I'm pulling for the Cards for two reasons;

- I'd love to see Larry Walker get a ring
- the Red Sox and their fans annoy me.

http://www.mathesond.mindsay.com
Gotta go with St. Louis, mainly because I just don't like Boston, and have always held the Cards in somewhat high regard. Also, the years I spent living in Chicago made me sympathetic to the plight of Cubs fans, and while it may be painful for them to see their arch-rival win it all, ultimately I'd rather the Wrigley squad take home the top prize before the Red Sox. As well, I'd like to see Larry Walker win Series MVP, although that may just be nationalism creeping in...

Its weird - I'm pretty sure I'm going to find myself cheering for Boston. Although I like St Louis, and I really like a lot of the players (Woody, Pujols, Rolen, Sanders) - and I actively dislike some of the Red Sox. Not sure what's going on.

I guess I just want to see them get it over with, and win the damn thing. I dislike the Cubs for the most part, but I'd probably feel the same way. Come on, win it, and then shut up already...

Look at it this way - do we want the AL East's two big spenders both feeling hungry and disappointed? It would be a good thing for Boston to get a little fat and contented and sleepy, after the big kill...

I'm a bigger Red Sox fan but I would like to see both teams win it.

I want to see Pedro get a ring but at the same time Walker was born and raised only 20 mins away from my house and I gotta cheer for the BC boy.

I'll be happy either way.

Look at it this way - do we want the AL East's two big spenders both feeling hungry and disappointed?

It depends how you look at it:

As a Jays fan: Obviously not. That's bad.

As a baseball fan: Yes, absolutely. It makes *great* theater. The ALCS wouldn't have been nearly as exciting if the two teams were wearing Rangers and Twins uniforms. Having this rivalry and the two teams hungry to bash the snot out of each other is entertaining.

As a misanthrope: Of course! It's funny!

Ron, do you happen to know any specific area where Walker lived?

I'm just wondering because I used to live in Maple Ridge and I'm somewhat curious as to how close I was to his house.

Too bad by the time I was born he was nearly in the big leagues.

Cards, easily. The Red Sox is one of the Blue Jays' natural enemies and the enemy of me Grimlock's enemy is me Grimlock's friend.

Come on, win it, and then shut up already...

My concern is that they wouldn't shut up; we'd constantly hear how they finally overcame "THE CURSE!!!" and how it was only using their superhero like abilities that they finally broke through that banner; climbed that mountain; slayed that dragon...

Ick, made myself a little nauseous right there (and I didn't even use the phrase 'cowboy up').

I would be shocked if the red sox don't win, after overcoming that 3-0 deficit in the ALCS. I hate the Sox with all my soul, but I just can't imagine them losing. This reeks of a storybook year.

Anybody want to watch the game at a bar in Toronto? Anybody? Bueller... Bueller...

If you rented a car and left before 6:00PM, you could be in London before the first pitch. :)

Ron, do you happen to know any specific area where Walker lived?

I'm just wondering because I used to live in Maple Ridge and I'm somewhat curious as to how close I was to his house.

I don't have his specific address.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A55633-2004Oct22.html
Tom Boswell has been doing his usual fine work for the Washington Post (which I read anyway!) COMN (reg required).

Money quote:

In the ALCS, Derek Lowe was demoted to the bullpen so Bronson Arroyo could start against the Yankees until Arroyo got knocked out early and Tim Wakefield volunteered to pitch long relief, which forced Lowe to get a start that worked out so well that Wakefield stayed in the bullpen along with Arroyo and now, because Schilling limps, Pedro Martinez needs more rest and Lowe just won the pennant, Wakefield will start Game 1 of the Series. See how easy it is to run the Red Sox?

It's going to be something to see the World Series being played at Fenway.

I don't want to say I'm rooting for the Cards, because I dislike that team. I am however rooting for Larry to get his first ever ring, and I'll have to suck it up seeing the rest of them bathe in the glory.

It would be a lot better had Walker been traded to the Sox.

So who are we cheering for and why?

Owner: You can cheer for the Red Sox, but beware they carry a terrible curse!
Homer: [worried] Ooooh, that's bad.
Owner: But if they win, they'll finally shut up, and you can cheer for the Cubs!
Homer: [relieved] That's good!
Owner: The Cubs are also cursed.
Homer: [worried] That's bad.
Owner: But you get to go to Wrigley Field!
Homer: [relieved] That's good!
Owner: Wrigley Field's playing surface is Merion Bluegrass.
Homer: [stares]
Owner: That's bad.

