Pitching and defense are the post-season mantra and that was very much the case in the recent division series. Forget about the pathetic Twins and their nemesis, the Yankees. Until the Twins are able to beat the Yankees, they should enjoy their season-ending division titles.
The Giants-Braves series was pretty much over as soon as Billy Wagner got injured. That threw the Braves' bullpen, already running on fumes, into a tailspin. The Braves' defense was simply awful, much as it had been most of the season. The Giants' defense was not crisp either, but the Giants were able to outlast the shaky Braves. No wonder Pablo Sandoval disappeared from the starting line-up; the guy is a misadventure waiting to happen at third base. As for the pitching, Lincecum was outstanding in his post-season debut. I felt sorry, though, for Hudson and Lowe, who both pitched their hearts out for the Braves. But oh that brutal defense behind them.
The other ALDS, too, was about pitching and defense. Game 5 last night had it all: Cliff Lee at his brilliant post-season best for the Rangers and shocking defensive miscues by the Rays, who were schooled on the base paths. Elvis Andrus at 20 can no doubt run like a deer but there is no way Vladimir Guerrero should score from 2nd on an infield ground-out. It will be interesting to see if the Rangers abuse Posada and the Yankees in the same way.
All in all, there was some great pitching (Halladay, Lincecum, Lee, Hamels) in the first round but also some ugly, ugly baseball. The only offense clicking so far is, sigh, the Yankees.
