## It was a close game until the ninth, but somehow it didn't feel that way. CC pitched great, but what was more important, he made pitches when he had to. All the pressure in a 2-2 game seemed to be on the Orioles, like the Yankees were waiting to see them blink. In the ninth, closer Jim Johnson did just that. More than win the game, the Yanks burst the Oriole fans' bubble and deflated the myth of Johnson's infallibility. Baltimore is now faced with the need to win at least two games in Yankee Stadium.
## The New York papers were full of predictions about the series. After reading the columnists Davidoff, Sherman, Vaccaro, Mushnick, et. al., you began to think the Orioles didn't stand much of a chance: The Yanks have baseball's most powerful lineup, the starters are great the bullpen is untouchable, Girardi is master bullpen manipulator, even the concession stands are terrific. The Yanks better win now, or you're liable to hear - The lineup is old, CC is no longer an ace, the bullpen is tired, Girardi micro-manages and, Hey, who picked those hot dogs?
## Josh Hamilton is no longer a Greek god in Texas. After his last at bat, he was booed by the Texas fans. He's a free agent and there is doubt that he'll return to the Rangers. Josh insists the boos will not be a factor, saying, "I will choose a team solely on the word I receive from God." Oh sure, bring Scott Boras into this.
## What's Theo Epstein trying to do to the AL East? The Cubs GM has been trying to dump Alfonso Soriano on anyone, including the Batavia Muckdogs, all year. He has finally decided that he'll be willing to pick up a good-sized portion of Soriano's contract to trade him. Tampa, Baltimore and Toronto now seem interested, plus his old friend and newly-hired Cleveland manager, Terry Francona. He should talk to Red Sox president Larry Luchino. That's one guy Theo has proven that he can fool.
## One baseball analyst said it didn't seem right that teams like Atlanta and Texas, with 94 and 93 wins respectively, aren't in the post season, while St Louis and Detroit, both with 88 wins, are. I guess I'm not alone what I say that the playoffs encompass too many teams. I still believe the "playoffs" should include ONLY the teams in each league with the best record. But We'll have to wait until Bud Selig retires to have a chance to change that. As Chipper Jones said after his last game, "Let EVERYBODY in. Start the tournament in August and forget the regular season except to seed the teams." He was kidding, of course. ...I think.
BRAD DICKSON'S BOTTOM TEN
1) Eastern Michigan (0-5) - The Eagles are based in Ypsilanti, Michigan. It looks like they won't be putting Ypsilanti on the map this year. I mean, literally. I consulted two maps and they weren't on either one of them.
5) Massachusetts (0-6) - After dropping several close contests, the Minutemen are considered the best 0-6 team in the country. I've never understood why that's considered a compliment.
8) Colorado (1-4) - The Buffaloes had a bye week. Just to be on the safe side, I would have made this homecoming.
## One of the strange parts of the playoff format this year, is that the higher seeded team starts by playing two games on the road. It hasn't seem to hurt them, though, the visiting teams are 4-2 so far, with only Detroit winning at home. I don't know what that means.
THEY SAID IT
"I fully expect to wake up tomorrow morning and see the SF Giants’ offense pictured on a milk carton." -- Janice Hough
"The Blue Jays led the majors in walks given up. The Red Sox led the majors in giving up" -- RJ Currie
"The 18-wheeler hauling Boise State's football equipment to a game at Southern Mississippi hit a cow outside Albuquerque, N.M. The cow, to no one's surprise, now sports an 0-1 road record." -- Dwight Perry
"The working definition of "taking it to the next level" in the baseball playoffs: "They raise the price of a beer to $10.50." -- Alan Ray
"The Dolphins released Legedu Naanee: "The only receiver in the NFL with more vowels than catches." -- Greg Cote
"Last week, there was a 3.4 magnitude earthquake in Texas. The earthquake did $15 million dollars worth of damage - it destroyed one Texas High School football stadium scoreboard. -- Brad Dickson
CP-
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