To answer the question seriously, I'm cheering for St. Louis. Boston has had their triumph; they beat the Yankees and the 2004 NY team will be known as the greatest chokers in baseball history.
Plus, Larry Walker. He deserves something for playing in Colorado.

LOL Rob. All that was missing was Homer saying "Can I go now?" :)

I don't have his specific address.

Heh, I didn't think so. It's just that since he was 20 minutes from your house,I thought maybe...

It was a stupid question. Anyways, Go St. Louis.

Cards in 7 is both what I predict will happen, and what I want to happen.

I like the idea of Boston thinking they've finally done things right, only to lose in 7.

I want the Cards to win.

- As a baseball fan I dont want the curse to end
- As a Blue Jay fan I dont want my divisional opponent to win
- As a Canadian it would be cool for Walker to win

I just read Aaron Gleeman's world series preview:

www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/world-series-preview-redsox-cardinals/

It really is fascinating to take a closer look at these two championship-calibre teams, and to compare them to the Blue Jays (a good reminder of how far we still have to go). Both are stacked with good hitting, pitching, and defense. They are deep, complete teams--the best in their respective leagues. Something to think about as we rebuild in 2005-07.

Bob File will be joining us on the BJADPPGS in about 3 minutes.

For Games 3-5, could the Red Sox play Ortiz at 1B, Mueller at 2B, and Millar at 3B, thus keeping Millar's bat in the lineup over Bellhorn?

It would be
1B Ortiz, 2B Mueller, 3B Millar, Bellhorn bench
vs
1B Ortiz, 2B Bellhorn, 3B Mueller, Millar bench

Now, the defense in Option A would be...not good, but does anyone else think it's worthwhile to have Millar over Bellhorn?

Where's Orlando Hudson? Shouldn't he be on this pre-game show "doin' his thang" ?

Where's Orlando Hudson? Shouldn't he be on this pre-game show "doin' his thang" ?

"Well I tell ya man today is the Bob day y'know File's time maybe another day O-Dawg will be on know what I'm sayin'?"

In honour of Orlando, I typed that in half a second. ;)

I saw O-Dog on the WS preview show last night and started singing some R-Kelly. And then it showed a clip of him singing some SpoongeBob Squarepants theme.

I still crack up at the preview commericial. I heard him say "grab a coke" but every other word he said I couldn't understand.

St. Louis, withou a doubt. I have no beef with most of the Red Sox players, but I really find their fans to be obnoxious and generally dislikeable. I admire their passion for the game and I've met some great Red Sox fans, but a lot of them get my goat. The fans in St. Louis seem passionate and humble, you can't beat that. I dislike Boston because they're in our division. I dislike them beacuse of their massive payroll. I'd love to see Walker get a ring. The rest of the heart of the St. Louis lineup is filled with players I'd enjoy seeing win, including Jim Edmonds who often doesn't get the respect he deserves. I want La Russa to win (I think he takes far too much slack based on Men at Work and his role in the modern bullpen and not enough respect for being a good manager). I want Tavarez to win because he's crazy. I want Woody Williams to win because I remember him fondly. I want Boston not to win because it ammuses me that they've not won since 1918. I don't have any desire to see "The Curse" end. I don't like Boston as a team. I have no beef with Johnny Damon et al., but as a team I don't like the Red Sox at all.

Hey Thomas, what's "Men at Work"?

Oh look, it's Rick Sutcliffe! The man who popularized the beloved fake-to-third-throw-to-first move.

I saw O-Dog on the WS preview show last night and started singing some R-Kelly. And then it showed a clip of him singing some SpoongeBob Squarepants theme.

Thanks frequent-poster Rob. I thought he just didn't show up. I forgot it was last night. Too bad I missed it. Yes, it was a great commercial with him.

Oh God: FOX is interviewing old crones born in 1918 - that is a new low for them and for Red Sox nation. It's stuff like this that makes me not want to cheer for the Red Sox.

"Men at Work"?

George Will's first baseball book, which was mostly a close-up examination of four guys: LaRussa, Tony Gwynn, Cal Ripken, and.... who the hell was the other guy?

Rick Sutcliffe! The man who popularized the beloved fake-to-third-throw-to-first move.

I thought that was a 1970s KC Royals thing: Busby and Fitzmorris, especially.

Well, this is a novel experience. I'm listening to BBC coverage of baseball.

