Danger Starts With A Big "D"

Whatever you think of the revamped MLB Postseason format (and I don't know anyone who is 100% comfortable with it), it is what it is. And the Tigers are up 2-0 over the once-sizzling Athletics in the ALDS, hours before the Yankees and O's ever saw a first pitch.

Detroit slept-walked through the first half, just 44-42 at the All-Star Break. But they had a ton of experience in a weak division and it didn't hurt to take 8 of the last 9 from the White Sox, who had led the division practically the whole season.

The Cabrera-Fielder, 3-4, right-left combo in the middle of the order is one of the most fearsome in recent memory. Only Manny-Papi and Bonds-Kent come to mind.

Miguel Cabrera of course won the first Triple Crown in 45 years. And it's nice to have the protection of Prince Fielder, at .313, 30, 108, hitting behind you. Fielder hit .337 from August 1 when the Tigers needed him most. And the above photo really does symbolize their relationship and the attitude they radiate through the team. Baseball is a game, and their infectious enthusiasm for it makes every Tiger game fun to watch.

Cabrera has been knocked for his defense, but he moved from 1st to the much tougher 3rd Base to make way for Fielder's arrival. At 29 years old, he may have the maturity and leadership to carry Detroit to their first World Series since 1984.

And there's another 29 year-old that's quite possibly the best in the game as well.

After collecting a Cy Young and MVP award in 2011, Justin Verlander also finished huge in 2012 with a 5-1 September. He leads a strong young rotation, with a seasoned (albeit inconsistent) bullpen that has Manager Jim Leyland's enduring confidence.

And there's a certain mystique to Leyland. When Tony LaRussa or Buck Showalter, or even Joe Girardi micromanages a game, you want to throw things at the TV. But with Leyland it always seems like some old-school, home-spun wisdom.

As a Yankee fan, I might already be psyched out remembering 2006 and 2011 eliminations very clearly. But as a baseball fan I tend to get hunches about this sort of thing.

Saturday Away From The Fray: October 2012 Edition

How did we get to the Ottawa Farms?

When we last left the story (meanwhile back at the ranch), our hero was walking the earth at his alma mater, dialing up Jefferson Airplane on the Cosmo's jukebox on Friday.

Syracuse later wrapped up a "good enough" 14-13 win over Pitt. It wasn't a thing of beauty, but at 1-0 in the Big East, the Orange control their own destiny for a BCS bid...As does Cincinnati, Louisville, Rutgers, and Temple. It's early yet.

The margin was a point after, and upon conclusion of the national TV broadcast I made sure to get a pint after (or two) at Faegan's Pub. Unfortunately it wasn't flip night, a tradition like no other.

So after a handful of hours sleep and a couple of flights home, I scooped up the kids. Despite my exhaustion I wanted to make sure it wasn't an all-day video game-fest, so we headed to the farm. I probably don't strike anyone as the farm type, but I lived in Nebraska and west Michigan for some years so I've incorporated it into my autumn persona.

After various energy-burning activities we hopped on the hay ride, which dropped us at the corn maze. I reminded the kids of the rules: don't pick the corn, no running, and stay together. They abided, and I captured my new favorite photo.

It reminded me of Dr. Seuss's Oh The Places You'll Go. There was big brother leading little sister through the labyrinth and you can make so many analogies. And they're in lockstep, right down to the flinging of their arms. I can't tell if she's modeling, mocking, or it's just genetics.

The corn maze is of course about the journey and not the destination, although we spent a little too much time wandering and missed the pig races. Someone told me they put lipstick on them - oh that was another race, never mind.

We grabbed some pumpkins to go and went home for dinner, pumpkin decoration and video games. The kids went to bed in time for me to catch the surreal Texas A&M comeback at Ole Miss, and West Virginia's validating win at Texas. Did Georgia play today?

It was a long and perfect day. There aren't that many of them so I just had to share it.

Backtime Walkabout: Syracuse

They say you can't go home again, but if you could you might ask yourself, "How did I live here for 10 months of my life?" This drab crash pad at the corner of Euclid & Livingston was home for my senior year at Syracuse (1990-91). The alma mater has changed, but still remains much the same.

