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For those of you who happened upon Sunday’s effort here (the one without the photos of Playboy Playmate Jaime Edmondson), you might recall a complaint from a fellow about the MLB Network cutting away Saturday from Friday’s ninth-inning, St. Louis Cardinals rally to capture the National League Division Series against the Washington Nationals.
The Chicago Soul dance team is looking for a name.
That very same fellow emailed Sunday to note that the very same network did something similar on Sunday (Oct. 14). Only this time instead of shortchanging the Cardinals, the Detroit Tigers — or anyone wanting to see their extra-inning effort to capture Game 1 of the American League Championship Series — were on the short end of highlights. Unless you happened to enjoy watching Nw York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter break his ankle.
As this fellow noted: “Having once again been fast asleep when the Tigers won it in the 12th, I tuned in to see the re-cap. They showed the highlights right up until Jeter hurt his ankle. That was it! No showing Detroit scoring. No need to write another article. I just needed to vent.”
Indeed the gent did vent. And I have no doubt about the veracity of his report. Mainly because he is a highly intelligent fellow. And he also happens to be my brother Rob (there was only so much intelligence to go around the Harris family; so with a brother and two sisters, it’s perfectly understandable why most of it went to them).
For the record, your correspondent again was not present to witness what irked my brother because once again there was a previous commitment away from the corporate headquarters of elliottharris.com and the lovely television set located there. Unlike Saturday, when the call of duty was the Chicago Desire of the Bikini Basketball Association, Sunday’s date was the launch part of the Chicago Soul indoor soccer team. OK, more like the entertainment squad of the Soul, but you get the idea.
Because of the journey to the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Ill., your correspondent was unable to post Jaime’s picks and pics for the late-afternoon NFL games. The situation was rectified before the Sunday night contest, so those interested in Jaime’s pics more than her picks should be reasonably satisfied.
Certainly more satisfied than soon-to-be birthday boy Rob was with what he saw — or didn’t see — on his TV screen.
Speaking of the Soul, which has its home opener on Dec. 7 at the Sears Centre, here is some video that even includes the soccer players (no clue how that happened); if things go according to plans (which they occasionally do around here), there will be more Soul video another day:
Monday meanderings:
* Gee, if the National League wanted a team that could go hitless for the last 5 1/3 innings of a League Championship Series, presumably the Chicago Cubs could have done that. Although the Cubs might have been hard-pressed to find the pitching so that the bullpen also could emulate the Cardinals and shut out the Giants for the final 5 1/3 innings.
This was not the photo Jaime Edmondson used for her Oct. 14 pick. We will trust that that is not a problem with anyone around here.
* With the Yankees losing Sunday to the Tigers for a 2-0 series deficit, many folks are assuming that edge will be 3-0 after Detroit ace Justin Verlander pitches Tuesday. If baseball was that easy to predict, there would actually be an abundance of wealthy baseball bettors.
* Speaking of the Yankees, their hitting has been so bad that Brett Jackson and Josh Vitters — who struggled mightily or feebly (however you care to characterize it) for the Cubs in 2012 — would fit right in. Yanks second baseman Robinson Cano has set a postseason record with an 0-for-26 hitless streak.
Third baseman Miguel Cabrera has reached base in all 18 playoff games with Detroit, matching Hank Greenberg for the longest streak in team history. Of course, Greenberg accomplished his feat in the World Series. And a reminder: All postseason numbers are not created equal. World Series stats should be World Series stats; LSC stats should be LSC stats; and LDS (League Division Series) stats should be LDS stats. Is that so difficult for the folks who compile numbers? Lumping everything together does an injustice to those players who accumulated impressive numbers when the World Series was the only postseason baseball.
* Speaking of figures, the least we can do around here is run a photo of Jaime Edmondson in honor of her picking the Miami Dolphins to defeat the St. Louis Rams. Of course, she picks the Dolphins every week because she is a former Miami cheerleader.
* If you’re a Cubs or White Sox fan, who would you rather have as your shortstop: Starlin Castro, Alexei Ramirez or Pete Kozma? OK, trick question. You would want the guy whose season still is happening — which would be Cardinals rookie Kozma, a late-season call-up who pretty much has made most fans forget that Rafael Furcal was the starter for most of the year before suffering a season-ending injury in late summer.
* A horrible call by the second-base umpire cost the Yankees when the Tigers took advantage to score two eighth-inning runs. Gee, for some reason, Yanks manager Joe Girardi thinks replay is a good idea. But baseball — or at least commissioner Bud Selig — seems to embrace the concept of “the element of human error.” Because there’s nothing that quite legitimizes things like blown calls. If no one wants to tell Selig baseball needs to get into the 21st century, the least someone could do is tell him baseball needs to get into the late 21st century in terms of technology. The very technology embraced by football, basketball and hockey.
Time for some random video, so here you go:
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