Earlier today, it was announced that WR Anquan Boldin will be traded to the 49er's for a 6th round pick. Rapid reactions out of Baltimore fans basically ridiculed Ozzie and the Raven's organization for allowing such a trade to occur, and at first, their arguments seem logical. Boldin was coming off of a great season, with an historical playoff run ending with a Super Bowl victory.
Boldin has played for the Raven's for the past 3 years, and quickly became a fan favorite by playing a very Raven-like style of football (tough, work every down, never give up). In his three seasons, Boldin only missed 3 games. He caught 186 passes, for 2,654 yards and 14 touchdowns. Including the post season you can add on another 38 receptions, another 616 yards and 6 touchdowns. He quickly became Flacco's go-to-reciever in critical situations, and notched a majority of his receptions in the 4th quarter, or clutch scenario's.
Given these stats, and the all around love of Boldin with in the organization, this trade, at first glance, does not sit well with many people. However if you look at the team as a whole, the younger players, and Baltimore's history, the trade could have been expected. The Raven's were sitting with 12 million in cap space, with the desire to retain young talent, and a 32 year old receiver, with one year left on his contract, and a 6 million dollar cap number. The Raven's reportedly asked Boldin to take a pay cut, which he declined. With contract negotiations at a stand-still, impending free-agency starting in several hours, and the desire to keep the young core together, a move needed to be made.
The Raven's had several options:
Cut Boldin, save 6 million dollars on the cap, and use that to sign the likes of Ellerbe/Kruger/Pitta.
Trade Boldin for an early round draft pick, retain the 6 million dollar cap hit, and potentially lose all free-agents.
Or, they could trade Boldin for a late round pick, dump the salary, and have more room to negotiate with Ellerbe/Kruger/Pitta.
Losing Boldin is tough to stomach for many fans, but in the long run, it really was the best option. Boldin is an aging player, with a 1 year contract and a huge salary cap number. It would have been hard to find a team willing to pay that high of a salary while only being guaranteed one year of service, and to give up anything higher than a 6th round pick. In the past, General Manager Ozzie Newsome, and the Raven's organization have done well in the later stages of the draft.
The Ravens will look for TE Pitta to take over as Flacco's go to guy on the inside, and they will put the burden on WR Doss to take over with strong hands on the outside. This trade is hard to stomach, but the move makes sense for the Raven's long term plans.
The time we have all been waiting for, we are now within 24 hours of Super Bowl XLVII. The Game will feature two "identical" teams, with one goal in mind; becoming world champions.
"Twin" Teams
Much has been made about what makes the 49ers and the Ravens such similar teams. The two teams are built the exact same way. The defenses are eerily similar, each team boasts a stout defensive line, pro-bowl linebackers, underrated defensive backs, and hard hitting safeties. The offenses have completely different styles, but the same mindset. The quarterbacks are both young guys, playing in their first super bowl. Flacco has a big arm, and a knack for the deep ball; meanwhile Kaepernick is a home run style quarterback, whether its with a powerful arm or if he tucks and runs. Both teams have O-lines playing the best they have all season, solid 1-2 punches at running back, more than capable tight ends, and a plethora of receiver options. Both teams have hard hitting defenses, and offenses with new found firepower. It is no surprise that the teams are so similar, the coaches are brothers, with a father as their football mentor.
What to Expect
I expect this to be a hard fought close game at times, but I don't think the final score will reveal the true story. I think both offenses will come out hot, and that the Ravens will take a quarter or so to heat up on defense. Ray Lewis will lead the Ravens defense against the read-option, pistol style offense, and the defense will ultimately play smarter and more disciplined than the 49ers previous two opponents. Ray Lewis has a knack for confusing young quarterbacks, and I expect that trend to continue.
The 49ers offensive line is very very good, arguably the best in the league, but if the Ravens defense plays the way it has all post-season, I expect them to wear out the 49ers offense. Tom Brady and the Patriots got tired of being hit, plan and simple. Kaepernick, like Brady, has managed to stay clean all season, rarely being hit, much less sacked. If the Raven's defense can contain Kaep, and get him on the turf, his will to take a hit will diminish quickly, and from then on the Raven's will pile on the points.
