Both teams were below average in scoring runs and at the top of their league in run prevention, Houston leading the National League and Chicago third in the American, but just three runs off the lead, for the whole year. They both have good starters. They both have good relievers.
Nothing ever goes according to form, but if this Series goes according to form, it'll be tense and low-scoring. Good old-fashioned 1950s- and '60s-style baseball.
You've got a good chance of missing some great games.
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Why do you ask, ump? [PERMALINK]
You catch it?
Did you see that question at second base? I didn't either. My friend Jon Schmuke pointed it out to me.
It was after the blown call at second in the fifth inning. Umpire Greg Gibson ruled that Astros shortstop Adam Everett had tagged Cardinals base runner Yadier Molina after being pulled off the bag on a force play.
Everett actually missed the tag despite an acrobatic try after catching the errant throw from pitcher Roy Oswalt. But Gibson, who originally signaled safe after seeing Everett come off the base, was screened out by Molina's body and made the out call. Emphatically. Twice.
Molina tugged at the front of his shirt and -- the rest of this conversation was clear from reading lips -- said, "He didn't tag me." Gibson's back was to the Fox TV camera, but as he answered he gestured that the throw had pulled Everett off the base. A new camera angle showed Gibson tapping his chest, nodding yes and saying, "He tagged you. You're out."
"No, no," Molina said, and then a couple more words I couldn't see, but probably more of the same.
"Yes he did. Yes he did," Gibson said, nodding, projecting absolute confidence in his call.
The play left the Cardinals with runners at first and third and one out. The next batter, John Rodriguez, hit a sacrifice fly to score Mark Grudzielanek from third. After he crossed the plate, Fox darted around to various cameras and views, as usual. One of them was a closeup of Gibson standing just behind Everett.
The two-shot of them was on the air for two and a half seconds, just long enough to catch Gibson's question.
"You tag him?"
Beautiful. A great, lucky shot by Fox, though the network made its own luck by pointing a camera at those two. Everett turned his head and opened his mouth to answer, but Fox cut away.
After the game, Everett said, "All I knew is I came off the bag, and I tried to tag him. I felt like I got him." Replays definitively showed otherwise.
Previous column: Fox announcers
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About the writer
King Kaufman is a senior writer for Salon. Visit his column archive.
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