Two Days Down

The first two days of baseball's postseason haven't disappointed. As expected, the Cards and Astros have outslugged their opponents with methodical efficiency and little drama. In the Angels-Sox series, I was genuinely surpised that Anaheim wasn't able to rally in their first two games (simian mascots notswithstanding). Back in 2002, guys like Garret Anderson and David Eckstein continually pulled the team out of the depths and came up with clutch hits. With the 2-0 series headed back to Fenway, the Red Sox look unbeatable. But as any Sox fan knows, that's when it's time to start worrying.

The Yankees comeback over the Twins tonight was as wrenching as it was predictable. I was baffled by Gardenhire's decision to leave Joe Nathan in the game. As soon as he threw his sixth consecutive ball to start the 12th, I started pleading to my TV screen. When will managers learn that it's better to cut your losses at the first sign that your pitcher is in trouble? It seems like it always gets worse before it gets better.