Game 2 thoughts

Curt Schillling, as expected but even more - hoped for - came up big again in the playoffs running his post-season career record to a mind-blowing 11-2. And when you consider that one of those losses was against the Yankees with a frayed ankle tendon - and that Byung Hung Kim blew the save to one of his victories in the 2001 world series, he could be 12-1. I'll have to do some research on his other post-season loss.

For a while it looked like Schill wasn't going to be on record for the win because of his own fielding gaffe in not covering 3B. But the Sox offense bailed him out, and Okajimi and Papelbon held on to protect the 1 run lead.

Random Game 2 thoughts:

• I guess i'm showing my age but i actually remember the SI cover of Clint Hurdle as "the next phenom." At the time and as an 11 year old it seemed like being let in on a secret that the SI "experts" were revealing to its readers. In retrospect it looks like a terrible prediction. Also, Clint doesn't look to have aged well.
• What's the deal with these rope necklaces more players are wearing? is this the new fashion trend? And are they made of fabric, leather or some other material?
• Looked to me like Schilling "hit" Willy Taveras with a pitch that was barely off the plate.
• Speaking of pitching. McCarver called the pitch that Youkilis had to dive out of the way of "pitching inside" and "part of the game." Really? Throwing at someone's head is part of the game? Call it a purpose pitch if you want, but don't suggest that  it was business as usual.
• More McCarver idioms...or is it idiocies? Mike Lowell going from first to third on a basehit to right was not "good baserunning" on his part, it was lucky baserunning. Watch the replay, Lowell doesn't run hard till after he passes second base and decides to try for third. If he had been running hard from the start at first base the play would not have been remotely close at third. Just cause a guy is safe doesn't mean it was "smart" baserunning. In fact, if Lowell had been out - as he nearly was - what would McCarver had said? Probably would've noted that Lowell didn't start running hard till after 2B.
• I'm not one to turn down a free taco from Taco Bell next week, but couldn't the "stolen base" that gave us the freebie have been considered defensive indifference? There was a man on third, the catcher didn't attempt a throw, and no one covered second base.
  
• That thing about the Rockies, the sick kid, and "64" is weird. Morales threw 64 pitches and the Rockies won the pennant with a 6-4 win. Eerie.
• How many viewers did McCarver make uncomfortable with his endless talk about hitters' "strokes," Matt Holiday's "short stroke" and Pedroia's "long stroke." McCarver sounded fixated with guys, um, strokes.
• The worst part about announcers and the billions the networks pay sports leagues for the broadcast rights is the total disappearance of league or umpire/referee criticism. Announcers have become league toadies. Game 2 had one "pitch trax" in particular that McCarver said was a good call upon replay even as the graphic showed it completely out of the strike zone. Major props to NFL color man Brian Baldinger who during last week's Bears-Eagles game called one holding penalty "a horrible call."
  
• I hope Fox does a long piece about Denver, Mile High, and their baseball humidor. It would be a teachable moment for many who think that the balls flying out of Coors Field were due to the thin air, lack of wind resistance and pitchers' inability to throw curve balls, when it seems that the real culprit was the very dry air - which dried the ball out, made the balls hard as rocks, and didn't allow pitchers to properly grip the balls.