I have not made a solid, strong prediction yet, and I personally don't plan to. This game could be a 13-6 game just like last year, it could be 38-35 just like the Raven's divisional match, or what I think is most likely, 28-17. I think both teams will be in it until the end, and then which ever team is in need of a touchdown will commit a fate sealing turnover. Personally I hope that The 49ers are the ones to commit that turnover, Kaepernick throwing directly to Ray Lewis for a game ending pick-six, sending Ray off into the sunset, Lombardi Trophy held high and proud.
According to NFL Network, ESPN, and the Raven's official website, New Orleans has been painted purple and black. Yes there is a strong 49ers presence, but it is estimated that Raven Nation is outnumbering the 49ers fans 3-1. I know that, if given the opportunity, Raven Nation will serenade New Orleans with a strong Seven Nation Army chant.
GO RAVENS!! and Thank You Ray for 17 amazing years.
As many of you know, last Sunday the Baltimore Ravens exorcized yet another demon. In a post season that seemed rigged to send Baltimore home empty handed, the Raven's prevailed. In the Wild Card round, the Raven's were up against the Colts, a team that they were 3-9 against, and 0-2 in the post season. After finally beating the Colts in the post season, the Raven's had to face Peyton Manning, the long time quarterback of those same Colts. The Raven's were only 1-8 against Peyton leading up to the Divisional Round, in which they were 9.5 underdogs in the below freezing altitude of Mile High Stadium. But as we all know, last second heroics placed the Raven's back in the AFC Championship game. So in a post season of demons, the obvious next step would be to place the Ravens back in New England, where the ghosts of Lee Evans and Billy Cundiff are all to close in memory. The Raven's had to play against the inspired young Colts, the physical Broncos, and the mind of Bellichick and Brady; but this Ray Lewis driven team, would not go down without a fight.
On Sunday, the Raven's took on Brady and the Patriots. The game started slow, with both teams looking more like a Raven's v Steeler's defensive matchup than the high-flying style the Foxborough fans were accustomed to. But the second half brought the scoreboard back to life, in a way that stunned that very same Foxborough crowd.
The game started slow, with both teams punting on their first drives. But then life came when the Patriots methodically down the field, but were ultimately held to a 31 yard field goal. After each team had several more series and several more punts, the quarter ended with The Patriots up 3-0.
The Raven's came out hot in the 2nd quarter, scoring on their first drive. The Raven's capped off a 90 yard drive with a Ray Rice touchdown. Ray was able to bounce off three tacklers on his way to the end zone for a 2 yard touchdown, putting the Ravens ahead 7-3. The Patriots quickly responded with a touchdown drive of their own, to regain the lead at 10-7. The drive was capped by a 1 yard touchdown pass to Wes Welker on a coverage miscommunication between Chykie Brown and Corey Graham. After forcing a three and out, the Patriots increased their lead by kicking a 25 yard field goal to end the half with a 13-7 lead, and all of the momentum.
As the Second half began, it appeared to be a continuation of the same tide, each team was forced to punt on their first possession of the half. With 10 minutes left in the 3rd quarter, the tide of the game shifted once again, and there was no looking back. The Ravens scored 3 unanswered touchdowns, while forcing 3 turnovers to secure a 28-13 victory, sending them to the SuperBowl.
The Ravens overcame being 9.5 point underdogs in two consecutive games, the first time that has happened in NFL history. They also got past two future HOF quarterbacks, a HOF coach, and a young team on the rise.
Does the League Hate the Ravens? Or is it Just Las Vegas.
You could make the valid case that the odds makers in Las Vegas simply just don't like the Ravens. Being a 9.5 point underdog to the Broncos is understandable, but still slightly over-the-top, especially considering the beat down they had just put on the Colts. But then to disgrace them by being 9.5 point underdogs again against the Patriots is absurd. The Ravens lost by 3 points a year ago, and won by 1 point this year when playing the Patriots, so how could Vegas assume they would lose by more than a touchdown, especially when you factor in the victory of the Broncos.
But lets keep in mind that it is not only Vegas, but the League, the Refs, and the analysts that hate the Raven's as well. The NFL is a business, and like any good business, they were hoping for the best possible story line each week. Which for them would leave them rooting for a Peyton vs Brady AFC Championship Game. But ultimately in the Super Bowl they got their wish of having the first ever siblings coach against each other in any major sporting championship. So why do I say that the League hates the Ravens? It would be because Roger Godell has made a point of making a point out of the Ravens. Time and again he chooses Ravens players as targets to make his point for increases player safety, while ignoring the safety of Ravens players.
