They traded for Randy Johnson at the end of July, essentially leasing the Big Unit at the expense of Freddie Garcia, Carlos Guillen, and John Halama.
Based on the outcome of the post-season, I am guessing the Astros regret dealing Garcia, as he would be quite relevant in Seattle for many years to come. But, I digress. The division was clinched in mid-September, making the rest of the season somewhat irrelevant. You could feel pennant fever begin to take hold over Houston, TX. Then, Kevin Brown, aka "the Witch," came calling, along with the San Diego Padres, and a schedule which would permit Brown to throw in games 1 and 3 of the five game series. Brown won 18 games that season and ended the year with a 2.38 ERA and 257 strikeouts. More impressively, he posted a WHIP (walk/hit per innings pitched) of 1.07. But, on to more pressing matters. I give you, the ludicrous scheduling by MLB:
| Game | Home | Score | Visitor | Score | Date | Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Houston | 1 | San Diego | 2 | September 29 | 1-0 (SD) |
| 2 | Houston | 5 | San Diego | 4 | October 1 | 1-1 |
| 3 | San Diego | 2 | Houston | 1 | October 3 | 2-1 (SD) |
| 4 | San Diego | 6 | Houston | 1 | October 4 | 3-1 (SD) |
Notice anything odd? How about play a game...OFF DAY...play a game...OFF DAY...play a game. Why do I have such a huge problem with this? Because depth should be honored and challenged in the post-season. These teams played 162 games in 180 days essentially. Not a whole lot of "off days" during the regular season. This reminds me of the NBA and their 3 month sabbatical to try and crown a champion. Brown pitched in games 1 and 3, beating the Astros by one run each time. In fairness, Randy Johnson was able to pitch in each of those games as well if memory serves me correctly. Sadly, that is not the point. Teams should be required to utilize their depth in a series, not rely on their ace of the staff who could have conceivably pitched in game 5 had it been necessary. That's right. One pitcher could pitch in 60% of the games in a five game series based on this schedule. Utter disdain does not begin to cover my feelings about this debacle.
Why am I going down memory lane here? Isn't it obvious? Roy Halladay just completed the second no-hitter in post-season history as the Phillies blanked the Reds 4-0 in game one of their NLDS. Below, you will find the entire schedule for this series:
2010 National League Division Series -- Philadelphia Phillies vs. Cincinnati Reds
| Date | Game | TV | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 6 | Cincinnati Reds at Philadelphia Phillies | TBS | 5:07 p.m. |
| Oct. 8 | Cincinnati Reds at Philadelphia Phillies | TBS | 6:07 p.m. |
| Oct. 10 | Philadelphia Phillies at Cincinnati Reds | TBS | 7:07/8:07 p.m. |
| Oct. 11 | Philadelphia Phillies at Cincinnati Reds, if necessary | TBS | 5:07/7:37 p.m. |
| Oct. 13 | Cincinnati Reds at Philadelphia Phillies, if necessary | TBS | 6:07/8:07 p.m. |
| Notice anything unusual once again? You guessed it. Game Day...Off Day...Game Day...Off Day...Game Day. The Phillies enjoy the luxury of the two most dominant pitchers on one staff in the NL today: Roy Halladay and Roy Oswalt. In essence, they will be able to only throw these two starters for the entire series based on the schedule MLB has set forth. This is not what the post-season should be about. To find the best team, we must get to the 3rd starter within these pitching staffs. Simply trotting out your two best horses in the NLDS cheapens the post season. Perhaps this series should be a "best of seven" as well (NLCS and World Series are 7 game series) so teams will be forced to go deeper into their starting rotation and truly earn it. |
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In conclusion, um Mr. Bud Selig? Your sport is in a bit of trouble and you may want to consider doing something about it. You know, like not having series and their outcomes be the result of one or two players on each team? Also, and completely unrelated, you might want to stop with the urinary contest and let Pete Rose in the Hall of Fame.  Admitted murderers are in there, felons are in there, so please spare us the "code of ethics and character" you feel Mr. Rose lacks. I know I know, the deal was struck with the late Bart Giamatti regarding Rose's prohibition and lifetime ban from baseball and consequently, his ban from the HOF. But, it's time to make this right. He is the all-time hit king and made an egregious error in judgment. He paid his dues to society, MLB, the Reds, etc. That being said, he never bet on his team to lose. This would be a huge publicity feather in the cap of your sport. Trust me, it needs it. Let's use some common sense here, unlike the Fire Department in Obion County, Tennessee. I wonder if a person was inside the home at the time this ingenious decision was made, and they lost their life, would murder charges be appropriate? I would think so. |
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Sidebar Rant: I am appalled and embarrassed to be an American as a home burns to the ground and a fully capable Fire Department is standing by and would not respond because the house in question owed $75 to the county for said services. Are you freaking kidding me?
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