Needless to say, it's all very professional but not very deep. I'll probably have to switch off the radio once the game starts anyway, to keep the pictures in sync with the audio.

Thanks frequent-poster Rob.

You're welcome, but I think you meant Ron. Makes sense, since B and N are next to each other on the keyboard. You're just lucky that there's no Leith Taleny here, or else he would be getting all of your future praise. ;)

SANDY MARTINEZZZ!!!

The BBC! I was in England for a summer in 1990 and I managed to see some baseball coverage in England, particularly on "Trans-World Sport" - isn't it just adorable how it's always "sport" with them and not "sports". They actually covered a Blue Jays game because that was when SkyDome was new and the Js were churning out Ws.

Sorry about the mix-up Rob.

Hey, Stephen Tyler, he too was born in 1918, correct?

Nice, split second of silence there, classy... MLB/Fox probably wanted to fit another commercial in.

Steven Tyler???

Cool...

Well, it wasn't Marvin Gaye... or Jimi Hendrix... but I've heard worse.

A Terry Adams sighting. Uh-oh. This makes it difficult...

Steven Tyler is from Boston?

I thought he was from Mars...

I think Channel 5 now have some late-night baseball (channel 5 is the newest free-to-air channel, started about 5 years ago, and mostly has cheap fillers and late-night soft porn). Sadly I don't actually own a TV so even if they are carrying the WS I have to stick with mlb.tv. I'm listening to BBC Radio 5 right now.

Turns out that the radio is about 30 seconds ahead of the mlb.tv feed, so I'll shortly be turning it off and making do with their commentary. In the ALCS it was mostly "mlb international tv" which had non-fox commentators, much to my relief. I'm afraid there's no such luck for the WS.

I am utterly wrecking my sleep patterns with this. It's 1am local.

Speaking of moments of silence, I was in Buffalo this year on September 11 and decided to go see the Bisons playoff game. Well, naturally they were having a moment of silence, during which one vender carried on with his regular repertoire of: "PEANUTS, COTTON CANDY, CARAMEL CORN" - silence - "PEANUTS, COTTON CANDY, CARAMEL CORN". Then one lady, clearly audible across the stadium as it was otherwise deathly silent: "Would you shut up!"

Who came off the roster for Adams to go on it?

Who came off the roster for Adams to go on it?

No one, they just introduced everybody. Sandy Martinez isn't on the active roster either.

They did make a change though. Ramiro Mendoza is not on the WS roster, and Kevin Youkilis is active.

No-one. The change was Mendoza's out, and the Greek God of Walks is in.

I am utterly wrecking my sleep patterns with this. It's 1am local.

You should get yourself a TV, that soft-core porn could be some additional incentive to stay up :) !

I had a book on baseball published by "Channel 4" I believe. It was mainly educational as they were supposedly thinking about broadcasting MLB games in England. That book is about 15 years old now, I guess nothing really came of that.

This is interesting: generic broadcasters on Sportsnet instead of FOX.

I had a book on baseball published by "Channel 4" I believe. It was mainly educational as they were supposedly thinking about broadcasting MLB games in England. That book is about 15 years old now, I guess nothing really came of that.

It doesn't surprise me that they might have tried. They might have even carried it for a while (I wouldn't have noticed). Channel 4 is the next youngest channel and back then was also very very low budget. I guess they can pick up baseball rights for the UK very cheaply. Channel 5 today is fairly close to what Channel 4 was 10 years ago, but a bit more liberal about the porn.

A big disincentive to own a TV is the "TV license" they have here, which is really just a tax on owning a TV. It would cost a lot more than I pay for mlb.tv...

I don't know who these guys are on Sportsnet. No logo, nothing. Did anyone catch their names?

They seem to be a lot more tolerable than McCarver...

I was just about to ask who the guys for Sportsnet were. I'm not complaining though. If it means no appearances by Scooter, I'm happy.

I am utterly wrecking my sleep patterns with this. It's 1am local.

Oh yeah man. From what I remember, English TV is just brutal anyway. You're not missing anything.

http://www.tsn.ca/mlb/news_story.asp?id=102414
Did everyone else see this? COMN

Canadian connections to the current World Series. Includes Larry Walker, a Canadian owned the Red Sox the last time they won the championship (1916), and a few players using Canadian bats.

I pasted the wrong thingy in italics, but you know what I mean.

Senor Octobre indeed!