Not to worry, the Refs also seem to be on the side of the League. Not only was Tom Brady not penalized for his obvious attempt at kicking Ed Reed in the 2nd quarter, but the refs seemingly did everything they could to get the Patriots back in the game in the 2nd half. Early in the 2nd half, hard hitting safety Bernard Pollard was flagged for hitting a defenseless receiver in the head and neck area. The penalty was justified, as Pollards hit was slightly high, however the argument could be made that the receiver ducked into the hit. My complaints really start with the missed call against Dennis Pitta. In the middle of the 3rd quarter, Pitta caught a 5 yard crossing pattern pass from Flacco, and was promptly hit by inside linebacker Jarod Mayo. As shown below, "Mayo (B2) launched and hit Pitta (A2) in the head with; the crown of his helmet, facemask to facemask, his shoulder, or his forearm."As the rulebook clearly states, this would be an illegal hit on a defenseless receiver, warranting a 15 yard penalty, or in this case, half the distance to the goal. For those who would like to take a look, a video of the hit is placed below. I understand that in this case, the penalty would not have changed the outcome of the play, and the drive ended with a touchdown on the next play anyway, but consistency from the refs is a must if the league wants to continue to claim that player safety is of utmost importance.
Ok, maybe you don't buy my belief that the League and the refs hate the Ravens, but how about the analysts. Yes, the ESPN, FOX Sports, CBS Sports and NFL Network analysts. I believe that the analysts hate the Ravens, with few exceptions, like beloved NFL Countdown anchor, Chris Berman. When the Raven's went to Denver, only 4 of 36 analysts picked the Ravens. A week later, when playing the Patriots, only 13 of 53 analysts from these networks picked the Ravens to win. Of course, I will mention the fact that only 4 of 29 analysts picked the Colts to win in the Wild Card match up. But other than the one game in which the Raven's were favored, most analysts picked against the Ravens, some even going above and beyond, as mentioned in last week's blog.
Super Bowl Showdown
You don't have to be a Raven's or a 49ers fan to understand that importance of this match up, not even a football fan or a sports fan... national media is all over the "Harbowl". Brothers John (Ravens) and Jim (49ers) will coach against each other for the games biggest prize. Which ever brother wins, it will be their first Super Bowl victory, and the first for their respective franchises in over a decade. Which ever brother loses, it will be that franchises first loss in the big game, as both teams are a combined 6-0 when making it to the Super Bowl.
But this game as many more headlines than just the sibling rivalry. Ray Lewis will be playing in his last NFL football game. For the past few weeks we have been wondering which game will be his last, but now we now, number 52, making his last ride, has made it to the big dance once again. His career will end on Feb. 3rd, whether the Ravens win or lose. But this is not only a big game for Ray. Veterans Ngata, Reed, Birk, Suggs, and Pollard will all be making their first Super Bowl appearance late in their careers. The often criticized Joe Flacco will be making his first Super Bowl appearance, 5 years into his career (keep in mind, the obviously Elite QB Peyton Manning didn't make it until his 8 year in the league).
In a league most recently dominated by high powered offenses, the two teams playing in the Super Bowl are defense driven teams, with "unproven" offenses. The defenses have both been a top story during the playoffs, and each offense has been a surprise leading up to the Super Bowl.
Last Thanksgiving Won't Matter
If you remember, last Thanksgiving featured the first Harbaugh brothers showdown, but unlike the Denver game, their are very few ways in which you can compare last seasons meeting with the upcoming Super Bowl.
Last years game featured the newly revived Alex Smith, this year, the 49ers QB position was controversially switched to Kaepernick, who will be making just his 10th career start, but waisted no time impressing the league. A few other players will be in different roles than they were last year. Ray Lewis was sidelined for last years meeting, but now he is healthy, and playing for the last time. You can rest easy knowing that Ray Lewis will be playing with passion, intensity, and a will to win that may not be surmountable for the 49ers. Terrell Suggs was an impact player last year, and put in a performance that may have solidified his position of DPOY. This year, Kruger is the primary pass rusher, with Suggs quietly getting pressure.
