Chip Caray on the MLB Playoffs
By: Jim Williams
The Examiner
Before he caught a plane to Los Angeles yesterday I caught up with TBS lead play-by-play analyst Chip Caray to talk about the baseball playoffs. Here is how he sees the match-ups.
The Angels-Red Sox the series he will be calling with O’s/ MASN broadcaster Buck Martinez.
Caray: “This is a wild one if you are a numbers geek. Regular season the Angels dominated the Red Sox winning all but one of the nine meetings. But the Angels have yet to win a playoff game the last two times they have faced the Red Sox in 2004 and 2007 in the post season. The Sox are banged up with Josh Beckett, a proven star in the post-season, was pushed back to Game 3 and the Angels come into this series with a ton of power led by Mark Teixeira and Vladimir Guerrero hitting three and four in the line-up that is really tough to beat. I would have to give the Angles the edge but one thing we have all learned is never count the Red Sox out. So I am looking forward to this series.”
The Rays and the White Sox.
Caray: “The Rays are the feel good story of the 2008 baseball season. But it would be a mistake to think that this team is not going to be around for a long time. In many ways they remind me of the 1994 Braves the team that started the playoff roll for Atlanta. They have maybe the best starting pitching in the American League and great defense. They don’t beat themselves and just seem to find ways to win. The White Sox that is a different case. Chicago has the big boppers, they live and die by the long ball and if they aren’t hitting home runs they aren’t winning. In regular season play the Rays and the Sox played close games. If games are close in the late innings some of the Sox pop like Ken Griffey and Jim Thome could come out for defensive reason and that would be a plus for the Rays. The Sox are one of those good old fashioned three run homer type teams that Earl Weaver would have loved. Final note here and that is the Rays have not been to the Playoffs and the Sox have, that could help Chicago but I really like the Rays in this one.”
The TBS crew for this series will be Don Orsillo, Harold Reynolds and field reporter Marc Fein.
The Cubs and the Dodgers
Caray: This one is a managers series with Lou Pinella and Joe Torre man you have two of the best matching up in this one. You have the Cubs who have been in consistent down the stretch and the Dodger with Manny Ramirez playing like he is the NL MVP down the stretch. This one could come down to pitching and which team can keep the ball inside the friendly confines of Wrigley Field. The Cubs are the best team but does Torre have the Dodgers ready to move on.”
TBS crew in Chicago will be Dick Stockton, Ron Darling (analyst) and Tony, Gwynn.
Phillies and the Brewers
I really like the Phillies in this one. We all know about Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins but I have to say that the key to me is pitching and I think that Cole Hamel and Jamie Moyer are proven winners and the key is really the closer Brad Lidge with 41 out of 41 saves. Look the Brewers are a good team don’t get me wrong but the Phillies have been there and that really does means a great deal in the playoffs.
TBS Crew for this game Brian Anderson Joe Simpson and John Smoltz.
The pregame show TBS MLB On Deck featuring Ernie Johnson, Cal Ripken and Dennis Eckersley will air 30 minutes before each day’s first game.
