Afternoon Baseball

No suspense today, as the Cards destroyed the great white hope of San Diego, Jake Peavy, the White Sox hit so many HR that even homer-less Scott Podsednik joined in, and the Yankees jumped early on Bartolo Colon and held on late.

Quick thoughts: 1. Reggie Sanders was one of the worst playoff hitters ever before today. Yet he goes for 6 RBI, two more than any Cardinal had ever managed in a playoff game. Baseball Musings (understandably) didn't like the very-lengthy discussion of every Cardinal who had knocked in four before, but I didn't mind. Discussing old players keeps their memories alive -- plus the damn game was 8-0. If this was "Monday Night Football," John Madden would have been in the middle of his Brett Favre HOF induction speech -- even if the Pack wasn't playing.

2. Colon looks like Andre the Giant. It's true.

3. Joe Buck and Tim McCarver pre-emptively defending their love of Derek Jeter about eight times. Doesn't that defeat the whole point, guys? Besides, McCarver hated Jeter until that crash into the stands last year. Actually, no. He tried to mock his range two days later against the Mets and Buck bitch-slapped him on-air. Since then, though, he's been all over Jeter more than Mariah.

4. Andy Pettitte (should-be Cy Young) has a checkered postseason history, for sure. For all his great games, he was a big factor in the 1997 ALDS and 2001 WS losses for the Yanks. Against the Braves is no exception. You may remember his masterful 1-0 defeat of Smoltz in Game 5 of the 1996 WS. You may not remember the last Game 1 he pitched against Atlanta. That same series, a 12-1 loss. Which Pettitte will show up?