It isn't a social trip so a lot of reminiscing got left on the cutting room floor. I did have time to offer a tour of our production facilities to some grad students and their professor. That's either paying it forward or creating future competition.

We hit the legendary Dinosaur Bar-B-Que for an outstanding dinner last night. If a couple of guys in our traveling party knew who owned the establishment, a walkout would've been staged. So it'll be our secret.

Breakfast this morning was at my favorite all-time campus hangout, Cosmo's. While much on Marshall Street has transformed around it, Cosmo's remains the old-school diner it's been since 1959.

An omelet, toast, juice and coffee was still under $7, but there were additional "expenses." An extra quarter - to be exact.

Classic tunes too. I went with Don't Fear The Reaper, Sultans Of Swing, and then selected N1 to finish off the set.

I went next door to Manny's to pick up some gear for the kids, and some socks (which I forgot to pack). Syracuse hosts Pitt tonight in their last-ever Big East football opener, as they head to the ACC next season.

Well...At Least The Yankees Won

I'll get to the spin in a minute.

When you're stuck in a hotel room in Syracuse, New York, and your team is fighting for the division title on the last day of the season, you make sure you're in front of the TV. So that was the plan, watch the Yankees on TV and stream the debate so I could monitor the proceedings.

The problem was the Yankees were on ESPN, which was blacked out in Syracuse since local cable gets YES Network, but not in my hotel. So I ducked out with a friend for the first few innings to Tully's Good Times.

So I made it back to the room by 9 PM, put the Yankees/Red Sox on WatchESPN on my laptop, and the Presidential debate on the big screen - which only magnified its contents.

Mr. Romney won the debate. He took the fight to the President and the moderator, and his worst moments were no less than net equal. Whether Romney's arguments matched up with anything he proposed prior is another matter. He looked presidential, and as Backtime penned two days ago:

"The issues are crucial and the important men will be at their lofty podiums, and Jim Lehrer will be there to be a PBS above-it-all bastion of journalistic integrity, but don't be fooled. This is all PR. And only one of the two candidates can relate to the public."

The President folded his PR advantage. He wasn't relating to the public, he was Things To Do In Denver When You're Dead. But now the spin part.

First, is the Right more happy that Romney kicked Obama's ass - or are they troubled by Romney's defense of regulation, reaffirmation of his own Massachusetts health care plan, and praise of Education Secretary Arne Duncan, while claiming he would not cut education? Romney Etch-A-Sketched all night and Obama didn't call him on it.

Second, was the Team Obama plan to have Romney talk himself to death to continue to compile soundbites to counter all the policies he's planted on the trail? That would be rope-a-dope, and that might have been part of the plan. But to borrow a wonderful baseball philosophy, it wasn't just one sacrifice bunt to move a runner over, it was many. And each is a missed opportunity for a big inning and the chance to get on the scoreboard.

Third is pure spin, and as far as I could tell it's my own theory. A week ago, the GOP presidential race looked lost and there was real talk of that massive pool of SuperPAC money going to Republican senate and congressional candidates.

Now it's a race again, and while not dead by any stretch, probabilities point to Romney losing. So all that Big Money is back in the Big Race, and not siphoned out to the state and district races. So Romney's debate win may actually help Dem congressional and senate candidates.

I've heard all sorts of post-mortem commentary, comparing this debate to Bush-Kerry 1. The President stood stiff while a seasoned politician framed the debate. The challenger pulled even in the polls, but the President pulled out a close election.

And a close election is what the media wants. Blowouts are bad for business. More papers will be sold, and more TV newshours with garner ratings points.

The first Obama/Romney debate will go down in history. But will it be a turning point, or merely a plot point in the 2102 story?

Just One To Go

It's a 162-game season, and sometimes they all count. In game #161, the Yankee bats struggled all night. Mark Teixeira went 0-for-6 and left 9 men on base, and the Yankees as a team left 14.

You'd have to think this was the Red Sox last stand of a woeful season, taking a 3-1 lead to the bottom of the 9th.

But in a game that's been indicative of their last 3 weeks (the Yanks have won 15 of last 20), they came through when it counted. And again it was Raul Ibanez launching another clutch last-gasp home run. Ibanez's production this year has been inconsistent but undeniable with 19 HR and 62 RBI as a part-time player. That's more HR & RBI than A-Rod in 79 fewer ABs.

