Friday, October 08, 2004 |
Friday Morning Quarterbacking
A wise ballplayer/philosopher who grew up on the Hill, an Italian neighborhood not far from where Busch Stadium was built, is the man generally credited with coining the phrase, "It ain't over 'til it's over," a brilliantly succinct observation that has become an indelible part of the American sporting scene.Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times:Yogi Berra, meet the 2004 Dodgers, who appear to defy your famous utterance.
The Dodgers, still in search of their first postseason victory since 1988, are one loss from their third consecutive playoff sweep. Jose Lima, who starts Game 3 on Saturday at Dodger Stadium, guaranteed last week the Dodgers would beat the San Francisco Giants for the NL West championship.Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times:But, with the Dodgers needing to beat the Cardinals in three consecutive games to advance to the NL championship series, Lima offered no bold prediction this time.
"Against St. Louis? No guarantee," Lima said. "They've got such a great ballclub.
They valiantly tried to be Charles Bronson.Allison Ann Otto, Riverside Press-Enterprise:They ended up looking like Charlie Brown.
They've eluded defeat by rallying to win 53 times this season, sidestepped a mid-season shakeup, beaten back two losing streaks and escaped unharmed from the likes of Barry Bonds and Randy Johnson.Mark Whicker, Orange County Register:But in the past three days the Dodgers have twice been hit squarely in the gut. Now they're the prizefighter reeling in the ring, one blow away from a knockout.
LA met its match again in Busch Stadium on Thursday, this time in front of 52,228 roaring fans that watched the Dodgers fall, 8-3, to the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 2 of the National League division series.
They played 162 games for this, sweated out 93 victories for this, held off San Francisco with their fingernails and one grand swing by Steve Finley, all for this.Jim Caple, ESPN.com:They did it to spend a month in St. Louis this week, counting flowers on the wall, playing solitaire to mark the long hours between beatings.
They did it to lose, 8-3 and 8-3, to the Cardinals in the first two games of the division series, to earn the right for - what else? - another off day today, another round of regret, another inquisition.
This just in. In addition to that whole Milton Bradley thing, the Dodgers are now also demanding that Fox erase all tapes of this division series against the Cardinals.... Naturally, the Dodgers talked about returning to Los Angeles and rallying as they have so many times this season, but no amount of brave talk, spin or press bullying can alter the cold, hard truth. There is no debate in St. Louis on this point -- they've had it.
Newer› ‹Older
 |
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.