Last Year, each team was just shy of a Super Bowl birth, each team was let down by special teams. The 49ers fumbled a punt, leading the a Giants recovery, and it ultimately lead to the Giants winning the game. And the Ravens were let down by a botched field goal, which would have forced overtime against the Patriots. This year, the 49ers are plagued by kicking questions, while Ravens rookie Justin Tucker has been as consistent as they come. Each team has sured up their return game, with Pro-bowl quality return men.
This game will be nothing short of extraordinary, each team has a legitimate chance to win.
This screen shot is from ESPN's TV Personality, most known for his radio show, and for being the lead anchor on the often comical Sports Nation, Colin Cowherd. His quote may be all I need as a proper title. The Ravens were a 9.5 point underdog going into Denver. Very, very few analysts gave the Ravens any shot at all at beating Peyton Manning and the Broncos. However, I will admit, I was nervous about the Denver game, as many fans were. The stats seemed to speak for themselves: the Broncos had won 11 straight; Manning was 8-1 against Ray Lewis and the Ravens; Flacco had never been consistent on the road; and of course the 34-17 loss in week 14. But the Raven's overcame all of the nay sayers to beat the Broncos in double overtime, 38-35. Surely taking down future Hall of Fame QB Peyton Manning would get the Ravens some national respect, wouldn't it? Simple answer... NO.
As shown above, national media still doubts the Ravens ability. Cowherd says the "patriots are a machine right now," leaving the Raven's with no chance of winning. But didn't Cowherd learn from anything his ESPN college? ESPN reporter Ashley Fox became a well known figure in Baltimore last week when ESPN published a picture of Ray Lewis with the caption "Thanks for all of the Memories, because Sunday was your last NFL Win." This was in reference to the 24-9 Raven's victory over the inspired Colts. Ashley Fox did not stop at disrespecting Ray Lewis, she furthered her statement by comparing Peyton Manning to a Mac Book, a machine. She said that the Raven's would have to take a "hammer to the screen" or "pour beer on the keyboard" of this Mac Book to win. Bu the Raven's did win, by out playing the Broncos on offense, and containing Peyton Manning long enough to force a "hardware malfunction." So if the Raven's just outplayed one machine, why does Colin Cowherd think they won't out play another.
I do understand that the Patriots are playing with 'machine-like' characteristics. Tom Brady threw for 344 yards, and 3 touchdowns. The Patriots team totaled 457 yards, and scored 41 points. Make no mistake, those are impressive numbers. However, those impressive numbers are extremely similar to the Ravens numbers on Saturday. Flacco threw for just 13 fewer yards; he threw for just as many touchdowns, the Ravens totaled 22 more yards than the Patriots, and came up with just 3 fewer points. So if the Patriots are a machine on offense what does that make the Ravens? How can you say that one team is a machine and the other is not?
Looking Forward
The Raven's will travel to New England on Sunday to play the Patriots for the chance to go to the Super Bowl. Not only is this a week 3 rematch, but it is an AFC Championship game rematch from last season.
In Week 3 and in last years AFC Championship Game, Flacco has simply out-dueled Tom Brady. Not only has Flacco been on fire, the Raven's defense has been stout against Brady.
Many analysts on ESPN, and many fans are concerned about the high flying offense that Brady brings. If you watched the Patriots - Texans game on Sunday, you saw that much of their game plan relied on getting the ball deep to Lloyd. Cary Williams is expected to be matched up against Lloyd, and many analysts are marking this as the key match up. However these same analysts are forgetting about what Cary just did up against another deep threat in Decker. Decker was allowed catches in tight coverage, but nothing over the top, and nothing deep. For the most part Cary shut down the deep threat, and is expected to do the same Sunday. They are also listing the match up between the O-line and Wilfork as a key match up. However in the last two match-ups, Wilfork had only 1 sack, and 7 total tackles. Wilfork was also kept quiet in the run game, see how the Raven's were able to rush for over 100 yards in each game, and that was before the break out of Pierce, and the vastly improved O-line play.
The nay-sayers are once again standing loud against the Ravens, few giving them any chance at all. Yet they forget the Week 3 victory, and the Raven's stunning victory of the Broncos. I assure you that this weekend will once again prove that analysts clearly know nothing, which is why, as Chris Berman always says, "that's why we play the game."