And give Joe Girardi credit. He makes a lot of moves and makes the manager's presence way too visible, but this year he has made it work in probably his best managing job. He pinch-hit Ibanez for a hot-hitting Eduardo Nunez in the 9th, setting up the eventual win, and was clearly pleased enough to lighten up.

Girardi knew how crucial the game was. He went with closer Rafael Soriano for the 9th while trailing. Soriano's rescued the Yankees' season with 42 saves in place of the injured Mariano Rivera, and Girardi stuck with him after giving up a solo shot in the 9th, bringing him back for a scoreless 10th.

Ibanez then won the game in the 12th with an opposite-field single off a lefty, and you can't undersell what the game meant. It means that the Yanks can clinch the AL East on Wednesday night with Hiroki Kuroda on the mound. If they win or the Orioles lose in Tampa Bay, they'll be the outright division champs.

That would mean the Yankees would avoid the slippery slope of the Divisional Tiebreak Thursday, the possible one-game Wild Card Showdown Friday, and if they survive that, to play an ALDS game Sunday. They would just get to take 2 or 3 days off instead.

And due to the events just before 1 AM and the surging Oakland Athletics, the Yankees are set up for the top seed in the AL Playoffs as well.

AL EAST

New York Yankees        94-67
Baltimore Orioles       93-68

AL WEST

Oakland A's             93-68
Texas Rangers           93-68

The A's really came from nowhere, as much as 13 games back in the AL West. And last night Grant Balfour entered the 9th against Texas with the RF bleachers moshing to Metallica's "One." And when he closed Texas one-two-three, the A's were tied atop the division.

The A's and Rangers won't have to play a Tiebreak Game #163 on Thursday because their tiebreak is today, Game #162. And the A's go with 24-year old rookie sensation A.J. Griffin (7-1, 2.71) against Rangers veteran Ryan Dempster. That's at 3:30 ET.

And there are scenarios (baseball's tiebreakers are ridiculous by the way) whereby the A's could get the top seed in the AL as well, but would obviously need a Yankees loss.

In the NL, the St. Louis Cardinals secured the second wild card spot even though they lost to Washington, because the Dodgers lost at home to the Giants last night.

I can hear Vin Scully saying, "And you just know the Giants would walk over hot coals to keep the Dodgers out of the postseason..." And sure enough the Giants eliminated them behind Barry Zito (remember him?) who won his 15th last night!

While the top seed in the NL has yet to be determined (Washington or Cincinnati), the NL Wild Card Showdown is set for Friday with St. Louis at Atlanta - likely Kyle Lohse (16-3, 2.86) vs Kris Medlen (10-1, 1.57). It'll be on TBS with a start time TBD.

And a shout out to the Tigers' Miguel Cabrera who is looking at the first Triple Crown (.331, 44 HR, 139 RBI) in 45 years, unless the Rangers' Josh Hamilton does something heroic on the last day of the season. And if there's anything we've learned from the final day last year, if it's mathematically possible it can happen.

Debated To Death

There are times when the the 24-hour news cycle is gripping, and there are times we all want to throw in the towel. How many times can we handle the pre-debate analysis? Well here's one more, except this one doesn't pull punches.

It's as if all the cliches are on a loop: "Do no harm," "Frame the argument," "Have a zinger ready." But here's the problem for Mr. Romney - you can't be over-prepared. Then you seem too rehearsed, inauthentic and stiff. Not that Romney's had any problem connecting with people (Backtime's Editorial Department just unloaded an incredulous Al Gore sigh).

Romney's best moments from the GOP debates were actually off the cuff. He dismissed a floundering Rick Perry with more than one "Nice try" and he told Newt Gingrich if he was on his staff and proposed some moon colony he'd be "fired."

Romney has had plenty of time to memorize his talking points, layered arguments, and even a canned zinger or two, but he would have to have a spontaneous moment to do anything impactful. So the bar's been set pretty low.

That seems to be the prevailing view but Romney surrogate Chris Christie, the Governor of my home state, didn't seem to get the memo. Christie was on all three network Sunday morning shows (were they offering free danish?) talking about how the race would be turned "upside down come Thursday morning." Was that a prediction or a pep talk?