I'm listening to the ESPN radiocast (Jon Miller and Joe Morgan) on AM1200 here in Ottawa (though it didn't pick up the pre-game show by Shulman and Campbell at 7:30; I got that off fan590.com). For video, I'm using one of the Fox HD channels. Sportsnet HD appears to be using the HD feed with the regular Fox announcers (Buck and McCarver) while the standard Sportsnet channels seem to be using the MLB International feed with different announcers (which I think is a first for Canada and seems like a neat idea by Sportsnet; I'll be interested in hearing people's comments on it).

MLB International is what I got on mlb.tv for most of last week. It was particularly nice because there were almost no adverts, so no noisy interruptions -- just quiet shots of the baseball field for 2 minutes. The announcers didn't seem to introduce themselves but whoever they were, they weren't particularly offensive.

Sadly I'm back with the fox feed tonight.

I must disagree with McCarver:

David Ortiz is not the Best bargain is baseball.

The announcers didn't seem to introduce themselves

Well, the colour man is Rick Sutcliffe. The play-by-play is a regular for ESPN.

quiet shots of the baseball field for 2 minutes.

I have heard that before and that is nice, it's very relaxing.

I don't mind this international feed. The colour is a lot better than on my local FOX channel. But the resolution is pretty bad. There are many digital artefacts on the shots of the grass and the edges of the white uniforms.

It's nice that they make specific references on where these players are from. We don't hear enough of that on American broadcasts.

Is it just me, or is Boston's strategy to use Wakefield in Game 1 pure genius for the long term?
It's my understanding that a day fighting off knuckleballs can be an instant slump machine for a team that keys on fastballs the way the Cardinals do.
Anyone's thoughts on this?

So do we like this playing for one run when you're losing by four? Normally I say no. Its true thought that the St Louis offense offense isn't like Boston - it doesn't run 1 thru 9, it pretty much stops after 6 (Sanders.)

If you are going to bunt, you do it with your non-hitters (which reminds me - why the hell does Derek Jeter bunt so much?)

Boston's strategy to use Wakefield in Game 1

Not so much strategy as necessity, really. But certainly a lot of people believe knuckleballers cause slumps.

That, in fact, was the thinking when Tom Candiotti started Game 1 of the ALCS in 1991 against Minnesota.

Of course, if the knuckleballer isn't throwing knuckleballs (because Pat Borders couldn't catch them... well, the strategy doesn't work so good.)

I linked to Tom Boswell earlier, and for those of you who aren't registered at the Washington Post, a few more highlights...

...if Schilling and Martinez are physically able to pitch close to their normal ability, then the Red Sox may win this World Series far more decisively than most believe.

It's commonplace but dependable baseball wisdom that "great pitching stops great hitting." What isn't mentioned so often, but is equally true, is that merely good pitching seldom stops truly great hitting...

Both lineups are truly frightening -- especially to pitchers with modest stuff. To hold down either attack, you need pitchers who, as they say in the dugout, can "miss the bat."

The Red Sox have such pitchers. The Cardinals simply don't...

Reduce it to this. The Cards' four starters in this series struck out 510 men in 871 innings. And that includes all the NL pitchers they struck out. Martinez and Schilling alone struck out 430 men in 443 2/3 innings while facing designated hitters.

which reminds me - why the hell does Derek Jeter bunt so much?

Because it's a cheap way of doing something that makes you look useful? (With fans and many commentators fooled into thinking that the sac bunt is more productive than it really is.)

I don't see the sense in playing for one run, but perhaps TLR has confidence that his power hitters will make a big inning later. The asymmetry between early and late innings has always puzzled me -- if it's sensible to play for big innings early and small ball late, and since runs count the same no matter which inning they are scored in, one might as well swap...

those of you who aren't registered at the Washington Post

can use firefox with the 'bugmenot' plugin!

can use firefox with the 'bugmenot' plugin!

I can't seem to get it (the extension) to work with Preview Release 1.0. I'm going to keep trying though; it's a great extension :)

I think the play-by-play announcer working with Sutcliffe is Gary Thorne.

Ah, the BBC on North American sports ... When I was a lad of 19 or so, I was over there in the UK and picked up a magazine previewing American football, including analysis of each NFL team. Those of you who follow the NFL and are old enough may remember the time when the L.A. Raiders had a full-blown tailback controversy when Bo Jackson joined the team that already had Marcus Allen. The obvious and inevitable solution, according to this mag, especially since the Raiders were unahppy with quarterbacks Mark [sic] Wilson and Rusty Hilger as Jim Plunkett turned gray and even less mobile, was to "move Allen back to quarterback, the position he played so well in American High School, and start Jackson."

