[Cider Jim]

Thanks to Ryan Howard taking a called third strike at the knees with 2 runners on in the bottom of the 9th in the NLCS, the Giants advance to the World Series to play the Texas Rangers.

We all know who Sly will be pulling for, but who do the rest of you like?

Even if you don't follow baseball much, the Christian testimony of the Rangers' Josh Hamilton is amazing: http://www.cbn.com/700club/features/ama ... 91907.aspx

[thepostman]

Gotta go with the Rangers. They had never won a playoff series up to this point and now to make it to the world series. I gotta go with them...but to be honest I have lost a lot of interest in baseball over the last few years so I will probably catch bits and pieces of it

[4everfsu]

Rangers, I would like to see Josh Hamilton win the WS and give his testimony to the world.

[Liberty4Life]

Oh yeah, I'm totally pulling for Texas here.

And I thought the called third strike was low.

[Liberty4Life]

And I thought the called third strike was low.

I stand corrected.

[Cider Jim]

And I thought the called third strike was low.

Everybody who only played Little League knows that the pitch was too close to lay off, especially with 2 runners on in the bottom of the 9th. That should be up there with Bill Buckner's error at 1st base (the old hags know what I'm talking about).

[From the class of 09]

San Fran all the way!!!

[Liberty4Life]

And I thought the called third strike was low.

Everybody who only played Little League knows that the pitch was too close to lay off, especially with 2 runners on in the bottom of the 9th. That should be up there with Bill Buckner's error at 1st base (the old hags know what I'm talking about).

I cannot remember one time in my life when I had a low pitch NOT called a strike.

[LUnpretty11]

Rangers baby!

Howard's called KO was bad, but not even close to Buckner. I could see how Howard could lay off that pitch, because it was close. Buckner just straight had one go right through the wickets... to lose the WS.

[flamehunter]

The difference between Buckner's error and Howard's is that Buckner's was an error of execution. Howard's was an error of judgment. You can't let anything go by that's that close in that situation. Howard is a great player, but that was a miserable end to a lousy series for him.

Go Rangers.

[olldflame]

While the Sawks would have won it in 6 if Buckner fields that ball, the series was not over, and they also blew a 3-0 lead in game 7. Buckner went 2-4 in that game. He took way too much grief over that play. Losing that series was very much a team effort.

[Schfourteenteen]

And I thought the called third strike was low.

I stand corrected.

I'm about 6'2.....my knees are about 21in off the ground. Give another inch or so for cleat height and it's borderline at best.

[adam42381]

And I thought the called third strike was low.

I stand corrected.

I'm about 6'2.....my knees are about 21in off the ground. Give another inch or so for cleat height and it's borderline at best.

The upper and lower limits of the strike zone are plotted using video of the batter taking his stance by the PitchFX operator. The dimensions should be pretty accurate.

[LUnpretty11]

Also take into consideration it was a breaking ball (slider I believe), so the pitch will seem lower than it really was. Perfect pitch.

[adam42381]

Also take into consideration it was a breaking ball (slider I believe), so the pitch will seem lower than it really was. Perfect pitch.

Exactly. While I agree he should have swung the bat considering the situation, I think the slider froze him. It was close to an unhittable pitch.

[Schfourteenteen]

The upper and lower limits of the strike zone are plotted using video of the batter taking his stance by the PitchFX operator. The dimensions should be pretty accurate.

And they happen to be at exactly 1.5 and 3.5 feet high? I don't buy it.

[LUnpretty11]

And they happen to be at exactly 1.5 and 3.5 feet high? I don't buy it.

I do. Quite being such a hater mannn!

[adam42381]

The upper and lower limits of the strike zone are plotted using video of the batter taking his stance by the PitchFX operator. The dimensions should be pretty accurate.

And they happen to be at exactly 1.5 and 3.5 feet high? I don't buy it.

Ok. You don't have to buy it. PitchFX charts are widely accepted to be some of the best interpretations of the strike zone by the statistical community. That's good enough for me.

[ToTheLeft]

The upper and lower limits of the strike zone are plotted using video of the batter taking his stance by the PitchFX operator. The dimensions should be pretty accurate.

And they happen to be at exactly 1.5 and 3.5 feet high? I don't buy it.

Ok. You don't have to buy it. PitchFX charts are widely accepted to be some of the best interpretations of the strike zone by the statistical community. That's good enough for me.

[Schfourteenteen]

The upper and lower limits of the strike zone are plotted using video of the batter taking his stance by the PitchFX operator. The dimensions should be pretty accurate.

And they happen to be at exactly 1.5 and 3.5 feet high? I don't buy it.

Ok. You don't have to buy it. PitchFX charts are widely accepted to be some of the best interpretations of the strike zone by the statistical community. That's good enough for me.

The PitchFX chart is based off the average strikezone - 1.6ft to 3.5 ft. 1.6 ft is the base of the strikezone for the average player - 6ft tall. Howard is 6'4 without cleats - give him 6'5 with.

I wouldn't go as far as to say the whole thing is flawed - it's just not perfect - and the location of that last pitch is not indicative of where the ball was in relation to his knees. According to that zone - the middle of the ball was more than 3 inches above his knees - no way. It doesn't take a statistician to see that.

Oh - and he should have swung.

[Cider Jim]

it was a breaking ball (slider I believe), so the pitch will seem lower than it really was. Perfect pitch.

And it's where the pitch was as it CROSSED the PLATE, not where it was when it reached the catcher's glove.

[LUnpretty11]

According to that zone - the middle of the ball was more than 3 inches above his knees - no way. It doesn't take a statistician to see that.

Oh - and he should have swung.

.3 maybe?

[WinthropEagleFan]

I'm going for the Giants. Cody Ross was one of my favorite Marlins the last couple of years, so I want to see him get a ring. Will it happen? It will be tough...but I think SF's pitching will keep them in every game.

[jack_sparrow81]

The Marlins organization has been great source for sending talent throughout the league. Pretty much the reason why I went from being a Marlins to a Nationals fan.

[LUminary]

Even if you don't follow baseball much, the Christian testimony of the Rangers' Josh Hamilton is amazing: http://www.cbn.com/700club/features/ama ... 91907.aspx

Hamilton's story is amazing. I will always remember him telling a national television audience, after putting on that show in the 2008 Home Run Derby, that he wanted to "give thanks to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and I want to seek to honor Him every day."

http://www.crosswalk.com/spirituallife/men/11579489/