The President, on the other hand, has been playing a much more conservative (small "c") game the last few weeks, looking to sit on his lead. Which means now is the time to unload. It will be the first time America sees Mr. Obama with his opponent on the same stage, and should waste no time discrediting him.

Obama has 90 minutes to hit Romney over and over on something that Romney can't possibly defend, his flexibility on nearly every issue. I wouldn't be surprised if the President drops "Etch-A-Sketch" as the soundbite moment that every media outlet runs with.

A few weeks back at the DNC everyone was raving about The First Lady's high-energy speech and President Clinton's fun, educational address. But the most effective speaker was Senator John Kerry, who laid the groundwork for the pummeling that's about to take place:

"Mr. Romney...you'd better finish the debate with yourself."

The issues are crucial and the important men will be at their lofty podiums, and Jim Lehrer will be there to be a PBS above-it-all bastion of journalistic integrity, but don't be fooled. This is all PR. And only one of the two candidates can relate to the public.

Yankees & Jets: Separate Worlds As Usual

They are two parts of me, my two sports teams. (The above symbol fits my two children as well, but that's another post for another site.)

They are the sun and the moon, order and chaos, heaven and hell. The New York Yankees and The New York Jets. They don't even really belong together. Most metro New Yorkers are either Yankees/Giants or Mets/Jets.

The New York Yankees are the gold standard. They don't always win, but it's hard to be disappointed with the results: 5 World Series titles in my adult life, and they've made the playoffs every year except one since 1995. But more than that, they make a great team to follow night in night out, year after year.

People talk about the Yankees being rich and buying their way to titles. It's partially true. But throwing money at players doesn't guarantee success. Ask Dan Snyder and the dynasty he's built in Washington.

The Yankees had the foresight to grow Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte, and Robinson Cano through their system (as well as Yankee modern legends Bernie Williams and Jorge Posada). It is a top-notch organization in every sense.

Then there's the New York Jets. They last appeared in a Super Bowl a month before my birth. Yes they've had some good years, great players, and some memorable playoff upsets, but they always ultimately implode and break your heart.

Today they were both on at the same time, so I put them on two separate TVs and shuttled between rooms. While I logged miles back and forth, each team's character was revealed.

The Yankees looked like they were done. They weren't playing that poorly but weren't hitting. Was it possible that this was the weekend the Blue Jays decided to be good? Toronto showed slick infield defense, good pitching, and enough hitting. They certainly appeared headed for 3-out-of-4, and looked to be shredding the Yankees' hopes of an AL East title.

The Yankees trailed 5-1 and were giving away the division lead while Baltimore was cruising against Boston Sunday. But the Pinstripes chipped away, scoring in the 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th. They sweated through a shaky Rafael Soriano appearance and gutted out a 9-6 win behind an extremely hot Cano (15 for last 24).

The Jets were a disaster. They got destroyed at home by the 49ers 34-0 in a game that wasn't as close as the score indicated. The defense showed a lot of heart to keep it 10-0 until 18 minutes to go. But ultimately Mark Sanchez and the offense were inept, totaling just 145 yards of offense - 100 less than San Francisco rushed for.

And in the ultimate adding injury to insult, Santonio Holmes crumbled down and gave up the ball in the process of grabbing his leg. Carlos Rogers raced the other way for 51 yards and a score.

The margin and the performance were staggering, but beating the 49ers was a dicey proposition to begin with. It's only one loss and the Jets are 2-2, but look well on their way to 8-8. There's nothing good to take away from the drubbing.

The Yankees finish their season with 3 at home against the Red Sox while the O's have to travel to Tampa, so that looks promising. But winning the division may get them a date with these guys:

The Detroit Tigers have all but wrapped up the AL Central with a magic number of 1 over the spiraling White Sox. They've got a huge 1-2 punch in the lineup with Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder (who launched a clutch 8th inning HR today).

Detroit has been a nemesis for the Yankees, knocking them out of the postseason in 2006 and 2011 in the divisional round.

And things don't get any easier for the Jets with the 4-0 Texans coming to town next Monday night. At least they'll have an extra day to figure things out. And if the Jets don't and unravel on national TV, maybe the gods of karma will be kind and the Yankees will be on at the same time.