At that point I completely understood why my acquaintances in the U.K. (mostly Ireland) couldn't keep straight faces when I asked them soccer or rugby questions.

Imagine the great splits we could have had with phelps and ORTIZ in the line up? They would have been both great trade bait.

Walker's simply amazing.

You know it's World Series time when magical things happen. My daughter came up to me twenty minutes ago and asked in a very serious voice: "Dad, is it true that Babe Ruth is the best player ever?". I explained that he clearly was, until Barry Bonds came along to muddy the waters, but that it was too early to tell yet between the two of them. Being a parent is never easy...

Larry Walker ... World Series MVP.
Has a nice "ring" to it, eh?

Walker is the Game 1 MVP if STL can manage to win.

If he hit that ball a bit harder he may have had a chance for a triple, and have the first cycle in World Series history. He'll have another shot tonight.

these songs at the end of EVERY freakin inning are getting on my last nerves.. this is the World Series, quit trying to sell it to us like its the WNBA.

If you get Sportsnet and Fox, you can just switch to Sportsnet. They're running the international feed. It's not bad.

is it true that Babe Ruth is the best player ever?

One wonders, of course, what Ruth's career numbers would be like if he hadn't three seasons pitching exclusively, and another year as a part-time OF. A conservative estimate (mine) gets him up to 770 HR, 2400 runs scored, 3300 hits...

In his long Yankee career, Ruth got into 5 games as a pitcher, 4 of them starts. He got the win in all 5 games.

On June 1, 1920 Ruth started against Washington and got the decision in a 14-7 Yankee win. He pitched 4 IP and allowed 4 runs, 2 earned... Huh? He started the game, went 4 IP, and got the win?

Strange.

The asymmetry between early and late innings has always puzzled me --if it's sensible to play for big innings early and small ball late, and since runs count the same no matter which inning they are scored in, one might as well swap...

Surely a run scored in the ninth inning of a tie game is worth more than a run scored in the second inning of a tie game, hence the asymmetry. In the late innings, one run is often enough.

Ryan: Santana's season stats are just amazing. I knew he had a good season, but not this good...

228 IP
156 H
54 BB
265 K

Yikes

Magpie,

I'm just curious, do your guesstimates include the First World War? Though I don't know how you could make any factors or adjustments, I just wonder how many players or potential players were in Europe, and what the effect of that could have been on his stats until 1919.

Sorry, I'm minoring in history, and historiography just fascinates me. Coulda/woulda/shoulda is fun!

do your guesstimates include the First World War?

Nah, didn't bother.

Obviously WW 1 didn't have nearly as huge an impavct on ML baseball as the second war did - the US didn't enter the war until April 1917 and the war was over eighteen months later.

However, because of the war, the 1918 baseball season ended on 2 September with the teams having played about 130 games rather than 154.

Ruth went 13-7 as a pitcher, and also played OF or 1B in 72 games - he hit .300 with 11 HR in 366 AB. Guess he hadn't quite perfected his uppercut, but he was getting there...

Have there ever been errors on back to back plays in the World Series? Try DH, Manny!

Jobu and I are sitting here making America's Funniest Home Videos sound effects whenever they replay Manny's little adventure there.

I wish that I was TIVOing this game. Being able to replay that Manny Ramirez diving "catch" over and over again would be comic gold.

I'm cheering for the Red Sox, but I have to admit that it's been fun watching them crash and burn on the stupidest plays imaginable.

Man, Edmonds looked at the same pitch twice to leave the bases loaded. And it's the same pitch he struck out on the at-bat before. And Rolen's done nothing. The Cards need this game.

And Manny's funny.

Dear MLB International:

Please keep replaying that Manny clip.

That is all.

Oh, and Jobu is excited at the sighting of a Molina.

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B10060LAN1966.htm
Have there ever been errors on back to back plays in the World Series?

You betcha. COMN.

This was the last game of Sandy Koufax's career. Gotta leave the defense behind him.

Gotta leave the defense behind him.

Gotta love it, I mean.

Manny has to show some more effort then :-)

Anyone else concerned about Julian's hand?

Manny has to show some more effort then :-)

Well, it's awfully hard for an outfielder to make three errors in the same inning. In a WS game.

Although if anyone can match that achievement, Manny's the guy...