I've never been one to forget the past, quite honestly I love to dwell in the past (I suppose that would explain my history major). So I would like to explain why for this weekend, I am going to focus on why the past means nothing. Of course to do this, I will have to explain the importance of the Week 14 match up.
Week 14: Denver 34 - Ravens 17
The most obvious stat that jumps out at everyone from this game is the final score, Denver doubled up on the Ravens. However certain things to get lost in simply looking at the final score. Every fan who watched the game remembers Joe Flacco's untimely pick-six right before half time. However few people remember what happened in the 2nd half. After half time, the two teams tied, each scoring 17 points. This left many people wondering "what if." What if Flacco hadn't thrown the interception. What if Flacco had thrown a touchdown. What if the Ravens hadn't started the game so slowly.
With the final score line showing a dominating Broncos performance, many people never bothered to really examine the games stats. The Raven's defense held Manning to 204 yards, nearly 100 fewer yards than his season average, and his lowest total of the season. Flacco threw for more yards, and more touchdowns than Manning. In all aspects except the impossibly complicated QBR, Flacco out preformed Manning.
Many analysts look at Peyton Manning, and a 11 game win streak, and dismiss the Ravens without a second look. However that 9 game win streak does lack some legitimacy. In those 11 games, the Broncos only played 2 playoff teams, the Ravens, and the Bengals. They played 5 playoff teams, and lost to 3 of them. "New" Faces
Another critical statistic, the players on the field. Of the 6 leading tacklers for the Ravens, only 1 was a Week 1 starter (Cary Williams). The starting Middle Line Backers, Josh Bynes and Brandon Ayanbedejo. Meaning Ellerbe and Lewis were on the sideline, both of whom will be playing this weekend. Lewis provides leadership and knowledge that surpass any Raven, and arguably any active defensive player. Ellerbe provides experience at the position and a much needed pass rush.
Also missing from the Week 14 line-up, pro bowl guard Marshall Yanda and the local star of Bernard Pollard. Starting with Pollard, he provides a better run stopper (something they struggled with in week 14) and a greater "middle-of-the-field" presence.
Second is Marshall Yanda. Yanda is a two time pro bowler, and the Raven's best lineman. But his presence is not the only offensive difference, not even the only offensive line difference. The line has been adjusted consistently over the past several games. Finally leading to a line that allowed only 1 sack to a Colts defense that prides itself on their pass rush, mainly from the quitted Freeney and Mathis. Freeney couldn't even notch a tackle in the game. The offense was under first time coordinator Jim Caldwell. Caldwell now has a few games experience, and has added consistency to a struggling offense.
Key Roles
The Broncos, Ravens game on Saturday will be a hard fought game. Two strong, battle tested defenses, two high flying quarterbacks, and two run games that are much improved from earlier this season.
Running Back Bernard Pierce played in the first game, but his "break-out" came one week later. Line Backer Paul Kruger played in the first game, but his "break-out" came one week later. Tight End Dennis Pitta played in that first game, but his "break-out" came in the 4th quarter.
Meaning
Many Baltimore fans are focusing on the 34-17 defeat, and saying the Ravens have no chance of winning the rematch. However they forget, Peyton historically struggles with three things, a pass rush, cold weather, and a bye-week. Peyton is 1-7 in games played outdoors with the temperature below 25 degrees. The forecast for Saturday predicts 18 degree weather. Peyton has always struggled with a bye week, or getting rest in the final week of the year, having only one 1 playoff game following a week of rest in 5 attempts. And aging, surgically repaired, Peyton Manning, is not physically capable of out running my grandma, much less new found pass rushers Kruger and Ellerbe, much less the hitting ability of Suggs, Nagta, Pollard, Ihedigbo.
Baltimore has a chance to shock the world this week, much like they did in 2000, winning a Super Bowl in the franchises first ever playoff appearance.
I know that I haven't blogged anything recently, and that has mostly been due to the busy schedule of a college student, but partially because of my main motivation as a sports writer hasn't been there.
