Curse of the Colorado Walkies

Cheesy title, I know. But walks have killed Colorado thus far, and if they're going to climb out of this two-games-to-love hole they're in, Rockies pitchers need to stop giving out free passes.

Colorado has allowed 15 walks in just two games, incidentally the same span in which they've gone from looking like world beaters to average joes.

In Game 1, two walks later turned into runs and three walks forced runs in directly, but with 17 hits -- including nine for extra bases -- the Red Sox would have turned it into a merry-go-round regardless.

But in Game 2, the walks really hurt.

Ubaldo Jimenez was very good for the first few innings -- much more impressive than Colorado ace Jeff Francis in the series opener -- but his control started to deteriorate in the fourth, and the quality of the strikes he threw tumbled, too.

A walk to Mike Lowell in the fourth later scored on a game-tying sacrifice fly, and another issued to Big Papi came around to score on Lowell's double.

And that was it: two runs was all the Rockies' staff surrendered, but it was all the Red Sox needed.

Short Hops

Did anyone else notice Manny Ramirez intentionally flipping off his helmet as he rounded the bases? When Mike Lowell hit the game-tying double in the fourth, Ramirez was on first. As he ran toward second, you could see him put his hand under the bill of the helmet and push upward.

I guess some people can only look fast.

Also, how bad was Matt Holliday's gaffe in getting picked off at first? What was he thinking? He must have been pondering just how hard he hit that ball off of Papelbon moments earlier, because I doubt he would have been stealing in that situation.

But before we get too critical of Holliday, we should probably remember that he had four of the team's five hits.

UPDATE: Apparently, he was trying to steal. Regardless, he was way out in no man's land.

Red Sox have Been Here, Done This

If Colorado manager Clint Hurdle tells his team to act like they've been there before, they'll have to do just that: act.

No Rockies' pitcher has ever appeared in a World Series game, and the lone hitter to have played on baseball's biggest stage is Willy Taveras. In the 2005 World Series, Taveras hit .333 (5-15) with two doubles, a triple and a stolen base. Of course, his contributions were in a losing effort as the Astros were swept by the White Sox.

The Red Sox, meanwhile, have no need to act. They have been here before.

This World Series will be the first in a Boston uniform for Josh Beckett, but he is no stranger to the spotlight. Beckett was 1-1 with a 1.10 ERA in the 2003 series, back when he was just a lad plying his trade for the Marlins. Most of us remember his complete game shutout on three days' rest to clinch the series, and he has shown that same kind of resolve in the playoffs thus far this season.

Oh yeah, and there's a familiar face from that 2003 World Series, just a few yards to Beckett's right at third base: Mike Lowell.

Curt Schilling has pitched in the World Series thrice prior (including with the 1993 Phillies) and posted a 3-1 record with a 2.11 ERA. More memorable than the 2004 World Series -- the bloody sock was in the ALCS, remember? -- was Schilling's effort in the 2001 series against the Diamondbacks. In three starts, including Game 7, Schilling was 1-1 with a 1.69 ERA and 26 Ks in 21.1 innings. That's solid.

And of course, Manny Ramirez has seen a pitch or two at this level. He's been less successful than you might think, though: in three appearances, he's hit .246 (15-61) with 4 HR and 12 RBI.

There are Red Sox players who haven't been here before -- Dice-K, Jacoby Ellsbury, Dustin Pedroia, and Kevin Youkilis come to mind -- but the big boys have, and that experience may give Boston a huge head start in this series.

In talking about the Rockies inexperience, I was pointing out to a friend that Colorado has never been to this level, and I wasn't sure if they will know how to win. To which he responded, "Well, so far this postseason they haven't shown they know how to lose, either."

Maybe he has a point.

Do the Rockies Have a Snowflake's Chance?

The short answer: probably not.

If you want the longer answer, well, keep reading.

On October 15, the Colorado Rockies completed their improbable run the World Series, beating the Diamondbacks 6-4 for their 21st win in the past 22 games.

Eight days later, we all know this. In the interim, Denver's gotten its first snow of the season, the Red Sox have polished off a huge comeback against the gagging Indians, and Rockies fans have crashed the mainframe trying to get their paws on World Series tickets.

I don't know about you, but that sounds to me like plenty of time for baseball's hottest team to cool off.

An AP World Series position-by-position preview -- and you can take it for what it's worth -- gives the Rockies the edge at just two categories, shortstop and center field. I might argue that Matt Holliday has the edge over Manny Ramirez in left field, but other than that, all advantages go fairly to the Sox.

Boston's starting pitching -- they'll go with Beckett, Schilling and Matsuzaka -- has the ability to dominate a Rockies lineup that's much less familiar with their styles than were the Indians. And while Francis may have the stuff to give Beckett a run for his money in Game 1, but beyond that, it's rookie Ubaldo Jimenez and journeyman Josh Fogg.

The Rockies bullpen has been surprisingly good, but they rely on a relatively untested commodity in rookie closer Manny Corpas. The Red Sox's pen had some struggles late in the season and early on in the ALCS, but man for man it is one of the best in the game.

