welcome to another edition of "small sample size theater".

david eckstein still sucks. a couple of good games does not erase his atrocious career numbers. bad players win series MVP awards all the time (see polanco, placido & 2006 ALCS).

you reasonably ripped simmons for some stupid statements in that live-blog, but he got that one right.

Got to agree with Jason here:

I watch about 80-100 Angels games a year and it's plain to see that David Eckstein allowed many more hits and Orlando Cabrera saved many more since replacing him as the Angels SS. (Hell, it might be that Orlando is just ordinary, but he sure made plays that Eck would not have.)

Sure Eck is a pesky little devil, but a good SS is a pitcher's best friend, and zone ratings be damned, Eck is not a good SS.

Also, he wears his hat funny.

Numbers aren't everything guys. Rings count too.

Cabrera has a ring.

Two words. Scott Brosius. He will forever be remembered not by his stats, but that one homer and MVP award.

when it comes to whether or not a player sucks, i'd say numbers are a huge part of the argument. eckstein has a decent OBP, but that's offset by his atrocious power numbers. also, that OBP has meant less the last two years since he can no longer steal bases well. as jrc pointed out, eckstein's defense is well below-average, too.

a replacement-level shortstop could probably do an even better job and for far less than the cardinals are paying eckstein. his one good game doesn't change that.

on a team of 25 players, a few are bound to end up with rings despite those players possibly detracting from the team's ability to win the title. if the cardinals win, jason marquis will also have a ring.

ok im' so frustrated with these announcers, I declare it to be the worst broadcast ever
1) 8th inning: standing ovation as Jeff Weaver is lifted for a pinch hitter, McCarver points this out, but Joe Buck says it's because of Spiezo...(hello???)
2) Jeanie Zalasko made 3 big mistakes in the post game ceremonies. im' sick of the stupid questions.
a) how do you feel (to the owner of the Cardinals ) he totally ignored her to make an intelligent statement about the franchise and the fans
b) can you say World Series Cardinals (to Walt Jockety) he totally ignores her to make an intelligent statement
c) another dumb question to Tony Larussa, who ignores the question and replies with an intelligent answer.
what's wrong with Fox? what's wrong with announcing?
what will it be like in 5 years?

1 more thing
Hello Fox (and ABC, and CBS, and ESPN, and NBC)
we do not want in game interview with people who aren't involved in the game, we don't want to see shots of fans in the stands, just show the game, we don't want a billion shots of the coaches, or after every pitch or every snap of the game
just show the game
Keep
It
Simple
Stupid

I'm going to plug my own site: http://hugetinymistake.wordpress.com/2006/10/24/white-guys-play-baseball-too/

Gotta love this award, tailor-made for Eckstein(the other names are just for show)

I pretty much agree with Jason. Eckstein may be "scrappy" and "hard-working" and everyone in the media may like him, but at the end of the day he's still a below-average SS. A few games isn't going to change that.