One of the reasons I started this page was because I was a frustrated member of the Baltimore community. As an avid watcher of ESPN's SportsCenter, I am often frustrated with the lack of national attention that Baltimore teams receive (I mean for God's sake, the Raven's Steelers game was briefly mentioned while Tony Romo's 2 interception performance in a loss required 20 minutes of discussion every hour). Furthermore I am often frustrated by Baltimore's unique condition of sports bipolar disorder. Every fall Friday the city is proudly wearing their purple, yet every Sunday evening (win, lose, or draw) the game was never good enough for Baltimore. This is never more evident then when listening to 105.7 The Fan on Monday's. I swear to God that Joe Flacco could throw for 5 touchdowns, 350 yards, and the Ravens could win the game 35-7, and everyone will call in Monday morning bashing on Flacco for the one interception he threw, or the one sack he took on third down. And if the "fans" aren't bashing on Flacco, I promise Cam Cameron did something wrong (probably calling a run play on 3rd and 9 with 1:32 left in the game, which was won long ago, thus giving the ball back to the opponent). So with this in mind, Baltimore sports 'fans' have riled me up once again, and because of that I decided to write this post.
Today the Ravens lost a close game to the Redskins, which caused Baltimore to come out calling for the heads of offensive coordinator Cam Cameron and defensive coordinator Dean Pees, and of course, quarterback Joe Flacco.
Lets put this into perspective. Flacco threw for 3 touchdowns, the second most of any quarterback this week. He also had a rating of 121.4, the second highest of any qualifying quarterback. Yes, he did have an untimely red-zone interception, but you could easily blame that on the lack of time provided by a subpar O-line. So I can't see any blame landing on Flacco this week.
Secondly, Cam Cameron has received a lot of blame for an 'underperforming' offense. However I don't see the underperforming part at all. The Raven's offense ran for 178 yards on the leagues third best rushing defense, who previously allowed only 91 yards per game. They also scored 28 points today. Of the 15 games played so far this week, 28 points would have won 10 of those games. And I don't think it is far to include the Giants and Seahawks into this equation, but I did anyway. They also tallied 359 yards on offense, more than 19 of the 30 teams to play this weekend. Also, they had a 3rd down efficiency of 50% and a RedZone efficiency of 75%. All of these factors would lead to a win 9 times out of 10. One of the final criticisms I've heard most about Cam Cameron this week is that fan's are asking why he did not play Ray Rice more throughout the game. Ray had 20 carries for 121 yards, while Pierce had 8 carries for 53 yards. That means Rice was a part of 71% of all rushing plays today, a pretty high percentage for someone who apparently didn't touch the field according to social media.
Now lets move on to Dean Pees, our defensive coordinator. With all the stats just mentioned for the offense, it is easy to blame the defense for stumbling in the 4th quarter and costing us the victory. But I will not sit here and say that it is in any way Dean Pees's fault, and anyone who does needs to rethink their decision. If all players were healthy, are starting middle linebackers would be Ray Lewis and Dannell Ellerbe, with McLain receiving playing time. Today are starters were Jameel McLain and Albert McLellan (normally and outside linebacker). But not to worry, McLain received a neck injury late in the third quarter and was replaced by Bynes, who was subsequently injured. So for the game tying and game winning drives, our middle linebackers were Brendan Ayanbadejo and Albert McLellan, neither of which normally play the position. This is of course not to mention the fact that pro bowler Suggs is out, Webb has been out for several weeks, and 2nd string CB Jimmy Smith is still out. This leaves Dean Pees with out 6 of his 11 starters, and he lost 2 players who had been playing well in the game. So to blame Pees for this loss is unacceptable,
In my opinion there are two types of band wagon fans. First the common bandwagon fan, Skip Bayless for example. This type joins the fan base of any team doing well. This year that would mean someone not from the greater DC area all of the sudden becoming a avid Redskins fan. These types of fans are annoying, but at least understandable, I mean, it is only natural to root for a team that is winning and fun to watch. But then there is the 2nd type of band wagon fan, the much much worse type. This is a fan who has been a proud supporter of a team for many many years, but the second they lose a tight game in a rivalry match up, that fan bashes on his team and 'disowns' them, so pretty much any fan of any Philly based sports team. To me this type of bandwagon fan is unacceptable, you are either a fan of the team or not. The reason I bring this up is because it truly upsets me that so many people in Baltimore can complain that a team, who is 9-4, is probably going to the playoffs for the 5 straight year, has had a rough two came span, losing by a combined 6 points, both on last second or overtime field goals. Especially when its the same Baltimore fans who stood by the O's through 14 straight losing seasons. If you are a Baltimore Fan, I can only say this one way, GROW UP. You have been privileged to watch a great team play football in Baltimore for the past 5 years. No, they may not have won or appeared in a Superbowl in those 5 years, but hey, there are 30 teams that miss out every year. At least we can say we were close, unlike the Browns, Bills, Dolphins or Jaguars.