Colorado does have a great lineup, but if the series turns to a slugfest, Boston has the edge there, too.

Momentum figured to be the one department in which the Rockies would have the edge over the ALCS winner, but the abbreviated NLCS and the long, drawn-out, and dramatic ALCS pretty much flipped that advantage upside down.

Predictions and probability aside, I'd love to see the Rockies' miraculous streak continue and have them knock off the now-pompous Red Sox. I'm just not getting my hopes up.

Prediction: Boston wins in 5 games

Can Japanese-style Baseball Save the Royals?

Coming to an MLB stadium near you, it's Royals baseball, Japanese style!

Trey Hillman was announced as Kansas City's new manager Monday, and in the press conference he took some heat for his complete and total lack of experience at the major league level.

In his own defense, Hillman argued that he has spent the last five years managing a professional team in Japan, the Nippon Hamm Fighters, who just happen to be in this year's Japan Series Championship. (And in case you're wondering, that is Hillman riding the wave in celebration.)

Furthermore, Hillman said, "On many levels and on any given day, the quality of play [in Japan], I believe, is as good as it is here in the United States at the major league level."

So, what about it? Does Hillman have a point?

The 2006 World Baseball Classic, for all of its flaws, had to indicate something about the level of play in Japan. And every few years, Japanese players like Ichiro, Hideki Matsui, Daisuke Matsuzaka, and Hideki Okajima seem to find their way stateside and contribute greatly in the majors.

But for every Hideki Matsui, it seems, there's been a Kazuo Matsui, and for every Dice-K a Hideki Irabu, Japanese imports that have floundered or failed altogether.

So while the talent level -- the depth, in particular -- of Japanese baseball may be in question, I'd argue that the Japanese players we've seen are more disciplined and fundamentally sound than the average Major Leaguer. It's sort of baseball the way it used to be played here in the States.

And if Hillman can bring that style of play to Kansas City, he'll win over any skeptical Royals fan post haste.

Putting the Buck in Buckeyes

In case you wondered, not all Ohio State students are created equally.

If you're an athlete, a recent Wall Street Journal article has some good news: the University spends an average of $110,000 out of its $109 million sports budget on each one of you.

Of course, much of that money goes to things like private jet hours for football coach Jim Tressel and basketball coach That Matta, but the perks definitely trickle down to the athletes themselves.

Let's see, there's the football practice facility that just got $19.5 million in upgrades, so that it now includes a juice bar, six flat panel TVs, and three video game systems. Whatever it takes to get your game to the next level, right?

The hockey teams have this sweet treadmill that allows them to work on their ice skating at speeds up to 16 m.p.h. And the golf team gets to play on a course designed by none other than the Golden Bear himself, who is an OSU alumnus. Oh yeah, and there's the $20 million facility for the synchronized swimming team.

The non-athletes undoubtedly get a good education, it's just that they're paying more than ever for it. When funding was tight in the early 2000s, Ohio State didn't even think about cutting back on athletics; no, the obvious response was to raise tuition 60% in a four-year span.

So without knowing the actual tuition figures, you have to wonder how it stacks up to the approximately $36,700 that the University puts back into education for each non-athlete student.

Anyway, if you're wondering how the Buckeyes pull this off, remember that not all Ohio State University athletic programs are created equally, either. Sports like fencing, track, and lacrosse make either nothing or close to it, while football and basketball shoulder the profit load for the entire program.

According to the article, Ohio State was one of just 19 universities in the country to turn a profit, though it didn't say how much. I don't know how the money will be spent, but I hear the badminton team is running dangerously low on shuttlecocks.

If You're Going to Play the Blame Game...

Say what you want about third base coach Joel Skinner, who chose to hold Kenny Lofton at third instead of sending him for what should have been the tying run in the seventh.

Make Casey Blake the scapegoat, if you'd like, for hitting into an inning-ending double play in that seventh, then booting a bouncer at third five minutes later, a gaffe that quickly turned into an insurance run.

Blame Eric Wedge for leaving Rafael Betancourt out there about four batters too long.

But if you're looking for the real culprit, Cleveland fans, look no further than three of your regular season heroes.

C.C. Sabathia was abysmal in Game 1, and a little worse than mediocre in Game 5, the Indians first and best chance to put the series away. Fausto Carmona, Cleveland's other 19-game winner, struggled mightily as well, failing in two starts to complete five innings.

But perhaps the biggest disappointment of them all was Travis Hafner. Pronk, as he is affectionately known by teammates and fans, may as well have been invisible.

For the series, he hit .148 (4-27) with 12 Ks and 15 runners left on base. In the eighth inning of Game 7 with two runners on and none out -- when the Indians needed a big hit the most -- Hafner whiffed on three pitches against Papelbon.

After blowing a 3-1 lead and what seemed a certain trip to the World Series, Indians fans must be devastated. And if you're the type to analyze, break down, and determine who's to blame for this abomination, there's plenty of blame to go around.

Just make sure you distribute it properly.