... cuz A.J. Pierzynski just carjacked the Angels.
- This postseason has already birthed the Chris Burke game, the Bill Buckner Part Dos, and now the Phantom Dropped Strike. The most ridiculous part of this is that umpire supervisor Rich Reiker claimed they that through some "technology" in a "truck," they came to the conclusion that the ball might still have been moving or trapped. Every replay I saw showed pretty conclusively that Paul caught it, whatever mysterious alien technology the umpires' truck might have. The only hesitation was on umpire Doug Eddings' part. And the worst part for the Angels is that this type of break can turn the momentum around in a playoff series.
- Despite the histrionics, the Angels bullpen is bulletproof. Any runs the Sox get will have to be off of the Angels's weakened starting rotation. Speaking of runs, my buddy ToddH summed up the Sox offense best: "What are those wooden sticks for? Geez." Any runs that the Sox get will be via the home run; they can't string hits together to save Christmas.
- For those of you keeping score at home, A.J. is now even-steven for botching a hit-and-run and a pitchout to salt away Game 1. Which Chris Myers mentioned on the postgame interview with AJ, leading to the best face on live TV since Mike Meyers was on with Kanye.
- Hey Joey Cora, thanks for sending Aaron Rowand home after he'd run around all of the bases and got tagged out. I get the sinking feeling that Ozzie is in a pissing match with Mike Scioscia to see who can smallball better, leading him to try and take bases that aren't there. Hopefully the fluky win snaps him out of it. And why is the Sox version of smallball bunts, and the Angels version is hit-and-runs? Like in the first inning, when Podsednik reached on the error and Iguchi was up. We're giving away outs because Ozzie thinks he's only going to score 1 or 2 runs? The way the Angels bullpen is going, the Sox need to score as many as they can early, and Byrd and Washburn were ripe for the picking in the first two games, except Sox hitters hacked at too many first pitches and refused to work counts and let the fatigue set in. Instead, that opportunity is gone and the Sox face their best starter (Lackey) at their stadium.
- Contreras and Buehrle were lights-out. Too bad the Sox offense made Paul Byrd and Jarrod Washburn look just as good.