Game 4 of the ALDS between the Yankees and the Oriole's was as exciting as advertised.
The pitching matchup is not as intriguing as a typical post season matchup, Phil Hughes of the Yankees was taking on Joe Saunders for the Orioles.
Phil Hughes is a typical number 4 for any organization, but Joe Saunders would fit into most teams minor league systems. Saunders does not have a particularly quick fastball, he does not have any spectacular "strike-out" pitch, he is by many standards, average. But how he uses his pitches, his command, and his experience were all the O's needed. Saunders pitched the Orioles to victory in the Wild Card game, and facing elimination, all they needed was a repeat performance, shouldn't be too hard right? Well maybe not, but with the Yankees, nothing is easy, especially not in the post season.
At the start, everything seemed to be going the Orioles way, McLouth led off with a walk, and Hardy attempted a sac-bunt to move him over. But Hardy's bunt rode the foul line all the way to the bag, staying just far, allowing Hardy to reach safely, and Hardy to advance. But Hughes was able to rally for three straight fly-outs to end the O's early chance.
Saunders settled into the game nicely, not allowing a hit until the 3rd. In the 3rd, Hughes walked the lead off man for the second time, Machado was able to draw the walk, and McLouth quickly doubled to right to advance Machado all the way to third. But then Hardy grounded to short, and Machado was thrown out at home. So just like the first inning, the O's went quietly after a quick start.
Nate McLouth homers to
take the lead in the 5th
Now fast forward to the top of the 5th, and McLouth is lead off man again. McLouth had walked and doubled in his two at bats so far, and he wasted no time adding to an impressive game. McLouth his a solo HR to break the ice and give Baltimore a 1-0 advantage in the 5th.
McLouth saving a run with
his spectacular catch and
double play in the 5th
After an impressive HR, Saunders walked the Yankees lead off man, and quickly struck out a struggling Granderson. Jason Nix stepped up with one out and a man on first, and he hit the ball hard to deep left field. McLouth, who had just hit his home run, made a leaping catch up against the wall, and had the presence of mind to get the double play at 1st, ending the Yankee's chances in the 5th. However the Yankee's were eventually able to score on an RBI single from Jeter in the 6th.
With the game tied at 1-1, and the endless parade of match-up relief pitchers, the game was now in the 13th inning, the second straight extra inning game, and the first time in league history the same post-season series has gone more than 12 innings in back to back meetings. With most of their match-up pitchers already used, both managers had to turn to their long relievers. The Orioles went with red hot O'Day and then followed with a well rested Pedro Strop. The Yankees went with Joba Chamberlain, but then quickly had to bring in Phelps, (due to an elbow injury to Chamberlain) and eventually Clay Rapada.
Hardy with a stand up double
to score Machado in the 13th
In the top of the 13th, Clay Rapada gave up a lead off double to Many Machado, McLouth grounded out to second advancing Machado to 3rd. Hardy came up with one out and a runner on 3rd. All night the O's went hitless with runners in scoring position, but a quick look to the jovial O's dugout gave you the sense that this would result in a different story. Hardy hit the ball hard to deep left, where it dropped in just in front of the fence, giving the O's a 2-1 lead with Hardy on 2nd.
O's celebrate an extra inning
victory to force a game 5.
Jim Johnson came on in the bottom of the 13th, and did what he does best, retire the side.
The O's were able to pull out the victory in Game 4, just past midnight eastern time. This forces a Game 5 to be played this evening, with a first pitch scheduled for just past 5. This gives coaches and players just about 17 hours to recoup from last night and get ready to play again. Both teams will pitch the same pitchers from Game 1, meaning Hammel for the O's and CC Sabathia for the Yankees. This marks the first time since the beginning of the divisional series that all 4 series will have a game 5. Both the Orioles and Yankees will be looking for the opportunity to take on Detroit in the ALCS with a win tonight.
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