Opinion

Here are a few unsolicited thoughts about Game 1 of the NLCS tonight. First of all, we learned that—gasp!— Roy Halladay and Tim Lincecum are human. Neither threw a perfect game, or a no-hitter, or a shutout. In fact, the hype was so strong for this matchup, it couldn't help but be a letdown. The only way people in Philly would have been happy after Halladay's no-hitter in the NLDS would have been if he threw a perfect game tonight AND hit a grand slam.

The 2010 ALCS is tied at one game apiece.

The New York Yankees couldn’t muster together another comeback win last night and the Texas Rangers won 7-2.

Phil Hughes followed in CC Sabathia’s footsteps with another not-so-great performance from a Yankees starter. They’re human, just like the rest of us, and nobody is perfect.

The postseason isn’t built for chances or mistakes.

I'm not a Twins fan. I'm a Twins admirer.

Why? Minnesota does it right. They don't have to spend $200 million like the Yankees and the Red Sox. They don't have to pick off the best players from small market teams. They don't have half their games on national television.

So, what do they have? The Twins have Ron Gardenhire, a coach who does it the right way. He steals bases, teaches defense and occasionally bunts.

General Manager Theo Epstein announced a few years ago that he had signed a new deal. The terms of that deal were never disclosed, but it’s safe to say that whatever he is making, this offseason will be a test to see if he’s worth the money.

He wasn’t to blame for Boston’s missing the playoffs, but in a way, the GM is always culpable. The team is full of free agents and Epstein will have a lot to consider, as he attempts to build a side which can compete in baseball’s toughest division.

Yesterday the Seattle Mariner front office garnered similar fan enthusiasm for their latest choice to manage the team, as one might find at an exciting university lecture on Wave Particle Duality and how that relates to quantum physics.

Lots of snoring, cat-calling, muttering, outright grumbling amidst the masses, scattered with skeptical “who the crap is that??!?

Larry Rothschild has exercised his option to remain as the Cubs pitching coach for another season. Apparently this means that if it is OK with the new manager, he gets to stay. One of the odd things about Jim Hendry's tenure as GM is the number of no-trade contracts and player's and coach's options he has handed out.

 By the end of the six innings, the New York Yankees were down 5-0 to the Texas Rangers.

Yankees ace CC Sabathia had to exit after the fourth; his shortest outing of the season.

On the other end, Rangers starter CJ Wilson was shutting down the deep New York line-up. Wilson gave up a homerun to Robbie Cano to start the seventh, but retired the next three and the held the Yankees to a 5-1 score.

I had a thought just now. Cliff Lee is controlling the Texas Rangers. Last night, in Game 1, Rangers manager Ron Washington was quick on the hook with starter C.J. Wilson. After Brett Gardner beat out that ground ball to first with a headfirst slide and Derek Jeter drove him in with a double down the left-field line, Washington yanked Wilson and went to his bullpen.

You know the rest.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are currently interviewing candidates to replace the recently fired John Russell. I thought I'd take some time to break down how I view the leading candidates.

Let's start with the candidates the Pirates have already interviewed. Their career win-loss record is in parentheses.

Eric Wedge (561-573)

Pro

Managed a young small market team to an ALCS appearance.