I have to admit that there was a time last night when I thought the Sox were going to blow it. I'm glad it's over.

They can't blow it. They have Shane Victorino. He is still very beloved in Philadelphia, which has a lot of Phillie fans rooting for the Sox.

Baseball had another Jeffrey Maier postseason travesty with a fan reaching into the field of play snaring a batted ball before Josh Redick could have attempted a catch robbing Martinez of a homer.

Whether he would have caught it will never be known, but what's certain is that the sport would have benefited greatly by allowing this dramatic moment in the game play out to its just conclusion.

Well, the dream ended for the Bucos. Can't wait 'till next season.

Pirates fans should hold their heads high. They had an incredible season. As well as they played, the Pirates had to battle with St. Louis & Cincinnati all the way through in an extremely competitive division. The team is constructed to remain a contender, so there should not be another 21 year playoff drought for Pirate fans.

I like the moxy of the A's going with rookie pitcher Sonny Gray in Game 5 tonight. It was a gutsy move over 18 game winner Bartolo Colon, but I think it's the right call. If Gray should falter, Colon may be available from the bullpen.

Well said as always, goombah. The Pirates and Cardinals are recognized as having the most fertile farm teams in baseball, so their battles for promionence in the league may very well extend for some years.

I too am struck by the A's going with Gray. It's funny that the Pirates and A's both decided to skip reputable veterans in a deciding game for rookies. The Gray decision kind of surprised me as he doesn't have that many career starts, and Colon is a guy, who doesn't get rattled. But Gray's curveball has been outstanding. I'm sure the managerhas a feel for the call. It should be a great game.

I thought Cole was good last night for the Pirates. Right before Freese's homer I told my son that he's fouled quite a few pitches, and will probably get a hit. I wasn't counting on the homer, and I felt if they couldn't hit Wainright early, he'd just be tougher as by the third inning he's the kind of competitor, who knows what's working well and what's not.

There is no joy in Mudville...

a lot of hard work and history. The Bucs will know what it takes to win next year. Regardless, a great year for the old franchise.

There were parallels in both fifth games wednesday and thursday, which contrasted with GAme 1 of the NLCS. The Pirates and A's made the gutsy move to start rookie pitchers over solid veterans against aces, Wainwright and Verlander, respectively.

Cole couldn't put Freese away in one at bat and served up a homer after the batter saw quite a few pitches in his at bat. He lost his stuff by the fifth. Gray struggled with command, frequently overthrowing pitches, battled with base runners, and had to challenge Cabrera after falling behind the previous hitter, who led off with a single.

Meanwhile the experieaced aces were predictably able to elevate their performances and safely guided their teams to vicytory.

For the third consecutive night we saw a duel between a rookie (Kelly)with a promising arm and little experience and an experienced ace (Greinke). Like the previous games, Kelly was wild, unable to locate his pitches consistently, running dangerous counts, and allowing too many base runners while Greinke was consistent, solid, and able to strike out ten.

Yet the Cardinals were able to stay even against a better pitcher and perhaps lineup until finally pushing past the Dodgers in extra innings. This is why I picked St. Louis to win the world series. While anything can happen in a 7 game series, the Cardinals have shown over the past few years that they are very good at winning the games they're not supposed to win.

By the way Carlos Beltran is the best postseason hitter of our lifetime. In 40 games he is hitting .345 with 16 homers and 12 doubles. If you spread these numbers over a full season for reference, he has about 55 homers and 42 doubles, Ruthian numbers. His performance last night at the plate and in the field stood out.

Selig loves helping the small market teams during the regular season. But he must be rooting very hard for the Dodgers and Red Sox.

SC, I'm surprised at your lack of a post after Game 2. The Red Sox were about to be down 2-0 until the Ortiz grand slam. It was a great game.

Ortiz wasn't too excited about it after the game. I guess when you have 4 postseason grand slams, it's just another day in the office.

I never saw a DH, who in my opinion desrved to be in the Hall of Fame as they play half the game, but I think an exception has to be made for Ortiz.

Superstitious.

I hate to admit that I actually fell asleep during the 7th inning of that second game (when the Sox were down by 5 runs). I awoke an hour later to find that the game was finished. I looked online for the final score and I COULDN'T BELIEVE what I saw. My eyes were still "sleepy" and I thought I was looking at an old boxscore.

Suffice to say, I was ecstatic.

I can understand the superstition, particularly when it comes to baseball. But your team did rid itself of the most famous sports curse of all-time, so there is some reason for optimism.

But I also did a double take when I saw the final score. My 8 year old watched the highlights with me on Monday morning. He couldn't stop laughing every time Hunter fell over the wall on Ortiz's homerun. Glad to see that Hunter was not seriously hurt.

Have they not learned anything from the Yankees? Locking up a guy for that amount of money for that amount of years (and a pitcher no less). SMH. Go ahead Dodgers, waste your money. And no, I don't believe resigning Kershaw is a waste of money. Just the terms of that contract are.

Dodgers offered Clayton Kershaw a $300-million deal earlier this season

Jim Leyland is leaving the Tigers

Leyland stepping down

Not entirely surprising, especially since they could not get it done. They have a huge payroll and have still not brought home a title. Plus he's getting up there in age.

