Carlos Pena Saves Baseball

You thought the tie All-Star game a few years back was bad? That would've been nothing had Carlos Pena not saved the day - and baseball - last night in the top of the 6th inning. Can you imagine if, instead of lining one to left to score BJ Upton, Pena had made the third out and the Phillies still led 2-1? Would they have still stopped the game? Would they have had the guts to risk not being able to come back out after a delay?

Tim McCarver was dead nuts on - Pena's hit saved baseball from an all-time embarrassing episode. How could they ever live down their World Series Champion winning the deciding game in a 5 1/2 inning game? They couldn't. The poor Rays, sent to the clubhouse and never able to return. The Phillies, forced to suddenly get exicted and celebrate a World Series title - the childhood dream of all 25 players and every single manager - after winning a game shorter than a high school contest. The long suffering Philadelphia fans, who could almost taste the first title for the city in 25 years, not even still in the building to join in on the party. And Bud Selig, awkwardly trying to answer questions from the media, giving that same shrug we saw back in Milwaukee in 2002. (PS: I don't believe what Bud is saying - that they would've suspended the game no matter what the score. That's crap.)

So on behalf of baseball fans everywhere, thank you Carlos Pena. You just saved baseball.

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Couple other thoughts from the World Series so far ...

-As my buddy Will said last night on the phone, "I'm suffering from my first case of baseball blue balls."

-My college baseball coach had an amazing way of needling umpires. If we were batting and he disagreed with a call, he would say something like this from the 3rd base coaching box: "Hey Matt, step out of the box. Did he really just call that a strike? WOW. That's okay, he's a good ump, he'll give that one back." I bring this up because he would've had a good time with this World Series umpiring crew, who have been worse than dreadful. Blown calls, fake calls, bad strike zones, rabbit ears ... really, this is the best they could do?

-As a Mets fan, you'd think I'd be rooting for the Rays. And I am. Pull for the underdog. But honestly, a Phillies title won't be the worst thing in the world. The Mets have done their damage - the Phillies winning won't do anything to improve my psyche as a Mets fan. Plus, the Phillies are a pretty likable team. Chase Utley is a great guy. There's not a lot to dislike about Cole Hamels, except maybe his hair and the hat that's 2 sizes too big. Jimmy Rollins is a ballsy guy. Pat The Bat is weird and awesome. Still waiting to see or hear something that makes Ryan Howard seem like a bad dude. And Charlie Manuel seems like he'd be a cool grandpa. So even though that crew has tormented my favorite sports team for two straight years, it's difficult to despise the guys doing the tormenting.

-Actually, there is an easy reason to despise them: Shane Victorino. Sorry, just can't take a guy who still wears a little league helmet seriously.

-So who do the Phillies go with in the 7th inning? They have a good bullpen, but how about this: you know how some managers use a starter coming out of the bullpen on 1 day of rest because it's their normal day to throw? If they get washed out again tonight, would Manuel bring back Hamels and let him keep pitching?