Cleveland, hating the Yankees is a requirement. Actually, I don’t hate the Yankees – just their owner – I used to run into him when he was still living there. He’s a very intelligent jerk!
October 29th, 2009 | 4:34 pm | #3
You can buy Tastykakes in Virginia in the supermarkets. I only noticed them because I have read all of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum novels (some of them make me laugh out loud to the point it frightens the cat) and she’s a big fan of Tastykakes! Still, I don’t think Dolan will be tainted by only one box of them!
October 29th, 2009 | 4:36 pm | #4
Anchoress.
Don’t you know there is a war going on? Don’t you know that the forces of Darkness are aligned against the forces of Light in battle for our eternal souls?
Isn’t baseball in these dire times grossly inappropriate?
Don’t worry. I’m not serious.
Play ball.
October 29th, 2009 | 5:37 pm | #5
Things could be worse.
You could live in Michigan, where sports teams have been the only glimmer of hope of relief for years, the only potential bright spot in a wasteland.
And more often than not, that too ends in disappointment. It even looks like the long reign and dynasty of the Red Wings may be coming to an end.
Even if Michigan/Detroit teams were perennial winners, who can afford to go to the games anymore? Now you pay 50 bucks a pop to sit in the upper deck, and if you want something to eat and drink, that’s another $20. I remember getting box seats a couple rows in, just little past the dugout, at Tiger Stadium, for LESS THAN TEN DOLLARS. Sure, that was back in the last millenium, but it really wasn’t all that long ago. Now, Tiger Stadium is no longer there. Just another empty, wasteland lot.
October 29th, 2009 | 5:40 pm | #6
Go Yankees!
Gayle – don’t you just like gain 5 lbs every time you read one of those dang Plum novels?
I need a doughnut…:P
October 29th, 2009 | 5:48 pm | #7
Sorry, guys, but, being from the Philadelphia area, it’s “Go Phillies”!!! I’m sure Cardinal Rigali will enjoy the good New York bagels.
October 29th, 2009 | 6:29 pm | #8
mmmmmm…Tastykakes! The coconut Juniors are my favorites.
October 29th, 2009 | 6:34 pm | #9
Forgot to mention, if you are so inclined, I’ve seen boxes of them for sale at Duane Reade in NYC
October 29th, 2009 | 9:34 pm | #10
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by The Anchoress, The Anchoress and The Anchoress, Stephen Croke. Stephen Croke said: My World Series Prediction? » The Anchoress | A First Things Blog http://bit.ly/3gWf13 [...]
October 29th, 2009 | 10:12 pm | #11
Forgive me Anchoress, but there are no real Yankee “fans”. Just the herd.
[Thems might be fighting words!
admin]
October 30th, 2009 | 12:25 am | #12
The Yanks may have the Clinton curse removed, but they are playing a very good PHILA Champion Club.
Tonight, they got a little lucky in the Second Game, with the PHILS having failed to take advantage of so many in scoring position.
Either way, this Yank team still has the CAPTAIN, and he simply has the touch after all these years.
AROD on the other hand, always reminds me of the steroid problem, as well as with Pettite.
Mariano seems to still have the stuff, which also defies the reality of age.
Who knows, maybe the Yankee Medical staff is simply the best in the world.
Anyhow, after seeing the First Lady and the wife of the VP during the first game, one can only hope Politics stays away, and we all can enjoy some great games.
Best wishes to all playing…
October 30th, 2009 | 1:18 am | #13
Tastykake Butterscotch Crimpets are made of real spongecake. I will not here you malign Tastykake!
October 30th, 2009 | 1:18 am | #14
hear. hear. sigh for the spelling error.
October 30th, 2009 | 2:45 am | #15
OK Anchoress, I’ll give you tonight but in the AM I am going to be making a holy hour for our fightin’ Phils!
And I’ll be happy to send you an assortment of Tastykakes!
October 30th, 2009 | 4:51 am | #16
Sorry. Baseball lost me after the strike. And I can’t respect Jeter. The man chases after every vapid starlet there is. Settle down Derek.
Also, there is something very wrong about playing in November. I think it’s against one of the Commandments.
October 30th, 2009 | 9:41 am | #17
Anchoress, you are a great writer, a model Catholic and my blogging hero. But, being a New Yorker, you are environmentally blinded by the fact that the Yankees=Evil, and every other major league team must therefore be rooted for before the Yankees.
Here, you are just plain wrong.
Phillies in 6.
October 30th, 2009 | 9:43 am | #18
…I do dearly love the Yankees…
October 30th, 2009 | 9:45 am | #19
What a shocking lapse of judgement, Anchoress.
(I accidentally somehow submitted this comment in two parts.)
October 30th, 2009 | 11:09 am | #20
Ouch! Someone is hard on her pitchers, especially after how Mr. Burnett comported himself last night.
It looked to me against the Twins that your closer might not have his best stuff going, but that’s a judgment from only a brief viewing. The Twins were dispatched pretty quickly.
It’s the Phillies in 7.
[I agree with you that I was very hard on Burnett, who was brilliant last night. I also think Girardi is overusing Mariano Rivera, who does NOT have his best stuff, because he IS being overused. Pedro was also excellent last night, and as much as I know I am supposed to dislike him, I have (with the exception of his behavior toward Zim) always found him amusing. I thought it was hysterical last night when he walked SLOWLY off the field last night to give the Yank fans a chance to boo him, and then smiled.-admin]
October 30th, 2009 | 11:15 am | #21
They used to say rooting for the Yankees is like rooting for General Motors. The corporate side has to be updated, maybe Google. But the Yankees side is still the same–no real sports fan roots for the Yankees.
October 31st, 2009 | 12:40 am | #22
Anchoress, I give you the benefit of the doubt that you must have grown up in that particular area of New York City where it is impossible to be a Mets fan. Otherwise, there is no excuse for cheering for the Yankees.
Every loss for the Yankees is a win for the rest of us. So says this Royals fan. (And yes, I recall those ancient days when many of those losses were inflicted by my own powder-blue boys.)
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