Disappointing for Tigers fans to say the least. Went to the World Series last year and got swept and went back to the ALCS this year and lost a series they should have won (but the bullpen blew it).

What scares me even more if I were a Tigers fan is Price Fielder's disappearance in the postseason:

His 2012 numbers:
.173 AVG (9-for-52), .232 OBP, .231 SLG, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 11 SO

His 2013 numbers:
.225 AVG (9-for-40), .311 OBP, .250 SLG, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 7 SO

In 2 postseasons for Detroit, his AVG is .196 with 18 strikeouts in 92 plate appearances, 1 HR and 3 RBI. And he still has 7 more years on his contract! Not very much protection for Miguel Cabrera.

The Red Sox' success is another victory for sabermetrics. The difference between the team this year and last also days something about Bobby Valentine.

Leyland has won wherever he went, and I won't be surprised to see him enshrined. I don't blame him for not winning a world series though. I think the most you can ask a baseball manager is to get you there. Having to win three relatively short series to win a championship involves a lot more variables and random events that a manager can account for through sheer managing. I don't disagree with any of his moves as I think the series plans were sound and placed the tigers in the best chance of winning. Cabrera was hurt and you can't hit for Fielder, who nosedived.

But as it turned out, I think this world series clearly has the two best teams in baseball.

You mean Bobby Fucking Valentine (have to add the middle name, just like we do to Bucky Fucking Dent).

Fielder is getting raked over the coals by local talk show hosts. Fans were booing him at the plate. When asked how he felt about this he said that if fans could do it they'd be out there doing it, not in the stands. While technically true that obviously didn't make people feel better about his slump. The Tigers overpaid for him thinking that Cabrera and Fielder would be the Bash Brothers. Not quite.

In his press conference Leyland joked that when he told his team that was it for him, they applauded and he wasn't quite sure how to take that. Leyland got a lot of heat from Monday morning quarterback types but ultimately neither he not for that matter, Fielder are solely responsible. Our payroll is too high; Fielder's contract is too long but we're built to win now. Problem (among others) is we have no bullpen. And although it won't be possible I would love to move Miggy back to first, get a better defensive third basemen and make Fielder the DH...that is if we can't find a bigger dummy to take him off our hands. But so it goes.

FWIW Leyland said he had already decided before the playoffs began that he was done.

It must just be in Detroit because I haven't heard much of anyone talking about Fielder. I just remembered thinking they signed this guy and he hasn't done a thing in 2 straight postseasons.

Honestly, from some of the highlights and the swings that he was taking in key situations (runners on base that could tie or give Detroit the lead), he looked scared and unsure of himself. Hacking at the ball just trying to make contact instead of trying to drive the ball and put it in play.

Oh yeah...there is rage in Motown.

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20131021/SPORTS0104/310200001/

They have a right to be. Fans will always associate a player with how much money they make. Right or wrong, you know that when you take the money. But this guy was brought in to provide protection to Miguel Cabrera and he's not done much in his 2 postseasons with Price Fielder. New York did the same thing to A-Rod.

This national article skewered Fielder on Friday, before Game 6: Despite a monster contract, Prince Fielder has been anything but money in the playoffs

I agree with Klydon that the two best teams in 2013 made it to the Fall Classic. While Detroit had the best lineup, their bullpen was horrific. I think Leyland felt that these past two years were his best chance to win and that the window will soon be closing.

Now there's rumors of trading Max Scherzer for prospects due to his impending free agency after the 2014 season. Dumb move. Detroit's starting rotation is their main strength. They beef up their bullpen a little bit and they're playing the Cardinals tomorrow instead of Boston.

Trade Max Scherzer

It will be interesting to see where and when David Price gets traded. He has a year left on his TB contract, but the Rays won't likely be able to sign him long term, so he'll go the way of Shields and Garza. Not many teams have the prospects for someone like Price.

I'm wondering where he goes as a free agent and how much teams are willing to spend on him? It's unfortunate really because Tampa could be a much better team if they could just get another bat or two to protect Longoria. Tampa can produce pitchers but not hitters unfortunately.

Despite needing starting pitching, the Yankees have been on a self imposed hiatus from signing big ticket free agents. That ends after the 2014 season, the same time when Price becomes a free agent.

After playing in front of sparse crowds at the Trop, I have a hunch Price wants to be on a bigger stage.

Remember when he made the comment about not wanting to shave his face and then later recanting that statement? I'm not 100% sure Price wants to come to New York. I'd love to see him but I don't think it's a done deal.

Also, here's a great story about how the Yankees plan on spending $300 million on free agents this winter and still try to be under Hal's $189 million mandate (although it's all dependent upon whether or not A-Rod's contract will be on the books for 2014):

Yankees plot spending spree

I think the Yankees missing the playoffs could be just as good now as it was in 2008. It forced them to spend and they won the World Series the following year. And if they can do it AND still get under $189 million, I'm all for it. The Yankees can't be idle like they were last winter and it's already starting to show. The Yankees are decreasing some ticket prices for the 2014 season:

Yankees announce season-ticket prices for '14