Any chance of Tavarez coming here next year, or has he and LaRussa mended their fences?

Jobu is excited at the sighting of a Molina.

Jobu needs to patch things up with his ex-wife.

Soon.

Jobu, let Kevin Brown have a guest appearance at " Too many Molinas" and he has a celebrity contest with Julian on who can brake his hand the fastest/in the most creative/stupidest way and the winner is allowed to play MVP baseball with one of the Molinas.

Put that one in a time capsule...

These are the league champions?

Here's a shrewd observation from SoSH:

This sure beats having Calvin Schiraldi close out games.

In all seriousness, I don't think Manny's play was that bad. It could have worked out but his right heel got caught in the grass. Had he been wearing bowling shoes it would have been a great play.

Did she just say "the highest scoring game in WS history?"

Sawkiw, why are you yelling at me? Why are you smiling when you yell at me? Why did you yell that Walker is used to playing in Colorado, where the homeruns fly plentily.

I don't know, I turn off FOX ASAP. :D

Did she just say "the highest scoring game in WS history?"

I heard the international guys claim that, too. I immediately wondered why Game 4 of the '93 series has been erased from the baseball records.

I believe the line said on FOX was "highest scoring Game ONE in World Series history"

To answer an earlier question:

LaRussa, Tony Gwynn, Cal Ripken, and.... who the hell was the other guy?

Orel Leonard Hershiser IV, I believe.

NFH is working on some graphics, then we can have all sorts of crazy episodes!

Red Sox were lucky last night - very lucky.

Who to cheer for? It's tough.

I was cheering for St. Louis for a long time because I thought they were the team with the best chance to beat the Yankees. And last Saturday, who would ever have thought it wouldn't be the Yankees in the Series?

I like a lot of the Cardinals players and I have always admired how St. Louis supports their team. It's been quite a while since the Cardinals won the World Series as well.

It's hard to switch from cheering against the Sox all year (except when they play the Spankees) to cheering for them - they are a Divisional rival after all.

I have met a lot of Red Sox fans at the Dome when it becomes Fenway North (kind of a sad comment in a way) and almost universally found them to be interesting people, knowledgable about baseball, not annoying at all and with none of the arrogance so common to Yankee fans.

I kind of like that the Red Sox might finally win it all in the 100th playing of the World Series - it has that certain magical storybook feel to it. It would certainly make the book that Stephen King is writing a better read if they win (BTW if King had written the ALCS as it happened but before it happened, no one would have believed it!).

So I guess I have to put aside my Jays fandom until next year and say (gulp!) Go Sox.

Off topic but interesting:

I caught part of the Bill Hayes Baseball Show on Fan 590 while I was in the car yesterday.

He interviewed someone from Baseball Prospectus (I didn't get the name) who opined that the crumbling of the Yankees predicted on Batters Box for so long has at last begun. He said that although money is no object to the Yankees, roster space is - they just have too many aging players with big contracts (nothing new here).

He also said that he thinks the Red Sox are the team to beat for the next couple of years and after that - the Blue Jays.

He was impressed that the Jays have a young roster without crippling contracts.

Anyone else hear if he said anything more about the Jays?

I missed it, but I read somewhere (Will Carroll maybe?) that the Yankees have 15 roster slots tied up for next year, with total salary obligations of $180 million.

It's going to be an interesting off season.

It was Joe Sheehan.

Well.. it's only 10:30 in the morning at I'm 0 for 1. :)

Errr... that shhould be AND I'm 0 for 1.

I guess I'm 0 for 2 now. :)

I think the play-by-play announcer working with Sutcliffe is Gary Thorne.

For the record, it was actually Dave O'Brien working with Sutcliffe. (Thorne worked with Sutcliffe in some previous years.)

Mike, it was Sheehan on the Fan yesterday (I was responding to Greg's comment). It may very well have been Carroll that you read.

I missed it, but I read somewhere (Will Carroll maybe?) that the Yankees have 15 roster slots tied up for next year, with total salary obligations of $180 million.

Accoring to dugoutdollars, the Yanks have 16 players tied up for 173 million dollars - they also have Jon Lieber at an 8 million option for 2005 - here are the other 16 players they are paying 173 million for in 2005 guaranteed contracts:

Matsui
Bernie
Sheff
A-Rod
Jeter
Posada
Giambi
Lofton
Mussina
Vazquez
Brown
Rivera
Gordon
Quantrill
Karsay
Heredia