I made this paper doll as a birthday card for Mrs. October, celebrating her 94th this week. This is the first paper doll I've made and it was a frustrating effort.In what turned out to be a compelling ending to the World Baseball Classic, Japan took Korea in 10 innings to win its second championship in a row. It was a game ruled by pitching (Iwakuma, the Japanese starter, was outstanding) and defense (Korea turned three sparkling double plays). Japan had several chances to break things open but it was only in the 8th, with the score 1-1, that they pushed a couple more runs across.
Hottie Yu Darvish came out of the bullpen in the 9th and immediately started nibbling, walking the first two he faced. Both ended up scoring but all Korea could do was tie the game at three. I was pretty sure then that Japan would prevail, and in the 10th they did. With two on and nobody out, Korea elected for some mad reason to pitch to Ichiro. Don't do it, don't do it, should have been the chant from the many raucous Korean fans in attendance. After an eight-pitch battle, Ichiro singled both men in. What else would you expect him to do! Darvish returned for redemption in the 10th and put the Koreans away. Had he not, he would have been torched in Japan.
I was caught till the very end, flipping between it and the exciting Sixers game v. Portland. That game went into overtime but in the end the Sixers, who are again looking good, won.
Anyone who is a fan of 1950's style baseball has got to love the Asian game, which is definitely small ball, making use of pitching, defense, and speed. I hope that American baseball people were were taking note. It's long been said that if Greg Maddux, for my money the best pitcher of the steroid era, were coming up now, he wouldn't even be drafted. Everyone now wants big, power arms. A couple of weeks ago there was a piece about shortstops: all that scouts look for nowadays are big guys who play the position. No more shorties like Jimmy Rollins, who is simply one of the best. Or, at a different position, Dustin Pedroia, another shortie. Or Shane Victorino.
Yesterday Curt Schilling retired at age 42.
