Tomorrow is October, Let There be Baseball

For the second straight year, the Phillies have won the NL East and are in the playoffs. Unlike last year, they are not running into a buzzsaw in the first round as they did in the Rockies a year ago. This time, the Phillies will take on the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLDS.

Let's hope Ryan swings the same bat in October as he did in September

The Brewers, who finished in second in the Central and beat out the Mets on the final day of the season for the Wild Card, had a terrible September, going 10-16, including a four game sweep at the hands of the Phillies in Philadelphia. The series was so bad that after the last game, the Brew Crew fired their manager, Ned Yost.

The Phillies will send Cole Hamels to the mound for game one tomorrow, and he will face Yovani Gallardo. Gallardo went down with a knee injury in May, but came back to start a game last week against the Pirates. He is without a decision for the year. Hamels, the Phillies ace, is 14-10 on the season, but had a terrible outing last October.

Game two would feature Brett “The Hitman” Myers against C.C. Sabathia at Citizens Bank Park on Thusday, and Jamie Moyer will throw at Miller Park on Saturday against an unknown Brewers pitcher in game three. Games four and five, if necessary, would be played in Milwaukee on Sunday and final game of the series would be back in Philadelphia on Tuesday.

Either the Cubs, Dodgers, Brewers of Phillies will be in the World Series this year… why not the Phillies?

Let’s play ball.

Nittany Lion Review – Game 5 – vs. Illinois

Illinois 24

Penn State 38

September 27th, 2008

Beaver Stadium

University Park, Pa.

About that Non-Conference Schedule…

It's raining in Corvails; joy, that is

 

 

Well, that was in interesting development last night.

Oregon State, a team that Penn State shellacked three weeks ago, stunned the number-one ranked Trojans of USC last night 27-21 in Corvallis. Fortunately for the Lions, that OSU team didn’t show up a few weeks ago.

Freshman running-back Jacquizz Rodgers knifed his way through the USC defense to the tune of 186 yards on 37 carries; most of which were between the tackles. His late touchdown in the fourth quarter after an interception return to the 2 yard-line put the game away. In short summary, this game wasn’t as close as the final score indicated, Oregon State dominated for three of the four quarters.

Three weeks ago, I engaged in a conversation with an Oregon State fan outside of Beaver Stadium. I asked him how he though they’d do in the Pac-10 (s***ty) and I told him to “beat USC for us.” His response was quite simple and confident, “there’s no f***ing way that will happen.” So wherever you are buddy, thanks!

So where does that leave Penn State? A win tomorrow night should put us in the top 10 nationally, and a big win would really get people (other than Craig James and Mark May, who no one gives a damn about anyways) talking. The keys are in hand, now Penn State need to go out and make it happen. Remember Minnesota in 2005, I have the same feeling about tomorrow night.

Let’s Go State.

Nittany Lion Preview – Game 5 – vs. Illinois

Against the Spread – Edition 5

Welcome back to Against the Spread 2008. Every Wednesday, the panel of four fine prognosticators will make their selections on the weekend’s key upcoming football games. We present to you, Against the Spread, for the fifth week of the 2008 season: