Filowitz's Friday Five

1) There’s nothing more enjoyable than seeing the Yankees get utterly demolished, is there? Knowing all those smug Yankees fans have to shut up and eat a little crap for a day is amusing to me. So, so amusing. For more fun, if you see a Yankees fan, remember to yell at them: Ken-ny Lof-ton! (clap clap clap-clap-clap) Ken-ny Lof-ton! Or say to them, “They have twelve runs. You don’t.”

2) At the same time, knowing that Red Sox fans will feel extra smug after seeing their team do well and the Yankees struggle isn’t much better. I prefer to see Red Sox fans also have to shut up and eat some crap. So does that mean I want the Yankees to win or to lose? I’m confusing myself over here.

3) This would be a good time to point out that I don’t really have a team that’s “my team” in baseball. I love to watch and follow baseball, but I’ve liberated myself from the confines of specific team fandom (as articulated by the FreeDarko guys in regards to basketball.) So I root for scenarios, stories, things that make it fun for me. For example, the Cubs doing well would be a lot of fun for me, since I live a mile and a half from Wrigley. Mostly, though, this has to do with being able to see the anguish of other teams’ fans – especially Yankees and Red Sox fans, and to a lesser degree Phillies fans. My baseball fandom right now seems to be rooted in schadenfreude.

4) The TBS coverage has been decent. The huge advantage they have over Fox is that they don’t actively hate baseball fans, as any network that employs Tim McCarver, Jeanne Zelasko, and Scooter the talking baseball clearly does. There’s also no obnoxious sound effects every few minutes, and no gratuitous interviews with “stars” of the network’s shows. Just baseball, with more or less competent announcing, and the always awesome Ernie Johnson in the studio. The only thing I wish would go away is Frank Caliendo. But looks like we’re stuck with Al Pacino and Jack Nicholson imitations for the next month (oh, how timely and relevant!)

5) Boy, the Cubs sure did strike out a lot in the first two games. Ten times in game one. Thirteen times in game two. You're not going to win any games if all you do is strike out. I suppose we have to blame Bartman for this. Stop making Cubs hitters miss pitches, you!