IMO the bullpen is. I've never seen a World Champ that didn't have a great bullpen. The Majority of games also seem to depend on how the bullpen does in the last 3 innings.
202722
It's gotta be the bullpen! Prime example, the New York Yankees. Explosive allstar offense for the past 5 years. Pretty good starting pitching for the past 5 years. But a week bullpen and the result....0 championships. That says it all right there. It's all about the bullpen.
258328
HECK YEAH it's gonna be fun! For the first time in a long time the playoffs are actually proving to be ENTERTAINING ( if only the refs would let the players decide the game more, though)! There is no SURE THING this year, which I think only adds to the fascination! Personally I see it being Spurs and Heat in the finals, but who knows?! All I do know, is that it is going to be a great race to the end....! =)
604463
I think they do in a bottom line situation. Many of the favoured teams have started slowly or been a little disappointing. Who really knows how that match would have gone or played out if they had a better referee. He truly was terribly inconsistent today and effected the game greatly. I think he had both teams in fear by half time and that must have had an effect in how they played their game. I think the coach needs to find better combinations on the field. Totti, Del Piero and others have played together in previous world cups but are hardly ever on the field together to lead with experience. Del Piero was in place to score on many occasions, however the ball didn't get to him all that often.
212720
You answered your own question, dude. Germany would be the place to be. You get to go sightseeing...in Europe...and you get to enjoy the fever pitch of some of the most adoring fans in any sport. I love baseball too. But the WBC isn't exactly the insanity that is the World Cup.
202621
The passed balls just kill me!  I mean Wake is solid, but the knuckle ball is bound to generate some walks by its very nature.  So when we give up a lead off walk, and the guy steals second, which anyone can clearly do with ease off of the Wake/Bard battery combo (not that it's their faults), we end up with no outs and a guy on second.  Throw in the inevitable passed ball and now there is a guy on third and no outs.  From there it just takes a fly ball, a ground ball, a passed ball, any number of things can drive in a cheap run for the other team.  If this scenario happens twice in a game, we need to score 2 runs just to even it up, let alone if the other team scored a "real" run or two.  With Bard behind the plate, it just seems like we're always playing catch-up.
158975
Amen Sister!\n\nI am happy as a lark in mid-june!\n\nA few years back they started the season 4-0 and ended up 72-90. So I am not saying they are going to win the WORLD Series, but I am enjoying it while it lasts.\n\nJustin Verlander starts today, and he's got a good arm. he's a flame thrower...I'd love to see them 5-0. But I dont want to jinx them by saying they will win.\n\nWe got some young good arms. Bondermen should have a break out year, and hopefully win 15-20 games. kenny rodgers will be a good influence on the young arms (just keep him away from any and all cameramen!!! lol).\n\nShelton usually doesnt hit for power, more for average. So this is just a phase he's going through. If he can hit close to .300 (or better) I'd be happy.\n\nIf Mags can stay healthy all year, along with Guillen we should be ok. Polanco is awesome, he just hits the baseball almost everytime he's up. You can count on him being at or above .300 this year.\n\nIf Pudge has the same kind of year he had in 2004, that would be great.\n\nInge is much better hitter when he doesnt catch.\n\nGranderson has speed, but needs to work onhis outfield play.\n\nMonroe is good.\n\nOf course the trick is too put ALL THINGS together at the same time.\n\nThe baseball season is a marathon (162 games), so it's still way to early to tell. But so far I like what I see.\n\nGiving where The Tigers have been at over the last 14 years. if they win 79-80 games I would be happier than a lark in mid-june!\n\nWe haven't had a winning season (.500 or better) in 12 years. This could be 13. \n\nAnd please dont get me started on the owner, he is more concerned with his other team to even care about The Tigers.\n\noh Wow! Did I just babble? Sorry, but I love MY TIGERS! MY TIGERS! MY TIGERS!\n\nI am happy to see them in 1st place, but I know it won't last.\n\nThanks for letting me babble!
347212
it is there, actually its under best post season moment instead of best play.\n\nAs a die hard Mets fan and baseball fan, that was the best play of the season.\n\nHis name is Endy Chavez by the way.
246271
man someone needs to lay off the crack pipe sayin the tigers are better then the sox. look at the records timmie. who has the best record in baseball that would be the sox. is this even a real question because they are the defending champs and have the best record end of story
611895
Personally, I think it should be the team with the best record. I don't like the old system of switching leagues like they used to do. Basing on the All Star is silly. The All Star is supposed to be a game for fun and the fans, don't tie it into the "World" Series.
646009
In theory the crackdown on obstruction was a good thing.  Yes, I do miss the battles in front of the net... I guess it goes both ways.  I'd rather leave all the hooking and holding out of the game--but I still think that sometimes the refs went a little overboard and sometimes they were true to form and "put away the whistle" during the game... in my opinion it all depends on how they're calling the game and which team ends up with more power plays (if it's the team you're rooting for then of course the refs are doing their job--but again that goes both ways too).
593657
It is further proof that the white sox have more than enough fire power to go along with great pitching to repeat a world series run.\n\nget ready for part 2 of the ongoing world series celebration folks.\n\nand don't get too cocky detroit. cuz the heat is on...
657978
Yeah if you want to look at stats alone but weird things happen in baseball.I remember last year the Royals swept the Yankees and the Royals had a horrible team.That's why so many people get frustrated with the Yankees.People think they should win every single game with a pay roll like that, and they probably should.I also think that a lot of good teams are too relaxed when a bad team comes into town and then they loose.Sorry...I keep going on and on but its just that I am a Royals fan and even though they are bad I have seen them beat some of the best teams.I guess that's just how baseball works.
204278
I think the Red Sox have a very good pitching staff, especially with the emergence of Papelbon.  But, after Schilling and Beckett, there is a drastic drop off...Tim Wakefield anyone?!?\n\nI would have to say the best staff in baseball belongs to the Oakland A's.  They have so many young guns: Zito, Harden, Haren and Blanton and a great young closer in Huston Street.  Having a veteran like Esteban Loaiza helps the staff and Kiko Calero coming out of the bullpen rounds out the staff nicely.
611461
No no no no no!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I think it is just all part of the game.Everyone has been mad before about a bad call against their team but everyone has also seen a bad call made that helps there team so it kind of evens out and all.This sounds really evil and I'm not like that but also, with replays there would be less fights.I know that's a good thing because they try to make baseball a family sport but I think everyone gets interested in that.Like when a manager goes out to argue with an umpire about his call, the crowd just goes crazy.I think the whole thing is just part of the game.
651590
I would get some bullpen help.  They are so weak when it comes to the pen.  Their starters do a decent job of keeping them in the game and then the pen comes into play and they lose it.  Offensively, they are fine.  They don't need anymore sticks until they can secure some bullpen help and quality help at that.
182096
It isn't. The Toronto Blue Jays have won it twice in the early 1990's. The "World" appellation has stuck despite the fact that only teams in the two major leagues, which happen to cover only the United States and Canada, actually participate. At the time the term was first used, baseball at the major league level was only played in the United States. While some would contend that there is no reason to believe that the World Series winner is a significantly better team than any club team outside Major League Baseball, no challenges have been made by other leagues. Moreover, virtually all of the best international players — from the Pacific Rim, Latin America, the Caribbean, and elsewhere — play on Major League rosters, with the notable exception of Cuban nationals.\n\nhere was also a competition, the World Baseball Classic, featuring players from all over the world. The US didn't make the final which was won by Japan.
648514
At present, the 1970 Brazilian team is thought of as the best. So far, I have seen nothing of this 2006 team to show they are as good as that one, but they certainly have the potential to be.